The 2009 Bateman team from Loyola has once again made the Top 3 (out of 77 competitors) in the national public relations case study competition put on annually by the Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA). Team members – and mass comm majors – Janine Sheedy (account executive), Vicki Voelker, Sarah Makota, Ashley Sutton and Heather Miranne, led by adviser Dr. Cathy Rogers, have spent the last year juggling school, work and social lives to respond to the challenge set by the sponsor, The Consumer Bankers Association, and the client, Hit the Books Running.

The goal of Loyola’s campaign, “The Bling Starts Here,” was to make middle schoolers aware of resources for and benefits of a college education.

Along with the other finalists (Michigan State University and University of Maryland), Loyola will present their campaign in person to CBA representatives in Washington, D.C. in May. So their work is by no means done.

The 2009 team joins a long list of previous Bateman competitors who’ve reached the national finals and brought glory and honor to the School of Mass Communication (and its predecessors). Loyola took first place in 2000, 2003, 2005 and 2008, second in 2001 and 2004 and third in 2002. The 2007 team made honorable mention, and the 2006 team was a finalist in local campaigns.

Regardless of how they stand in the final rankings, this year’s Bateman team is already a winner. We salute you and wish you the very best of luck in D.C.