JCOM Excellence on Display: Lee and Rodriquez Make It to Finals of Utah Student PR Competition

Vanessa Richards, Chloe Miller writers

Two Utah State University journalism and communication students placed as finalists in the
Utah Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) at its 36th Annual Golden Spike Awards in Salt Lake City. 

Emma Lee and Abraham Rodriguez, Utah State University’s Department of Journalism and Communication students, recently placed as finalists in the 2023 Utah Public Relations Student of the Year competition at the 36th Annual Golden Spike Awards in November 2023.

The competition is hosted by the Utah Public Relations Society of America and welcomes entries from college students representing universities across the state. This year’s competition saw a record number of participants, with a significant number of students from USU. After creating and submitting a PR campaign for a real non-profit organization, the judges chose five finalists, including Lee and Rodriquez, to compete in-person.

The student competition worked with Hope4Utah, a nonprofit educational organization that specializes in suicide prevention, intervention, and postintervention. They collaborate with schools, communities, and mental health agencies to change the public conversation about suicide and mental health. 

Lee spoke about the in-person portion of the competition, saying, “It was a pretty intense day. We arrived at the competition in Salt Lake around noon, and I think we were there until 7 or 8 p.m. I started my day with a 20-minute presentation of my campaign and then a 10-minute Q&A with the panel of judges.

“Next, I had to call a news reporter and pitch an aspect of my campaign plan,” Lee said. “We also did a 30-minute timed press release before moving onto the crisis portion. At the end of the day, the judges gave us feedback.” 

The annual competition provides a platform for students to implement the knowledge gained within the classroom walls and put it into action.

Rodriquez said, “My favorite part of the competition was the opportunity to apply what I learned from my JCOM classes to a real-world scenario. I felt like I was able to learn so much more about myself as I was being challenged by the best professionals in the state. I appreciated receiving personalized feedback from experienced professionals during the competition which enhanced my ability to refine my skillset.”

The competition is not only a training ground for future communicators, but a valuable opportunity for students to connect with and be mentored by public relations professionals.

“One of my favorite parts was getting to meet the judges and other competitors. Everyone was encouraging and it was great to make those connections,” Lee said. “In my intro to PR class last year, Chris Thomas, who was one of the judges, came and spoke to us, and that was such an impactful experience for me. Everything he said made me confident that I wanted to do PR and showed me how important PR is. Meeting him and receiving positive feedback was really significant because I look up to him so much.”

The PR student of the Year competition also connects industry professionals and students. All participants of the competition are assigned a mentor to provide guidance and help the student become an active problem solver.

Lee and Rodriquez took more away from the competition than just bragging rights and a plaque. “The most invaluable takeaway from this opportunity was the hands-on experience it provided,” Rodriquez said. “While classroom learning laid the groundwork, being a part of the competition pushed me to challenge myself in ways lectures cannot.”

Lee and Rodriguez were recognized with other finalists; Emily Hooke (Brigham Young University), Clark Stuart (Brigham Young University, and Karina Barboza (Weber State University) at the 2023 Golden Spike Awards dinner November 9 at the Living Planet Aquarium in Salt Lake City.