WT PRSSA Students Earn Second Place in National Competition

Copy by 1910 PR, [email protected]

CANYON, Texas-Two West Texas A&M University students earned second place in a national public relations competition.

Amanda Hibbard, a senior public relations, advertising and applied communication major from Cloudcroft, New Mexico, and Samantha Wilhelm, a junior public relations, advertising and applied communication major from Canyon, placed second in the 2026 Public Relations Student Society of America competition.

Both students are members of the WT chapter of the Public Relations Student Society of America in the Department of Communication in WT's Sybil B. Harrington College of Fine Arts and Humanities.

Dr. Nancy García-Franken, associate professor of media communication and faculty adviser for the team, said the students' performance reflects the strength of WT's public relations program.

"This second-place finish is exactly the kind of experience that sets our students apart," García-Franken said. "They've demonstrated that they can take a real client's needs, develop a compelling strategy, and execute at a level that earns national recognition, and that will follow them throughout their careers."

The competition challenged students to develop a full public relations campaign aimed at increasing membership in the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication, a nonprofit organization for journalism and mass communication educators, students and media professionals.

Over five weeks, the WT team created a research-based strategic public relations plan designed to educate current and prospective members about AEJMC and encourage attendance at its 2026 conference in New Orleans in August. The team was notified of its success April 25.

"Participating in the AEJMC campaign competition was such a valuable experience as an advertising and public relations major," Wilhelm said. "Going into this competition, I felt inadequate for the project at hand, but after working with my teammate, Amanda Hibbard, and adviser, Dr. García-Franken, I feel equipped for future Ad/PR classes, and I am confident in my abilities to conduct valuable research, create strategic plans, and communicate effectively through structured creativity."

Wilhelm and Hibbard developed a campaign focused on increasing awareness and engagement among AEJMC audiences. With its second-place finish, the team won $300.

"Working on this campaign really helped to solidify the things I had learned in those classes and helped me grow even more," Hibbard said. "It makes me feel like I really can do this and be good at it after I graduate. It makes it feel like all this school has been worth it."

The AEJMC Membership for Life Competition allowed students to apply research, strategy and campaign planning skills in a real-world setting while competing against teams from across the country.

"This achievement is a reminder of why extracurricular involvement matters," García-Franken said. "The classroom gives students the foundation, but experiences like this are where that foundation becomes a career. I encourage every student to seek out these opportunities, because the skills and confidence gained through PRSSA competitions like this one are invaluable."

Promoting quality, both in education and student work, is a cornerstone of the University's long-range plan, WT 125: From the Panhandle to the World.

That plan is fueled by the One West comprehensive fundraising campaign, which raised more than $200 million dollars, the largest such campaign in Texas Panhandle history.

About West Texas A&M University

A Regional Research University, West Texas A&M University is redefining excellence in Canyon, Texas, on a 342-acre residential campus, as well as the Harrington Academic Hall WTAMU Amarillo Center in downtown Amarillo. Established in 1910, the University has been part of The Texas A&M University System since 1990. WT boasts an enrollment of more than 9,000 and offers 66 undergraduate degree programs, including eight associate degrees; and 44 graduate degrees, including an integrated bachelor's and master's degree, a specialist degree and two doctoral degrees. WT recently earned a Carnegie Foundation classification as a Research College and University. The Buffaloes are a member of the NCAA Division II Lone Star Conference and offers 16 men's and women's athletics programs.

Photo: Amanda Hibberd, left, and Samantha Wilhelm, right, celebrate a recent second-place national finish in a Public Relations Student Society of America competition. Also pictured is adviser Dr. Nancy García-Franken.

-1910-