In addition to our 2018 CUPPIE Award winners, we are pleased to announce the winners of our other annual awards. Congratulations!

Communications Internship Award– Alison Nieto

When Hurricane Maria devastated her ancestral homeland of Puerto Rico, Alison Nieto sprang into action. The Villanova University sophomore used her skills as a communications and Spanish major to singlehandedly organize a benefit concert which raised more than $2,000 to benefit storm victims. A resident of Poughquag, N.Y., Nieto ™s career goal is to use the power of communication for public advocacy and to help others. A Dean ™s List student, she serves as culture editor for The Villanovan, secretary for Villanova Voices, and a tour guide for the Blue Key Society.

Dick Jones Scholarship for Aspiring Communications Professionals– Colleen Scott

Colleen Scott, a senior public relations major at Rowan University, didn ™t just dip her toes into the field, she dove in head first. A resident of Mount Laurel, N.J., Scott serves as president of Rowan ™s Public Relations Student Society of America chapter, and has more than a year of experience as a student worker in the university ™s Office of Media and Public Relations. She also completed a public relations internship for MANNA, and serves as the program coordinator for Rowan ™s œIt ™s all about Meaningful Employment  program, managing 13 interns in offices across the university. She plans on pursuing a master ™s degree in public relations at Rowan upon graduation.

Joseph W. Donovan Rising Star Award– Kaitlyn Sutton

Kaitlyn Sutton wants to be vice president of marketing for a university, and she is well on her way at the tender age of 25. Upon graduating from Temple University in 2014, Sutton was hired as the marketing coordinator for Temple ™s newly formed Office of Strategic Marketing and Communications. In that role, she worked closely with the university ™s advertising firm, 160over90, on the œTake Charge  campaign and helped develop and lead branding workshops for more than 25 university partners. Upon a promotion, she chaired the Social Media Managers ™ Committee, managing a major institution ™s social media presence at the age of 22. She now sits as Assistant Director of Marketing for Temple ™s College of Liberal Arts.

Don Hale Award– Barbara Baals

Through her years of service on the CUPRAP Board of Directors and her time as member and chair of the CUPPIES Committee, Barbara Baals has worked to make CUPRAP a stronger organization. However, it is Barbara ™s warm and welcoming personality, her hand-written notes to members, and her mentorship of younger CUPRAP members and students that make Barbara synonymous with the organization and the field of public relations. As assistant director of media and public relations at Rowan University, Barbara specifically has mentored Rosie Braude, a former Donovan Rising Star Award recipient; and Colleen Scott, the recipient of the inaugural Dick Jones Scholarship.

Arthur V. Ciervo Award– Dr. Thomas R. Kepple Jr.

Dr. Thomas R. Kepple ™s accomplishments as president of Juniata College alone would qualify him for the Ciervo Award. In his 15 years at the helm of the Huntingdon, PA-based college, he transformed the institution not only physically and academically, but he also internationalized the college and greatly diversified the student body. His work outside of Juniata, however, has had an even greater impact on higher education. He served as president of the American Academic Leadership Institute and is the founding chair of the Tuition Plan Consortium, which offers a prepaid tuition plan for families that send children to any of more than 250 private colleges.