The New Orleans chapter of the Public Relations Society of America surprised Cathy Rogers, adviser to Loyola’s public relations team, with an award for her success as a teacher and mentor.

The society hosted its annual awards banquet Nov. 3 at the W Hotel.  Many award winners consisted of students, faculty and alumni from Loyola’s School of Mass Communication. Special honors were given to Rogers and last year’s Bateman team she advised.

Rogers, mass communication professor and head of the public relations sequence, was given a surprise award toward the end of the event. John Deveney, president of PRSA New Orleans and A’88, said he presented Rogers with the Preeminent Plate Spinner award for her “absolutely unprecedented” success as a teacher and mentor.

This honor is given to “a practitioner and leader who goes beyond just their work and makes a difference,” Deveney said in a prepared statement. “Dr. Rogers received this award for her consistent leadership of her students and in the community.”

The Bateman team placed first nationally in the Bateman competition under Rogers in 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2008, and second in 2001, 2004 and 2006.

Last year’s Bateman team also received recognition for their achievements under Rogers. Janine Sheedy, Sarah Mackota, Ashley Sutton and Vicki Voelker, all 2009 graduates, and mass communication senior Heather Miranne were awarded the Silver Anvil Award in the external relations/nonprofit public relations campaign category for their winning entry, “The Bling Starts Here.”

The Silver Anvil is the highest award the chapter can bestow. This same team won first place in the 2009 Bateman Case Study Competition for the same campaign.

Geenah Acevedo can be reached at [email protected]