SFA earns marketing and communication awards

"Lookin' for Yardage" - photo by Hardy Meredith

NACOGDOCHES, Texas - Stephen F. Austin State University received nine marketing and communication awards at the Council for Advancement and Support of Education's recent District IV conference in New Orleans. SFA received the most awards of any single institution in the marketing and communication category.

Sawdust, a quarterly magazine produced jointly by SFA's Office of Public Affairs and the SFA Alumni Association, earned a Gold (first place) Award in the category of most-improved periodicals, as well as a Special Merit Award in the general university periodical category. Staff members who regularly contribute to the publication include: SFA Marketing Executive Director Bob Wright; SFA Alumni Association Executive Director Jeff Davis; editor Amy Roquemore; artistic director Rhonda Crim-Tumelson; photographer Hardy Meredith; Public Affairs Associate Director Shirley Luna; graphic designer Elma Gildenhuys; public affairs writers Kayli Steger, Sarah Cutler and Robin Johnson; athletics writer Brian Ross; and fine arts writer Sylvia Bierschenk.

In addition, Crim-Tumelson, director of alumni publications, earned a Silver (second place) Award in the magazine-design category for a three-page Sawdust spread titled "Gossip Girl" that appeared in the spring 2010 issue. And Steger, marketing communication assistant in the Office of Public Affairs, received a Special Merit Award for her feature on the SFA Bass Team in the fall 2010 issue of Sawdust.

Gildenhuys, publication specialist in the Office of Public Affairs, also earned a Gold Award for her original illustration titled "Jacks on Belay" created for campus recreation. The "SFA Weekly" student e-newsletter produced jointly by internal communications specialist Robin Johnson and Lacey Claver, assistant coordinator of the Student Activities Association, also received a Gold Award in the category of web communication e-newsletters.

The entire staff of the Office of Public Affairs earned a Silver Award for its "The Lumberjack Experience" marketing campaign in the category of institutional identity. The campaign included billboards, a dedicated website directed by Webmaster Jason Johnstone, magazine ads and a professionally produced commercial that aired on cable television and in movie theatres.

Meredith received two Bronze (third place) Awards, both for photographs taken during the SFA football team's 2010 championship season. His image titled "Touchdown Celebration" was honored in the category of black and white photography, and "Looking for Yardage" received recognition for color candid photography.

CASE is the organization for advancement professionals working in alumni relations, communications, fundraising, marketing and related areas. Membership includes more than 3,400 colleges, universities, independent elementary and secondary schools, and educational associates in 61 countries around the world. SFA is part of CASE District IV, which encompasses Arkansas, Louisiana, Mexico, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas.