PRSSA, the foremost organization for students interested in the public relations and communications fields, announced the Lymphoma Research Foundation (LRF) as the client of the 2022 Bateman Case Study Competition. The Lymphoma Research Foundation is the nation’s largest nonprofit devoted exclusively to funding innovative lymphoma research and serving the lymphoma community through education programs, outreach initiatives, and patient services.
Currently, more than one million people in the United States are living with, or in remission from, a form of lymphoma— the most common type of blood cancer. More than 111,000 people in the United States are diagnosed with the disease each year. The competition will challenge student teams to research, plan, implement and evaluate a public relations campaign centered on raising awareness around the resources currently available to those touched by the disease, including patients, survivors, caregivers and loved ones. More specifically, students will be tasked with educating adolescents and young adults (AYA), while revamping the foundation’s campaign efforts toward eradicating lymphoma.
“The Bateman Case Study Competition continues to be a way in which our students can put their communications skills to the test and really make a far-reaching impact through creative campaigns,” said Jeneen Garcia, Senior Vice President, Programs, PRSA. “The work the Lymphoma Research Foundation is doing in its effort to eradicate lymphoma is inspiring and I know their mission will be a real driving force in the work that results from this competition.”
“Each year, nearly 90,000 adolescents and young adults ages 15 to 39 years are diagnosed with cancer; and lymphoma accounts for nearly one quarter of cancer diagnoses among young people,” said Kinya Harte, Director of Communications and Marketing at the Lymphoma Research Foundation. “Through our partnership with PRSA and participation in the Bateman Case Study Competition, we are supporting talented students pursuing a career in public relations, and harnessing their passion and creativity to raise critical awareness of lymphoma and the unique challenges AYAs may face when diagnosed with this disease.”
The Bateman Case Study Competition originated in 1973 as a national case study allowing PRSSA members to exercise the analytical skills required for public relations problem solving. In 1983, the name of the competition was changed to honor the memory of the late J. Carroll Bateman, APR. Bateman was a past president of PRSA and was instrumental in the founding of PRSSA.
Entrants in the competition will execute their campaigns in early 2022. Three finalists will present their work to an esteemed panel of judges in May, and the winning teams will be
recognized during the awards ceremony and dinner at PRSSA’s 2022 International Conference.
About the Public Relations Student Society of America
The Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA) is the foremost organization for students interested in public relations and communications. Founded in 1968 by its parent organization, the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA), PRSSA includes nearly 9,000 student members and advisers, and is active on nearly 375 colleges and university campuses, including in Argentina, Colombia, Peru and Puerto Rico. For more information, please visit www.prssa.org.
About Lymphoma Research Foundation
The Lymphoma Research Foundation (LRF) is the nation’s largest nonprofit devoted exclusively to funding innovative lymphoma research and serving the lymphoma community through a comprehensive series of education programs, outreach initiatives and patient services. To date, LRF has awarded more than $67 million in lymphoma-specific research. For additional information on LRF’s research, education and services, visit www.lymphoma.org.
