Two Advertising and Public Relations students were recently honored with an award and a scholarship.
Kaedry Taveras was recognized with the Excellence in the Discipline Award for the Advertising and Public Relations major program. In addition to having a high grade point average, Taveras has been very active in extra-curricular activities associated with the major, including the National Student Advertising Competition, Digital Marketing Competition, and more.
“I’m very honored to have earned the Excellence-in-Discipline award and for the unconditional support from my professors, peers, and family,” Taveras said. “I’ve been involved in NSAC, DMC, GrandPR, and PRSSA which allowed me to get exposure to real-life client work while getting to experience the world of advertising and public relations in different capacities. Joining extracurriculars and competitions through GVSU has allowed me to challenge myself and hone my skills, it is an experience I would do over again.“
The Excellence in a Discipline Awards are managed by the Office of the Provost. Each year, faculty in each major select one undergraduate student and one graduate student to be recognized for their outstanding performance. Criteria for the award are determined by each academic unit.
Khoudia Fall was this year’s recipient of the Frederick A. Chapman Memorial Public Relations Scholarship. The scholarship is named for former professor Frederick Chapman and was established by his family with support from alumni, faculty and other supporters. The scholarship is specifically for public relations students with a 3.2 or higher GPA and a commitment to community service leadership.
Fall dedicates time to community service and volunteering, including as a Student Ambassador representing the Office of Admissions and the Frederik Meijer Honors College during open houses, tours, and student panels. She aspires to continue that service by working for a public relations firm in media relations, social media, and company development. Before leaving Grand Valley she plans to do a study abroad to learn more about international public relations, with a goal of starting her own firm one day.
She said the scholarship is especially helpful to her as she plans for next year.
“As a first-generation American and college student, I have overcome adversity in striving for higher education; it is important to me that first-year students start off with good footing so that they can navigate the rest of their college years independently,” Fall said. “Receiving this scholarship will assist me in completing the final leg of my degree by mitigating the expenses of tuition and technology. As a student who once had three jobs to mitigate college expenses, I rely heavily on scholarships yearly to continue my education, so I am very grateful to be a recipient of the Frederick A. Chapman Memorial Public Relations Scholarship!”
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