UA Little Rock Communications and Marketing Team Earns Top Awards
In a resounding testament to their talent and skills, the UA Little Rock Communications and Marketing team has garnered an illustrious array of awards, cementing their reputation as true trailblazers in the industry.
“The CASE Circle of Excellence Award holds great significance in our industry, representing excellence and innovation in university advancement,” said Christian O’Neal, vice chancellor of university advancement. “It is a reflection of our team’s exceptional talents and the impact they are making on our organization and the community we serve. Their commitment to excellence has set a benchmark for others to aspire to, and it fills me with immense pride to see their hard work acknowledged by CASE which is widely viewed as the standard bearer in our profession. I am confident that this award is only the beginning of many more achievements to come.”
The Communications and Marketing team received a silver-level CASE Circle of Excellence Award in the Marketing/Advertising Category for digital advertising.
“The work the University of Arkansas at Little Rock is doing around affordability is incredible, and to have our team be recognized in an international competition for that work means so much,” said Dr. Carrie Phillips, chief communications and marketing officer. “I am so proud of this team and their continual work to support the mission of UA Little Rock. Being recognized for that work is incredibly special.”
The premier accolades for educational advancement, the Circle of Excellence Awards recognize colleges, universities, and schools whose talented staff advanced their institutions with ingenuity and resourcefulness.
“The Circle of Excellence Awards showcase the impact advancement professionals have upon their institutions and communities around the globe, every day,” says CASE President and CEO Sue Cunningham. “Our 2023 honorees—from diverse institutions and teams of all sizes—are bold, creative, and resourceful. They demonstrate how powerful it is when advancement teams champion teaching, learning, research, and the progress that education ignites.”
The CASE judges noted that the digital advertising campaign’s strategic focus on affordability and its powerful impact on prospective students stood out among the nominations.
“By directly addressing the financial barriers faced by students, the ads instilled hope and effectively conveyed the university’s commitment to accessibility,” the judges wrote. “The impressive reach, click-through rate, and increased interest in campus tours and inquiries demonstrated the campaign’s success. Moreover, the ads served a dual purpose of both raising awareness and substantiating the university’s claims of affordability. UA Little Rock’s innovative approach and the profound impact it had on prospective students make it a deserving recipient of this recognition.”
In addition to the CASE award, the UA Little Rock Communications and Marketing team has won several top awards from the annual National Federation of Press Women Communications Contest.
Phillips, Angelita Faller, news director, Klansee Tozer, senior graphic designer, and Olivia Hicks, editorial assistant, received awards during a June 24 awards ceremony during the NFPW’s annual conference in Cincinnati, Ohio.
Tozer received second place in Graphics and Design – Book Designed by Entrant for the Donaghey Scholars Honor Program Booklet as well as first place in Public Relations Material – Brochure for Department of History Brochure.
“I am very excited to have won on a national level,” Tozer said. “These two print projects were fun to design, and work in collaboration with our university print shop in the production. I continue to be thankful for the creative opportunities at UA Little Rock. Go Trojans!”
Faller received first place in Publication Regularly Written by Entrant – Newsletter/other publication for UA Little Rock Now.
Phillips received second place in Public Relations Materials – Report for the UA Little Rock Annual Report.
Additionally, Faller and Phillips received an honorable mention for a Publication Regularly Edited by Entrant – Newsletter/other publication for the UA Little Rock Alumni Association Newsletter.
Hicks, a senior double majoring in mass communication and professional and technical writing, received second place in Collegiate/Education Writing – Features for “Hudson Graduates from UA Little Rock” and first place in College/Education Writing – Sports for “Disc Golf Makes Its Debut on UA Little Rock Campus.”
The UA Little Rock winners were among a slate of statewide winners that helped the Arkansas Press Women win the Sweepstakes Award for receiving the most winning entries of any state affiliate of the National Federation of Press Women. It was the first time the Arkansas chapter has earned the award.
