- Arts
- Communication
- Featured
WT Communication Student First to Reach Finals of National Contest
Contact: Dr. Mary Liz Brooks, mbrooks@wtamu.edu, 806-651-2808
CANYON, Texas — Rachel Widder is going where no West Texas A&M University student has gone before.
Not only is Widder, a junior digital communication major from Galveston, the first from the university to enter the prestigious Washington Media Scholars Foundation Media Plan Case Competition, but her team also is among the six finalists.
Widder and her partner Joe Motluck of the University of South Carolina each are competing for a $5,000 scholarship.
Each of the finalist teams were given a fake client and budget and then were tasked with creating an advertising campaign.
The Media Plan Case Competition is considered the cornerstone of the Washington Media Scholars Foundation. Widder said she couldn’t be more excited to not only be the first WTAMU student to enter the contest, but also to make it to the finals.
“Being the first is not only an accomplishment for me, but it feels like I’m honoring the department and I’m honoring the university as a whole,” Widder said. “Hopefully I’m the first of many and I inspire others to enter this competition as well.”
Widder and her teammate will receive an all-expenses-paid trip to Washington, D.C., for the finals the week of June 7 if safety protocols allow a live event. If not, it will be held virtually. Either way, Widder’s team will present their media plans to a panel of judges consisting of career professionals.
The winner will be announced June 10.
About the WTAMU Department of Communication
The WTAMU Department of Communication houses two undergraduate programs: Communication Studies and Media Communication, with three areas of emphasis in each program as well as the option to seek teacher certification in speech or journalism. The master’s program offers two areas of emphasis: one in Communication and one in Media Management. Both can be completed online. For information on the department, visit wtamu.edu/academics/college-fine-arts-humanities/department-communication/index.html.