The College of the Holy Cross was honored by the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) with a 2011 Circle of Excellence Award for its newly designed admissions publications and enhanced admissions website. Holy Cross received a bronze award in the category of student recruitment publications packages, making it one of only five institutions in the world—and one of just two in the U.S.—recognized in this category.
The new materials are the result of a collaborative marketing effort by the College’s Office of Admissions and the Office of Public Affairs, along with creative partners kor group, the Boston-based design firm; digital marketing agency Pixelgroove of New York; copywriter Susan Geib of Written Work in Durham, N.H.; and Boston photographer/videographer Greg Hren. They were developed in response to comprehensive qualitative and quantitative research conducted by Widmeyer Communications among high school students and their parents.
“The research gave our creative team a firm foundation and critical direction in developing this new marketing material,” said Ann McDermott ’79, director of admissions. “We are pleased and proud that our peers in higher education recognized the work with this honor, and that they appreciated how the print publications and the website changes were developed simultaneously and in a fully integrated way.”
“One of our primary goals was to have the viewbook and the new digital experiences work together so prospective students could easily move between media,” said Ellen Ryder, director of public affairs. “Nothing compares to an actual campus visit, but we wanted to use the best digital tools to present the distinctive community, beauty, and ‘magic’ that our students, faculty, and staff experience every day.”
In January, the same suite of new admissions publications combined with the redesigned website received a silver award from the CASE District I Communication Awards committee, which was the highest award given in the category of admissions recruiting packages. The admissions viewbook, a 48-page booklet titled “Being Holy Cross,” earned a District I gold award.
The international CASE Circle of Excellence awards program recognizes outstanding work in communications, marketing, alumni relations, advancement services and fundraising as judged by peer professionals at schools, colleges and universities as well as by professionals from outside education. Winners are selected based on a number of factors, including overall quality, innovation, use of resources and the impact on the institution or its external and internal communities such as alumni, parents, students and faculty and staff. In 2011, CASE received more than 2,500 entries for consideration in 41 categories by 614 member higher education institutions, independent schools and nonprofits from around the world.
CASE is one of the largest international associations of education institutions, serving more than 3,400 universities, colleges, schools, and related organizations in 68 countries. It is the leading resource for professional development, information, and standards in the fields of education fundraising, communications, marketing and alumni relations.
View the new admissions site
