UALR’s Office of Communications won eight awards during the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC) Arkansas Chapter Bronze Quill Awards ceremony held Oct. 28 at Acxiom in Little Rock.

The chapter honored communicators from Arkansas businesses, agencies, and nonprofit organizations for their work in more than 30 categories, including ad campaigns, printed materials, and web communications. In addition, Dr. Fitz Hill, president of Arkansas Baptist College, was recognized as Communicator of the Year, and Ouida Cox of Arkansas Electric Cooperative Corporation was honored with the John K. Woodruff Award for lifetime achievement.

“This was a proud evening for UALR,” said Judy Williams, UALR director of communications. “Everyone in the communications office worked so hard last year with unbelievable support from across the University. The new ad campaign, the shooting crisis, the revitalized magazine  — these projects and others required everyone to pull together with their skills and spirit of cooperation.”

Williams said this is the first time UALR has entered the Bronze Quill awards program, garnering an award for each of its eight entries – four top awards and four merit awards.

IABC is a global network of communication professionals committed to improving organizational effectiveness through strategic communication. Established in 1970, IABC serves more than 16,000 members in 70 countries and 100 chapters. The organization recognizes a chapter’s top communication efforts through the Bronze Quills. This year’s entries were judged by IABC chapters in Texas, Florida, Oklahoma, Minnesota, Tennessee, Virginia, California and South Carolina.

UALR Awards:

• Public Affairs, Award of Excellence – Breaking the Crime Chain: University Task Force on Public Safety & the Pulaski County Jail
• Magazines, Award of Excellence – UALR Magazine
• Crisis Communications, Award of Excellence – UALR Shooting Incident
• Internet – Non-Commercial, Award of Excellence – ualr.edu/future Recruitment Site
• Multi-Audience Communications, Award of Merit – UALR Difference of Degree Ad Campaign
• Radio Commercial, Award of Merit – UALR Difference of Degree KUAR Radio Series
• Television Commercial, Award of Merit – UALR Difference of Degree TV Campaign
• News releases, Award of Merit – “New Method for Measuring Black Holes” Release