National Awards from National Federation of Press Women 

• Second Place, Speeches, 2010
• Honorable Mention, Writing for the Web, 2010
• First Place, News Feature and Media Kit, 2009
• Third Place, Multiple Releases, 2009
• First Place, News or Feature--Multiple Releases, 2008
• Second Place, Nonfiction Historical Book, 2007
• Third Place, Four-color Newsletter, 2007
• Third Place, Audioviduals-PowerPoint, 2007
• Third Place, Internal Communications, 2007
• Third Place, Headline Writing, 2000
• Third Place, Internal Business Communications, 1991
• First Place, Tabloid, 1990
• Honorable Mention, Speech, 1990
• First Place, Audiovisual Presentation and Magazine, 1989
• Honorable Mention, Not-for-profit Four-color Brochure, 1988

• Voted a Rising Young Community Leader by the Shreveport Chamber of Commerce, 1997
• President's Award from Shreveport-Bossier Apartment Association for publicizing organization, 1995
• Queen, Mardi Gras Krewe of Aesclepius, 1994
• Employee of the Month, Highland Hospital, 1992
• Leadership Shreveport-Bossier graduate, 1988

Author of two books, Hands Pointed UP (2005) and Historic Presbyterian Churches of Tennessee (2006)

Assisted in compiling memoirs for the Norton Art Gallery World War II Oral History Project

Public Relations efforts for the Friends of Municipal Auditorium resulted in the group receiving the 2005 Ad Federation Image Award and 2006 Sales and Marketing Executives Sales Ambassador Award

Have served on publicity committees for the Republican National Convention held in New Orleans in 1988, Miss USA held in Shreveport in 1997-98, the Congressional Medal of Honor Convention held in Shreveport in 2002, the Franklin Graham Festival held in Bossier City in 2005 and the James Burton International Guitar Festival held in Shreveport in 2005

Shreveport Journalism Foundation board of directors, 2008

• Director of Communications, Evergreen Presbyterian Ministries, Bossier City, La., March 2003 to March 2007
  
  
• Coordinator of Information Services, LSU Health Sciences Center, Shreveport, La., August 2002 to March 2003
  
  
• Advertorial Writer, The Times, Shreveport, La., October 1999 to May 2002
• Freelance Writer, The Times, November 1989 to March 1999 (have also freelanced for The Forum News from 1994 to the present and for KWKH Radio as editor of The Ranch Hand Roundup)
  
  
• Marketing Coordinator, HCA Highland Hospital, Shreveport, La., March 1992 to April 1994
  
  
• General Manager, Remington Suite Hotel, Shreveport, La., May 1990 to November 1991
  
  
• Director of Public Relations, Schumpert Medical Center, Shreveport, La., January 1989 to October 1991
  
  
• Reporter, The Times, Shreveport, La., December 1980 to December 1986

Responsible for obtaining media exposure for the LSU AgCenter in North Louisiana.

Mary Ann Van Osdell is no longer with the LSU AgCenter.
For more information on any of her articles please contact Linda Benedict.