The Spring 2019 Miamian together with the Fall/Winter 2018 Miamian won a CASE District V gold award.
The Spring 2019 Miamian together with the Fall/Winter 2018 Miamian won a CASE District V gold award. Photo: Miamian
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Miami earns 23 CASE V district awards

University Advancement was recognized in three platinum categories

Compiled by Kristal Humphrey, university news and communications

Miami University earned awards in the 2019 Pride of CASE V district awards.

University Advancement and university communications and marketing won a total of 23 awards, including three in the platinum categories and six gold awards. Miami won the most platinum awards of any institution in the district.

The Council for Advancement and Support of Education’s District V membership includes more than 400 institutions from Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio and Wisconsin.

Entries in the platinum categories are judged at the district level, and up to two entries per category are chosen as finalists. The finalists from each of the CASE districts or regions will then be judged against each other in an international round.

Platinum Categories

District finalist — Best Practices in Advancement Services — Qualitative Portfolio Review: Fundraising Focus and Precision

To maximize fundraising efforts, Miami University instituted sweeping changes in fiscal year 2019 to its prospect management program. Taking a cue from other successful programs, Miami launched a Qualitative Portfolio Review, where it strategically and substantially reevaluated the number of managed households.

  • University advancement staff involved: Emily Berry, Brad Bundy, Sarah Chernitsky, Kevin Marks, Randy Pratt, Susie Sadler, Amy Shaiman

District finalist — Best Practices in Diversity Programming — Miami University Venture Fund Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Conference

The Miami University Alumni Association Alumni Groups team hosted a one-day workshop and conference to discuss how alumni associations can be involved with diversity, equity and inclusion in the current higher education environment.

  • University advancement staff involved: Emily George, Sarah Templeton Wilson

District finalist—Best Practices in Fundraising--#MoveInMiami

The 2018 #MoveInMiami campaign, a participation-driven effort celebrating its fifth year, set an initial goal of attaining 2,022 donors in 20 hours and 22 minutes to honor the incoming first-year class and once again exceeded expectations with 4,493 gifts totaling $1,593,003 to support all areas of Miami’s campus.

  • University advancement staff involved: Emily Berry, Paul Bland, Auriel Buchanan, Brad Bundy, Josh Chapin, Suzanne Clark, Emily George, Tom Herbert, Spencer Izor, Mark Macechko, Brad Okel, Ellen Paxton, Casey Peugh, Carrie Powell, Michelle Rosecrans, Nicki Russell, Jessica Staubach, Kim Tavares, Sarah Templeton Wilson, Kevin Wilson

Student giving feedback at the BrandboxHonorable Mention — Best Practices in Communications and Marketing — Miami University’s BrandBox

The BrandBox was a branded 6.5-foot-tall, pop-up kiosk with fun, engaging ways to gather open and honest feedback about the Miami brand. In total, close to 900 members of the campus community participated in some aspect, whether it was leaving a one-word Post-it note, filling out the prompts or sharing their experience on social media.

  • University communications and marketing staff involved: Ali Burke, Adam Wolfe, Erik Seyferth, Laura Driscoll, Jon Simon, Shavon Anderson, Barb Maccombs, Todd Pashak, Michele Sparks and Josh Chaney.

CASE District V Award Categories

In the CASE District V award categories, Miami won six golds, eight silvers and five bronze awards.

GOLD

Best Alumni/Institution Magazine, 10,000 FTE and up—Fall/Winter 2018 MIAMIAN and Spring 2019 MIAMIAN

The Fall/Winter 2018 MIAMIAN featured a cover story that was the longest and strongest to date. “Runs in the Family,” movie-worthy material with its unexpected twists, pulled readers in with top-notch storytelling and riveting detail, proving that people will still read longer articles if the stories are told well.

The Spring 2019 MIAMIAN took on a fun tone with its cover story on world-renowned photographer Bo Bridges in “Focus on Adventure.” In its mission to connect with alumni of all ages, both the Fall/Winter and Spring MIAMIAN offered a variety of articles, from two 2015 graduates using NASA technology to create lightweight jackets that withstand subfreezing temperatures to a 1992 alum who gave up a lucrative career in investment banking to become the World Bicycle Relief’s first employee in Zambia.

