RIT earns several PRSA Rochester PRism awards

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RIT’s Division of Marketing and Communications earned multiple awards at the 2017 PRism Awards ceremony, including five PRism statuettes in the advertorials, press kits, magazine, reputation/brand management and photography categories. Pictured, from left, are John Trierweiler, RIT’s vice president of Marketing and Communications; Mindy Mozer, editor of the University Magazine and assistant director of University News Services; Senior Communication Specialist Michelle Cometa; Ellen Rosen, director, University News Services; and Raman Bhalla, director, University Web Services.

Rochester Institute of Technology’s Division of Marketing and Communications earned multiple awards at the 2017 PRism Awards ceremony, including five PRism statuettes in the advertorials, press kits, magazine, reputation/brand management and photography categories. The group also earned an Award of Excellence in the public service category.

The annual awards, hosted by the Rochester chapter of the Public Relations Society of America, honor outstanding work in the field of public relations, among both corporate and not-for-profit sectors. This year the group received more than 200 entries from local agencies and not-for-profit and corporate organizations.

“Marketing and Communications has a talented and remarkable group of storytellers and content providers that have supported some of RIT’s top PR and marketing initiatives this year,” said John Trierweiler, RIT’s vice president of Marketing and Communications. “Of particular note were the honors in areas that highlight the best of the university—connections to our accomplished alumni, our students’ influence in challenging extremism and our strong university-corporate connections. These awards showcase a broad range of public relations work produced by talented marketing and communications professionals.”

At the awards ceremony, held June 15 at the Arbor Loft in downtown Rochester, University News Services took top honors in five categories:

• Advertorials: RIT in Silicon Valley – Targeted feature articles about RIT’s innovative and entrepreneurial focus to align the university’s resources with the region’s top high tech teams, led by Bob Finnerty, RIT chief communications officer.
• Press Kits/Media Kits: AMPrint Center Opening at RIT – Highlighted the opening of RIT’s newest center devoted to multi-functional, 3D printing and additive manufacturing, led by Senior Communication Specialist Michelle Cometa and RIT’s Office for Diversity and Inclusion.
• Magazine: RIT: The University Magazine, RIT’s premier feature magazine, published three times a year about RIT’s many accomplished alumni, current campus news and research initiatives, led by Mindy Mozer, editor of the University Magazine and assistant director of University News.
• Issue/Reputation/Brand Management: RIT’s Silicon Valley Initiative - this broad initiative focused on expanding RIT's presence and network in the region known for its innovation, led by Bob Finnerty, RIT chief communications officer
• Photography: "Spotlight on People, Events and Campus through Photography," a series of photos from campus events, featuring the university’s faculty, staff, students, alumni and guests, led by Sue Weisler, manager of photography, University Web Services.

The team won an Award of Excellence in the Public Service category for RIT Challenges Online Extremism: A student-led social media campaign challenging extremism and providing ways to counter terrorism won awards and recognition from the US State Department, led by Senior Communication Specialist Marcia Morphy.

Judging this competition were members of the Richmond, Va., chapter of the Public Relations Society of America. More about the PRism awards and the local PRSA chapter can be found at the PRSA Rochester Chapter website.