Campus communicators honored with CASE awards
University of Wisconsin–Madison and Wisconsin Foundation and Alumni Association communicators have won seven 2021 Circle of Excellence awards from the Council for Advancement and Support of Education.
Each year the awards recognize higher education staff members who advance their institutions through innovative, inspiring and creative ideas. The awards acknowledge superior accomplishments that have lasting impact.
“I’m proud of all of the work to advance the mission of the university, despite the many hurdles and difficulties created by the COVID-19 pandemic,” says Charles Hoslet, vice chancellor for University Relations. “The partnership between University Relations, our schools, colleges and units and WFAA is vital and has never been stronger.”
Two awards were given to On Wisconsin Magazine, including:
“The Blast That Changed Everything,” by Preston Schmitt and Doug Erickson, won a silver Circle of Excellence award in the category of writing/feature.
The bombing of UW–Madison’s Sterling Hall has been extensively covered in histories of the Vietnam War protest movement, but this 50th anniversary piece is a unique contribution to the historical record. It seeks out eyewitness testimony from dozens of alumni who had never publicly commented, shedding new light on the campus environment before and after the bombing. The article mirrors the alumni’s experience of the tragedy, progressing from the chaos of the moment to reflections on the personal and political consequences.
“Hope’s Eternal Spring” by John Allen won a silver Circle of Excellence award in the category of writing/feature.
The University of Wisconsin has played an outsized role in shaping the field of environmental studies, boasting an alum who is the founder of Earth Day (Gaylord Nelson LLB’42), as well as conservation giants such as John Muir and Aldo Leopold. To mark the 50th anniversary of both Earth Day and the UW’s Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies, “Hope’s Eternal Spring” lays out the institute’s focus on a positive approach toward environmental problem-solving. The article presents vignettes featuring six current and former members of the Nelson faculty to find out where their hope lies, painting engaging portraits of each figure.
Several winning submissions came from WFAA, which organizes communications and marketing efforts to engage alumni and donors.
“COVID-19 Research and Impact” won a bronze Circle of Excellence award in the category of alumni relations/alumni relations pivot.
COVID-19 not only shut down UW–Madison’s campus, it also cut off many traditional forms of communication with alumni, donors, and stakeholders at a time when many of those individuals were increasingly interested to know how the university was coping with the pandemic, and how it was marshaling researchers and medical professionals to defeat the coronavirus. By the end of March 2020, the Wisconsin Foundation and Alumni Association had launched a weekly email newsletter and video livestream to inform alumni and donors about UW research, and to deliver stories about the scientists, faculty, students, and alumni who are working to address all aspects of the pandemic.
“Rose Bowl Outdoor Creative” won a silver Circle of Excellence award in the category of marketing/advertising/outdoor.
UW-Madison learned on Dec. 9, 2019 that the Badger football team was going back to the Rose Bowl for the 10th time since 1889. With only 13 business days before the big game, the WFAA team brainstormed, researched, ideated, conceived, and vetted dozens of options. By day three, options were narrowed to one unbelievable opportunity: LA Live, the entertainment epicenter in downtown Los Angeles. Four chartered planes of alumni from Madison, the Badger football team, and thousands of additional alumni who traveled separately were staying in hotels mere feet away from LA Live’s central courtyard. The venue featured 12 prominent full-motion screens with synced audio, creating a sensory experience that stopped pedestrians in their tracks.
Finally, several awards were earned by the University of Wisconsin Sea Grant and Water Resources Institute.
“Science Signaling Service: Wisconsin Sea Grant 2018-20 Biennial Report” won a bronze Circle of Excellence award in the category of design/multi-page publications.
The report captures the breadth and scope of the work of the University of Wisconsin Sea Grant through the lens of a profoundly altered world. It is not only a reflection of accomplishments in a biennial report but a look forward to advancing dialog and action. This report clearly and concisely illustrates UWSG’s nimble and thoughtful response to the needs of stakeholders, providing research, resources, and materials to Wisconsin coastal communities, as well as our efforts to seek out and serve new audiences.
“Introduced” won a gold Circle of Excellence award in the category of digital communications/podcasts (frequent).
“Introduced” is a podcast about the human decisions and invasive species that are changing Wisconsin’s waters. The ever-expanding series explores stories about aquatic invasive species, an area of focus for our university-based research and outreach program, the Sea Grant College Program. “Introduced” is an ambitious new way to advance our brand by bringing listeners relevant, science-based, academically grounded information that serves the needs of Great Lakes communities.
“Groundwater Awareness Week” won a bronze Circle of Excellence award in the category of design/specialty pieces.
The University of Wisconsin Water Resources Institute invited 132 state legislators and the governor to visit a one-day exhibit in the State Capitol rotunda in conjunction with Groundwater Awareness Week. Because there are strict regulations about the kind of materials that can be distributed to legislators’ mailboxes, the institute designed an eye-catching twist-fold invitation that did not need an envelope. The signage, brochure and one-sheet available at the display reflected the importance and value of groundwater and groundwater research to enhance the understanding of groundwater in Wisconsin.