Eight students, two teams, two campaigns, one mission. This academic year, eight public relations students are creating awareness campaigns for the J. Carroll Bateman Competition. Sponsored by PRSSA, this national case study competition's client is the Consumer Banking Association/Hit the Books Running and financial aid awareness. 

"The Bateman Competition is the premier competitive event for public relations students," said Natalie Tindall, Ph.D., public relations professor and academic adviser to the Bateman teams. "Students get so much from working on this campaign. It is an excellent opportunity to exercise the analytical skills and mature judgment required for public relations problem-solving."

Two teams from the Gaylord College of Journalism and Mass Communication are competing. One team, Lightbulb Public Relations, is focusing on creating awareness and educational events in Norman and Purcell. The other team, S&S Communications, is concentrating on the African American and Hispanic neighborhoods of Oklahoma City.  This year’s teams are:

Lightbulb PR

Emily Shipley
Emily Solomon
Christine Saunders
Amy Crosthwait

S&S Communications

Traci Coffman 
Ava Doyle
Julie Jarrett
Kameryn Stanhouse

The teams must implement their campaigns during the month of February. Between bank-sponsored conferences, college tours, student contest, and outreach to community leaders, the teams will be busy. 

 "Hit the Books Running is a unique opportunity for the case study. Students are merging what they already know and have experience with—financial aid, FAFSA, college planning—with the strategic planning necessary for a winning campaign," said Tindall.

In recent years, Bateman clients have included Nutella, Ford Motor Credit, Habitat for Humanity, Safe Kids USA and Family Caregiving…it's not all up to you! (FC101).

For more information about the Bateman Competition, visit http://www.prssa.org/resources/bateman.asp or contact Dr. Natalie Tindall at ntindall@ou.edu.