2015 Ruth Hammond Scholarship Winner Announced

TORONTO, Nov. 24, 2015 /CNW/ - Katherine Baird, Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, is the 2015 winner of the $1,000 Ruth Hammond Scholarship, awarded annually to a public relations student in his/her final year of the Bachelor of Public Relations program at Mount Saint Vincent University (The Mount), Halifax. She has been on the Dean's List since 2013. She was nominated for the 2014 Co-Op Student of the Year by Public Works and Government Services Canada (PWGSC).

The Ruth Hammond Scholarship was established by Hammond's friends and colleagues in the Canadian Public Relations Society (Toronto) to honour her lifetime commitment to public relations education in Canada.  The Scholarship recognizes a student who has completed at least two public relations co-op work terms and who has demonstrated outstanding academic achievement, leadership abilities and dedication to establishing a career in the public relations field.

Baird's first public relations co-op placement in 2014 was with Public Works and Government Services Canada, Halifax, where she maintained and edited its intranet site, developing content and creating visuals as well as distributing the weekly electronic newsletter.  She was also involved in event planning, photography and the development of communications plans for a variety of programs and initiatives.

Her second co-op placement, completed in May 2015, was with the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA) PEI & Tourism, Charlottetown. There she planned, organized and implemented Ministerial events including the funding announcements for various projects.  She wrote media relations materials, provided copy for the intranet site, created and distributed weekly newsletters as well as working with the Wellness Committee where she developed a quarterly newsletter including research, writing, editing and design.

"Katherine was a productive member of our communications team, demonstrating abilities that will make her a valued asset within any organization who hires her," said Christopher Brooks, Acting Director, Communications, ACOA PEI & Tourism.

Baird has also worked part-time at the Food Action Research Centre (FoodARC), a research centre at the Mount, where she assisted with social media promotion, copy editing, web site management and development of a variety of communications materials. She is currently completing her final co-op placement at the Greater Charlottetown Area Chamber of Commerce, where she is responsible for communications planning, social media, event planning and media relations.

She is a member of the Canadian Public Relations Society.

Recognized as a leader in distance and experiential learning, and based on a strong tradition of social responsibility, Mount Saint Vincent University takes a personalized approach to education to nurture socially responsible global citizens. Founded in 1873, the Mount has been nationally recognized for having one of the lowest student-to-professor ratios, for providing students early access to valuable research opportunities, for its legacy in the advancement of women, and for facilitating critical advancements in food security, healthy aging, literacy, and childhood development.  

The Ruth Hammond Scholarship funds are managed by the Communications + Public Relations Foundation. The Foundation promotes the advancement of communications and public relations as vital functions in society, is dedicated to the public interest, and is committed to increasing public knowledge and awareness of the role of communications and public relations in daily life. The Foundation accepts individual and corporate contributions towards research and educational initiatives nationwide.

For more information about the Foundation and its public relations education initiatives, contact Barbara Sheffield, Executive Director, Communications + Public Relations Foundation, Suite 1515, 73 Widdicombe Hill Blvd., Toronto, Ontario, M9R 4B3, or phone [phone], or e-mail [email protected].

SOURCE Communications + Public Relations Foundation

Steve Crombie, [phone], [email protected]; Barbara Sheffield, APR, FCPRS, [phone] or [phone], [email protected]