A team of School of Communications students has earned national recognition in the 2026 Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA) , receiving an honorable mention for its campaign implementation and overall deliverables.

The Bateman Competition is PRSSA鈥檚 premier national case study competition, challenging undergraduate student teams to design and execute a public relations campaign for a real-world client. This year鈥檚 competition featured 46 entries from students representing universities across the country, with 11 teams earning honorable mention distinction. A full list of honored institutions appears below.

榴莲app官方网站入 team developed and implemented a strategic communications campaign for ACCESS Newswire, a media monitoring and news distribution service. The research and planning for the campaign began in January. The campaign implementation, conducted from February to March, focused on tactics to promote the company鈥檚 new educational program and platform, which provides professors free access so students can gain hands-on experience with press release distribution, media pitching, sentiment analysis and media coverage tracking.

The 榴莲app官方网站入 student team included Hannah Parker 鈥�26 (account manager), Sydney Griffith 鈥�29, Brooke Menzock 鈥�26, Sandy Orozco-Rosaldo 鈥�28, Taylor Radney 鈥�28 and Grace Wizel 鈥�28. Karen Lindsey, assistant professor of strategic communications, served as the team鈥檚 faculty adviser and applauded the students鈥� efforts.

鈥淥ur Elon Bateman team spent countless hours in the evenings and on weekends to research, plan and implement the campaign,鈥� she said. 鈥淔rom writing a series of thought leadership articles for Substack to facilitating faculty focus groups on and off campus, they created a meaningful campaign that challenged them.

“I鈥檓 incredibly proud of how they balanced the demands of their regular coursework with dedication to this competition. The experience produced the kind of work for their professional portfolios that employers want to see.鈥�

The competition鈥檚 three finalists will present their campaigns to the national PRSSA board and ACCESS Newswire representatives on May 7 to determine the winner.

Bateman Case Study Competition

Finalists:
Montclair State University
Texas State University AdvoCats
Texas State University StarCats

Honorable Mentions:
Brigham Young University – Navy Team
California State University, Long Beach
榴莲app官方网站入
High Point University
Kent State University Gold
Louisiana State University
Loyola University New Orleans
University of Florida CommuniGATORS
University of Nebraska-Lincoln
University of Oklahoma Gaylord College
University of Tennessee, Knoxville

Elon News Network earned 11 awards during the National College Media Conference hosted by the Associated Collegiate Press in San Francisco, March 5-7.

The awards contest included hundreds of entries from college media outlets from across the country. Below is a list of the Elon winners.

• Finalist – Online Pacemaker | Staff |
• 2nd Place – Best of Show Broadcast | “ENN Tonight” |
• 2nd Place – Best of Show Newspaper | The Pendulum |
• 4th Place – Best of Show Digital Newsletter | Elon News Network Weekly Newsletter |
• 6th Place – Best of Show Website |
• 6th Place – Best of Show News Story | Lilly Molina and Charlotte Pfabe |
• 10th Place – Best of Show Sports Story | Benjamin Berfield |
• 8th Place – Best of Show Feature Story | Charlotte Pfabe |
• 6th Place – Best of Show Newspaper Design | Sarah T. Moore |
• 7th Place – Best of Show Broadcast News Story | Anjolina Fantaroni | “
• 10th Place – Best of Show Broadcast Sports Story | Monika Jurevicius | “

榴莲app官方网站入 students attending the National College Media Convention conference included Evan Cooper 鈥�28, Trista Panagakos 鈥�28, Megan Walsh 鈥�28 and Nolan Williams 鈥�28. They were accompanied by Kelly Furnas, senior lecturer in journalism and ENN adviser.

ENN is a student-run news organization covering 榴莲app官方网站入 and the broader Alamance County community. It includes The Pendulum newspaper, 鈥淓NN Tonight鈥� broadcast, elonnewsnetwork.com website, as well as social media accounts, podcasts and newsletters. regardless of their experience level, major or year in school.

