Twenty-one students from the University of Nebraska–Lincoln’s College of Journalism and Mass Communications won awards for outstanding creative work during the American Advertising Federation’s annual Creative Nebraska Awards on Feb. 23. The students earned a gold award, seven silvers 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 are scored by a panel of judges.
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.
Molly Monahan led the way, earning a gold award in the copywriting category for “Rivella: 9 Reasons.” Monahan is a junior advertising and public relations major.
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 team members, listed alphabetically by hometown, with their year in school and major(s):
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 in the U.S.
- Woodridge, Illinois: Carina Collins, 2023 graduate, advertising and public relations
- Clive, Iowa: Elizabeth Fischbach, senior, advertising and public relations
Also winning awards were:
- Emily Arnold, a senior advertising and public relations major from Omaha, and Mallory Nider, a December 2023 graduate from Pawnee City who majored in advertising and public relations, who 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.
- Jerry Jorgenson, a senior advertising and public relations, and marketing major from Council Bluffs, Iowa, and Katie Lockyear, a senior advertising and public relations, and broadcasting major from Lenexa, Kansas, who 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 major from Liberal, Kansas; and Bennett Woody, a junior advertising and public relations major from Lincoln, who won a silver award in the magazine category for “WWF: Going. Going. Gone.” Their entry also received a judge’s citation.
- Jaelyn Gross, a junior advertising and public relations, and broadcasting major from Lincoln, and Maddie Hansen, a senior advertising and public relations major from Omaha, who 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, 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.”
