Mississippi College Receives Baptist Communicators Association Awards

Tracey Harrison, director of Public Relations

Mississippi College public relations staffers received six national awards at the annual conference of the Baptist Communicators Association.

Founded in 1953, the 250-member BCA includes members of Baptist-affiliated universities, Southern Baptist agencies, state conventions and newspapers. The awards were presented at the group’s 65^thannual workshop in Riverside, California April 10-13. Half of the Mississippi College awards saluted first-place achievements.

“These newest awards show that Mississippi College’s public relations team is truly outstanding and among the very best in the USA,” says MC public relations director Tracey Harrison. 

“We are privileged to have such a fine group of talented individuals working hard all year to promote Mississippi College to audiences spanning the globe,” Harrison said. “As always, we give God the glory.”

Mississippi College’s website received a first-place award in the custom-built web category. The honor went to Justin Garcia, the university’s director of web communications, and web communications specialist Jared Walters. The University of Southern Mississippi graduates worked well together for years to bring numerous major awards to MC’s Public Relations Department, Harrison added.

Garcia and Walters pooled their creative resources to win first place on the MC website featuring the institution’s 2018 Cybersecurity Summit. The first annual event on the Clinton campus attracted 250 participants and national experts to discuss growing concerns over information theft worldwide. MC was entered in the website event or promotion category.

First-place honors went to Walters and public relations associate Hannah Wallace, a Mississippi College graduate from Clinton. The award recognized their work to showcase the Christian university’s Core Values Campaign on social media. MC was entered in the social media-campaign or event category.

Jared Walters received 2^ndplace honors for his efforts to enhance the Alumni Association website. Justin Garcia was awarded 2^ndplace for his labors on the university’s website to feature MC’s 2018 athletics dinner. Attracting two-time Heisman Trophy winner and Ohio State football legend Archie Griffin as the guest speaker, the event represents the biggest fund raiser of the year for Blue & Gold sports programs.

Garcia earned third place honors for his efforts focusing on the MC School of Nursing website.

Baptist Communication Association leaders seek to assist Baptist personnel in communications in professional growth and fulfillment. The group’s awards span such fields as graphic design, electronic media, public relations, editorial and marketing.

Founded in 1826, MC is America’s 2^ndoldest Baptist college.

The BCA’s 2020 workshop is set for next April in New Orleans, Louisiana.