UA’s Office of University Relations Wins National Awards

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – The Office of University Relations at The University of Alabama won the nation’s highest award for media relations work in the annual awards competition sponsored by the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE). University Relations also won recognition for a television commercial spot titled “Crimson Pride.”

CASE is a national association of college and university public relations, advancement and alumni affairs professionals. The awards were presented recently at CASE’s annual conference in San Francisco.

“I know our University Relations office has an excellent reputation regionally and nationally,” said Jeff McNeill, vice president for University Advancement. “It is especially noteworthy that they were recognized with these top awards in a year when we were all challenged to continue the University’s forward progress despite funding cuts.”

Janet Griffith, assistant vice president for University Relations, said the awards are a form of “peer review” for communications professionals. “We are constantly evaluating what we do and how we do it, so we are most pleased to be recognized for innovative and results-oriented approaches to our work. These awards are a tribute to the creativity and enthusiasm our University Relations team members bring to their jobs each day,” Griffith said.

UA’s Office of University Relations has won eight national CASE awards in the last five years.

The UA Office of Media Relations won a Gold Award, CASE’s highest award, for overall news and media relations programs for a project titled “Promoting Faculty” that showcased the media relations staff’s efforts to promote faculty in the local, regional and national media. Entries were judged at Syracuse University. The award recognized UA staff members Cathy Andreen, Chris Bryant, Suzanne Dowling, Bill Gerdes, Lance Skelly, Janice Fink, Linda Hill and Bill McDaniel. Andreen is director of media relations.

Tom Stipe, director of UA’s Broadcast Marketing and Media office, won a Silver Award for the “Crimson Pride” television spot. The spot featured UA President Andrew Sorensen with campus scenes and images highlighting the pride alumni, students, faculty and friends have in The University of Alabama.