Richter7 Awards USU Student Natalie Curtis 2011 PR Student of the Year

SALT LAKE CITY, April 14, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Richter7, a Salt Lake City-based advertising and public relations agency, awarded Natalie Curtis, a Utah State University senior, the Richter7 public relations Student of the Year award. In its eighth year, this annual scholarship competition recognizes one Utah university student who demonstrates superior skills in communication and public relations.  

"Providing Utah students with an iPad 2 and a $400 cash award will offer tools to help finish their education and get a jumpstart into the business world," said Tim Brown, Richter7 partner. "Standing as Utah's oldest award of its kind, the Richter7 PR Student of the Year program gives future professionals first-hand strategic planning and presentation experience as they prepare to enter the public relations field."  

Curtis was selected for her professionalism, creativity, strategic thinking, academic record and aptitude for success in public relations as demonstrated through a written case study and oral presentation.

"It is a great honor to be named Richter7's PR Student of the Year," Curtis said. "The competition was a great experience for me to apply and present all the knowledge gained from classes at Utah State to PR professionals."

Finalists were asked to develop a PR campaign as if they were consultants for actor Charlie Sheen. Each student created and presented a plan to execute within the next year with the objective to improve his image and inspire others as a positive role model.

"Branching out to the field of celebrity publicist was an exciting challenge, especially with a subject like Charlie Sheen," said Curtis, a USU public relations major. "I wanted to improve his image while also preserving the funny, non-normal personality that the media and his fans love."  

Award finalists from USU, Brigham Young University and Westminster College were asked, in part, to generate a hypothetical public relations plan with objectives, key messages, strategies, tactics and social media, which they presented to the Richter7 judges.

"Many who participate in Richter7's PR Student of the Year competition say it teaches them a lot about themselves and public relations," said Preston Parker, USU lecturer in the Journalism and Communication Department. "While Natalie was preparing for this competition I was able to see her enthusiasm, creativity, work ethic and zest for PR, which are the reasons I think she won first place."

Since 2003, Richter7 has provided this scholarship program annually to all Utah college students pursuing a public relations degree. For more information, visit facebook.com/richter7.

Named Utah's "Best of State" advertising agency seven times, Richter7 was established in 1971 and is nationally recognized for effective advertising, public relations, online interactive and design for clients from Minneapolis to Hawaii.

SOURCE Richter7