GREENSBURG, PA—Nafiysa Robinson, a Seton Hill University junior from Philadelphia, has been awarded the 2003 Communications Internship Award for Students of Color by the College and University Public Relations Association of Pennsylvania (CUPRAP).

2003 marks the 21st year CUPRAP has presented the award, which provides a $1,500 stipend to assist students pursing an internship in a communications-related field.

One of five statewide finalists for the award, Robinson was the unanimous selection by the CUPRAP awards committee. She is majoring in corporate communication with a minor in political communication, and aspires for a career in public relations, event planning or advertising. Currently, she writes for The Setonian, Seton Hill’s student newspaper.

Outside the classroom, Robinson is vice president of the university’s class of 2004. She also serves as a mentor for first-year university students needing academic support and as a collegiate role model for at-risk middle school girls in the Greensburg area.

“We had a typically strong field of candidates for this year’s award, but Nafiysa’s application really stood out as being the most professional and exhibiting the greatest promise for an eventual career as a professional communicator,” said Tysen Kendig, chair of the CUPRAP awards committee. “She’s certainly a deserving recipient and appears to have a bright future in public relations or any type of writing-intensive endeavor. CUPRAP is proud to assist her in making that future a reality.” Seton Hill University President, JoAnne Boyle, added, “Nafiysa served as one of my public policy interns during the Fall 2002 semester. Throughout her internship she maintained a high level of enthusiasm for the projects placed before her. The talent that she possesses, coupled with her boundless energy and motivation, inspires not only her peers but her professors as well.”

The Communications Internship Award for Students of Color was established to encourage minority students enrolled in an accredited Pennsylvania college or university to consider careers in communications by pursuing internships that can provide valuable experience. Because most internships today are unpaid, the stipend helps support a student during his or her internship experience in areas such as public relations, print and broadcast journalism, publishing, design, advertising and marketing.

CUPRAP is a voluntary, professional development organization composed of public relations professionals from Pennsylvania's colleges and universities who are dedicated to advancing higher education in Pennsylvania. For more information, contact Tysen Kendig, CUPRAP awards committee chair, by e-mail at tysen@psu.edu or by phone, at (814) 865-7517. For information on Seton Hill University’s corporate communication program, please contact the Admissions Office at 1-800-826-6234.