UA Little Rock Communications and Marketing Team Wins National and Statewide Honors for Excellence in Communications
The University of Arkansas at Little Rock’s Communications and Marketing team has earned significant recognition at both the 2025 National Federation of Press Women (NFPW) National Communications Contest and the 2025 Arkansas PRSA Prism Awards, underscoring the team’s excellence in communications, public relations, and design.
The national awards were announced Sept. 13 at the NFPW Conference in Golden, Colorado, where more than 250 professional communicators were honored. The contest drew nearly 2,000 entries from 44 states, the District of Columbia, and Spain. Only first-place winners at the state level were eligible to compete at nationals.
UA Little Rock’s Communications and Marketing staff earned a dozen national awards across a wide range of categories:
Angelita Faller, news director
1st Place – News or Feature Releases (Multiple Releases) for “Conversations with Solar Eclipse Experts”
2nd Place – News or Feature Release (Single Release) for “UA Little Rock Receives $5 Million to Combat Drug Use Among Arkansas Youth”
2nd Place – Media Pitch for “Spreading Innovation Brick by Brick”
Dr. Carrie Phillips, chief communications and marketing officer, and Angelita Faller
Honorable Mention – Newsletter/Other Publication for the “UA Little Rock Alumni Association Newsletter”
Rian Newman, a former editorial assistant and May UA Little Rock graduate
Honorable Mention – Writing, Features (Education/Collegiate) for “Merriman Achieves Long Awaited Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing”
Carrie Phillips and Muriel Schrepfer, senior graphic designer
1st Place – Integrated Communications Campaign for “UA Little Rock Eclipse Event”
Muriel Schrepfer
1st Place – Advertising Poster, Billboard, or Banner for “2024-25 Combined Home Basketball Poster”
2nd Place – Brochure (Nonprofit/Education) for “Admissions Social Piece”
2nd Place – Advertising Campaign for “Trojan Guarantee Ad Campaign”
Muriel Schrepfer and Klansee Tozer, senior graphic designer
3rd Place – Book Design for “UA Little Rock Brand Style Guide”
Charla Tozer, a former graphic design assistant and May UA Little Rock graduate
1st Place – Graphics/Illustrations (Education/Collegiate) for “UA Little Rock Downtown Sticker Sheet”
1st Place – Advertisement (Education/Collegiate) for “Holiday Art Sale Graphic”
Schrepfer, who received a total of five national awards, said she was proud to see the team’s work recognized at both the state and national level.
“It’s especially meaningful to be honored alongside such talented colleagues whose creativity and collaboration inspire me every day,” Schrepfer said. “Each project was a chance to be creative while sharing the story of UA Little Rock, and it’s exciting to see those efforts make an impact beyond our campus.”
In addition to Communications and Marketing, Maggie Ryan, reporter and local host of All Things Considered for Little Rock Public Radio, won third place in Radio Interview for “Three Weeks in al-Aqsa: A Doctor’s View of the Gaza Crisis.”
“I’m honored to receive this award from NFPW,” Ryan said. “The graphic, heavy nature of this conversation challenged me as both a reporter and writer, but I learned so much working on this piece.”
The Communications and Marketing team also earned top honors at the 2025 Arkansas PRSA Prism Awards on Sept. 18. The team won a Prism Award in Internal Communications for its campaign, “UA Little Rock Builds Buy-in, Page by Page.” The internal campaign successfully introduced the UA Little Rock community to the university’s new website.
UA Little Rock’s agency of record, mhp.si, also won a Prism Award in Feature/News Writing for the article, “Walking Toward Wellness – UA Little Rock Champions Mental Health Awareness.”
Dr. Carrie Phillips, chief communications and marketing officer, said the recognition reflects the collaborative and mission-driven work of the team.
“These awards show the breadth of our work and the passion we have for sharing the incredible things happening at UA Little Rock,” Phillips said. “Most importantly, this recognition underscores the impact that strategic communications can have in advancing student success and strengthening our university community.”
UA Little Rock’s Communications and Marketing team continues to raise the bar for higher education communications, demonstrating the university’s commitment to innovation, excellence, and community impact.