Capstone Agency Again Named Nation’s Top Student-Run Firm

The University of Alabama’s Capstone Agency has been awarded Best Campaign, Best Tactic and Best Student-Run Firm in the 2018 Public Relations Student Society of America Student-Run Firm Awards.

Given annually at the PRSSA National Conference, these awards celebrate outstanding campaigns and tactics used by PRSSA’s nationally affiliated, student-run firms across the country. Capstone Agency won Best Tactic and Best Campaign in 2017 and was named Best Student-Run Firm in 2016. The Best Student-Run Firm award cannot be won by the same agency two years in a row.

“The awards Capstone Agency received speak not only to our members’ dedication, hard work ethic and talent, but also to the quality of the C&IS student experience,” said Maret Montanari, firm director, Capstone Agency.

“The College, as a whole, provides opportunities, like Capstone Agency, for students to gain hands-on professional experience before graduation.

“We are fortunate to have these development opportunities to set our members up for success beyond The University of Alabama.”

Capstone Agency’s submission for Best Campaign featured work completed for Alabama Power, titled “What Powers UA.” The winning submission for Best Tactic came from the firm’s Valentine’s Day promotion for The University of Alabama’s club hockey team.

Also recognized at the PRSSA National Conference, UA’s PRSSA chapter received the Star Chapter award and won the Best PRSA/PRSSA Relationship Award. The Star Chapter Award encourages chapter leadership to provide programming and relationship-building opportunities for students and rewards them for achieving these goals. The PRSSA faculty adviser, Tracy Sims, was also recognized for her commitment and guidance to the chapter.

“It was such an honor to have Capstone Agency and PRSSA receive awards at the PRSSA National Conference,” said Anna Claire Toxley, vice president, UA PRSSA. “It is because of the continued support of the College of Communication and Information Sciences that both organizations are able to develop strong leaders and produce quality work that earns national recognition.”

Capstone Agency is a nationally affiliated, student-run, integrated communications firm comprised of communication students at UA. The agency has been a student organization in the College of Communication and Information Sciences since 2008.

The University of Alabama PRSSA Chapter is a leading pre-professional organization for students interested in public relations, communications and other related fields.