1 minute read
1 BATEMAN WINNERS PODIUM 2
UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA — FIRST PLACE
In Gainesville, the University of Florida “Communigators” team built a campaign called “Embrace the Hyphen” against a backdrop where more than 11 percent of residents are foreign-born, yet political decisions had dismantled offices of support for cultural communities. Research revealed that 84 percent of local residents wanted spaces that celebrated cultural differences, so the team launched events ranging from a festival and film screenings to speaker panels and interactive booths.
The campaign reached more than 65,000 people, generated over 450,000 PSA impressions and secured a city proclamation declaring an official “Culturs Day.” With 56 partnerships and 44 ambassadors, the effort extended
Culturs’ mission across both campus and community.
Team member Bianca Romero, who identifies as Guatemalan Nicaraguan Cuban American and is now an account executive at Royal Caribbean International, says the project showed her the impact of storytelling: “Through this project, I learned how powerful it is to give people a platform to share their stories. By establishing these safe spaces, people can connect over their shared experiences and inspire others to embrace both their own and others’ cultures.”
MONTCLAIR STATE UNIVERSITY — SECOND PLACE
Montclair State University earned second place with “Montclair Culturs: #SoarTogether.” On a campus where more than 60 percent of the student body represents different backgrounds, the team uncovered a gap: many students valued cultural identity but did not feel fully seen. Their campaign responded with ambitious activations. The Cultur-ella Festival drew 450 attendees. A Cultural Print Map captured nearly 1,000 student heritages. And “Living in Full Color,” a conversation co-produced with NBCU Academy, WNBC and Telemundo, reached nearly 250,000 viewers across the New York metro area.
BRIGHAM YOUNG UNIVERSITY — THIRD PLACE
The results spoke loudly: more than 500,000 impressions, 538 pledges, 24 new ambassadors and campus awareness of Culturs jumping from 8 percent to 73 percent.
Culturs leadership pointed to Montclair’s ability to recruit a top influencer as a standout achievement — demonstrating how student-driven partnerships could provide a blueprint for broader engagement.
