Tag: NCMPR

Group of professionals holding awards outdoors on a college campus

Industry Recognition: Six NCMPR Medallions Awarded to ECC Marketing Team

October 31, 2024 | Campus News

The East Central College Communications and Marketing team brought home six Medallion Awards, including two first-place honors, from the National Council for Marketing and Public Relations (NCMPR) District 5 conference held Oct. 1-3 in St. Paul, Minn.

The team earned gold Medallions in the Podcast category for the “ECC Insiders” podcast, hosted by Joel Doepker and Leigh Kolb, and in the Social Media category for the College’s Facebook page. Silver Medallions were awarded for the College’s Instagram page and the short-form writing piece “Training Tomorrow’s Surgical Technicians at ECC.” Additionally, ECC was honored with bronze Medallions for its website, www.eastcentral.edu, and for logo design.

Discover some of the award-winning entries:

“These awards are particularly meaningful as they celebrate the range of work our communications team undertakes,” said Gregg Jones, Director of Communications and Marketing. “We strive to make a positive impact, and it’s incredibly rewarding to have our efforts recognized by peers in such a respected organization as NCMPR.”

Notably, this is the fifth consecutive year ECC’s Facebook page has been awarded a Medallion and the fourth year in a row the College’s website has received an award.

The NCMPR District 5 encompasses colleges in Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, the Canadian province of Manitoba, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands.

During the 2023-24 academic year, ECC’s Communications and Marketing team included Jones, Joel Doepker, Vice President of External Relations; Amanda Studdard, Multimedia Specialist; Andy Kolb, Coordinator of Web Services; Cynthia Cubas, External Relations Executive Administrative Assistant; and Abby Stanfield, Multimedia Assistant.

NCMPR is a premier association serving communications professionals at two-year community and technical colleges. With more than 1,700 members representing nearly 650 colleges across the U.S. and Canada, NCMPR offers professional development, advocacy, and recognition of excellence in the field.

ECC Marketing Team Recognized Nationally

March 26, 2024 | Campus News

East Central College’s Marketing team was honored with a prestigious national award for their postcard featuring photos of a local graduate taken during the College’s 2023 Commencement. The team clinched the 2023 Gold Paragon Award in the “Postcard” category from the National Council for Marketing & Public Relations (NCMPR) at the council’s annual conference in Seattle on March 15.

The award-winning postcard was mailed to potential students who had initiated the application process to ECC but had yet to submit their completed applications. It featured three photos of ECC graduate Carly Hamlyn as she crossed the stage to receive her diploma.

Hamlyn, an ECC Early College Academy and Washington High School graduate, symbolized the journey prospective students could embark on.

NCMPR judges praised the postcard with “Great photography! Strong message and visuals.” They particularly commended the call to action, emphasizing its role in motivating prospective students to take the next step toward their academic goals.

Gregg Jones, Director of Communications and Marketing, accepted the award at the NCMPR conference, acknowledging the collective effort of ECC’s communication and marketing team.

The 2023 Paragon Awards received over 1,500 entries from 210 community and technical colleges nationwide, highlighting the stiff competition.

ECC’s communication and marketing team includes:

Cynthia Cubas, External Relations Executive Administrative Assistant
Joel Doepker, Vice President of External Relations
Gregg Jones, Director of Communications and Marketing
Andy Kolb, Coordinator of Web Services
Abby Stanfield, Multimedia Assistant
Amanda Studdard, Multimedia Specialist

The National Council for Marketing & Public Relations (NCMPR) is dedicated to communication professionals at two-year community and technical colleges, providing invaluable opportunities for professional growth, advocacy, and recognition of excellence.

ECC Marketing Team Receives Four Medallion Awards, Director Named Rising Star

The East Central College Communications and Marketing team took home four Medallion Awards, including three for first place, from the National Communications, Marketing and Public Relations (NCMPR) District 5 conference.

The team won gold Medallions in the following categories: social media page, video shorts and excellence in writing-long form. The college was awarded a bronze Medallion in the college website category.

