University of Alabama students Leah Utley of Greenville, Stacey Van Valkenburgh of Gulf Shores, Megan Swader of Weaver, and Stephen Reed of Tuscaloosa were honored for their work on an advertising campaign through their class in the UA College of Communication and Information Sciences.

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. -- A group of University of Alabama advertising and public relations students were recently honored on campus with a scholarship ceremony for their work on an advertising campaign for a former UA student and entrepreneur.

Taking their cue from UA instructor Marilyn Mancini’s advertising copywriting class (APR 222), the students launched a campaign to promote a new kitchen gadget called the ELOS (Ergonomic Locking Organizational System), a one-handle kitchen tool with interchangeable gadget heads.

The product is one of many from Kitchen Art, a company based in Florence. Having gone through the advertising program at the University previously, owner of Kitchen Art, Angela Bailey, sponsored the contest. The students presented their campaign ideas to Bailey and were judged based on their merit.

Scholarships went to first place winner, Leah Utley from Greenville; second place, Megan Swader from Weaver; third place, Stephen Reed from Tuscaloosa; and honorable mention, Stacey Van Valkenburgh from Gulf Shores. Mancini said the fact that the students are beginners at ad copywriting does not show. They work as professionals.

“These beginning writers were offered a great opportunity to work with a client on the launch of a new product,” she said. “They learned to develop a strategic communication plan and how to execute a complete campaign from that planning. Their presentations were executed at a professional level and with the ease of a seasoned executive.”