Texas State Wins National Championship in AAF National Student Advertising Competition

SAN MARCOS, Texas — Texas State University won the national championship in the American Advertising Federation’s (AAF) National Student Advertising Competition (NSAC) last weekend in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. 

Nearly 100 universities from across the U.S. participated in this year’s competition, which was sponsored by AT&T. This marks Texas State’s first national title since 2005, following national runner-up finishes in 2020 and 2023.

In addition to the national championship, the team earned several top individual awards:

• Bolton-MacVicar-Malone Best Presenter Award: Dalton Mumma
• Jeanie Ruedy Best Presentation Team: Juliet Cano, Hailey Aaron, Alex Lopez, and Dalton Mumma
• Connection Q&A Award: Ryan Eldredge

The interdisciplinary team included students from the School of Journalism and Mass Communication's advertising program, the McCoy College of Business's Department of Marketing, and the School of Art and Design's communication design program. 

“There was something special about this team — their work, their energy, and their commitment,” said Dr. Michael Devlin, lead advisor and professor in the School of Journalism and Mass Communication. “As I watched everything come together, I knew this team had the potential to win it all.”

Dalton Mumma, the team’s account planning director, added, “To be in a room filled with nothing but ambition and passion — there was nothing left to do but go out and show everyone what Texas State is capable of.”

The client challenge, provided by AT&T, asked students to make Gen Z love the brand while using the tagline, “Connecting Changes Everything.” Texas State’s response was a fully integrated campaign grounded in months of research and strategic insight. Their central idea: “HEY” — the one word that sparks human connection. The campaign highlighted real-life moments where the word “hey” starts conversations, relationships, and life-changing connections: “One ‘hey’ can change your day. The right ‘hey’ can change your life.”

“This team set a new standard for Texas State advertising students,” said Ryan Eldredge, the team’s executive creative director. “Not just because of the winning work, but because of their winning mindset. They showed up every day with passion and discipline, and it led to an unforgettable campaign — and lifelong friendships.”

“The students’ success is evidence of the interdisciplinary structure unique to Texas State,” said Dr. Rick Wilson, professor of marketing at McCoy College and fall semester advisor. “Not only do students gain real-world experience, but they also learn how to collaborate across disciplines — an essential skill in today’s hyper-competitive job market.”

Additional faculty advisors included Sage Baker, DeeAnne Vickery, Jenny Buschhorn, and Clay Craig — all professors of advertising. 

“It wasn’t just the work that was exceptional — it was the student leadership and faculty support,” Devlin said. “Those two things go hand-in-hand. You can’t do great things without great leaders and great mentors. These students led with every quality you hope to see: work ethic, maturity, and discipline. And the faculty support behind them is unlike anything I’ve seen in any program.”

2025 Texas State NSAC Team

Executive Team

• Account Executive: Juliet Cano
• Account Planning Director: Dalton Mumma
• Media Plan Director: Hailey Aaron
• Executive Creative Director: Ryan Eldredge
• Account Coordinator: Annabella Easdon
• Account Coordinator: Madison Weaver
• Production Coordinator: Alex Beyerlein

Strategy & Planning

• Account Planner & Presenter: Alex Lopez
• Account Planner: Khrissalyn Maldonado
• Account Planner: Dj Villarreal
• Account Planner: Zach Schulte
• Digital Analyst: Jayla Martinez

Creative

• Lead Designer: Sonya Eberhart
• Sr. Art Director: Colin Wade
• Art Director: Sydney Allen
• Art Director: Aeron Shipp
• Art Director: Molly Podber
• Asst. Designer: Kailey Couillard
• Sr. Copywriter: Augustus Krueger
• Copywriter: Austin Barwegen
• Copywriter: Lauren McGilvray
• Jr. Creative: Emily Chu
• Video Producer: Luke Fox

Media Team

• Sr. Media Planner: Keegan Lanzerio
• Jr. Media Planner: Reese Raley
• Media Planner: Raymond Rodriguez
• Media Planner: Maite Napoliello
• Media Planner: Tanner Owen