On Tuesday, December 4th, AUR Communication and Business students received first, second and third place awards following a wine label competition run by Thompson International Marketing, a company specializing in trade and customer service in the wine sector.

Prof Bob Sonnabend brought Thompson International to AUR as one of the "clients" for his Public Relations class. Prof. Sonnabend's courses are characterized by this type of "real world" team based experiences. For the organization of the contest, he turned to the AUR Business Club, which sponsored and publicized the competition and managed the entries. The winners were chosen by Fortezza executives in conjunction with Marina Thompson.

The contest was open to all AUR students and to alumni who had graduated in the past three years, and was aimed at one of Thompson's clients, Cantina La Fortezza, looking for a new label design for their classic wines, across red & whites.

TIM's Managing Director, Marina Thompson, and La Fortezza Commercial Director, Antonella Amodio, personally handed the awards in the AUR garden.

First place went to Caely Hibbits ( Communication), for her design of a red dove and grapes. Hibbits received two cases of wine as well as a weekend for two at the La Fortezza vineyard & spa as an award. Second place went to Melanie Pisano (Communication) while Manny Anguiano (Film & Digital Media), came third. Both received a case of wine and a day for two at the spa & the La Fortezza vineyard hotel.

La Fortezza generously offered AUR a check of 1,000 Euros towards a Comms/Bus scholarship whose terms will be indicated by the Business Club. An additional twenty-five cases of wines to use for university receptions & events were presented to AUR.