NEWPORT, R.I. – A video produced by Salve Regina’s office of University Relations won an Excellence Award from the Public Relations Society of America’s Southeastern New England chapter, which honors the best regional public relations professionals at its annual awards ceremony.
The winning video was produced as part of the national “Day of Silence” observation on April 19, 2011. Salve Regina’s Gay Straight Lesbian Bisexual Alliance sponsored the university’s recognition of the day on which hundreds of thousands of students nationwide take a vow of silence to bring attention to anti-LGBT name-calling, bullying and harassment in their schools.
The video features Salve Regina students, faculty and staff shedding T-shirts bearing many of the labels society puts on them. It concludes with each wearing a “human” label, “because once you strip off all the labels society puts on you … the only one left is the one that fits us all – Human.”
The video concept was developed by three students, Alli Jean, '11, Evan Gallo, '12, and Breanna Grimes, '12, each of whom worked with producer Paul DeWolf, Salve Regina’s former coordinator of new media. DeWolf accepted the award on Jan. 31 in Providence with Kristine Hendrickson, Salve Regina’s associate vice president of university relations and chief communications officer.
The PRSA/SENE Excellence Awards event honors local public relations professionals who produce successful campaigns with outstanding skill and creativity. Awards were given in a variety of categories, and judged by members of the Northeast District of PRSA.
“The PRSA SENE entries represent some of Rhode Island’s best work in public relations and communications strategies and tactics. They truly set a standard of excellence for local professionals,” said Andrea Fortier, 2011 PRSA/SENE president.
The Public Relations Society of America, based in New York City, is the world's largest organization for public relations professionals. The Society has nearly 32,000 professional and student members. PRSA is organized into more than 100 Chapters nationwide, 19 Professional Interest Sections and Affinity Groups, which represent business and industry, counseling firms, independent practitioners, military, government, associations, hospitals, schools, professional services firms and nonprofit organizations.
The Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA) has nearly 300 Chapters at colleges and universities throughout the United States.