UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Four different video projects produced by Penn State students were honored with Telly Awards, with one of the award winners earning CommAgency’s first gold recognition in the international competition that honors video and television across all screens.
CommAgency, the student-driven creative agency housed in the Donald P. Bellisario College of Communications, earned awards in two different categories — Non-Broadcast, Educational Institution and Non-Broadcast, Student — for work it completed with three different University partners.
The award-winning pieces were:
- Gold, "Curating Black Visual Culture: The Making of an Exhibition," Non-Broadcast – Educational Institution
- Silver, "Penn State Learning Factory: Time Machine," Non-Broadcast – Educational Institution
- Silver, "Penn State Police Services: A Day in the Life," Non-Broadcast – Educational Institution
- Bronze, "Curating Black Visual Culture: The Making of an Exhibition," Non-Broadcast – Student
CommAgency, which regularly partners with units at the University for video campaigns, created the pieces for the Special Collections Library, the College of Engineering and Police Services, respectively.
“Our students’ focus on providing high-quality content and serving our partners from start-to-finish on their projects. The students bring a high level of creativity and energy to all they do,” said Catie Grant, the faculty director of CommAgency and an assistant teaching professor in the Bellisario College. “It’s always rewarding to see those projects come to completion with our partners happy with the final product. Honors like this just add a level of validation for that work — especially when we’re competing with submissions from all over the world.”
The 45th annual Telly Awards set a record this year with more than 13,000 submissions from all 50 states and five continents. The awards, which are judged by leaders from video platforms, television, streaming networks and production companies, were established in 1979.
“The caliber of the work this season has reflected the theme of going beyond the frame. Our industry is experimenting with new technologies like never before, crafting truly compelling stories to draw attention to some of the world’s most pressing issues,” said Amanda Needham, Telly Awards managing director. “The Telly Awards is uniquely positioned to meet the industry where it’s actually making work, be that on television or TikTok.”