UH Community Colleges' marketing team wins national award

UHCC marketing and communications team wins national award for "UHCC Day at the Capitol."

Marketing directors Billie Lueder, Kathleen Cabral & Bonnie Beatson present a session at NCMPR.

UHCC Marketing Director Susan Lee accepted the award on behalf of the UHCC systemwide marketing team

The University of Hawai'i Community Colleges' (UHCC) systemwide marketing team has received national recognition for its work on the "50th Anniversary UHCC Day at the Capitol" event by winning the prestigious Gold Paragon in the Government and Community Relations category given by the National Council for Marketing and Public Relations (NCMPR), as well as being selected as presenters of a roundtable session at the NCMPR conference in Portland, Oregon.

"We are extremely proud of the creative work of our marketing and communications team, and very honored by this award," said John Morton, UH vice president for community colleges. "This award validates the excellent collaborative nature in which we are able to effectively market our community colleges across the state."

Accepting the Gold Paragon award on behalf of the UHCC marketing team at the annual conference on March 24, 2015, was Susan Lee, UHCC director of marketing and communications. The judges' comments included: "The 'Open Door' tagline is creative, and the overall concept capture our attention. Terrific use of the resources already at hand, including student and faculty talent. This is an all-around winning campaign."

The marketing and communications team led by committee chair Susan Lee, includes campus representatives: Bonnie Beatson, marketing and communications director, Windward CC; Nicole Beattie, marketing and community relations director, UH Maui College; Kathleen Cabral, marketing and communications director, Leeward CC; Gary Ellwood, enrollment and marketing specialist, Kaua'i CC; Billie Takaki Lueder, executive assistant to the chancellor and marketing director, Honolulu CC; Thatcher Moats, external affairs/relations coordinator, Hawai'i CC; Louise Yamamoto, community relations director, Kapi'olani CC; and UHCC web developer Paul Sakamoto. UH Director of Government Relations Stephanie Kim provided invaluable coordination, guidance and support for UHCC Day at the Capitol.

In addition, Bonnie Beatson, Kathleen Cabral and Billie Takaki Lueder presented a roundtable session at the national conference entitled, "Traditional PR Tactics Transformed into PR Magic," with support from UHCC marketing team. They shared the planning and implementation process of executing the UHCC Day at the Capitol, which encompassed an opening ceremony staged with eight life-size doors symbolically representing the open-door access of the community colleges, more than 50 displays and exhibits represented by all seven campuses and their partners, a fashion show extravaganza, and culminating with certificate presentations in both chambers of the Senate and House of Representatives.

NCMPR's prestigious Paragon Awards recognize outstanding achievement and excellence in communications exclusively at two-year colleges with winners receiving gold, silver or bronze designations. This year's competition drew more than 1700 entries. Since 1998, the UHCC marketing team has won eight National Paragon Awards for its TV advertising, Web design and government/community relations projects. 

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Download clips to this event at http://bit.ly/1DnFlMJ( Note: viewable on a professional editing system.)

Youtube link to view UHCC Day at the Capitol: http://youtu.be/Pz0HZ0vBkXk

Flickr link to view photos of UHCC Day at the Capitol: https://www.flickr.com/photos/uhcommunitycolleges/sets/72157644283052395/