Miami earns 14 honors in annual CASE V district awards

Division of University Advancement recognized in three Platinum Categories, including two gold honors

Miami University earned awards in three Platinum Categories along with 11 other honors in the 2017 Pride of CASE V district awards.

The university’s 18 of the Last 9 award and #MoveInMiami campaign both took home gold awards in Platinum Categories, while #MoveInMiami also received a Platinum bronze honor.

University advancement and university communications and marketing combined to win 14 awards in the annual competition. Platinum Categories recognize the best-of-the-best programs and practices in educational advancement.

“It’s an extraordinary honor for Miami University to be recognized in this way,” said Tom Herbert, senior vice president of university advancement.

“It’s a testament to the creativity, hard work and collective efforts of our staff members and their commitment to the university’s mission.”

Structured in a tournament format, each district conducts the first round of judging for Platinum Categories and selects up to two entries. Finalists from all districts or regions will then be judged in a national second round to determine which entries deserve Platinum recognition.

Miami’s two gold awards in Platinum Categories will represent District V in the international competition this spring. There were 397 submissions overall in this year’s CASE V awards, including 52 submitted in eight Platinum Categories.

In the last three years of the District V competition, Miami has won 32 total awards. The district membership includes more than 400 public and private universities, community colleges and K-12 institutions from Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio and Wisconsin.

Platinum Categories

GOLD – Best Practices in Alumni Relations – 18 of the Last 9 Award

The 18 of the Last 9 award recognizes 18 alumni who have graduated in the last 9 years. The honorees are invited back to campus to spend time with students, faculty and staff from around campus. The visit culminates with an awards dinner. During the 2016 campus visits, the honorees met with over 1,500 students in one and a half days of on-campus meetings, class presentations and discussions.

• University advancement staff involved: Auriel Buchanan, Suzanne Clark, Pamela Hogeback, Kelly Paulenich, Ali Place, Michelle Rosecrans, Andrew Sander, Jessica Staubach, Joy Usner

GOLD – Best Practices in Fundraising – #MoveInMiami

The 2016 #MoveInMiami campaign, a participation-driven effort in its third year, set an initial goal of attaining 2,020 donors in 20 hours and 20 minutes to honor the incoming first-year class. The goal was surpassed by more than 200 percent, with 4,123 donors making gifts of all sizes and to all areas of Miami’s campus. In all, the effort unlocked $200,000 in matching gift challenges and raised $1,008,500 for more than 300 designations campuswide. Driven largely through Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and other online applications, #MoveInMiami recorded 10.2 million social media impressions.

• University advancement staff involved: Emily Berry, Auriel Buchanan, Brad Bundy, Suzanne Clark, Tom Herbert, Mark Macechko, Ellen Paxton, Casey Peugh, Ali Place, Michelle Rosecrans, Kim Tavares, Sarah Templeton Wilson, Kevin Wilson

BRONZE – Best Practices in Digital Communication – #MoveInMiami

Driven largely through Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and other online applications, #MoveInMiami recorded more than 10.2 million social media impressions on the way to raising $1,008,500.

• University advancement staff involved: Emily Berry, Auriel Buchanan, Brad Bundy, Suzanne Clark, Tom Herbert, Mark Macechko, Ellen Paxton, Casey Peugh, Ali Place, Michelle Rosecrans, Kim Tavares, Sarah Templeton Wilson, Kevin Wilson

CASE District V Award Categories

GOLD – Best Program in Annual Giving – #MoveInMiami

• University advancement staff involved: Emily Berry, Auriel Buchanan, Brad Bundy, Suzanne Clark, Tom Herbert, Mark Macechko, Ellen Paxton, Casey Peugh, Ali Place, Michelle Rosecrans, Kim Tavares, Sarah Templeton Wilson, Kevin Wilson

SILVER – Best Event on a Shoestring – Miami at the Merc

Miami at the Merc was the inaugural event in a new series of alumni gatherings focused on professional enrichment.  It was located at The Mercantile Library, a historic, unique location, and included happy hour hors d’oeuvres and drinks before sitting down for an interactive panel. The panel, “Entrepreneurship in the Queen City,” featured President Crawford as well as three alumni executives answering questions from a faculty moderator and the audience of Miami alumni.  