The School of Communications community gathered March 5 in Snow Family Grand Atrium for the third annual Spotlight on Inclusive Excellence, an interactive event highlighting projects and initiatives advancing inclusive storytelling and media practice.

The program featured table conversations where attendees moved throughout the space to engage with students, faculty and staff about ongoing initiatives and projects.

Take a closer look at our Spotlight on Inclusive Excellence with our .

Assistant Dean Vanessa Bravo opened the event by emphasizing that inclusive excellence remains a core priority within the School of Communications and across 榴莲app官方网站入.

鈥淚nclusive excellence is deeply important to us,鈥� Bravo said. 鈥淭丑别se values have always mattered and will continue to matter.鈥�

Throughout the program, attendees explored a range of subjects, including work by student organizations, projects from Live Oak Communications 鈥� the school鈥檚 student-run communications agency 鈥� student journalism and research efforts, faculty scholarship and coursework connected to the university鈥檚 Advancing Equity Requirement.

Other discussions focused on topics such as women in sports, student research featured in academic journals, and projects examining how communications and media can amplify diverse voices and perspectives.

Bravo said the event helped the school community better understand the breadth of inclusive excellence initiatives taking place across the School of Communications.

鈥淭his is a great opportunity to learn about the many diversity-, equity- and inclusion-related efforts happening throughout the School of Communications,鈥� she said. 鈥淔rom student organizations and faculty research to journalism projects and alumni work, these efforts demonstrate how our community is engaging these issues in meaningful ways.鈥�

鈥淭丑别 discussions highlighted how quickly the communications landscape is evolving 鈥� and why questions of equity and representation remain central to that change,鈥� said Lorraine Ahearn, assistant professor of journalism and chair of the Inclusive Excellence Committee. 鈥淥ur students, faculty and alumni are actively examining how media systems shape who is represented and whose voices are heard.鈥�

Bravo thanked the faculty members who organized the event through the school鈥檚 Inclusive Excellence Committee, including Ahearn, Young Do Kim, Sydney Nicolla, and Lee Bush, as well as the students, faculty and staff who hosted conversations during the program.

More than 130 students gathered in Snow Family Grand Atrium on March 3 for the Communications and Sport Management Meet & Greet, an event designed to connect 榴莲app官方网站入 students with industry professionals, internship opportunities and career insights.

Hosted in partnership with the Student Professional Development Center and the School of Communications, the event brought together employers from across the communications and sport industries. Representatives from organizations including APCO, Capitol Broadcasting Company, Carolina Core FC, SportsMEDIA Technology and the Burlington Sock Puppets met with students interested in exploring career paths and building their professional networks.

For photos of the Meet & Greet, visit our .

A defining feature of this year鈥檚 event was the strong presence of Elon alumni, who participated both in person and virtually to mentor current students and share insights from their professional journeys.

Alumni representatives included Shanna Van Beek 鈥�12 of APCO and Laker Figueroa 鈥�25 of the Burlington Sock Puppets, who attended in person, as well as Jack Taylor 鈥�21 of Golin, Catherine Nester 鈥�22 of The Walt Disney Company, Lexie Flood 鈥�21 of Edelman, Luke LeSourd 鈥�13 of NFL Films and Elena Kyriakos 鈥�18 of NBC Universal, who joined virtually to connect with students.

Ryan Taube, associate director of corporate and employer relations for the School of Communications, said the event鈥檚 alumni participation added a meaningful dimension.

鈥淲hat made this year special is the number of fantastic alumni who participated,鈥� Taube said. 鈥淥ur alumni always want to give back to current students, and this networking opportunity provided them a chance to speak about their current roles and how Elon prepared them to be successful in a competitive job market.鈥�

In total, 138 students attended the event, engaging in one-on-one conversations with employers about internships, entry-level roles and career preparation.聽The event was coordinated with support from Ross Wade, Amber Moser, Alison Doherty, Kameryn Taylor and Taube.

