Student Project to “Fight the Blight” Wins Prestigious Award
A team of Bradley University public relations students, teamed up with The Greater Peoria Economic Development Council and Moja Southern Kitchen to “Fight the Blight” in South Peoria.
12/19/2017 12:00 AM
In 2016, the Journal of Urban Design concluded that nearly 16.7 percent of all land in the United States is considered vacant. According to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, vacant and abandoned properties increase rates of crime within communities, drastically decline property value, and create large expenses for the cities. Research shows, the number of vacant lots in Peoria is nearly double the average of a city of the same size.
A team of Bradley University public relations students, teamed up with The Greater Peoria Economic Development Council and Moja Southern Kitchen to “Fight the Blight” in South Peoria.
“Fight the Blight” is a PR campaign to combat these spaces. The campaign was approximately two months in duration with the overarching goal to turn a vacant lot into a “pocket park.” After hours of digging, planting, and cleaning, the chosen site was transformed from an empty, blight-ridden lot, to a clean, communal green space.
For their efforts, the team was awarded the Fall 2017 Ebeling PR-ize™ for the top senior public relations campaign of the semester. The student team, called BLOOM PR, consists of:
- Jenna Niedzwiedz: Senior PR major with minors in Business Leadership and Marketing from Cary, Illinois.
- Sarah Brashear: Senior PR major from Bennington, Nebraska
- Lisa Stemmons: Senior PR major with minors in Journalism and Creative Writing from Orland Park, IL.
- Adam Mueller: Senior PR major with a minor in World Languages and Culture (Germany) from Frankfort, IL.
The Ebeling PR-ize™ was conceived by Bradley alumnus Chuck Ebeling and faculty member Dr. Ron Koperski in 2004