ECU students win top two Zenith Awards

Two East Carolina University students took top honors at the 2011 Zenith Awards, a nationally recognized public relations competition for undergraduate journalism and strategic communications students.
The two ECU students, Kyle Walker and Richard Peterson, won first place and honorable mention awards in the electronic media category.
“Both Kyle and Richard have done fantastic work during their time at ECU,” said Paul Isom, ECU’s director of student media.   “They’ve grown as students and media practitioners and I’m happy to see them honored this way.
Walker, an ECU junior double majoring in communication and music, produced a news story called “A Mercury Rising Crime.”  The story examined the relationship between criminal activities increasing as the temperature increases.
Peterson, a spring 2011 graduate, produced a video called “2011 ECU Football Schedule Promo,” which is a musical montage with video highlights and the upcoming ECU Pirates football schedule.
To be eligible for the competition, the students were required to create their project either as part of a class or internship. Both students work with ECU Campus 31 television station. Within the electronic media category, students from across the country submitted web sites, blogs, podcasts, videos, electronic press kits and public service announcements
“Sweeping the electronic media category is a major accomplishment,” said Isom. “Add in some of the winners in other categories — UNC-Chapel Hill, Oklahoma and Arizona State, among others — makes the win even more exciting and impressive.”
The 2011 Zenith Awards, which had the largest number of submissions in its history, were presented during a virtual ceremony held April 29.
To view the award-winning videos, visit http://www.youtube.com/user/Campus31 or www.ecu.edu/campus31.    For more information, contact Cara Friez, ECU Student Affairs videographer and Campus 31 advisor at (252) 737-1104.
# # #