  • University communications and marketing staff involved: Donna Boen, Belinda Rutherford, Jeff Sabo, Scott Kissell, Lucy Baker (freelancer) and Lilly Pereira (freelancer).
  • University advancement staff involved: Josh Chapin and Nicki Russell

Excellence in Design, Single Brochure—Institute for the Environment & Sustainability 50th Reunion Invitation

This experiential piece was purposefully designed to engage alumni and incorporate connections to the environment and its importance to the university through color, image selection, graphic elements and using 100% recycled materials. Also, important to note is the historical significance of this reunion; founding of this program predated the EPA and Earth Day giving Miami much cause to celebrate and create.

  • University advancement staff involved: Trisha Witherby, Brad Campbell, Jesus Jimenez, Josh Chapin, Rick Green, Sandra Smith, Brennan Burks, Julia Ward, Emily George, Jess Allman, Tom Herbert

Excellence in Graphic Identity/Logo—AOPII 100th Anniversary Reunion 2019

To celebrate this significant milestone reunion for a dedicated group, a unique logo was developed to symbolize the 100-year anniversary of the AOPII sorority that was used on all collateral.

  • University advancement staff involved: Tom Herbert, Kim Tavares, Mackenzie Rice, Emily George, Brad Campbell, Brennan Burks

Miami alumni walking together during Alumni Weekend with signs for 50th reunion classExcellence in Special Events, Invitations and Collateral Materials — Alumni Weekend 2019

As the largest single event that the university hosts for the entirety of its alumni base, it created a suite of materials that was both engaging and nostalgic to welcome its alumni home. Built on the theme of “Meet me @ Miami,” the university achieved engagement and nostalgia in two ways: by helping alumni see themselves back on campus and by visually opening up and bringing together the experience to both older and younger alumni.

  • University advancement staff involved: Kim Tavares, Mark Macechko, Michelle Rosecrans, Seth Seward, Joy Usner, Emily George, Linda Ward, Julia Ward, Brennan Burks, Brad Campbell, Trisha Witherby, Josh Chapin, Jesus Jimenez, Rick Green, Sandra Smith, Tom Herbert

Best Diversity Program — Miami University Grandparents College

The idea of Grandparents College was born to offer alumni the opportunity to spend extended time on campus with their grandchildren, offering them the opportunity to come back and enjoy or “relive” their college experience while providing grandchildren their “first look” at Miami University as a possible college choice. This program is by definition “age-diverse” and one that fills a gap in alumni programming.

  • University advancement staff involved: Kathryn Myles, Cassandra MacDonald, Laurel Baca, Michelle Rosecrans, Kim Tavares, Pamela Hogeback, Sharon Frank, Kelly Paulenich, Jess Allman, Brian Furnish, Brennan Burks, Jessica Staubach, Josh Chapin, Nicki Russell

Excellence in Collaboration with other District V Institutions — Student to Young Alumni Transition Roundtable in Collaboration with The Ohio State University and Northwestern University

Using a CASE V venture grant, staff members from Miami University, Northwestern University and The Ohio State University organized a roundtable style conference for professionals who support the student to young alumni transition. Fifteen professionals spent 1 1/2 days doing a deep dive on issues, programs and trends in serving this population from an alumni relations perspective.

  • University advancement staff involved: Joy Usner

SILVER

Best Volunteer Engagement Program — Miami University Mbassadors

The Miami University Alumni Association's social media ambassador program called "Mbassadors" is designed to amass a group of volunteers to share the latest news and information about the university on social media. Using the vendor Social Toaster as a host, the program has more than 1,400 Mbassadors while maintaining high email open rates and post share rates.

Best Student Alumni Programming—18 of the Last 9 Award

The 18 of the Last 9 award recognizes the achievements, accomplishments and successes of Miami University's recent graduates in their careers and communities. A play on the year that Miami was founded, 1809, the award is given to 18 graduates from the last nine years.

