BGSU captures double silver in CASE Awards

BGSU has many stories to tell and much information to share with current and prospective students, faculty, staff, alumni, retirees, parents and the external community.

Two of its most important communication mediums, the University website and the BGSU Magazine, have won silver medals in the Pride of CASE (Council for the Advancement of Education) District V competition. District V comprises Ohio, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota and Wisconsin.

Last year, the University embarked on a major project to redesign its website to provide a more user-friendly, seamless experience. A new, responsive content management system was put in place, outdated pages were eliminated, and analytics capabilities were added. More than 30,000 pages of content were transitioned to the new site.

Mad House Creative of Toledo, a BGSU alumni-owned firm, developed the design, and staff from the Office of Marketing and Communications and the Office of the CIO implemented the changes, a months-long, collaborative process.

Leading the project were CEO John Ellinger and ITS staff Sherri Kellogg, Chris Wammes and Clint LaForest; Chief Communications Officer Robin Gerrow and marketing and communications staff Beth Voorhees, Robb Nardecchia, and Fred Connor.

BGSU Magazine won silver in the Alumni/Institution Magazine for schools with more than 10,000 full-time students category. The premier print piece of the University, the magazine reaches more than 170,000 alumni and donors. Its goals are to build pride in the value of a BGSU education by sharing stories about alumni, faculty and student success.

Continued excellence in BGSU Magazine feature and news writing last year supported a 40 percent increase in fiscal year overall fundraising totals, including an increase in alumni participation from 6.5 to 7.2 percent.

Edited by Terri Carroll, director of philanthropic communications and stewardship in the offices of marketing and communications and University advancement, the magazine is designed by Creative Director Jeff Artz, with photography direction by Craig Bell. Overseeing the magazine are Gerrow and David Kielmeyer, senior communications director.