October 30, 2008
For Immediate Release
For an Interview:
David Scott
(801) 863-8452
Britnee Nguyen
(801) 687-2573
As the first ever finalist from Utah Valley University, Britnee Nguyen, a senior majoring in communications with an emphasis in public relations, has been selected as one of the five finalists competing for the Utah Public Relations Student of the Year competition, sponsored by the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA). Nguyen was selected out of dozens of university and college student applicants throughout the state to participate in the annual competition on Nov. 1 in Salt Lake City for a $1,000 cash prize, the title of Utah PR Student of the Year and a public relations internship with the Utah Cancer Foundation.
The Utah PR Student of the Year competition is a six-hour event where finalists present a public relations campaign for the Utah Cancer Foundation to public relations professionals, are interviewed by a Salt Lake Tribune reporter, write a timed press release and handle a crisis situation.
"I’m excited to represent the UVU public relations program at this event," Nguyen said. "I feel like I am able to use what I’ve learned in the classroom, my internships and experience that UVU has provided me and apply it to this competition."
Nguyen is one of many students currently participating in UVU’s new public relations program. Throughout the past year there have been many students, like Nguyen, that entered school in an alternate major, but after taking an elective course in the public relations program, decided to change majors.
Nguyen entered the program to pursue her love of writing and to learn how to be creative when working with the public. She, along with many other students, has seized multiple public relations opportunities presented to her at UVU from starting the first Operation Smile club at UVU and working as news editor of the UVU Review student newspaper, to currently interning with the UVU Marketing & Communications office as a public relations writer.
The public relations program was introduced to UVU last year and is quickly becoming one of the fastest growing degree programs in the country. In the short time the program has been offered, enrollment has increased by more than one hundred percent. Dr. David Scott, Chair of the Department of Communications, has made it his objective to revamp the new major to reflect the heavy liberal arts perspective recommended by PRSA. Scott also indicated that, while the program has seen rapid growth, it has also experienced budget cuts that present unique challenges. Responding to these challenges Scott said, "We are reducing the number of required core PR courses so that students can focus on public relations skills courses and pursue other intellectually challenging courses in a variety of disciplines."
As UVU expands its PR program, it continues to provide PR opportunities to students like Nguyen to help prepare for a professional career after college.
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College Marketing Contact:
Erin Spurgeon
(801) 863-6807
Written by:
Farah Chase-Dunn
(801) 376-5176