MERCED, Calif. — Merced College was recognized for its outstanding work in marketing and public relations, taking home six first-place awards and 14 awards overall at the statewide Community College Public Relations Organization (CCPRO) Awards banquet in Santa Cruz on April 11.
Merced College’s 14 total awards were the most of any college in the state. The awards ceremony, part of CCPRO’s annual conference, recognized the best of the best in photography, videography, graphic design, web design, social media, advertising and more among the 116 California Community Colleges for the 2023 calendar year.
“Each year, CCPRO honors the best community college marketing work in the state,” said Lauren Milbourne, CCPRO Communications Chair and Director of Public Affairs and Communications at Allan Hancock College. “This year we had more award submissions than ever before, an indication of the incredible volume of great work going on at colleges to market the programs, services and opportunities to their communities and students.”
Merced College produced award-winning work in a wide range of categories and formats, including print brochures and invitations, social media, digital advertising campaigns, short- and long-form videos, candid and staged photography, and more.
The strong showing capped a banner year for the Office of External Relations, which also won a prestigious national award amid competition that included major four-year universities. In August, the External Relations team also earned the President’s Blue and Gold Award as Merced College’s department of the year for 2022-23.
“Our team takes great pride in sharing all the amazing things happening at Merced College, and doing so in new and innovative ways,” said Jill Cunningham, Vice President of External Relations and Executive Director of the Merced College Foundation. “To be recognized for these efforts among national four-year universities, and at our own college, and now by our peers across the state is a testament to the hard work, creativity and leadership of our incredible team.”
Merced College claimed first-, second- and third-place honors in the following categories:
FIRST PLACE
• Email/Digital/Print Newsletter – “Celebrating Five Years of Success, Achievement & Innovation”
• Note/Card/Invitation-Print – State of the College Invitation
• Video-Special Message – “Celebrating Five Years of Success at Merced College”
• Video-Promotional, Long Format – “Merced College Celebrates the Class of 2023”
• Video-Quick Turnaround – “Be the Next Blaze”
• Photography-Manipulated Photo – Blue Devil’s Advocate Baseball Image
SECOND PLACE
• Campaign-Social Media – Extreme Registration
THIRD PLACE
• Website – New Merced College Website
• Website-Landing Page/Microsite – Holiday Card
• Campaign-Digital Advertising – Extreme Registration
• Brochure-Individual/Series (Division B) – AgTEC Innovation Center
• Banner/Outdoor Media – Outdoor Pole Banners
• Video-Profile – Hermione Isakow Plaza
• Photography-Commencement Photo