ITTA BENA, Miss. — The Office of Communications and Marketing at earned 47 awards across 18 categories during the 2026 College Public Relations Association of Mississippi (CPRAM) Awards Ceremony held Tuesday evening during the organization’s annual conference hosted by Northwest Mississippi Community College.
The conference, themed “CPRAM Storytellers in Higher Education,” recognized excellence in higher education communications, marketing, photography, writing, branding, and digital media. CPRAM is a consortium of public relations professionals representing Mississippi’s public and private colleges, universities, and affiliated educational agencies.
In addition to the team’s award success, Donnell Maxie, director of communications and marketing at MVSU, was re-elected to the CPRAM Board of Directors, further highlighting the university’s continued leadership and involvement in the organization.
The MVSU Communications and Marketing team includes Donnell Maxie, director of communications and marketing; John McCall, senior graphic designer; Latunya Evans, communications specialist; Justice Williams, associate graphic designer; and Karrington Stockstill, social media manager/project coordinator.
Dr. Ernie Troy Hughes, vice president for university advancement and external relations, praised the team’s accomplishments and commitment to advancing the university’s brand and storytelling efforts.
“These awards reflect the tremendous creativity, innovation and professionalism displayed by our Communications and Marketing team,” Hughes said. “Their ability to consistently produce high-quality work that captures the spirit and excellence of is truly commendable. We are proud of the recognition they have received from their peers across the state.”
Maxie said the recognition is a testament to the dedication and collaboration of the department’s five-member team.
“I am extremely proud of our team’s work ethic, creativity and skillful output,” Maxie said. “As a five-person team, we continue to produce impactful and meaningful work that elevates the MVSU brand and tells the stories of our university with excellence. These awards are a reflection of the passion, collaboration, and commitment our team brings every day.”
First-Place Awards
MVSU earned first place in the New Media category for the Valley Network Intro Videos.
The team also captured first place in the Single Piece of Artwork category for the Proud Valley Family Homecoming Promo.
Justice Williams earned first place in the Wildcard Print category for the “Crowning in the Green Oasis” Coronation Booklet advertisement and another first-place honor in the Digital Art/Photo Illustration category for the Coronation Promo.
Maxie and McCall received first place in the Single Piece of Artwork-Sports category for the Legacy Stadium Banner.
John McCall and Karrington Stockstill also earned first place in the Social Media Non-Sports Post category for the MVSU Choir Students Holiday Cheer campaign.
Second-Place Awards
Maxie, Evans, and McCall earned second place in the Annual Report category for the President’s Report Booklet.
Maxie also received second place in the News Story category for his article highlighting MVSU’s first female police chief.
Williams earned second place in the Digital Art/Photo Illustration category for the Old Flame Fall Performance design.
Williams and McCall captured second place in the Digital Advertisement category for the university’s football game-day graphics.
Evans earned second place in the Wildcard Mixed Media category for “Release the Delta Probate 2025.”
McCall also earned second place in the Single Piece of Artwork-Sports category for the men’s and women’s basketball schedule posters.
Additionally, McCall received second place in the Fine Arts Photography category for his “Cheers to 75 Years” photograph.
Third-Place Awards
The Communications and Marketing team earned third place in the Public Relations/Marketing and Branding Campaign category for the “Who Am I” Alumni Campaign videos.
Karrington Stockstill, Williams, McCall and Evans earned third place in the Sports Hype and Promo Video category for “Get Ready for Valley Homecoming.”
The same team also earned third place in the Promo/Hype Video category for the High School Day recap video.
Maxie earned third place in the Fine Arts Photography category for his “MVSU 75” photograph and also received third place in the social media Non-Sports Post category for the First Female Chief social media post.
Justice Williams and student worker Joshua King earned third place in the General Video category for “MVSU Choir Competes in Italy.”
Williams also earned third place in the Digital Art/Photo Illustration category for the Valley Network TV Guide design.
Evans earned third place in the Portrait category for her “Presidential Address to MVSU Graduates” photograph.
Evans also received third place in the Wildcard Mixed Media category for her “Release the Apes Alpha Probate 2025” design and third place in the Student Life category for her MVSU Foam Party photograph.
The awards underscore the continued success of MVSU’s Office of Communications and Marketing in producing creative and strategic storytelling initiatives that elevate the university’s visibility across the state and beyond.