GVSU students win West Michigan PR competition

A team of three Grand Valley State University students took home the top prize during the annual Yardsticks student advertising and public relations competition October 28 in Grand Rapids.

Yardsticks allows entrants to work as individuals or in groups to develop a marketing campaign for a local business. All student competitors work from the same strategy brief and target audience profile provided by the selected client. This year, students developed a campaign for Macatawa Bank.

The challenge was for contestants to design a campaign to entice millennials to use an upcoming finance management tool. The team of Jessica Krysinska, Mari Behovitz and Ben Kaluski from Grand Valley bested 30 other entries to tie for first place with a team from Central Michigan University.

Krysinska, senior advertising and public relations major, and communications director for the Advertising Club student organization, said her team attributes their victory to fully applying themselves to their Grand Valley experience.

“Our team's dedication to GVSU’s curriculum and our participation in advertising and public relations student organizations proves that indulging in every opportunity offered at GVSU helps students apply their acquired skills and knowledge outside of the university,” said Krysinska.