The University of Florida Takes Top Honors in PRSSA’s Annual Bateman Case Study Competition

NEW YORK, May 2, 2024 – PRSSA announced today that The University of Florida  was named the winner of the 2024 Bateman Case Study Competition. Earning second place was Montclair State University, with third place going to Brigham Young University. The finalists were among 45 entries from colleges and universities across the nation.

PRSSA teamed up with Culturs, the global multicultural magazine, for the annual event that originated in 1973. Students were tasked with creating awareness of the publication on college campuses and its mission to enhance community and foster human connection of culturally fluid communities of multiethnic, multicultural, mixed race and geographically mobile people which includes immigrants, refugees and Third Culture Kids.

“We can all appreciate the sense of belonging and support we find in our communities, and this year’s competition students demonstrated truly unique and creative ways to get that message across,” said Joseph Abreu, APR, CPRC, 2024 PRSA Chair. “I am inspired by the efforts and accomplishments of all of this year’s participants, who confirmed once again the importance of PRSSA in helping to develop the future leaders of our profession.”

The Bateman Competition allows PRSSA members to showcase the analytical skills required for PR problem-solving. It is named to honor the memory of the late J. Carroll Bateman, APR, a past president of PRSA who was instrumental in founding the student organization.

Through its “Embrace the Hyphen” campaign, the University of Florida’s CommuniGATORS reached the homes of more than 65,000 residents, inspired 44 ambassadors and partnered with 56 organizations to embrace Culturs and its mission. With more than 15,000 social media impressions, 32 media hits and 292 PSA placements generating 450,000 impressions, the team surpassed all campaign objectives and exemplified the transformative power of fostering inclusive spaces and amplifying diverse voices.

“This campaign provided us with invaluable experience working as a team to plan and implement a public relations campaign for a national client,” said Tatiana Rodriguez, a member of the Bateman team. “It was incredibly rewarding to see the impact that our efforts have had on the community and to be able to encourage others to celebrate their unique identities and create inclusive, safe spaces.”

The Montclair Culturs: Soar Together campaign set out to establish an inclusive community that celebrates cultural diversity. Anchored by a robust Instagram account, the campaign also included The Melting Pot Meals, a collaborative cookbook featuring Montclair State students sharing cultural and family dishes; Cultur-ella, a festival celebrating the cultures of Montclair State through dance, music, and art; a student and faculty pledge to embrace cultural diversity by sharing one’s personal Cultural Print on our world map representing their heritage and ethnicities; and Living in Full Color: An Intimate Conversation on Culture, a curated conversation with WNBC and Telemundo, Montclair faculty and students on multiculturalism and 21st-century diversity. 

“Inspired by our client Culturs’ mission, the team built and successfully implemented a campaign that provided a platform and addressed the unmet needs of our richly diverse campus,” said Mary Scott, Adviser to the Montclair team, “enabling important conversations, rich storytelling, fostering a more connected community and a commitment to future actions.”

On a campus that, at face value, appears to be anything but diverse, the BYU Royal Team sought to shed light on the hidden diversity of the culture in-between BYU and beyond. Their campaign, titled “Unity in Uniqueness: Come Share Your Story,” aimed to focus on the nuances of cultural fluidity in Utah, specifically on college campuses. The team put together six public booths to educate 623 students, hosted a symposium event with 66 attendees, empowered 162 people to share their story, engaged with 292 users on Instagram, and landed 2 media stories that reached 3,625 Utahns.

“By competing in the Bateman Competition, my team and I have not only enhanced our passion for PR,” said Vesa Tevaga, a Bateman team member, “but we have realized success is about harnessing the unique strengths of individuals to create something greater than ourselves."

About Culturs
Culturs global multicultural lifestyle network includes a team of seasoned professionals in 17 countries, using media, products and experiences to activate 21st Century Cultural diversity. Culturs reaches more than 100K daily in email, mobile, digital and print editions that featured internationally in major grocers, major booksellers and university and independent bookstores.

About PRSSA
PRSSA is the foremost organization for students interested in public relations and communications. Since 1967, PRSSA has served hundreds of thousands of student members, offering educational programs, resources, scholarships, and mentorship opportunities that prepare students for a successful career in communications. For nearly 50 years, the organization has hosted the Bateman Case Study Competition, which challenges student teams to implement a public relations campaign for an actual client. PRSSA is active on college and university campuses across the U.S., as well as Argentina, Colombia, Peru and Puerto Rico. For more information, visit www.prssa.org.

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Media Contact:
Rod Granger
PRSA
(212) 460-0307
rod.granger@prsa.org