  • University advancement staff involved: Pamela Hogeback, Kelly Paulenich, Michelle Rosecrans, J.J. Slager, Joy Usner

Best New Alumni Program—Miami University Grandparents College

  • University advancement staff involved: Kathryn Myles, Cassandra MacDonald, Laurel Baca, Michelle Rosecrans, Kim Tavares, Pamela Hogeback, Sharon Frank, Kelly Paulenich, Jess Allman, Brian Furnish, Brennan Burks, Jessica Staubach, Josh Chapin, Nicki Russel

MoveInMiami logoBest Video Fundraising, Alumni Relations or Commercial Spots — MoveInMiami.org

Best Program in Annual Giving — #MoveInMiami

  • University advancement staff involved: Emily Berry, Paul Bland, Auriel Buchanan, Brad Bundy, Josh Chapin, Suzanne Clark, Emily George, Tom Herbert, Spencer Izor, Mark Macechko, Brad Okel, Ellen Paxton, Casey Peugh, Carrie Powell, Michelle Rosecrans, Nicki Russell, Jessica Staubach, Kim Tavares, Sarah Templeton Wilson, Kevin Wilson

Excellence in Design, Poster, Individual — Love & Honor Poster

This was an awareness piece to engage, in a print form, a group of dedicated alumni who engage with Miami on a digital platform called Mbassadors. The focus of this piece was to engage with alumni on a broader university scale honing in on the phrase of “Love and Honor,” recognizable to all Miamians.

  • University advancement staff involved: Trisha Witherby, Brad Campbell, Jesus Jimenez, Josh Chapin, Brennan Burks, Rick Green, Sandra Smith, Julia Ward, Auriel Buchanan, Tom Herbert

Best Event on a Shoestring—Miami University Venture Fund Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Conference

  • University advancement staff involved: Emily George, Sarah Templeton Wilson

Excellence in Special Events, Invitations and Collateral Materials — President’s Trip to Iceland 2018

For Miami’s most exclusive class of recognized donors, the goal was to create not only a branded experience but promote the high caliber nature of the trip itself. This is a highly exclusive trip that offers a week of direct contact with the university president.

  • University advancement staff involved: Tom Herbert, Mackenzie Rice, Kevin Wilson, Emilie Davis, Brennan Burks, Brad Campbell, Josh Chapin

BRONZE

Best Video PSA or Commercial Spot — #MoveInMiami

Excellence in Design, Single Brochure—Alumni Weekend Guidebook

  • University advancement staff involved: Kim Tavares, Mark Macechko, Michelle Rosecrans, Seth Seward, Joy Usner, Emily George, Linda Ward, Julia Ward, Brennan Burks, Brad Campbell, Trisha Witherby, Josh Chapin, Jesus Jimenez, Rick Green, Sandra Smith, Tom Herbert

John Steele leaning against a metal fenceExcellence in Feature Writing, Individual — Heart of Steele

The story focuses on John Steele (Miami ’14) who was born and raised on the east side of Cleveland and dropped out of school at age 12. When he returned, he found his passion in high school, taking up football and earning a football scholarship to Miami University. Before he could prove himself at Miami, he suffered an injury that ended his football career.

Tapping into the same determination he used on the field, Steele worked his way up through the academic ranks, with help from mentors. Not only did he graduate from Miami, but he earned a master’s and is now in Angola as a representative of the U.S. State Department.

  • University communications and marketing staff involved: Margo Kissell, Donna Boen, Jeff Sabo, Omari Matlock, Jason Walters, Kelly Bennett and Alicia Auhagen.

Excellence in Illustrations — Miami University Dolibois European Center 50th Anniversary Reunion

As part of the experience of Miami’s 50th anniversary reunion for its Luxembourg campus, the Miami University Dolibois European Center, it created, among other items, a travel tote bag for alumni to use during their time overseas.

Not only was the bag a hit for its utility, it also showcased Miami’s graphic illustration that spearheaded its marketing and communications efforts and provided a branded experience for alumni to take part in and remember after the festivities concluded.

  • University advancement staff involved: Jessica Staubach, Brad Campbell, Auriel Buchanan, Andy Sander, Rick Green, Sandra Smith, Kim Tavares, Michelle Rosecrans, Josh Chapin, Brennan Burks, Tom Herbert

Excellence in Special Events, Series of Events — Miami at the Merc

The “Miami at the Merc” event series, located at the Mercantile Library in Cincinnati, includes an interactive panel on a variety of topics that provides interesting content that could make an impact on the career of alumni in addition to allowing for professional networking.

  • University advancement staff involved: J.J. Slager, Michelle Rosecrans, Emily LeFevers, Jennifer Clark, Brian Furnish