“What makes these awards so special is they are representative of the many facets of work that the communications team does,” said Gregg Jones, director of communications and marketing. “We put a lot of hard work into what we do, and it is a very satisfying when those efforts are recognized by our peers in a well-respected organization like NCMPR.”

East Central College Director of Communications and Marketing Gregg Jones received the National Communications, Marketing and Public Relations (NCMPR) District 5 Rising Star Award. The Rising Star Award recognizes newcomers to NCMPR and their fields. The Rising Star recipients demonstrate special creativity or ability in marketing and public relations; and show evidence of a promising future in the field. Jones is now one of seven candidates in consideration for the national Rising Star Award which will be presented in March 30 through April 1, 2023, at the NCMPR National Conference.

In addition to the medallions, Jones received the 2022 Rising Star Award for District 5.

The Rising Star Award recognizes newcomers to NCMPR and their fields. The Rising Star recipients demonstrate special creativity or ability in marketing and public relations; and show evidence of a promising future in the field.

Jones is now one of seven candidates in consideration for the national Rising Star Award which will be presented in March 30 through April 1, 2023, at the NCMPR National Conference.

Medallion Awards

This year is the third consecutive year the college’s Facebook page was recognized with a Medallion Award. This year, the college’s Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/EastCentral/, nabbed first place in the overall Social Media category.

The Gold Medallion awarded in the video shorts category was for the college’s commercial promoting 2022 fall registration that was shown on YouTube, Hulu and other streaming services. View the video at, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=88sjc_-10SU.

The third Gold Medallion ECC earned, in the writing-long form category, was for “Cuba Resident Finds Calling in ECC Welding Lab.” The story features a welding student from Cuba, Mo., who enrolled in the program after reading a story about a mother and son taking Welding courses. Read the story here, https://www.eastcentral.edu/blog/cuba-resident-finds-calling-in-ecc-welding-lab/.

The college’s website, www.eastcentral.edu, was recognized with a Medallion Award for the second straight year.

Communications & Marketing Team

ECC’s communication and marketing team is comprised of Jones, Joel Doepker, vice president of external relations; Amanda Studdard, multimedia specialist; Andy Kolb, coordinator of web services; Cynthia Cubas, external relations executive administrative assistant; and Abby Stanfield, multimedia assistant.

The NCMPR is the leading professional development association exclusively serving those working in communication at two-year community and technical colleges.

The organization provides professional development opportunities, advocates on behalf of the profession and the institutions it serves and recognizes professional excellence. NCMPR has more than 1,700 members from nearly 650 colleges across the United States and Canada.

Cutlines:

East Central College’s Communications and Marketing Department received four Medallion Awards at the National Communications, Marketing and Public Relations (NCMPR) District 5 conference last month. Pictured, from left, are Joel Doepker, vice president of external relations; ; Andy Kolb, coordinator of web services; Gregg Jones, director of communications and marketing; Amanda Studdard, multimedia specialist; and Cynthia Cubas, external relations executive administrative assistant.

ECC’s Marketing Team Receives Gold Award at National Conference

April 14, 2022 | Campus News ECC Rolla

The East Central College Marketing team was recognized nationally with the 2021 Gold Paragon Award from the National Council for Marketing & Public Relations (NCMPR) at the council’s conference in Denver in March.

The award, for “Successful Recruitment or Marketing Program,” celebrates the marketing team’s efforts on the Finish Your Investment (FYI) recruitment program.

ECC’s FYI initiative provided a step-by-step guide for former students to finish what they started and earn a college degree.

There were 742 former students targeted during the initiative through postcards, social media and digital ad campaigns, print advertising and through the ECC website.

Director of Communications and Marketing Gregg Jones said the marketing campaign was multi-faceted and involved everyone on the communications team.

“That is what makes this award meaningful and noteworthy,” he said. “Through traditional advertising, digital ad creation, writing and our website, our entire team created a marketing campaign that resonated with people in the community.”

Jones added that a key element to the FYI initiative is that it was successful in its goal to reach former students who returned to finish their investment.

