Bateman scores

The Bateman team from the Cal State Long Beach public relations program fought bureaucracy and worked long hours to place third at this year's national intercollegiate competition in Chicago.

The team, which is made up of five students, develops a public-relations campaign and then makes an oral presentation.  The competition took place May 18-21. Last year's CSULB team placed first.

"It's really competitive," said Emma Daugherty, the public relations professor who supervises the team. "It's like the Super Bowl."

This year's team faced a unique bureaucratic hurdle. In January, CSULB President Robert Maxson ordered that some kinds of campus solicitations be limited. The Bateman team had to obtain special permission to solicit students to sign up for Solobiz.com, a commercial Website.  Solobiz.com is an entrepreneur Website that provides information on starting a business.

"Some people weren't really receptive," said Katie Gahagan, a team member. "But the president's office was behind us."

Following the competition, team members toured Chicago, including Wrigley Field.