Ad-PR Students Recognized for ‘Superior’ Work

GVSU School of Communications

The third annual Superior Awards were held this week to recognize the outstanding work done by Advertising and Public Relations students in their various classes. The Superior Awards are named for the fact that the Advertising and Public Relations program, one of 8 major programs in the School of Communications, is in Lake Superior Hall on the Allendale campus.

This year there were more than 50 entries, with 20 receiving recognition as “superior” by a panel of professional judges. The Superior Awards are not a competition but a recognition of quality work in Advertising and Public Relations assignments done in class as judged by local professionals in the field.

The winners included:

Superior Award winners received a certificate and a pin.
Superior Award winners received a certificate and a pin.

Single Advertisement

  • Melissa Brink, Television
  • Carly Johnson, Television
  • Kyle Flannery, Magazine
  • Spencer Walker, Billboard
  • Georgia Madison, Magazine

Advertising Campaign

  • Daniel Goubert
  • Ashley Handy
  • Georgia Madison

Strategy-based Media Plan

  • Melissa Brink
  • Zach Salisbury

Cost-based Media Plan

  • Mark Engstrom

Public Relations Case Study

  • Kayla Foster
  • Lindsey VanDenBoom
  • Nichole Wood
  • Kelsey Martin
  • Jailyn Glass

Public Relations Campaign

  • Lindsey VanDenBoom
  • Nichole Wood

APA Paper

  • Hunter Zuk
  • Emelie Milnikel

Judges were selected from area professionals to judge the public relations and the advertising entries.

PR Judges: 

* = alumni of the School of Communications

  • *Adrienne Wallace, Director, 834 Design & Marketing
  • *Derek DeVries, Digital Strategist, Lambert Edwards & Associates
  • Joe DiBenedetto, Senior Director, Lambert Edwards & Associates
  • Matt Jackson, Senior Director, Lambert Edwards & Associates
  • *Kim Bode, Owner, 834 Design & Marketing
  • Chantell LaForest, Project Manager, 834 Design & Marketing
  • *Rick Jensen, Media Relations Specialist, Spectrum Health
  • *Lyndsie Post, Director of Communications, Davenport University
  • *Austin Langolis, Public Relations Associate, Amway
  • Heather Halligan, Marketing Specialist, Hungerford Nichols CPAs
  • *Leah Twilley, Communications Specialist, GVSU

Advertising Judges:

  • Tom Crimp (AUXILIARY Advertising Design)
  • Rob McCarty (The Image Shoppe)
  • Clayton Boothe (Boothe Creative)
  • Stephan Hokanson (Do More Good)
  • David Kettler (Media Place Partners)
  • Michael Colasanti (Synergi Media)