Meek School Faculty Member and Graduates Receive Top Honors from P.R. Association

On Monday, Oct. 6th, Robin Street, faculty member from the Meek School of Journalism and New Media, received the highest award for lifetime achievement by Southern Public Relations Federation. Graduates of Meek School working with University of Mississippi Communications Office also won Best in Show, the top award in competition for public relations projects, along with several other awards.
Robin Street, APR (accredited in public relations) and lecturer at Meek School, earned the Professional Achievement Award. She was chosen among professionals representing SPRF-member states. Each nominee had previously received his or her state association’s Professional Award. Street represented the Public Relations Association of Mississippi.
In 2009 Street was also Educator of the Year by both PRAM and SPRF and it is rare for an educator to receive the professional award. However, the judges–who remain anonymous–commented, “Ms. Street’s achievements are stellar. She is innovative in her field. She is continually engaged in professional development. Her awards and accomplishments are well above what would be outstanding.”
Toni Richardson, SPRF vice president for professional development, oversaw the competition. “As I read through each of the nominee biographies, I was impressed with each of them,” Richardson said. “However, my thoughts kept coming back to Robin and what an incredible teacher, educator, mentor, friend and inspiration she is. Our judges scored Robin a perfect 100%.”
SPRF President Kristina Hendrix, APR, said Street is a “charismatic and determined public relations practitioner who truly embodies the qualities for which this awards stands.”
H. Will Norton, Jr., professor and dean of the Meek School of Journalism and New Media, has watched Street’s career evolve.
“For decades, Robin Street has been demonstrating the best practices of public relations and teaching those practices in the classroom,” Norton said. ”It is only appropriate that her uncommon excellence should be recognized in this way. Clearly, students in the Meek School have long recognized the quality of Ms. Street’s professionalism.”
Hendrix presented the award to Street at the association’s annual conference in New Orleans Sept. 16. Also presented at the banquet were the Lantern Awards for public relations projects in multiple categories. Awards are given at three levels. A Lantern is the highest award, followed by an Award of Excellence, then a Certificate of Merit.
The University of Mississippi Communications office, led by Meek School graduate Danny Blanton, director of public relations, won Best in Show chosen from all categories, and a Lantern in their category for their communications program on parking changes at Ole Miss. Graduates Lindsey Abernathy, former communications specialist; Ryan Whittington, assistant director of public relations for social media strategy; and William Hamilton, public relations assistant, were key in creating that program.
Abernathy also won a certificate of merit for the Inside Ole Miss newsletter. Communication Specialists Edwin Smith and Michael Newsom each won a Certificate of Merit and an Award of Excellence, respectively, for news releases.
Street won a Lantern in her category of communication programs, as well as an Award of Excellence for writing, and a Certificate of Merit for PR tactics.
For more information on the Meek School of Journalism and New Media, visit their website or email MeekSchool@olemiss.edu.
HottyToddy.com staff report