National Bateman competition

In the spirit of the school’s mission to provide students with engaged learning, 11 public relations students have entered in the national Public Relations Student Society of America Bateman Case Study Competition.

The competition is a nationwide challenge that gives students an opportunity to create and implement a full-fledged public relations campaign for a national client.

In an effort to give as many PR students an opportunity to get involved, UVU entered two teams in the Bateman competition. This year’s team captains are Ashley Bott and Kaiti Pratt, and they are looking to bring UVU more recognition on a national level.

“Last year, we had the opportunity to develop a strategic plan for the U.S. Census,” said Pratt, who was also on last year’s team. “It was our first year entering and we received Honorable Mention. It really helped strengthen the PR program on campus.”

This year’s client, Ally Financial, is working towards providing financial literacy to low to moderate income communities across the United States. As part of the competition, teams must hold classes to teach their publics about budgeting and credit management.

Currently, bankruptcy fillings are on the decline in the U.S. while Utah’s fillings are rising. Facing damaged credit, job loss and foreclosures, people need a better understanding of basic financial principles.

“The current state of the economy has lead to an increased need for financial literacy in our community,” Bott said. “By offering free financial classes, we hope to provide, encourage and motivate people to take action with their money.”

There will be two campaigns implemented during the month of February: Own Your Finances and Knowledge Is Money. Each campaign will be holding free classes on and off campus for the public.

For more information, email [email protected] and [email protected]