This past Spring our Associate Rebecca Finley-Schidlowsky was invited by our past client Michael Sclafani (AVP Alumni at University of Calgary), to be a judge for CASE’s Circle of Excellence Program. The Council for Advancement and Support of Education is the global non-profit association dedicated to educational advancement – alumni relations, communications, development, marketing, and advancement services – who share the goal of championing education to transform lives and society. Each year, CASE recognizes best practices in advancement and outstanding people who contribute to the growth and understanding of the advancement profession.

Rebecca sat on an international panel that included Verrilline Turner (Budget Manager in the Office Philanthropy and Alumni Engagement at Pace University, NYC), Tierney Muir (Strategic Lead, Alumni Engagement at Alberta University of the Arts, Calgary), Jonathan Nash (Assistant Director, Alumni Affairs and Annual Giving at Walters State Community College, Tennessee), and was chaired by Michael Sclafani. Together the judges assessed ten entries for the “Alumni Relations, Marketing and Promotion” category and awarded one “Grand Gold” (the highest CASE honour) to the University of Denver’s “Crimson & Gold Trail” campaign. Other Universities’ campaigns the judges assessed included: the University of Aberdeen (Scotland), University of Cincinnati (USA), Bennington College (USA), Longwood University (USA), Republic Polytechnic (Singapore), Texas Christian University (USA), and the University of Buffalo (USA).

Thank you so much for giving Rebecca this unique opportunity! She loved it.

From the Nominator:

The Crimson & Gold Trail is a platform that features the best local destinations—all powered by the University of Denver and our extensive alumni network. The platform features an interactive website that maps each location, sensory videos featuring products from participating venues, and the Crimson & Gold Trail Passport, which serves as the key to unlocking alumni-owned and operated businesses while supporting student scholarships. With the passport, we’ve hand-selected some amazing deals from around town that take people behind the scenes with the alumni who are pioneering Denver. With more than 20 participating vendors at launch and more being added every month, local alumni, students, staff, and faculty can experience first-hand the passion and pioneering spirit of our alumni who are turning the region into a thriving hot spot.

 

From the Judges:

The University of Denver’s Crimson & Gold Trail achieved what few alumni engagement initiatives are able to: tangible benefits to alumni. While many university marketing campaigns put the university at the center, this campaign put alumni at the center without apology. This method of alumni relations not only features the amazing work alumni have done after graduating, but serves to continue to benefit the alumni for years to come. And the benefit wasn’t limited to the alumni profiled; all alumni saw value through discounts and the ability to navigate the dizzying Denver restaurant and retail scene. Add to the mix the ability to support alumni-owned businesses … and everyone wins. As the panel explored the web platform, we discovered the program had renewed its efforts as a response to COVID-19, calling for support of alumni-owned businesses at a time when their viability will truly be tested.