Some of you may recall my post this past summer about ASCE’s Excellence in Journalism Award program. We’re getting closer and closer to this year’s deadline, so start sending in those stories!

For those of you who may not be familiar with the program, the award recognizes outstanding news stories that enhance public understanding of the role and impact of civil engineers and civil engineering in designing solutions for clean water, transportation, the environment and other public works projects. Journalists and producers from English-language, general interest regional and national newspapers, radio and television stations, magazines, and electronic and Web-based news outlets are all eligible.

For the 2010 award, stories need to have been published or broadcast between May 1, 2008 and Oct. 31, 2009 to be eligible. Members can nominate stories they’ve seen or read, and journalists can also self-nominate their work. Check out the Excellence in Journalism Award page for eligibility information, where to send your submissions and the nomination form. All entries need to be postmarked by Dec. 1, 2009.

A list of previous Excellence in Journalism Award winners is available on the award Web page.

Send me an email if you have any questions about the award. I can’t wait to see your nominees!

Karen Albers
Manager, State Public Relations

Are you an ASCE member who is interested in incorporating public relations into your Section/Branch and professional activities? Have you thought about attending a PR University workshop?

ASCE’s annual national PR University workshop is scheduled for Monday, Dec. 7 at ASCE Headquarters in Reston, Va.

For those of you who might not be familiar with the program, ASCE created PR University, a public relations training program for civil engineers, as part of its goal to bring effective public relations strategies to the ASCE Section and Branch level.

During the highly interactive, one-day workshop, ASCE’s Communications staff shares techniques for effective communications, including media relations and outreach, through presentations and hands-on PR activities. A guest speaker from the media will also be on hand to give attendees the newsroom perspective.

All attendees receive a PR Toolkit reference guide to help bring the tools from the communications classroom to the civil engineering profession. Part ‘how-to’ manual and part resource guide, this Toolkit provides a practical introduction to public relations for civil engineers. So far, nearly 200 ASCE Section and Branch members have participated in PR University!

Attendees willing to serve as their Section or Branch PR Coordinator may be eligible for a workshop “scholarship.”

Sound interesting? Want to attend? Email me for an application or more information. Applications are due by the close of business on Wednesday, Nov. 11. Space is limited, so submit your application early.

Have you already participated in PR University? How have you used what you learned? Share your experiences in the comments section.

Karen Albers
Manager, State Public Relations

Many of you are probably familiar with ASCE’s State Public Affairs Grant (SPAG) program. For those of you who aren’t, let me take a minute to explain.

The SPAG program was created as a resource for ASCE Sections and Branches that are tackling public relations and government relations projects at the local level. The goal of the program is to enhance the image of civil engineers as leaders and experts on America’s vital infrastructure systems and to encourage advocacy on issues that are important to civil engineers.

So what does this mean for your PR activities? If you’re planning a program for the upcoming year, consider sending in a grant proposal. While you shouldn’t rely on SPAG as your sole funding source, it can certainly be a great supplement to help you fund your project.

For more information on what kind of projects are eligible to receive SPAG funding, check out the 2010 SPAG guidelines. In particular, the SPAG Committee keeps an eye out for new and original projects.

So what are you waiting for? The deadline for proposals is Friday, Oct. 30! You can find more details on proposal requirements and submission information in the guidelines. (Don’t forget that all proposals need to be submitted through your local Section.)

If you need assistance or have any questions while you’re planning your local PR programs (SPAG-funded or not), send me an email and I’ll be happy to help!

Karen Albers
Manager, State Public Relations