Under the degree reclamation program, 39 students “auto graduated” due to the number of credit hours they already had obtained. Another 31 students applied for admission; 20 enrolled in courses, five of whom earned a degree.

Jones attributed the success of FYI to the hard work of many ECC employees who contributed to the planning and implementation of the initiative.

Marketing Team/NCMPR

ECC’s communication and marketing team is comprised of Vice President of External Relations Joel Doepker, former External Relations Executive Administrative Assistant Hannah Masek, Coordinator of Web Services Andy Kolb, Multimedia Specialist Amanda Studdard, and Jones.

The team has grown in the past 6 months to include graphic designer Cole LaPlant, and student worker Abby Stanfield. Former staff member Sara Padgett also contributed to team projects over the past year.

The NCMPR is the leading professional development association exclusively serving those working in communication at two-year community and technical colleges.

Gold, silver, and bronze Paragon Awards are presented to two-year colleges across the nation by the NCMPR.

The 2021 Paragon Awards drew 1,719 entries from 232 colleges across the country and was judged by nearly 70 professionals from the marketing and public relations industry. Entries stretched from coast to coast and from Vancouver, Canada, to Florida.

NCMPR provides professional development opportunities, advocates on behalf of the profession and the institutions it serves, and recognizes professional excellence. NCMPR has more than 1,700 members from nearly 650 colleges across the United States and Canada.

ECC Receives Three Medallions for Communications and Marketing

October 28, 2021 | Campus News

East Central College received one Gold Medallion and two Silver Medallions in the 2021 National Council for Marketing & Public Relations (NCMPR) Medallion Awards.

The ECC communication and marketing team won the Gold Medallion for the social media or online marketing campaign category, the two Silver Medallions were awarded for the website and social media categories. The award ceremony was held on Oct. 10.

The NCMPR annually recognizes outstanding achievement in design and communication in each of its seven districts. The Medallion Awards are exclusive to marketing and public relations professionals at two-year colleges.

ECC is in NCMPR District 5, which includes Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, the Canadian province of Manitoba, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands.

“We had to make adjustments in how we reached students and the community due to the challenges and unknowns caused by the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Gregg Jones, director of communications and marketing.

“Connecting with students virtually became increasingly important, and it is great to see our efforts recognized by our peers.”

The Gold Medallion was awarded for the “Featured Falcon” weekly Facebook and Instagram graphic. The Featured Falcon is published weekly to draw attention to ECC students and employees.

The Silver Medallion in the website category was awarded for www.eastcentral.edu.

“There has been a lot of work done to update the website and increase the speed to make it more user-friendly,” Jones said. “It has made a huge impact in our website analytics.”

Finally, the college received a Silver Medallion for its Facebook page in the overall Social Media category.

ECC’s communication and marketing team is comprised of Vice President of External Relations Joel Doepker, External Relations Executive Administrative Assistant Hannah Masek, Coordinator of Web Services Andy Kolb, Multimedia Specialist Amanda Studdard, and Jones.

Former ECC staff member Sara Padgett also contributed greatly to team projects over the past year.

The NCMPR is the leading professional development association exclusively serving those working in communication at two-year community and technical colleges.

NCMPR provides professional development opportunities, advocates on behalf of the profession and the institutions it serves and recognizes professional excellence. NCMPR has more than 1,700 members from nearly 650 colleges across the United States and Canada.

College Receives Three Silver Medals for Marketing and PR

November 11, 2020 | Campus News

East Central College received three silver medals in the National Council for Marketing & Public Relations (NCMPR) Medallion Awards.

The ECC communication and marketing team nabbed the second-place trophies, virtually, in the social media, brochure and crises communication categories. The award ceremony was held remotely on Oct. 16.

ECC is in NCMPR District 5, which includes Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, the Canadian province of Manitoba, Puerto Rico and Virgin Islands.

“It was a strange year for many in higher education, and our team rose to the challenge to inform the community about East Central College and promote our programs and successes,” said Gregg Jones, director of communications and marketing.

