Unraveling the mystery of a \u201cMessage in a Bottle\u201d found during restoration of College Hall has earned Montclair State Communications and Marketing and the University magazine a coveted 2020 Bronze Anvil Award from the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) — one of the nation\u2019s top honors for public relations.<\/p>\n
The story, first published in Montclair<\/em> magazine, traveled the world and was recognized by the PRSA in the Feature Stories category. Published in the Fall\/Winter 2019 issue of Montclair<\/em>, the story combined the fascination of the discovery<\/a> \u2013 the note left by bricklayers dated July 3, 1907, was among the oldest ever found\u00a0 \u2013 with details from Census and ancestry records, connecting the story to the University\u2019s 112-year history. The story piqued people\u2019s interest in finding their families and led to a second story on the descendants<\/a>, both written by Staff Writer Marilyn Joyce Lehren and supported by staff photography, videography, graphics, social media and media relations.<\/p>\n \u201cMessage in a Bottle\u201d was shared around the world, spreading on social media and through dozens of local and national media outlets, with millions of views. The story traveled as far as Russia, Canada and Thailand and was published in People, U.S. News<\/em> and the New York Post<\/em>, and aired on CNN, to name just a few.<\/p>\n \u201cI am very proud of the team for producing a story that presented Montclair State so favorably to millions of people all over the world. This amazing human interest piece symbolizes the commitments and values that go all the way back to our founding.\u00a0 The school that the bricklayers so carefully constructed more than a century ago continues to educate people from all walks of life, and their children and their children\u2019s children,\u201d said Joseph A. Brennan, vice president for Communications and Marketing.<\/p>\n According to the PRSA, the Bronze Anvil Awards have recognized excellence in public relations for more than 45 years: \u201cThis year\u2019s competition drew a total of 322 entries. Of those, only 37 organizations were selected by the judges as Bronze Anvil winners. This demonstrates the high standards applied in the evaluation process.\u201d<\/p>\n The Public Relations Society of America is the nation\u2019s leading professional organization serving the communications community.<\/p>\n Read the stories:<\/p>\nAbout the Bronze Anvil Awards<\/h2>\n