TAMIU’s PR Office Earns Six Awards in PRSA Competition
Texas A&M International University’s (TAMIU) Office of Public Relations, Marketing and Information Services (PRMIS) received six awards from the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA)-San Antonio Chapter’s annual Del Oro Awards Contest.
TAMIU’s entries spanned digital, traditional and non-traditional media, and most involved some element of the University’s response to the COVID-19 Pandemic and its impact on students, faculty, staff and alumni.
Leading the awards was the La Plata Award of Excellence for TAMIU’s COVID-19 Crisis Communication Plan which has guided the University’s communication response to the Pandemic.
The El Bronce Award of Excellence for Social Media Engagement went to “TAMIU Together,” a widely-shared, short-form video focused on the University’s resilience and ongoing mission delivered through the University’s social platforms.
Another El Bronce Award of Excellence was provided to the University’s dedicated COVID-19 Response Center website, TAMIU's information hub for the University community and community at large throughout the Pandemic.
An El Bronce Award of Merit was received for the University’s 2020 Annual Report which captured the University’s challenge and response to the Pandemic, highlighting its commitment and resilience.
A year-long collaborative effort with The Laredo Morning Times that produced a monthly news section focused on the University’s history, its 50th Anniversary -- and its reinvention throughout the Pandemic, received an El Bronce Honorable Mention.
A final El Bronce Honorable Mention was awarded to a social media initiative, “Congrats Grads!,” which creatively focused on user-generated content from 2020 graduates to fuel a multi-channel social media calendar and a dedicated website.
TAMIU’s PRMIS director Steve Harmon said this year’s 24 Awards from various competitions underscore the team’s abundant creativity, drive, passion and teamwork.
“The creativity, drive and passion of our staff is really encouraged by our president Pablo Arenaz’ leadership and the University’s always compelling story. Dr. Arenaz always challenges us to find new ways to share our mission and story. Our team is incredibly bright and dedicated to creating energetic tools that drive recruitment, retention, and community engagement. While this Pandemic-dominated time brought formidable challenges, it also brought boundless opportunities to extend and grow our abilities and tell a very different story,” Harmon said.
The PRMIS team creating the award-winning entries included Mika Akikuni, associate director of marketing; Laura Bogue, former administrative associate; Ana P. Clamont, design and brand manager; Rory King, director of web; Ana M. Vargas, associate director of web; Christine Rojas, social media manager; Rolando Santos, photographer and videographer; Andrea Martínez, former designer, and Edelmiro Santos, web specialist.
Earlier this year, PRMIS earned nine national awards in the 8th Annual Educational Digital Marketing Awards competition and nine national awards in the 36th Annual Educational Advertising Awards .
PRSA San Antonio holds its annual Del Oro Awards contest to recognize the outstanding contributions of individuals in the public relations field and the excellent work produced by public relations professionals. The contest is modeled after the national PRSA Silver and Bronze Anvil Awards and judged by another PRSA chapter, with each nomination being reviewed by two peer judges. For more about PRSA San Antonio, visit https://prsanantonio.com
For additional information, contact the TAMIU Office of Public Relations, Marketing and Information Services at prmis@tamiu.edu, phone 956.326.2180 or click on tamiu.edu. Follow the University’s story on its social media channels on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube, or visit offices in the Sue and Radcliffe Killam Library, room 268.
TAMIU Summer and Fall 2021 Registration is now underway. For detailed registration information, visit: https://go.tamiu.edu/registration21
TAMIU’s Fall 2021 plans are focused on a return to a full and vibrant on-campus experience for all students, faculty and staff at its 300-acre northeast Laredo campus. Classes begin Monday, Aug. 23, 2021.
For more information, contact the Office of the University Registrar at 956.326.2250, email registrar@tamiu.edu or visit offices in the University Success Center, suite 121.