Two U communication students received statewide honors at the Golden Spike Award ceremony last week for their efforts in public relations.
The Salt Lake Valley and Utah Valley chapters of the Public Relations Society of America presented the honors to Dan Sorensen and Jason Carlton at the annual event, where members are recognized for excellence in communications in Utah.
Sorensen, a senior mass communication major, said he became interested in public relations many years ago.
“In high school, my biggest fear was being stuck in a job that I hated for the rest of my life,” Sorensen said. “Someone mentioned public relations, and I started doing some investigating.”
Carlton, a first-year graduate student in communication and senior account executive at Vanguard Media, has a different history with public relations.
“I didn’t even know what it was,” Carlton said. “I remember telling one of my professors what I enjoy doing, and he (told me) that it was public relations.”
Sorensen was recognized as Utah PR Student of the Year, and Carlton was named the Young Professional of the Year at the ceremony, which was held Nov. 7 on at the Wells Fargo Building downtown.
“I know there are some great young and seasoned professionals in the public relations industry in Utah,” Carlton said. “To be selected from such a pool is a great honor.”
Carlton was unable to attend the ceremony, because he was en route to Washington, D.C., for the PR News’ PR People Awards, where he was recognized as a national finalist for the Account Executive of the Year award at the National Press Club.