Participating organizations 鈥撀營n-Person

APCO
Burlington Sock Puppets
Campus Greensboro
Capitol Broadcasting Company, Inc.
Carolina Core FC
榴莲app官方网站入 – Athletic Department
榴莲app官方网站入 – Isabella Cannon Global Education Center
榴莲app官方网站入 – Office of Alumni Engagement
North Carolina Department of Public Safety
SportsMEDIA Technology (SMT)

Participating organizations 鈥撀燰irtual

Columbus Blue Jackets
Edelman
NBC Universal
Golin
NFL Films
The Walt Disney Company

Students across 榴莲app官方网站入 will soon have the opportunity to test their creativity, design instincts and emerging AI skills in the inaugural Make Your Mark: AI Poster Competition, a fast-paced challenge exploring how artificial intelligence can support 鈥� not replace 鈥� thoughtful creative work.

Open to students from any academic discipline, the first-time event encourages participants to experiment with AI tools while developing strong visual concepts and design strategies. An optional preparatory workshop on Tuesday, March 31, in Steers Pavilion will give students the chance to refine their ideas and explore approaches before the challenge officially gets underway.

The main competition takes place 5 to 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, April 2, in Schar Hall, where students will receive a live prompt and have 2.5 hours to design an original 11鈥� 脳 17鈥� poster. Each submission must combine an AI-generated element with a non-AI or hand-crafted component, while also documenting how AI supported the creative process.

Once completed, the posters will be printed and displayed for public voting during an April 3 awards event from 5 to 6 p.m. in LaRose Digital Theater. Students will compete for $650 in prizes, including awards for the top three posters, a Fan Favorite selected by the audience, and a Judge鈥檚 Favorite.

For organizers, the competition represents more than just a creative challenge 鈥� it is also a new example of cross-campus collaboration.

鈥淚鈥檓 excited about the Make Your Mark: AI Poster Competition for a number of reasons. One of the biggest is that this is one of the first times the Communication Design program has partnered with Elon AI, and it鈥檚 been a lot of fun exploring how AI and design can complement each other,鈥� said Ben Hannam, associate professor and chair of the Department of Communication Design.

Hannam said the contest鈥檚 prompt is designed to spark ideas across disciplines and invite students from across campus to participate.

鈥淚鈥檓 really looking forward to seeing what students create once we reveal the secret prompt,鈥� he said. 鈥淚f you drew a Venn diagram, the prompt would definitely overlap with interests in both the School of Communications and the Love School of Business 鈥� but honestly, a creative student from anywhere on campus could walk away with the win.鈥�

The competition also highlights the evolving role of AI in creative practice 鈥� not as a shortcut, but as a tool that still requires strong ideas and thoughtful design decisions.

鈥淭丑别 goal of this competition is to give students a chance to experiment with emerging tools while still focusing on creativity and ideas,鈥� said Mustafa Akben, assistant professor of management and director of artificial intelligence integration. 鈥淎I can generate images quickly, but the real challenge is developing a concept and translating it into a strong visual. We are excited to see how students interpret the prompt and what they create in a short amount of time.鈥�

Sagun Giri, AI Sandbox coordinator, noted that the event reflects a broader effort at Elon to bring together faculty and programs exploring how AI intersects with their fields.

鈥淭丑别 Elon AI Hub works with partners across campus who are exploring how AI connects to their fields,鈥� he said. 鈥淢ake Your Mark is a great example of that collaboration between the School of Communications, the Love School of Business, and the AI Hub. It gives students a chance to experiment with AI tools, test their ideas, and create something original.鈥�

Hannam said the competition ultimately aims to give students a creative outlet while encouraging experimentation with new tools.

鈥淎t the end of the day, this event is all about having fun, flexing your AI skills, and being creative,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 can鈥檛 wait to see what students come up with and who emerges as the winners in this head-to-head poster competition.鈥�

Three faculty members will serve as judges for the competition: Michele Lashley, assistant professor of strategic communications; Smaraki Mohanty, Doherty Emerging Professor of Entrepreneurship and assistant professor of marketing; and聽Lana Waschka, assistant professor of marketing.

