The University of Alabama

University of Alabama students and recent UA graduates filled out the winning teams at the 2024 River Pitch competition held in November. The event for entrepreneurs showcased 62 unique business ideas. Each team presented a three-minute pitch to several judges.

PRWeek named Alana Doyle, a senior in the department of advertising and public relations at The University of Alabama, its Public Relations Student of the Year. Doyle was one of two students from the College of Communication and Information Sciences on a national shortlist of five students selected for the award, along with Gabby DiCarlo. The winner was announced March 21 in New York City at the annual PRWeek Awards. "Over the last few days, I have been blown away by the love and support I have received from The University of Alabama," Doyle said. "I am so grateful to this school and the APR department for preparing me for success. The faculty and staff in the department are some of the most talented, inspirational and dedicated individuals I have ever met." This year's contest challenged applicants to create a campaign for Levi Strauss' wide-leg jeans that targeted Gen Z consumers. Doyle's campaign, #ComfortIsBack, suggested that comfort was the way to the Gen Z consumer's heart and that social media influencers on platforms including TikTok could serve as brand ambassadors showcasing the new fit of Levi jeans. "The campaign showed terrific understanding of how to marry a solid strategy to actual results - the primary reasons clients turn to PR experts," the PRWeek judges said. Doyle serves as a senior copywriter for the Capstone Agency, UA's nationally affiliated, student-run, integrated communications firm, and was awarded the agency's Star Client Team Member Award, Star Department Member Award and the Copywriting Challenge Award last year. She was also selected as Viacom's only intern to interview celebrities on the 2018 VMA's red carpet. "Alana's path to being the 2019 PR Student of the Year was paved by her never-stop work ethic," said Dr. Joseph Phelps, chair of the department of advertising and public relations. "Her drive and the skills she developed in our program are going to be incredible assets for the organization fortunate enough to hire her." Doyle is UA's second PRWeek Student of the Year winner. Maret Montanari received the Public Relations Student of the Year in 2018 and Katie Gatti was runner-up in 2017. The department of advertising and public relations is a part of the College of Communication and Information Sciences at The University of Alabama. For more information about the College, go to cis.ua.edu.