February 25, 2023
Hailey Skinner, an alumna of Lee’s Summit West High School, has been nominated for the Television Academy Foundation’s 42nd College Television Awards—a national competition.
The Foundation’s annual College Television Awards recognizes and rewards excellence in student-produced programs from colleges across the country. Winners in the competition will be announced by television stars at the red carpet awards ceremony April 1 at the Television Academy in North Hollywood, California.
Skinner, who attended Brigham Young University, has been nominated along with classmate Luke Roberts, in the Commercial, PSA or Promo category for a spec advertisement titled Made to Last. Skinner served as the writer on the project, which was selected from over 132 submissions from colleges and universities nationwide by Television Academy members.
Made to Last is a clever, animated spec ad for GoSili reusable straws, which compares how dating partners can seem as disposable and lame as one-use straws … until one finds the sustainable kind.
“People love gossip, especially relationship gossip,” said Skinner. “Our goal was to frame an environmental issue as if it were a juicy piece of dating gossip. We wanted to catch people’s attention, present information in a relatable light tone, and make something one might send to a friend. So naturally, we wanted to compare a reusable straw use to a long-lasting love.
“Being nominated for this award adds prestige to my portfolio and validation to my work, which not only boosts confidence in my ideas, but motivates me to create more,” continued Skinner. “I’m excited to push myself harder in my professional career so that this nomination is only the beginning.”
2023 College Television Awards nominees will also participate in a variety of professional-development activities from March 29-April 1, including a special screening of all nominated projects attended by members of the Television Academy, an industry professionals networking breakfast, Hollywood studio visits, and additional career-enhancing activities before the red carpet awards show.
Nominees and winners of the 42nd College Television Awards automatically become members of the Television Academy Foundation’s alumni family, gaining access to year-round networking opportunities, events and professional development resources. Prominent College Television Awards alumni include CNN national correspondent Natasha Chen; Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan director Patricia Riggen; Maya and the Three executive producer Jorge Gutierrez; and Love, Victor executive producer Jason Ensler.
Skinner is currently working as a junior copywriter for TBWA\Media Arts Lab in Los Angeles.
Established in 1959 as the charitable arm of the Television Academy, the Television Academy Foundation is dedicated to preserving the legacy of television while educating and inspiring those who will shape its future. Through renowned educational and outreach programs, such as The Interviews: An Oral History of Television Project, College Television Awards and Summit, Student Internship Program and the Media Educators Conference, the Foundation seeks to widen the circle of voices the industry represents and to create more opportunity for television to reflect all of society. For more information on the Foundation, visit TelevisionAcademy.com/Foundation.
