Contact: Sasha Steinberg

STARKVILLE, Miss.—From writing, photography and video to social media, television and web design, Mississippi State University’s Office of Agricultural Communications and Office of Public Affairs are receiving various honors in the College Public Relations Association of Mississippi’s annual awards competition.

“Holiday Homecoming,” a video produced by OPA and the University Television Center, received the Grand Award in the senior division’s electronic media category during CPRAM’s recent conference at Holmes Community College’s Ridgeland campus. The video also took home a first-place electronic media award in the new media/social media category.

Team members include Checky Herrington, OPA brand manager; UTC senior producers Chris Misun and James Parker; Leah Gibson, OPA social media coordinator; and Bethany Shipp, OPA marketing and communication coordinator.

CPRAM is a consortium of public relations professionals employed at Mississippi’s public and private colleges and universities. For more, visit http://www.cpram.ms.

“We are so fortunate at MSU to have a group of talented, dedicated staff members who take great pride in their work and believe in the university. That’s almost always a recipe for success in marketing and branding,” said Sid Salter, MSU chief communications officer and public affairs director.

Elizabeth Gregory North, OAC department head, said, “We really appreciate the opportunity that CPRAM provides us to learn from all the universities and colleges in Mississippi, and recognition from this group of our peers makes it mean that much more.”

Other CPRAM honors from MSU include:

—First Place for “Delta True: Donald Gant Looks to the Future” feature story. Team members include Keri Collins Lewis, OAC media relations manager, and Kevin Hudson, OAC photographer.

—Second Place for “4-H Friends: Family Embarks on Showmanship Adventure” feature story. Team members include Keri Collins Lewis, OAC media relations manager, and Kevin Hudson, OAC photographer.

—First Place for “Game Changer: Chronic Wasting Disease Found in Mississippi Deer” sports news story. Team members include Linda Breazeale, OAC senior extension associate; Bronson Strickland, extension professor for the College of Forest Resources’ Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Aquaculture; and Cindy Callahan, OAC web developer.

—First Place for “Ty Jones – Our People” photograph by Kevin Hudson.

—First Place for “Farmweek” (Oct. 25) television program. Team members include Leighton Spann, OAC senior extension associate; Mike Russell, OAC broadcast television producer; Zac Ashmore, OAC video producer; Jonathan Parrish, OAC extension associate I; Steve Carver, UTC senior producer; and David Garraway, UTC director.

—Second Place for “Farmweek” (June 21) television program. Team members include Leighton Spann, OAC senior extension associate; Mike Russell, OAC broadcast television producer; Zac Ashmore, OAC video producer; Steve Carver, UTC senior producer; and David Garraway, UTC director.

—Third Place for “Get to Know Your MSU Extension Agent,” new media/social media category, Jonathan Parrish, OAC extension associate I, and Ellen Graves, OAC social media strategist.

—Second Place for “Extension Matters” web page. Team members include Leah Barbour, OAC marketing and communication coordinator; Keryn Page, OAC publications manager; Kevin Hudson, OAC photographer; Brian Utley, OAC senior extension associate; Beth Barron, OAC web communications designer; Tim Allison, OAC senior extension associate; Susan Collins-Smith, OAC extension associate II; Megan Bean, OPA photographer; Keri Collins Lewis, OAC media relations manager; Gary Bachman, extension/research professor for MSU’s Coastal Research and Extension Center; Nathan Gregory, OAC news writer; and Cindy Callahan, OAC web developer.

—First Place for “Center for Government and Community Development ‘Revitalization’ Banner Stand” exhibit. Team members include Phillip Smith, extension associate III, and Kevin Hudson, photographer.

—First Place for “The Food Factor: From Broadcast to Blog,” public relations innovations category. Team members include Keri Collins Lewis, OAC media relations manager; Art Shirley, OAC web communications manager; Cindy Callahan, OAC web developer; Ellen Graves, OAC social media strategist; Jonathan Parrish, OAC extension associate I; Natasha Haynes, extension agent IV and host; and Susan Collins-Smith, OAC extension associate II.

—First Place for MSU’s “Alumnus” magazine. Team members include Susan Lassetter, OPA publications editor; Harriet Laird, OPA associate director; Heather Rowe, OPA digital design editor; OPA news writers James Carskadon and Sasha Steinberg; Bob Carskadon, former HailStateBEAT digital media reporter; OPA photographers Megan Bean, Russ Houston and Beth Wynn; Kelly Donoho, MSU Athletics photographer; Vanessa Beeson, College of Forest Resources publications editor; Amy Cagle, MSU Foundation publications manager; Addie Mayfield, MSU Foundation communications specialist; Abby Ready Rushing, former MSU Foundation communication intern; Tom Thompson, College of Veterinary Medicine coordinator of photographic services; and Amanda Meeler, marketing and communication coordinator for MSU’s Center for Advanced Vehicular Systems.

—First Place for “Mississippi State University Digital Advertising,” web advertisement category. OPA team members include Harriet Laird, associate director; Checky Herrington, brand manager; Heather Rowe, digital design editor; and Bethany Shipp, marketing and communication coordinator.

—First Place for “Mississippi State Summer Advantage” public relations campaign. OPA team members include Harriet Laird, Checky Herrington, Heather Rowe and Bethany Shipp. UTC senior producer James Parker also contributed.

Learn more about the Office of Agricultural Communications at www.oac.msstate.edu; Office of Public Affairs at www.opa.msstate.edu.

MSU is Mississippi’s leading university, available online at www.msstate.edu.