UW Staff Members Honored for Communications Excellence

University of Wyoming communications and marketing specialists received 14 awards during the Jan. 19-21 Wyoming Press Association (WPA) associates’ group annual contest.

Winners were announced at the WPA’s annual winter meeting in Cheyenne. The convention attracts Wyoming’s newspaper professionals and the WPA’s associate members for two days of workshops, seminars and speakers.

About 200 WPA and associate members attended the convention, which culminated with the awards banquet where the top newspapers in three divisions (daily, Cheyenne’s Wyoming Tribune Eagle; large weekly, Jackson Hole News and Guide; and small weekly, Sublette County Examiner in Pinedale) were named. Individual award winners also were announced in several categories.

UW staff members won three first-place awards in the associates’ contest, five second places, four third places and two honorable mentions. This year’s contest drew a high number of entries from communications specialists from around the state.

“Our staff members work hard to tell UW’s story across Wyoming and beyond, and it’s wonderful to see them recognized for their quality work,” says Chad Baldwin, UW associate vice president for communications and marketing. “There is certainly an abundance of stories to tell about UW’s great students, faculty and staff, and we appreciate their cooperation in spreading the good word about the university.”

WPA associate members, including those from UW, attended three workshops last Friday, participated in a roundtable discussion on media relations strategies and held their annual associates meeting.

Listed are UW communications specialists with their individual awards, contest categories in which they won and titles of their entries:

-- Andy Chapman, UW College of Engineering and Applied Science marketing/communications specialist, third place, single feature, “Small-Town Wyoming Sisters Use UW Education to Reach Higher Goals.”

-- Chavawn Kelley, UW Extension Communications and Technology writer/editor, first place, single feature, “A Man on a Horse and a Man on Foot Are Two Different Things”; and honorable mention, single feature, “Wyoming Conservation Exchange to Put Sagebrush on the Market -- for Good.”

-- Steve Miller, UW Extension Communications and Technology editor, first place, photo page or story, “Sheridan Field Days”; and honorable mention, feature photo, “Pistol and Pete.”

-- Micaela Myers, Institutional Marketing editor, second place, publications, “UWyo Magazine”; and third place, magazine articles, “Serving Wyoming.”

-- Milton Ontiveroz, Institutional Communications specialist, second place, three features on one topic, “UW-Led Gaming and Robotics Project Helps Boost Student Math Scores”; third place, three features on one topic, “UW Technology Program Focuses on Increasing High School Graduation Rates”; and third place, single news release, “Tribal Liaisons Meet with UW American Indian Studies Students, Staff.”

-- Ron Podell, Institutional Communications specialist, first place, single news release, “UW Part of Study to Improve Safety, Reduce Traffic Closures on I-80”; second place, single news release, “UW Professor Heads State Portion of NASA Project to View August 2017 Eclipse”; second place, single feature, “UW Student Commissioned to Paint Work for 75th Pearl Harbor Day Anniversary”; and second place, three news releases on one topic, “UW to Take Major Step Forward with Enzi STEM Facility Opening.”