University of Nebraska-Lincoln College of Journalism and Mass Communications students won 10 awards for outstanding creative work during the American Advertising Federation’s annual Creative Nebraska Awards on Feb. 23. The students earned seven silver awards, one gold and two special judge’s citations.
Creative work is entered in one of two categories: Professional or Student. The latter is intended to recognize creative excellence by those interested in future advertising careers. Entries are submitted to the local AAF chapter, where they're scored by a panel of judges based on various dimensions of creativity.
The local awards are the first step in gaining entry to the national AAF competition. Gold awards are automatically submitted to the district competition; silver awards are also eligible. District winners move on to the national competition.
The 2023 UNL National Student Advertising Competition team won silver awards in both the copywriting and outdoor/transit categories for the entry "Next Stop: Indeed." Following is a list of the 2023 UNL NSAC Team alphabetically by hometown. The list includes their year and major:
Nebraska
- Blair: Sam Lawton, senior, emerging media arts
- Beatrice: Holly Fischer, senior, advertising and public relations and political science
- Fort Calhoun: Cole Klabunde, senior, advertising and public relations
- Lincoln: Quin Sleddens, 2023 graduate, advertising and public relations; Spencer Swearingen, 2023 graduate, advertising and public relations
- Omaha: Johnny Sloboth, senior, broadcasting and graphic design
- Thurston: Sadie Lamplot, 2023 graduate, advertising and public relations
- Wausa: Taylor Kumm, senior, advertising and public relations and sports media and communication
- Waverly: Mia Hartley, 2023 graduate, advertising and public relations
Elsewhere
- Woodridge, Illinois: Carina Collins, 2023 graduate, advertising and public relations
- Clive, Iowa: Elizabeth Fischbach, senior, advertising and public relations
Eight more awards recognized the creative talents of these exceptional students:
- Mallory Nider, a 2023 graduate from Pawnee City and senior advertising and public relations major Emily Arnold from Omaha, earned a silver award in both the magazine and copywriting categories for their entry "Doc Martens-Stick Together,” which also earned a judge’s citation.
- Molly Monahan, a junior advertising and public relations major from Omaha, won a gold award in the copywriting category for "Rivella: 9 Reasons.”
- Katie Lockyear, a senior advertising and public relations and broadcasting double major from Lenexa, Kansas, and Jerry Jorgenson, a senior advertising and public relations and marketing double major from Council Bluffs, Iowa, won a silver award in the logo design category for "Mango-Style Made Simple."
- Megan Braun, a senior advertising and public relations major from Madison, Wisconsin, Savanna Hebbert, a senior advertising and public relations and sports media and communication double major from Liberal, Kansas, and Bennett Woody, a junior advertising and public relations major from Lincoln, won a silver award in the magazine category for "WWF-Going. Going. Gone." Their entry also received a judge's citation.
- Maddie Hansen, a senior advertising and public relations double major from Omaha, and Jaelyn Gross, a junior advertising and public relations and broadcasting double major from Lincoln, earned a silver award in the magazine category for their entry, "Hellman's – In Our Feisty Era."
"We are incredibly proud of our students who stood out at the Creative Nebraska Awards," said Shari Veil, the Jane T. Olson Dean of the College of Journalism and Mass Communications. "These awards showcase not only the caliber of our students but the excellence of our academic programs at UNL.”
To learn more about AAF’s Creative Nebraska Awards, visit https://www.creativenebraska.org
