MANSFIELD, PA— Stu Weiss, a 1980 Mansfield graduate and the owner
and chief creative officer of Studio City, was awarded the Mansfield University Presidential Coin for Excellence by President Fran Hendricks on December 11.
The presentation was made by video as Weiss was attending the second annual Winter Party, co-hosted by the Department of Communication and the Mansfield University Foundation, in New York City. Hendricks was unable to attend the event due to Commencement on December 12.
“I felt it was appropriate to make the presentation to Stu while he was surrounded by colleagues and friends, even though I physically couldn’t be there,” Hendricks said. “Stu’s story of success, coming from humble beginnings and rising to the top of his profession, and the credit he gives his Mansfield experience in making that happen, is an inspiration to us all. He likes to say you can ‘leave Mansfield with rocket fuel in your back pocket to accomplish anything’ and he has certainly done that. But he never forgot Mansfield and has given back to his alma mater in a number of ways and is very deserving of this honor.”
Weiss was the Commencement speaker in May 2010. In 1991, he received the Outstanding Young Alumni award from the MU Alumni Association. He also serves on the Board of Directors of the Mansfield University Foundation.
Weiss has been known occasionally sit in and DJ on MU radio station WNTE-FM when he’s back on campus.
Weiss began his media career before arriving at Mansfield, working at WBRX (now WBFS) radio in Berwick, PA at the age of 17. By the time he was 23, he had worked at six radio stations in Pennsylvania and New York, became a weekend weatherman and began his career in television marketing.
In 1984, Weiss was hired by FOX in Los Angeles as their local news promotion manager. Two years later, NBC hired him and soon after he was named vice president for creative services. He was in charge of marketing the network’s movies, mini-series, specials, Saturday morning and late night programming.
In 1995, Weiss left NBC to form Studio City, the largest and most honored media marketing agency in the country. Studio City and Weiss work every major Hollywood Studio and television network.
The coin was developed by Hendricks and designed by MU Publications Director Andy Worthington. It is awarded selectively to persons who have made significant contributions to the university, using the attributes of the Mansfield Creed; Character, Scholarship, Culture and Service as a guideline.
The coin bears several symbols representing historical highlights and other aspects of the university that make it distinctive.
For more information on the Mansfield University Presidential Coin for Excellence and to see the gallery of honorees, go to president.mansfield.edu/coin-for-excellence