Minnesota has made it to the national finals (top-8 placement) four of the last five years.
The University of Minnesota's National Student Advertising Competition (NSAC) received fourth place at the National Finals in Austin, TX, on May 30. 103 universities from across the U.S. participated in this year’s competition, which was sponsored by the NFL.
“The talent on this team was amazing. I’ll never forget the curiosity and character they brought every single day,” says Rich McCracken, faculty advisor and lecturer at the Hubbard School of Journalism and Mass Communication. “They continuously pushed themselves, and each other, with determination and grace. And they had a lot of fun along the way.”
The client challenge from the NFL asked students to create an umbrella platform and campaign for its variety of youth health and wellness programs.
Minnesota pitched a big “umbrella” — “NFL Beyond” — to demonstrate how the NFL goes beyond the field to help today’s youth overcome the challenges they face. With mental health universally recognized as the #1 health priority for Gen Z, Minnesota’s campaign leaned into how the NFL helps this audience go beyond the pressures they face.
NSAC is an annual competition run by the American Advertising Federation (AAF). Each year, universities across the country compete, taking on a challenge from a blue-chip client. The University of Minnesota has been competing for almost fifty years, providing students with real-world experiences that prepare them for the professional space.
“Advertising is a team sport,” says McCracken. “In NSAC, students with different skill sets learn to work together in a demanding yet collaborative environment as one highly functioning team.” The University of Minnesota finished second in 2025 and fourth in 2023.
Molly Morgan, a senior leader and one of four presenters, says, “NSAC was an environment that not only fostered creativity but also cultivated hard work and real-world skills that I will carry far beyond my time at Hubbard. Seeing all the long hours we put into our campaign come to fruition through the creative work was so rewarding, and if I could, I would do it again and again.”
Applications for the ‘26/’27 NSAC team will open in mid-September. Twenty students will be selected for the University of Minnesota team.
2026 University of Minnesota NSAC Team
Leadership: Annika Kramer, Molly Morgan, Cansu Saydam, Isabella Scott
Strategy: Bella Anzalone, Will Farmer, Randi Jaeger, Charlie Maloney, Abigail Pearson, Anna Zindren
Creative: Rachel Bergh, Jessica Chung, Katelyn Henning, Erica Kyllonen, Lee Olson, Sonja Palmer, Laura Theis, Emma Vasa, Gabe Vogel
Media: Alma Beaton, Marlee Davis, Shae Horning