Public Relations

Celebrating the 2019-2020 Recipients of the University of Miami School of Communication End-of-Year Awards

As the unprecedented 2019-2020 academic year comes to a close, the School of Communication would like to congratulate its Outstanding Overall Senior, Ben Ezzy, Outstanding Student Worker, Alexandra Naessan-Do, Outstanding Staff Member, Michael Lester, and Staub Faculty Excellence Award for Outstanding Achievement in Effective Teaching recipient, Heidi Carr. Join us in celebrating their accomplishments by watching the video above, or by clicking here, for a message from Dean Karin Wilkins. Outstanding Senior, Ben Ezzy Ben Ezzy, majoring in broadcast journalism, received this school-wide recognition for his dedication to the University of Miami, [...]

Strategic Communication Students Recognized with Record-Breaking 35 Miami ADDY awards

By: Sabrina Pizziol University of Miami Strategic Communication students received an impressive 35 awards at this year’s American Advertising Federation of Miami ADDY Awards. This is a record number of Miami ADDYs for the School, with 3 gold and 32 silver awards. “For many years we have been working on building an award-winning advertising program,” said Sarai Nunez, assistant professor of professional practice. “It's amazing to see it all coming to fruition, and each year we keep on breaking our previous winning streak, so now it's time to tackle bigger competitions.” The AAFMiami [...]

2020-03-05T13:35:02-05:00March 5, 2020|Advertising, Public Relations|

Miami HEAT VP of Business Communications + Social Responsibility Speaks with Students

You may have thought field trips pretty much stopped after middle school. But every week, students taking Professor Heidi Carr’s STC 493 Women in PR class are out and about getting to know Miami. Recently, the group of avid public relations students had the chance to take a private tour of the American Airlines Arena, where they stood on the Miami HEAT court and sat in the locker rooms to hear a special presentation. “Getting to stand where legendary athletes have played on was an incredible experience,” said Dana Franco, [...]

2020-01-10T18:15:50-05:00December 6, 2019|Public Relations|

A UM Alumna, Self-Made Entrepreneur, and Multi-Organ Transplant Survivor

Every so often, we hear an inspiring story of hope and survival that reminds us to put things into perspective. In May 2015, Diana Donnarumma graduated from the University of Miami and had begun working at a PR firm in downtown Miami where she was living full-time. A successful student and working professional, she did not expect she would also be a multi-organ transplant survivor.  Since she was seven years old, Donnarumma had been in and out of hospitals with constant infections, fevers, and no concrete diagnosis. Determined to put [...]

Five School of Communication Students Awarded PRSA Miami Scholarships

The scholarships are named in honor of Ev Clay, founder of the oldest public relations firm in Florida, and awarded annually at the PRSA Miami scholarship luncheon. Five University of Miami students recently received the 2019 Ev Clay/Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) Miami scholarship award to propel them further into their college careers. In total, eight South Florida students were recognized for their outstanding accomplishments in the field of public relations at the 32nd endowment luncheon. Since its founding in 1985, and including this year’s awards, the endowment has [...]

Finding Inspiration in Cannes

School of Communication senior Leah Brown attended Cannes Lions Festival, one of the largest annual advertising and media gatherings held for the industry. Thanks to the University of Miami School of Communication, I got to experience the best trip of my life. I read the email about the program, called my parents, and planned my dream trip to Cannes, France. The 2019 Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity was held from June 17 to June 21. Each day consisted of special guest speakers who spoke on various topics, very cool [...]

Four UM SoC Students Win Ev Clay/PRSA Miami Chapter Scholarships

University of Miami School of Communication students were celebrated at the 31st annual Ev Clay/PRSA Miami Chapter Endowment Fund Luncheon for receiving four out of seven Ev Clay/PRSA Miami Scholarships, totaling $2,750 each. Nathaniel Derrenbacher, Sofia Estevez, Izabella Felpeto and Jiaying Li, SoC students and Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA) members, were selected after submitting 500-word essays detailing the steps they would take to ensure a quick and effective reaction to a potential public relations crisis. “It's unprecedented for UM students to win so many of these scholarships, [...]

Parkland Students Discuss March For Our Lives with UM Students

Four former students from Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School talked with School of Communication students about their activism and its challenges. A day after another mass shooting in their home state, students from Parkland, Florida, visited the University of Miami to talk with their peers about the challenges of mounting a national campaign against gun violence and keeping people focused on the need to drive change.  When the horrors of Sunday’s latest shooting at a dining and entertainment complex along the St. Johns River in Jacksonville surfaced, in which two [...]

PREP’s Final Banger at the PRADDY Awards 2018

Students of the University of Miami Public Relations Experience Program (PREP) concluded their academic year with a bang at the Department of Strategic Communication’s PRADDY Awards. The PRADDY Awards provide a platform for both advertising and public relations students to showcase their work in and out of classroom. The event was held at UM School of Communication’s Shoma Hall on April 30.   “It’s exciting to work an event that I get to see all my peers and classmates at,” said Lina Abdullah, a junior PREP student majoring in Public Relations. “I not only [...]

2019-12-17T19:22:38-05:00May 15, 2018|Advertising, Public Relations|

Cross Country ’Cane

California native Liat Cohen found her Miami experience to be collaborative and inspiring. A first-generation college student and the second daughter in a close-knit family, it was almost unthinkable for Liat Cohen to leave home. But “go away to college” she did—across the country, from California to Florida, finding her new home at the University of Miami. In her four years at UM, Cohen cultivated a passion for leadership, joining the executive board of three student organizations. As part of Student Government, she became the youngest member chosen from undergraduate [...]