Martinelli, Ruggieri earn Anthem Award for 'Humanities Works' concert

McKEESPORT, Pa. — “Humanities Works: Band Together Pittsburgh in Concert with Those on the Autism Spectrum,” a collaborative multimedia project by Penn State Greater Allegheny’s Rosemary Martinelli, assistant teaching professor of marketing and communications; and Glass Valley Media LLC’s Paul Ruggieri, earned a bronze award in the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion category of the 4th annual Anthem Awards.

Presented by the Webby Awards, the Anthem Awards honor the mission-driven work of people, companies and organizations worldwide. By amplifying the voices that spark global change, the awardees are defining a benchmark for social impact work that inspires others to take action in their own community.

Humanities Works is an initiative of Penn State’s Humanities Institute that highlights how skills like critical thinking, communication and empathy are used to help solve real-world problems. Martinelli and Ruggieri’s project honors this mission by showcasing a nonprofit that uses creative engagement to connect with young people on the autism spectrum.

“We did not write and produce these videos just to win awards, although we are truly honored by the accolades,” Martinelli said. “But having other professionals find value in the messages we are sharing through our video productions means that the voices for the humanities’ values supports the continued need for humanities education at all levels of study.”

Ruggieri echoed that sentiment, adding his “personal thanks to Penn State for the opportunity to work on such an incredible project.”

“At this moment, there is a lot of uncertainty in our world, but the tireless and extraordinary efforts of the Anthem Awards community provide hope that a better tomorrow is possible,” said Patricia McLoughlin, general manager of the initiative.

The 4th annual competition received more than 2,300 entries, with submissions from well-known organizations such as NPR and PBS Nature.