March 31, 2023, GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. -- The Grand Rapids Community College Communications team’s efforts to share the stories of students overcoming obstacles and the people who support them earned three Gold Paragons from a national community college communications organization on Friday.
The 2020-2021 GRCC Foundation Annual Report earned the top award in the Annual Report category from the National Council for Marketing and Public Relations, an organization representing community colleges in the United States and Canada.
The GRCC team also earned a Gold Paragon in the Logo category, for a design used to create a patch for students competing in the NASA HUNCH competition, and in the Novelty Advertising category for the “La Cerveza del Presidente” design, used on glasses at the GRCC Foundation’s Scholarfest honoring President Emeritus Juan R. Olivarez and Mary Olivarez.
GRCC earned a Bronze Paragon in the Government or Community Relations Campaign category for its efforts to raise awareness of the Michigan Reconnect scholarship program.
“Every day, we are inspired by GRCC students, and the faculty and staff members who educate and support them,” Communications Director Dave Murray said. “It’s an honor to tell their stories, and we hope they inspire others to start an educational journey that will change their lives.”
The 2020-2021 Annual Report focused on people the foundation has helped and the lives it has transformed – shared by the people themselves, often telling their stories in their own words.
Judges praised the report’s stories, photos, design, and graphics.
“Grand Rapids’ annual report has a magazine-like quality in the way it communicates to its many groups the way the college is impacting students,” judges said.
The annual report is a collaboration between the GRCC Foundation and Communications team, both part of the College Advancement team.
It’s the third year in a row a GRCC Foundation Annual Report earned recognition. The 2018-2019 report earned a Gold Medallion from NCMPR’s District 3, and the 2019-2020 report earned a Gold Paragon and Best in Show, the organization’s highest honor.
The drinking glass design was created for the GRCC Foundation’s Scholarfest fundraiser, honoring the Olivarezes for their service to the college and greater community. The glasses were used in conjunction with a special craft brew created by students in the Secchia Institute for Culinary Education.
“Really nice work. Illustrations, especially of those we love, can be really difficult. This illustration is beautiful, and honestly deserves to be on much more than just a beer glass,” judges said.
The award-winning NASA HUNCH logo is worn by GRCC culinary students heading to the Johnson Space Center in Houston on April 19 and 20 for competitions. One team is a finalist in the competition to send a meal to astronauts on the International Space Station and the other is a finalist with a design to create edible packing materials.
“This is super fun. Nice work. I really like how the logo flows,” judges said.
The Michigan Reconnect awareness campaign included student profiles that were highlighted by the state government and Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, social media campaigns, outdoor advertising and other materials telling people about the program, which covers the cost of in-state tuition for residents age 25 and older.
“I love to celebrate the outstanding work of our community college marketers,” said Jeff Ebbing, NCMPR’s 2022-23 president. “The creativity and hard work that went into the winning entries is on par with some of the best agencies in the country and is a testament to the talent and dedication of our members. These people are pros in every sense of the word.”
The 2022 Paragon Awards drew 1,726 entries from 323 colleges across the country and was judged by more than 40 professionals from the marketing and public relations industry. GRCC's three Gold Paragons were more than any other college in the nation.
NCMPR’s Paragon Awards recognize outstanding achievement in design and communication at community and technical colleges. It's the only national competition of its kind that honors excellence exclusively among marketing and public relations professionals at two-year colleges.