• University advancement staff involved: Laurel Roether Baca, Auriel Buchanan, Josh Chapin, Joe Christman, Jennifer Clark, Kelly Paulenich, Ali Place, Michelle Rosecrans, Nicki Russell, J.J. Slager

SILVER – Best Video, Fundraising, Alumni Relations or Commercial Spots – Welcome to the Family

Played at summer orientation sessions, this video introduced incoming first-year students to the Miami University Alumni Association and encouraged them to connect with the alumni association while on campus, not just when they become alumni. The video also conveyed some of the university’s more meaningful traditions.

• University advancement staff involved: Ali Place, Michelle Rosecrans, Kim Tavares

SILVER – Best Program in Donor Recognition/Stewardship – Inaugural Philanthropy Awards

This year, for the first time, Miami University recognized four donors with awards for philanthropic service to the university. While the alumni association, within the division of university advancement, has given out alumni awards for many years, none of those awards has ever been based on philanthropy to the institution. In 2017, it gave the inaugural set of awards and looks forward to continuing this tradition for many years to come.

• University advancement staff involved: Auriel Buchanan, Brad Bundy, Josh Chapin, Suzanne Clark, Emilie Davis, Tom Herbert, Ray Mock, Mackenzie Rice, Michelle Rosecrans, Cindy Osborne, Kelly Paulenich, Andrew Sander, Jessica Staubach, Kim Tavares

BRONZE – Excellence in Design, Single Brochure – Center for Community Engagement in Over-the-Rhine Residency Program Booklet

Designed to capture the human aspect of the Over-the-Rhine Residency program, this brochure visually captured not only the students participating in the program, but also the community members who have actively engaged in shaping it, highlighting a true partnership between a community and a university.

• University advancement staff involved: Auriel Buchanan, Vince Frieden, Ali Place, Sandra Smith, Jessica Staubach, Kim Tavares

BRONZE - Best New Alumni Program – Go On Tour!

The Go On Tour! program was developed as a 15-day travel experience for alumni to travel with the Miami University Men’s Glee Club on an international tour to Germany, France, Belgium, Austria, the Czech Republic and Luxembourg. The tour provided the unique opportunity for our alumni to not only attend scheduled concerts and formal events but to experience educational opportunities while spending time with and developing relationships with the students.  

• University advancement staff involved: Auriel Buchanan, Suzanne Clark, Brian Furnish, Pamela Hogeback, Kathryn Myles, Jessica Staubach

HONORABLE MENTION – Best Video, Fundraising, Alumni Relations or Commercial Spots – Your Giving Matters: Tabitha Nolan ’17

Part of a quarterly series of videos called Your Giving Matters, this particular video highlighted Tabitha Nolan, a graduating senior, and shared her story as the first in her family to be able to attend college because she received a class scholarship.

• University advancement staff involved: Suzanne Clark, Ali Place, Jessica Staubach, Kim Tavares, Kevin Wilson

HONORABLE MENTION – Best Program in Case Statements/Cultivation Publications – FSB Case Statement
Seeking to revitalize the future of the Farmer School of Business, this campaign focused on raising $200 million toward three immediate priorities.

• University advancement staff involved: Vince Frieden, Ali Place, Kim Tavares

HONORABLE MENTION – Excellence in Design, Specialty Pieces – Miami Merger Valentine
Each year since 1973, the Miami University Alumni Association sends a special Valentine’s Day greeting to Miami Mergers. The 2017 valentine featured a poem and design to represent the joining of two heartbeats when Mergers are married.

• University advancement staff involved: Auriel Buchanan, Ali Place, Sandra Smith, Jessica Staubach, Kim Tavares

HONORABLE MENTION – Best Uses of Social Media – Countdown to Commencement
In an effort to begin our engagement with alumni as soon as possible, this social media campaign designed to reach seniors at Miami began 50 days before commencement with congratulatory messages on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram counting down to graduation.

• University advancement staff involved: Auriel Buchanan, Suzanne Clark, Nicki Russell, Jessica Staubach, Kim Tavares

HONORABLE MENTION - Excellence in Feature Writing, Series
Miami University news and communications produced a series featuring Miami's ongoing partnership with the Miami Tribe of Oklahoma.

• University news and communications staff involved: Margo Kissell and Claire Wagner