Higher education notebook

UALR team takes 1st in marketing

A team of students from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock took first place honors in a branding competition at the AT&T World Headquarters.

The team of Vivien Fechner, Sara Massana, Brandi Glover, Leah Lauderdale and Jamie Middleton won the annual AT&T Campus Brand Challenge on Tuesday in Dallas. The competition is designed to provide students with real-world experience through designing and implementing an integrated marketing plan.

Five AT&T senior vice presidents judged the competition and awarded a $3,000 scholarship to the winning UALR team. The University of Nebraska-Lincoln was the runner-up.

To prepare for competition, the students conducted focus group research, pre-test and post-test surveys each with a sample of more than 400 students, and secondary research about the Millennial market. They also created a slogan -- "What's Next For You?" -- and modified the AT&T logo while designing an entire integrated marketing program, including a week of events on campus.

ASU students win music competition

Arkansas State University music students Cori Beasley and Cody Hutchison were first-place winners in their divisions for the Music Teachers National Association Young Artist Competition in Arkansas.

Beasley placed first in the voice category, and Hutchison was the winner in brass. In January, the pair will represent Arkansas in the south-central division round in Tulsa.

Winners of the south central division competitions will proceed to the Music Teachers National Association competition in Las Vegas in March.

2 get promotions at Arkansas State

Arkansas State University System President Charles L. Welch announced the promotion of Julie Bates to executive vice president and Brad Phelps to university counsel in the system office.

Bates has served as vice president for finance since 2011. Her salary will remain the same at $175,250.

Phelps succeeds Lucinda McDaniel, who is retiring Dec. 31 after six years of service to the ASU System. His salary will be $150,000.

Both appointments are effective Jan. 1, a news release states.

"Julie's new title better reflects her leadership role in the system," Welch said in the release. "She has been an invaluable addition to the system team not only in finance, but in many other areas of the growth of our campuses."

Phelps joined the ASU System in November after serving in various roles in the attorney general's office since 2003. He had served as Attorney General Dustin McDaniel's chief deputy since April 2010.

"Brad has been an excellent addition to the ASU System legal team and quickly demonstrated his talent and knowledge of state operations and public policy," Welch said in the release. "His leadership and management experience makes him a natural choice to move into university counsel role. Lucinda has done a tremendous job, and we're fortunate to already have someone with Brad's experience to step in."

State Desk on 12/21/2014

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