OXFORD, Miss. - Seven University of Mississippi journalism students and their instructor, all members of the local Public Relations Association of Mississippi chapter, won distinguished awards including two of the top four honors - at the recent statewide PRAM conference in Hattiesburg.

The students competed with professionals to win certificates of achievement, awards of excellence and first place PRism awards, as well as prestigious Best in Show and Judge's Choice honors.

"I was overwhelmed with pride at our students' success in the competition,"said Robin Street, instructor in journalism and public relations. "Every student who entered won an award. That says a tremendous amount about the quality of these students and their work."

"All of us in PRAM were particularly impressed with the Ole Miss students' multiple awards," said Jarrod Ravencraft, state president of PRAM. "They were in a professional competition and more than held their own with the professionals. Everyone in the room was aware that night at how many times an Ole Miss student's name was called."

Sally Summerson, a senior journalism and public relations major from Richmond, Va., won the first-ever Student Best in Show award for the "Eating Locally"campaign she developed during an internship with the Southern Foodways Alliance, housed at UM. She said the campaign was "designed to show the public that the extra energy involved in buying local produce is worth the time, money and effort.

"Sally did so well that the judges actually created an award for her,"Street said. "They've always given a Best in Show award, but this year, they created a Student Best in Show just for her entry.

Summerson also won a PRism for the campaign and an award of excellence for a feature story.

"I was really honored and excited to receive these awards,"Summerson said. "Robin Street is an excellent teacher. We would not have won these without her help, guidance and faith in her students' abilities.

Other student winners include senior journalism major Megan Daniel of Columbus, who received an award of excellence; Will Mestayer, a senior journalism major from Bay St. Louis, who won an award of excellence; senior journalism major Lori Simpson, of Byhalia, who won an award of excellence and a $1,000 PRAM scholarship; Rachael Shook, a senior journalism major from Cordova, Tenn., who won a PRism; journalism graduate student Raymond Wade, of Moss Point, who won a certificate of achievement; and Julie Ward, senior journalism major of Bristol Va., winner of a PRism award.

Pam Swain, vice president of the Oxford-Lafayette County Chamber of Commerce, took home an Award of Excellence for Publications, for External Magazine.