Ready to make your mark? Complete the online registration form. For additional information, contact Giri at sgiri@elon.edu.

Event recap

Tuesday, March 31, 5鈥�6 p.m.
Pre-event workshop 鈥� Steers Pavilion

Thursday, April 2, 5鈥�7:30 p.m.
Live competition 鈥� Schar Hall labs and Snow Family Grand Atrium

Friday, April 3, 5鈥�6 p.m.
Awards ceremony 鈥� LaRose Digital Theater

The event, scheduled from 4:20 to 5:30 p.m., will feature a dynamic speed-rotation format, allowing attendees to engage in a variety of discussions in 15-minute intervals. Faculty, staff, students and alumni will lead conversations exploring how their work advances access, representation and belonging in the communications and sport fields.

This year鈥檚 table topics reflect the breadth of the school鈥檚 work 鈥� from health literacy and neuroinclusive communication to religious diversity, brand activism, student journalism and the influence of algorithms on movie audiences. Other sessions will spotlight undergraduate research, alumni leadership and student-driven initiatives that aim to build a more connected and representative community.

鈥淩eaching underrepresented people is the through-line for so much of our work in the School of Communications,鈥� said Lorraine Ahearn, assistant professor of journalism and chair of the Inclusive Excellence Committee. 鈥淭丑别se presenters demonstrate how dynamic our field is, and how tapped in 榴莲app官方网站入 students, faculty and alumni are to these changing systems and the ways they impact equity in communications.鈥�

Complimentary beverages and snacks will be provided.

For more information, contact Ahearn at lahearn@elon.edu.

Table Topic Discussions and Presenters

1. Engaging All Audiences Through Neuroinclusive Communication Practices
   James Holsinger, Executive Director, Koenigsberger Learning Center
2. Live Oak Communications: Rooted In Community
   Hal Vincent, Associate Teaching Professor, Strategic Communications
   
3. Understanding is Power: What is Health Literacy and Why Does it Matter?
   Julie Lellis, Professor, Strategic Communications
4. The Politics of Play: Race, Gender, and Power in Sport
   Lindsay Pieper, Assistant Professor, Sport Management
5. Diversity in the Age of Algorithms
   Sowjanya Kudva, Assistant Professor, Cinema and Television Arts
6. Exploring Religion聽in a Diverse Campus Community
   Anthony Hatcher, Professor, Journalism & Max Negin, Assistant Professor, Cinema and Television Arts
7. Faces of the Future: Undergrad Research on the Cutting Edge
   Maddie Bauman 鈥�26 & Halli Harwood 鈥�26
8. Friend or Faux: The Role of Authenticity in Brand Activism and Advocacy
   Shanetta Pendleton, Assistant Professor, Strategic Communications
9. Alumni Spotlight: A Journalistic Voice for Justice and Clarity
   Robin Adams Cheeley 鈥�81
10. Unity in Communications: A Student Initiative to Build Diverse Community
11. International Student Spotlight: Navigating Across Cultures
    Ethan Wu 鈥�27 & Bernardo Vargas-Lopez 鈥�26
12. Student journalists: Challenging Inequity in the Real World
    Estella Hoye 鈥�27 & Cassie Weymouth 鈥�26

In his new role, Buck will oversee a portfolio of alumni, parents and friends affiliated with the School of Communications, with a focus on building relationships that support the school鈥檚 academic priorities. He will work closely with University Advancement colleagues to align fundraising efforts with broader institutional goals.

