Taylor Selects Winner of First Historically Black Colleges and Universities Public Relations Challenge
Constance J. Rush, St. Louis Native and Florida A&M University Graduate, Earns Full-Time Position with Taylor
Tallahassee, FL. – Taylor, the leader in lifestyle and sports public relations, announced the winner of its Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) Public Relations Challenge, open to HBCU seniors across the country.
A Florida A&M University (FAMU) public relations major and magna cum laude graduate Constance J. Rush earned a full time position with Taylor in its New York office as an assistant account executive this month.
“Building diversity in our industry is a key initiative for Taylor,” said Tony Signore, CEO and managing partner for Taylor. “We are thrilled to welcome this exceptional individual 00to the Taylor family. Constance embodies Taylor’s core values and has demonstrated throughout this challenge the qualities needed to become a successful public relations professional.”
Through a partnership with HBCU and Boys & Girls Clubs of America, Taylor engaged HBCU college seniors majoring in public relations and communications. Students were nominated by faculty and administrators at their respective colleges based on a structured set of criteria. The chosen participants were tasked with creating and implementing a three-month campaign to generate positive awareness of the exceptional efforts of local Boys & Girls Club volunteers.
“Programs such as Taylor’s HBCU Challenge are greatly needed within the college community,” said Gina L. Kinchlow, professor at FAMU. “We are delighted Taylor took the initiative to create such an in-depth program.”
Rush’s winning campaign focused on Joe Beckham, a professor in the Florida State University (FSU) College of Education and member of the Board of Directors of the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Big Bend. In an effort to help his chapter, Beckham planned to make a donation in support of their annual Springtime Tallahassee 10K run.
Rush took the initiative to create a press conference, which included a check presentation and an interactive event for hundreds of club members with the help of the FSU Track and Field Team.
In addition to the position offered to Rush, Taylor awarded the communications program at FAMU $5,000 for an undergraduate scholarship in her name. Additionally, Beckham and the Boys & Girls Club of the Big Bend each received $5,000 donations.
About Taylor
Taylor, founded in 1984 and recognized as the leading lifestyle and sports public relations agency, has more than 100 employees with headquarters in New York and offices in Los Angeles, Charlotte and London. The agency provides a full array of public relations services including proprietary research and competitive intelligence, program planning and development, strategic media relations, event production, spokesperson procurement and training, Hispanic/multicultural marketing communications, social media programming, and measurement and evaluation. The firm partners exclusively with category-leading brands that utilize sports, entertainment, and lifestyle platforms to achieve their business-building goals. Taylor’s portfolio of client partners includes MasterCard, Diageo, Gillette, Microsoft, Allstate, DHL, Staples, Alltel Wireless, Abbott Laboratories, NASCAR and Levi Strauss Signature.
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