The Southern Public Relations Federation  recently honored the 2009 edition of the College of Education's annual alumni magazine, the Keystone, with an Award of Excellence in its Lantern Awards Program.

The Keystone received its award in the "Other single-issue publications'' subcategory of the Special Purpose Publications division. Published each spring since 2003, the Keystone reaches 31,000-plus College of Education graduates and donors, as well as other community, state and national partners and stakeholders.  Designed and published by the College of Education, the Keystone's production team includes graphic designer Amanda Earnest, editor Troy Johnson and Director of External Relations Michael Tullier, APR.

The 2009 edition examined the college's international reach, from graduates who participated in the 2008 Beijing Olympics to a study of flip-flop wearers' gait patterns that became the most widely circulated of Auburn University's academic stories from 2008-2009. The magazine regularly highlights the college's research and outreach endeavors, as well as student, faculty and alumni achievements and donor philanthropy.

This SPRF award of excellence is the Keystone's third since 2005. SPRF represents a network of more than 1,300 public relations professionals from Alabama, North Florida, Louisiana and Mississippi.

The magazine has also received the Public Relations Council of Alabama's Award of Excellence in 2007, its Medallion award in 2006 and a Certificate of Merit in 2005.

Previous issues of The Keystone can be found here.