Quackenbush honored with mentor award

By T.C. Sprencel
University News Service
March 4, 2010

The Austin professional chapter of the Association for Women in Communications (AWC Austin) has named Dara Quackenbush the winner of the 2010 Mentor Award. The chapter will present the award to Quackenbush, senior lecturer in the School of Journalism & Mass Communication at Texas State University-San Marcos, at their 2010 Banner Brunch on April 24.

The Mentor Award, which is open to members and nonmembers of AWC Austin, recognizes individuals who have provided support and wisdom to others. The ideal candidate “has demonstrated a pattern of commitment as a mentor over an extended period of time, particularly to other communications professionals.”

The award came as a pleasant surprise to Quackenbush, the faculty adviser to the student chapter of AWC at Texas State.

“I didn’t even know I had been nominated until I got the call that I had won,” she said.

Officially nominated by one of her former students, Quackenbush was quick to thank those who helped her to win the award.

“My students went through a lot of effort to nominate me. It is an honor that they think highly enough of me to do this.”

One of those students was particularly diligent in the campaign. Aubri Nowowiejski, a senior public relations major who serves as president for Texas State’s student chapter of AWC, lobbied students, faculty and administrators to get the nomination for Quackenbush.

“She is perfect for this award,” Nowowiejski said, noting Quackenbush’s dedication to her students. “She is the most giving individual you will ever meet, and she genuinely wants to see her students succeed.”

The Austin professional chapter, for which Quackenbush serves on the board of directors, is the AWC’s largest chapter. Founded in 1929, AWC Austin has nearly 200 members in fields such as marketing, corporate communications, graphic design, public relations, journalism, Web development, advertising and event planning. The organization is committed to the advancement of women in all communications disciplines.

For more information, please visit AWC Austin’s website at www.awcaustin.org.