鈥淩eturning to the School of Communications feels both personal and purposeful,鈥� Buck said. 鈥淎s a graduate of the M.A. in Interactive Media program, I experienced firsthand the mentorship and hands-on learning that make 榴莲app官方网站入 so distinctive. I am honored to now serve as director of development and look forward to building meaningful relationships with alumni and partners to expand opportunities for our students.鈥�

鈥淎lan understands the culture of the School of Communications and the powerful role relationships play in shaping the student experience,鈥� said Jonathan Miller, senior director of development. 鈥淲ith his existing connection to the school and the university, he is well positioned to strengthen our existing partnerships while building new relationships that will advance the school鈥檚 future.鈥�

Buck brings more than 20 years of professional experience in multimedia production, broadcasting, higher education and strategic communication. He began his career in television news, working at CBS, WB and Fox affiliates in Georgia, South Carolina and North Carolina. His production and videography work has included projects for the CBS Network, The Weather Channel, The Masters Tournament, the Pittsburgh Penguins and numerous nonprofit organizations. His work as a news videographer earned an Associated Press Award for Best Feature Video.

He later transitioned into higher education, teaching communication courses and leading academic initiatives, including launching and directing a digital communication certificate program. Buck served as an associate professor of practice in communication at Meredith College and taught at North Carolina State University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

In addition, Buck was selected by the U.S. Department of State as a Fulbright Specialist, serving in Eswatini (Southern Africa) to collaborate on cross-cultural storytelling and media education initiatives. He was also one of four producers nationwide chosen by the Foreign Press Center, part of the Bureau of Global Public Affairs at the U.S. Department of State, to cover the 2020 elections through its Virtual Reporting Tour. His footage was distributed to U.S. embassies worldwide.

Throughout his academic career, Buck has also led successful fundraising and facilities development initiatives to expand hands-on learning opportunities for students. At Meredith, he played a central role in securing philanthropic support and overseeing the design and build-out of a new television studio, control room, editing labs and podcasting suite. During his Fulbright Specialist appointment in Eswatini, Buck helped secure funding and equipment to strengthen instructional resources for students in the Department of Communication at the University of Eswatini.

Shannon Zenner, assistant professor of communication design, authored a chapter in a newly published textbook focused on journalism and media education.聽Zenner wrote the chapter titled 鈥淭eaching Advertising Creative鈥� for “,” released in January by Cognella Academic Publishing. The book is part of the Teaching Communication series, which offers research-based guidance for instructors developing and refining communication courses.

Edited by Susan Keith of Rutgers University, the volume addresses instructional approaches across journalism, public relations, advertising and media studies. Topics include media literacy, visual storytelling, digital newswriting, broadcast reporting, data journalism, podcasting, public relations strategy and advertising campaign development. The collection also examines teaching about race, gender, media representation and social media engagement.

“Teaching Communication, Vol. 3: Journalism and Media” is available in print and digital formats.

In other recent scholarship, Zenner served as a co-author of a peer-reviewed study examining how Americans attach political meaning to typography, revealing that fonts themselves can function as markers of affective polarization. The article appears in the December issue of Visual Communication Quarterly, a quarterly academic journal.

Drawing on a range of qualitative and analytical approaches, this latest edition features 10 research papers that span popular culture, political communication, journalism ethics, digital communities and workplace inclusion.

Several studies explore how media texts and coverage shape public meaning. Journalism major Caroline Bienfang analyzed Kendrick Lamar鈥檚 Super Bowl halftime performance, demonstrating how layered cultural references and symbolic messaging operate across audience discourse and media interpretation. Meanwhile, strategic communications major Lydia Cohen examined the news coverage of Hurricane Helene, finding that mainstream news headlines may not produce significant shifts in audience perception but may play a role in maintaining public dialogue about climate change and extreme weather.

Other research examines ethical questions that emerge as audiences respond to high-profile media controversies. Elizabeth Flieger, a strategic communications major, investigated online commentary surrounding high-profile defamation trials, including Depp v. Heard, finding that commenters often prioritized emotional authenticity and moral judgment over formal legal outcomes. With book bans and challenges surging across the United States, journalism major Audrey Geib interviewed K-12 educators,聽discovering recurring themes of professional tension, fear of retaliation, and a commitment to students鈥� right to access diverse perspectives through literature.

