Two University of Nebraska-Lincoln teams won seven Paper Anvil Awards from Nebraska’s Public Relations Society of America chapter on Dec. 5. College of Journalism and Mass Communications student Erica Napuli also received the 2024 PRSA Nebraska Increasing Diversity Scholarship and alumna Gina Pappas (’02) won this year’s Nebraska Chapter Service Award.
The Paper Anvil Awards recognize Nebraska’s public relations, marketing and communications professionals and celebrates the best of their work.
The 2024 Bateman Case Study Competition Team won best of show in the student category and an award of excellence in the DEI & social justice projects category for their “See Yourself” campaign for CULTURS magazine.
Jacht Agency won two awards of excellence, one in the branding category for "MiCubed" and the other in print materials/publications for "College of Journalism and Mass Communications." They also received three awards of merit— for "Nebraska Department of Banking and Finance" under total marketing campaign, for "Nebraska Extension: Ambiguous Grief and Loss Project" under social media and for "Jacht Recruitment Campaign" under video.

The following Husker students and recent graduates earned Paper Anvil Awards. They are listed alphabetically under their corresponding award(s) by last name, followed by their year in school or graduation date, major(s), team role and hometown
Bateman Case Study Competition Team
Student Best of Show, “See Yourself” campaign for CULTURS magazine
Award of Excellence, DEI & social justice projects, “See Yourself” campaign for CULTURS magazine
Jeannine Akamba: 2024 graduate, advertising and public relations, brand strategist, Lincoln, Nebraska
Emma Dostal: 2024 graduate, advertising and public relations, French and global studies, campaign director, Roscoe, Illinois
Emma Magnone: 2024 graduate, advertising and public relations, social media strategist, Wauconda, Illinois
Emily Nelson Scheidler: 2024 graduate, advertising and public relations and journalism, copywriter, Colorado Springs, Colorado
Maggie Nielsen: 2024 graduate, advertising and public relations, German and global studies, multimedia and analytics manager, Hastings, Nebraska
Ryann Zechmann: senior, advertising and public relations, community engagement manager, Westminster, Colorado
Jacht Agency
Award of Excellence, branding, “MiCubed”
Shaydan Bayless: 2023 graduate, graphic design, web designer, Beatrice, Nebraska
Jillian Buell: senior, advertising and public relations, social media strategist, Bassett, Nebraska
Danae Contino: 2023 graduate, graphic design, graphic designer, Lincoln, Nebraska
Hannah Hart: 2024 graduate, advertising and public relations, brand strategist, Papillion, Nebraska
Elizabeth Hesser: 2024 graduate, advertising and public relations, account executive, Leawood, Kansas
Brianna Hopping: 2023 graduate, advertising and public relations, brand strategist, Fordyce, Nebraska
Skylar Hoxie: 2024 graduate, advertising and public relations, account executive, Lincoln, Nebraska
Xin May Kok: 2024 graduate, M.A. integrated media communications, web designer, Banting, Selangor, Malaysia
Maia Merritt: 2024 graduate, advertising and public relations, photographer, Elkhorn, Nebraska
Jena Nelson: 2024 graduate, graphic design, graphic designer, Gretna, Nebraska
Katherine Sexton: 2024 graduate, advertising and public relations, brand strategist, Naperville, Illinois:
Celia Wightman: 2024 graduate, advertising and public relations, copywriter, Lexington, Nebraska
Award of Excellence, print materials/publications category, “College of Journalism and Mass Communications”
Emma Conarchy: senior, graphic design, graphic designer, Gurnee, Illinois
Rachel Hayden: 2024 graduate, advertising and public relations, account executive, Manhattan, Kansas
Leo Huse: 2024 graduate, graphic design, graphic designer, Omaha, Nebraska
Nia Johnson: 2024 graduate, broadcasting, videographer, Omaha, Nebraska
Jenna Reynolds: senior, advertising and public relations, broadcasting, videographer, Omaha, Nebraska
Jolin Toon: 2024 graduate, broadcasting, videographer, Perak, Malaysia
Award of Merit, total marketing campaign, “Nebraska Department of Banking and Finance”
Jillian Buell: senior, advertising and public relations, social media strategist, Bassett, Nebraska
Emma Conarchy: senior, graphic design, graphic designer, Gurnee, Illinois
Sandy Cortez: 2024 graduate, graphic design, graphic designer, Grand Island, Nebraska
Hannah Hart: 2024 graduate, advertising and public relations, brand strategist, Papillion, Nebraska
Kate Janisch: 2024 graduate, advertising and public relations, account executive
Xin May Kok: 2024 graduate, M.A. integrated media communications, web designer, Banting, Selangor, Malaysia
Jason Rogers: 2024 graduate, marketing, copywriter, Lincoln, Nebraska
Award of Merit, social media, “Nebraska Extension: Ambiguous Grief and Loss Project”
Han Doan: senior, advertising and public relations, graphic design, graphic designer, Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam
Emori Hamilton: 2024 graduate, advertising and public relations, social media strategist, Omaha, Nebraska
Hannah Hart: 2024 graduate, advertising and public relations, brand strategist, Papillion, Nebraska
Malaki Holmes: 2024 graduate, broadcasting, videographer, Dakota City, Nebraska
Leo Huse: 2024 graduate, graphic design, graphic designer, Omaha, Nebraska
Madison Kielty: 2024 graduate, advertising and public relations, videographer, Omaha, Nebraska
Regan Sheppard: 2024 graduate, advertising and public relations, account executive, Ashland, Nebraska
Award of Merit, video, “Jacht Recruitment Campaign”
Mia Ackermann: 2024 graduate, advertising and public relations, journalism, director of multimedia, Bartlett, Illinois
Drew Baldridge: 2024 graduate, advertising and public relations, account executive, Omaha, Nebraska
Kelsie Bliss: 2024 graduate, advertising and public relations, social media strategist, Lincoln, Nebraska
Erin Bousquet: senior, graphic design, graphic designer, Lincoln, Nebraska
Sandy Cortez: 2024 graduate, graphic design, graphic designer, Grand Island, Nebraska
Kaitlin Kadavy: 2024 graduate, broadcasting, production manager, Lincoln, Nebraska
Xin May Kok: 2024 graduate, M.A. integrated media communications, web designer, Banting, Selangor, Malaysia
Luke Kuenstler: 2024 graduate, advertising and public relations, public relations specialist, Studio City, California
Maia Merritt: 2024 graduate, advertising and public relations, photographer, Elkhorn, Nebraska
Liv Priefert: senior, broadcasting, videographer, Plattsmouth, Nebraska
Jenna Reynolds: senior, advertising and public relations, broadcasting, videographer, Omaha, Nebraska
Jason Rogers: 2024 graduate, marketing, copywriter, Lincoln, Nebraska
Kara Stone: 2024 graduate, advertising and public relations, public relations specialist
Celia Wightman: 2024 graduate, advertising and public relations, copywriter, Lexington, Nebraska
Bennett Woody: senior, advertising and public relations, videographer, Lincoln, Nebraska