Toronto, November 18, 2010 – Ian Miller of Halifax, Nova Scotia, is the 2010 winner of the Ruth Hammond Scholarship, awarded annually to a public relations student in his/her final year of the Bachelor of Public Relations program at Mount Saint Vincent University (The Mount), Halifax.
With an interest in competitive sport, Miller has participated on Canada’s 2007 Junior World Paddling Championship team in The Czech Republic, Canada’s 2006 Pan American Paddling Championships Team in Mexico City and recently won gold and silver medals at the National Championships in Regina. He has used that experience in coaching at the Mic Mac Amateur Aquatic Club, Dartmouth.
In his first public relations internship, Miller was a communications assistant with the 2009 International Canoe Federation (ICF) Canoe Sprint World championships in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, where he organized volunteers and worked on the front line with media. His second internship took him to the Canadian Air Transport Security Authority (CATSA), Ottawa, where he was responsible for creating a plan to improve communication between passengers and screening officers, worked on a social media strategy and handled communications for internal events such as the 25th anniversary of Air India Flight 182.
According to Gregory MacDougall, Director of Communications at CATSA, “Ian’s contribution was exceptional; he is a creative, dependable and resourceful professional who understands the management process and how to be a team player.”
Miller’s most recent assignment is with The Calgary Board of Education, where he is responsible for feature writing for the Board’s website and assists with media relations and news analysis. He is also involved in planning for the Board’s 125th anniversary events.
In addition to academic and professional work, Miller won the International Association of Business Communicators’ (IABC) student portfolio competition in 2009, and is a student member of both the Canadian Public Relations Society (CPRS) and IABC. He has also served as newsletter editor for the Maskwa Aquatic Club, Halifax, from 2004-2007.
Recognized for its academic excellence and creative learning approaches, The Mount offers bachelor’s degrees in arts and science, education and professional studies in addition to a number of graduate degrees and a variety of certificates and diplomas. The university community includes 4,000 women and men from across Canada as well as students from more than 60 countries, who study on campus or through distance learning programs.
The Ruth Hammond Scholarship was established by Ms. Hammond’s friends and colleagues in the Canadian Public Relations Society (Toronto) to honour her lifetime commitment to public relations education in Canada. The Scholarship, awarded by Mount Saint Vincent University, acknowledges a student who has completed at least two public relations co-op work terms and who has demonstrated outstanding academic achievement, leadership abilities and dedication to establishing a career in the public relations field.
The Ruth Hammond Scholarship funds are managed by the Communications + Public Relations Foundation. The Foundation promotes the advancement of communications and public relations as vital functions in society, is dedicated to the public interest, and is committed to increasing public knowledge and awareness of the role of communications and public relations in daily life. The Foundation accepts individual and corporate contributions towards research and educational initiatives nationwide.