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Beacon Magazine Receives Top Honor From Baptist Communicators Association


Mississippi College’s “Beacon” magazine received a first-place award from the Baptist Communicators Association at its annual spring meeting in Florida.

Celebrating the Christian university’s 190th birthday, MC alumni magazine also showcased the successful ministry of wounded Army medic C.J. Stewart. The Mississippi College alumnus sustained life-threatening injuries after his outpost was attacked just 35 days into his deployment to Afghanistan in 2010.

“Beacon” in Summer 2016 is loaded with compelling stories - from a profile of School of Education Dean Cindy Melton to a piece on the charitable heart of Mississippi entrepreneur Leland Speed. The extraordinary pictures of award-winning photographer Robby Followell of Clinton make the publication shine year after year. Contributing editor Marlo Kirkpatrick’s enriching stories remain must-reads from beginning to end.

MC officials accepted the honor at the BCA awards program in Fort Lauderdale in late April. The program is named for Wilmer C. Fields, retired vice president of public relations with the Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee.

Judges felt the 48-page “Beacon” was impressive enough to rank at the very top among BCA magazine publications across the USA. Founded in 1953, the BCA consists of public relations professionals, graphic designers, photographers, marketing leaders and others at Baptist universities, seminaries and church-affiliated organizations nationwide.

“Beacon” is produced twice annually by the Mississippi College Office of Public Relations.

“We salute our outstanding team that works hard year-round to create what we think it a wonderful publication for Mississippi College alumni and friends,” said “Beacon” editor Tracey Harrison, the university’s public relations director. “To earn one of the BCA’s most prestigious awards speaks volumes for what we are striving to achieve as a university committed to advance the cause of Christ.”

Others with the “Beacon” team include: Along College Street editor Andy Kanengiser, Class Notes staffers Amy Rowan, Hannah Wallace, and Lisa Williams, designer Alecia Porch, along with web developers Justin Garcia and Jared Walters.

The “Beacon” honor was among several BCA awards going to America’s second oldest Baptist college.

In the category of interactive communications, first place for a social media campaign went to university’s public relations staffers Hannah Wallace and Jared Walters. The pair from the Clinton campus received kudos for their work on the school’s “Move-In Day Countdown.” It captured the buildup as thousands of students hauled suitcases, lamps, dressers and much more to residence halls in late August.

Among other notable achievements, Mississippi College communication major Lauren Livingston of metro Birmingham, Alabama received a thumbs up from the judges. Lauren won first-place for a social media campaign in the student interactive competition.