Public Relations Association of Mississippi Honors PR Practitioners

The Public Relations Association of Mississippi (PRAM) recently honored public relations practitioners from around the state for outstanding work and service to the profession.  The awards were announced during PRAM’s state conference held April 8-9, 2010, in Natchez. 

South Mississippi resident Ron Barnes, APR received the organization’s Professional Achievement Award.  Barnes is the Vice President of Marketing and PR for Coast Electric Power Association, where he oversees residential and commercial marketing, public relations, and communications and leads a team of 11 employees. The Professional Achievement Award is given annually to a public relations practitioner and PRAM member whose accomplishments have made a major contribution to the profession. It is PRAM's top honor and recognizes excellence in the field of public relations. Recipients embody the highest degree of professionalism, serve their communities, are committed to advancing the profession and have outstanding achievements in the practice of public relations.

PRAM named Leyla Goodsell as its Educator of the Year. She is a Visiting Professor of Practice in Public Relations at the School of Mass Communication and Journalism at the University of Southern Mississippi in Hattiesburg, where she teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in PR.  Prior to teaching, Goodsell practiced public relations in the non-profit sector for more than 12 years.  A native of Thomson, Ga., she is a graduate of Georgia Southern University and the University of Southern Mississippi.

Kayla Bradley, a senior at Mississippi State University, received PRAM’s first Student of the Year award, along with a $1,000 scholarship. Of the eight public relations students nominated from throughout the state, Bradley was selected for the award because of her academic excellence and leadership both on and off campus.  The PRAM Student of the Year Program is an opportunity for PRAM to recognize and reward outstanding students in the field of public relations and provide them with support as they transition from school to career.  The selection committee also awarded a $250 scholarship to MSU senior Jennifer Puhr.

As part of PRAM’s annual awards program, awards including PRism awards, Awards of Excellence and Certificates of Merit were given in 25 categories. From those, the judges also selected the Best of Show Award and Judges’ Choice Awards. 

 Goodsell also led a team of USM staff, faculty and students that received the overall Best of Show Award for its work on the USM School of Mass Communication and Journalism’s 2009 Hall of Fame induction ceremony.  The Best of Show among the student entries was awarded to Andrew Scott of the University of Mississippi for his entry in the Public Service Program category. Judges’ Choice Awards were given to Singing River Electric Power Association for its annual report and to the University of Southern Mississippi Gulf Coast in the images category.

The PRism awards began in 2003 as a way to honor and recognize outstanding work in the field of public relations by professionals within the state of Mississippi. The awards are judged by professionals outside the geographical boundaries of the Southern Public Relations Federation -- Mississippi, Alabama, Florida, and Louisiana.

Public relations practitioners honored at annual awards banquet

Public relations practitioners from around the state were honored for outstanding work during the Public Relations Association of Mississippi’s Annual PRism Awards Luncheon, held recently at the Jackson Hilton. Awards, including Certificates of Merit, Awards of Excellence and PRism Awards, were given in 25 categories. From those, the judges also selected the Best of Show Award and Judges’ Choice Awards.

Coast Electric Power Association received the Best of Show Award for the Long-Term Special Public Relations Program, “Co-op Connections.” Judges’ Choice Awards were given to GodwinGroup, The Mississippi Department of Education and State Farm - Public Education Forum for the public service program, “On the Bus" Dropout Prevention Campaign and to Mississippi College in the Web site development category.

In addition, the Educator of the Year was named and the Professional Achievement Award was given to a public relations practitioner and PRAM member whose accomplishments have made a major contribution to the profession. It is PRAM's top honor and recognizes excellence in the field of public relations. Recipients embody the highest degree of professionalism, serve their communities, are committed to advancing the profession and have outstanding achievements in the practice of public relations.

Ocean Springs resident Kristie Aylett, APR received the Professional Achievement Award. Over her 19-year career, she has amassed a varied repertoire of work in fields including government, health care and big business. Currently she owns a public relations firm, The KARD Group PR/Marketing. She has also promoted the public relations field, both by her involvement in a variety of professional communications' organizations and by the level of her involvement as a college-level instructor and mentor to others entering the profession.  She served as president of the Mississippi Beach chapter of PRAM in 2008 and currently serves on the state board of the 600-member association.

Robin Street, APR was named the Educator of the Year. She is currently a lecturer at the University of Mississippi. Street is devoted to the highest standards of PR professionalism and shares her passion with future practitioners every day. Enrollment in the public relations emphasis has tripled since she started teaching the courses, and she had to add a summer course this year in order to accommodate all the students who wanted to participate. She is also a founding member of her local PRAM chapter and has won numerous PRAM and SPRF awards.

The PRism awards began in 2003 as a way to honor and recognize outstanding work in the field of public relations by professionals within the state of Mississippi. The awards are judged by professionals outside the geographical boundaries of the Southern Public Relations Federation -- Mississippi, Alabama, Florida, and Louisiana. A best of show is awarded as well as a judge's choice. The highest award honor goes to the PRism winners, followed by Awards of Excellence and Certificates of Merit.

The Public Relations Association of Mississippi (PRAM) is comprised of 11 local chapters geographically located throughout the state’s major population centers. There are approximately 600 members from advertising and public relations agencies, corporations, non-profit organizations, government, education, industries and others. PRAM provides numerous professional development opportunities to its members and is a state affiliate organization of the Southern Public Relations Federation.

Photo caption: PRAM awarded Ole Miss senior Whitney Tarpy its 2009 scholarship for outstanding public relations students. From left: PRAM President Pete Smith; nominating professor Robin Street, APR; scholarship recipient Whitney Tarpy; and Celeste Cade, PRAM board member-at-large/scholarships

PRAM Recognizes 2009 Scholarship Recipient

The Public Relations Association of Mississippi has announced that University of Mississippi student, Whitney Tarpy, has received its 2009 scholarship.

Tarpy will graduate in May with a degree in journalism.  She currently works in the Ole Miss Sports Media Relations office.  She is described by her supervisor there as “our most versatile student worker.”  Tarpy worked for a year as a senior reporter for the Ole Miss campus daily newspaper.  Most notably, she served as a Southeastern Conference media relations volunteer, as well as a student intern for MSNBC in its coverage of the Presidential debate at Ole Miss.

            Tarpy has many scholastic honors including membership in the Alpha Lambda Delta Honors Society and the Order of Omega. She has been named to the Chancellor’s List and Dean’s List throughout her collegiate career. She is a dedicated volunteer on and off campus. Some of her areas of service include the Catholic Student Association and the Holly Springs Hummingbird Festival.

            “Whitney is an outstanding example of the next generation of public relations professionals, and we are pleased that we can support her studies as she pursues a degree in the field,” said Celeste Cade, PRAM state board member-at-large, scholarships. “She is very deserving of this honor.”

            PRAM began its scholarship program in 2007.  The winner receives $1,000 and is recognized at the organization’s annual awards banquet, which took place April 17, 2009, at the Hilton Hotel and Conference Center in Jackson, Miss. Tarpy attended the banquet, along with her parents and nominating professor, Robin Street, APR.

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