ECC was presented the Medallion award in the print category for a brochure that explained the benefits, costs and advantages of the welding program.

The crisis communication Silver Cup was awarded to ECC for the college’s work in informing the public and media about the steps ECC was taking during the COVID-19 pandemic, including closures, requirements and its return to campus plan.

Finally, the college received a Silver Cup for its Facebook page in the overall Social Media category.

“It was great to see how well ECC’s Facebook page performed when compared to the many other two-year colleges in the region,” Jones said.

ECC’s communication and marketing team is comprised of Vice President of External Relations Joel Doepker, External Relations Executive Administrative Assistant Hannah Domino, Coordinator of Web Services Andy Kolb, Multimedia Specialists Sara Padgett and Amanda Studdard, and Jones.

The National Council for Marketing and Public Relations is the leading professional development association exclusively serving those working in communication at two-year community and technical colleges.

Public Relations Director Named Finalist for National Competition

September 17, 2019 | Campus News

Each year, the National Council for Marketing and Public Relations recognizes newcomers who have demonstrated special creativity or ability in marketing and public relations and show evidence of a promising future in the field. The “Rising Star” award is given annually in each of NCMPR’s seven districts, and district winners automatically qualify for consideration for the national award.

In 2019, East Central College’s Director of Public Relations, Jay Scherder, was named a District 5 “Rising Star!”

“Jay has a positive energy that radiates in his work,” said Joel Doepker, Vice President of External Relations. “He is open to new ideas, eager to innovate and willing to work with anyone. His passion for education drives him to be the best.”

During his three-year tenure, the East Central College Public Relations Department has received several national and regional awards for social media, photography, writing and video. He has also been actively involved in NCMPR and the Missouri Community College Association (MCCA).

“Over the last three years, Jay has been a trusted resource for MCCA concerning our marketing and public relations strategy,” said Brian Millner, MCCA President. “We value his knowledge and experience and appreciate his desire to help Missouri’s twelve community colleges come together to share ideas and advance common goals.”

The “Rising Star” national award winner will be announced at the NCMPR National Conference in Orlando, Florida in March.

The National Council for Marketing and Public Relations is a professional organization for individuals involved in marketing, communications, public relations and enrollment management at community, junior and technical colleges. NCMPR provides professional development opportunities, advocates on behalf of the profession and the institutions it serves, and recognizes professional excellence.

East Central College Named Finalist in Regional Public Relations Awards

September 5, 2019 | Campus News

Each year, the National Council for Marketing and Public Relations recognizes outstanding achievement in design and communication in each of its seven districts. The Medallion Awards are exclusive to marketing and public relations professionals at two-year colleges.

In September, East Central College was informed it had been named a finalist in four Medallion Award categories for 2019 in district 5, which includes Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, the Canadian province of Manitoba, Puerto Rico and Virgin Islands.

“I’m proud of my communications and marketing team for being recognized for its excellent work,” said Joel Doepker, Vice President of External Relations. “This is a great honor from a well-respected organization.”

The college will now compete against two other colleges for bronze, silver and gold in the original photography, excellence in writing, college promotional brand video and social media categories. The awards will be announced at the annual district five fall conference in October.

About NCMPR

The National Council for Marketing & Public Relations is a professional organization for individuals involved in marketing, communications, public relations and enrollment management at community, junior and technical colleges. NCMPR provides professional development opportunities, advocates on behalf of the profession and the institutions it serves, and recognizes professional excellence. NCMPR has more than 1,700 members from nearly 650 colleges across the United States and Canada.

East Central College Wins National Public Relations Award

March 27, 2019 | Campus News

East Central College received national accolades from the National Council of Marketing and Public Relations (NCMPR) at the Paragon Awards in March for its use of social media. NCMPR’s prestigious 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 PR professionals at two-year colleges.

“We were thrilled to receive the Bronze Paragon Award in the Facebook category,” said Jay Scherder, director of public relations. “We work very hard to create engaging, compelling content for the community. To be recognized for our efforts is truly an honor.”

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