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Bearkats Win Big At AAF Conference

Dec. 5, 2023
SHSU Media Contact: Mikah Boyd

By Enrique Paz

Eight Sam Houston State University students, all public relations & advertising or marketing majors, recently attended an American Advertising Federation (AAF) conference in Houston, Texas. Six of the SHSU competitors placed first, second and third place with their respective teams.

For the competition, students had seven hours to create a marketing campaign for one of the two PSR Brands product lines presented, P10 Performance and Suerotil. Participants, including each of the SHSU students, were split into different teams.The results are as follows:

P10 Performance SHSU Winners:

Delaney Heiskell (First Place Team)
Aryana Silguero-Rocha (Second Place Team)
Aurora Gonzalez (Third Place Team)

Suerotil SHSU Winners:

Enrique Paz (First Place Team)
Kristin Simpson (Second Place Team)
Sonia Diaz (Third Place Team)

“It was an amazing weekend filled with lots of teamwork and networking with students from all over the district,” third place winner Aurora Gonzalez said. “I am glad I was able to attend. The things I’ve learned at SHSU and the things I’ve experienced along the way allowed me to bond and learn with my new teammates. I was so happy to bring home a third place win.”

The students attended the event as part of the SHSU Marketing Club, with some also having dual membership in the SHSU chapter of the Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA).

“I am incredibly fortunate to be surrounded by such talented and supportive classmates in Marketing Club,” P10 Performance first place winner Delaney Heiskell said. “My marketing professors here at Sam Houston State have given me their expertise and dedication to allow me to apply the marketing strategies that gave me the confidence and skills needed to secure this victory. I am honored and humbled by this achievement, and I am excited to continue representing Sam Houston State University in the world of marketing.”

Much of the competition was composed of the application of marketing concepts. The professors at SHSU who promoted this event, Gina Brynildsen and Renée Gravois, traveled to Houston alongside them, hoping that their previous lectures would aid in pivoting them to success.

“Student competitions are invaluable experiences for our students, and I love encouraging and supporting their participation in these events,” Brynildsen said. “The AAF - Houston competition specifically provides students with a chance to apply their skill sets in a team-based competition, forge meaningful connections with local businesses in greater Houston, and receive career advice from industry professionals. We had eight students participate this year, and six placed in the top three teams in the competition. I am exceptionally proud of our students and delighted to see their hard work pay off."

The winners have been recognized by various industry experts, including the PSR Brands CEO, Guillermo Amtmann, who stated he was considering using one of the advertisements made by Suerotil first Place winner Enrique Paz in partnership with Univision. Furthermore, attendees even connected with local Houston businesses on Saturday during a career fair after a panel discussion and winner announcements.

“Each of us worked extremely hard for our achievements, and I am so grateful to have represented the university among remarkably talented peers,” Paz said. “I owe this win to my outstanding professors, internship supervisors and parents. Once I realized my team won, I immediately jumped up out of my seat and hugged my teammate. This is undoubtedly a great way to end my last Fall semester.”

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