Moving beyond media texts to professional and social communication environments, additional student research addresses the challenges of work and digital community building. Betsy Schlehuber, a journalism major, interviewed autistic journalists to identify barriers to inclusion and examined the accommodations needed to support success in newsrooms. Ashley Josey, a communication design major, analyzed online discussion forums exploring how digital nomads form and maintain social connections. The study offers insights into communication tools that may better support mobile work cultures.

The fall issue also highlights research that applies communication theory and analysis to film, political coverage and digital policy. Cinema & television arts major Joey Fisher examined editing patterns in contemporary films, identifying how pacing aligns with 鈥� and occasionally departs from 鈥� traditional genre expectations. Angelina Giallella, a strategic communications major, analyzed media coverage of Kamala Harris鈥檚 sorority, Alpha Kappa Alpha, highlighting themes of historical legacy, political influence, and Black women鈥檚 empowerment. Additionally, strategic communications major Angela Pecora explored 鈥渟harenting鈥� and parents who share content about their children with special needs that can raise ethical concerns related to consent and stereotyping.

Concluding the issue, Charlotte Turner, a strategic communications and media analytics double major, employed eye-tracking technology to study online privacy policies, finding that visual icons can enhance user engagement and information retention when consistently placed.

To assemble the fall 2025 edition, journal editor Harlen Makemson worked with an editorial board of 24 School of Communications faculty who participated in a blind-review process to select the strongest submissions. Since launching in 2010, the Elon Journal has published 32 issues, with each research article on its own dedicated webpage.

Among more than 200 undergraduate research journals cataloged by the Council on Undergraduate Research, the Elon Journal remains one of the few focused exclusively on student work in journalism, media and communications.

Shannon Zenner, assistant professor of communication design, is a co-author of a newly published peer-reviewed study exploring how Americans attach political meaning to typography 鈥撀爎evealing that fonts themselves can function as markers of affective polarization. The article appears in the December 2025 issue of Visual Communication Quarterly, a quarterly academic journal.

Titled 鈥溾�� the study is co-authored by Katherine Haenschen of Virginia Tech, Zenner, and Jessica R. Collier of Purdue University. Through a series of survey experiments, the researchers examine how people interpret typefaces as political signals rather than neutral design choices. 鈥淔onts have become another site where affective polarization shows up,鈥� Zenner said. 鈥淧eople are not just polarized about parties and candidates, but also about visual design choices that they interpret as political signals.鈥�

The research finds that when individuals like a typeface, they are more likely to perceive it as sharing their political views. When they dislike a typeface, they tend to associate it with the political out-group. These effects are especially strong among people with more intense partisan identities.

Those perceptions are reinforced by consistent partisan patterns in typographic preference. This study builds on previous research (Haenschen & Tamul, 2019), which found that Republicans are more likely to gravitate toward serif typefaces, while Democrats more often prefer sans serif 鈥撀爌references that function as subtle but meaningful political cues.

Taken together, these findings demonstrate that typography plays a role in shaping impressions of credibility, professionalism and ideological tone 鈥� often before audiences engage with the written message itself. 鈥淭ypography is not neutral,鈥� Zenner said. 鈥淚t shapes perceptions before people read the content.鈥� The findings extend earlier work on political branding and design, situating typography within broader conversations about polarization and visual communication.

Zenner鈥檚 expertise was recently featured in an interview with Dezeen, which published a on the U.S. State Department鈥檚 decision to abandon Calibri and return to Times New Roman as its official typeface. In the piece, Zenner discussed how design decisions in government communication can become politicized, particularly when accessibility is involved. She noted that the framing of Calibri as a 鈥渨asteful DEIA program鈥� illustrates how even typographic choices can be pulled into partisan narratives 鈥撀燼 real-world example that mirrors the study鈥檚 findings on how fonts operate as political signals.