UA advertising students who received scholarship awards in a recent competition included (L-R) Kyesha Smith of Tuscaloosa, top winner Hallie Bradley of Birmingham, and Emily Talbert of Birmingham.

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. -- A group of advertising and public relations students at The University of Alabama have been honored on campus for their work in the “Creative Challenge,” an advertising contest held each fall in Marilyn Mancini’s advertising copywriting class (APR 322).

For six years Mancini has issued this challenge to her students, offering them a first-hand look at the effort involved in developing an advertising campaign. The client chosen for 2003 was the Capstone Communication Society (CCS), the alumni support group for the College of Communication and Information Sciences (C&IS).

Guided by Mancini, these undergraduate students had the opportunity to devise an advertising campaign and then present their ideas in front of a panel of judges. The winning campaign will be used by the CCS for web development and recruitment.

CCS president and UA graduate, Angela Bailey Henderson says the Creative Challenge offers undergraduate students invaluable experience.

“Marilyn was forthcoming that the students in her classes were undergraduate and not senior level,” Henderson said. “But, together we decided this was an even greater plus. It meant these students would have an opportunity to find out first-hand what working on an advertising campaign would be like before they became seniors.”

C&IS was able to offer winning students scholarship money as a reward for their achievement in the challenge. The winners of the Creative Challenge 2003 included:

• Winner: Hallie Bradley of Birmingham (zip code 35223)
• Runners-Up: Kyesha Smith of Tuscaloosa, Emily Talbert of Birmingham (zip code 35216)
• Honorable Mentions: Martin Hoellinger of Huntsville for design; Caris Hannah of Gardendale, Braveheart Award; Chris Black of Sumiton for logo and web site; Carl Davis of Birmingham (zip code 35214) for best headline

“The student winners get to go to Henderson’s studio and see it happen,” Mancini said. “This is not one of those classroom exercises that will end; they’ll see the results of it for years to come.”

Mancini said she was proud of the effort put for by her students and the fact that they were beginners at copywriting does not show.

“Our students are getting practical experience, networking, generating job leads and connecting with alums through this project,” Mancini said. “Their presentations were executed at a professional level and with the ease of a seasoned executive.”

As Mancini’s retirement approaches in May, Henderson and C&IS Dean Culpepper Clark know that she has inspired many students and teachers.

“Marilyn is such a fantastic individual, always looking out for the best interest of her students, and always seeking to challenge them to reach new levels of success,” Henderson said. “I hope that Marilyn’s example will in some way encourage other teachers to aspire to her success at taking her students beyond the classroom for greater experience.”

Clark added his sentiments about Mancini’s career and the impact the Creative Challenge has had on not only students, but also on the College.

“Partnerships are what drive the best in professional education,” Clark said. “Marilyn has brought this synergy with the real world into the classroom itself. What an experience she has provided for her students!”

The department of advertising and public relations is one of five departments in C&IS. APR includes more than 900 undergraduate public relations and advertising majors and approximately 25 graduate students. C&IS is among the largest and most prestigious communication colleges in the nation, has graduated more than 12,000 students and consistently is ranked among the top 10 in number of doctoral degrees awarded and in many of its research programs. C&IS graduates have won four of the six Pulitzer Prizes awarded to University of Alabama alumni, and the forensics and debate squad, housed within the College, has garnered 15 national championships.