RSU Communications & Marketing Department graphic designer Randy Riggs (right) and writer/editor Tom Fink (left) display awards recently won at the Oklahoma College Public Relations Association’s 2023 Awards Competition. The team took home the Grand Award (first place) for the best viewbook in the state of Oklahoma and two writing awards.
Rogers State University’s communications and marketing team took home three awards July 10 from the Oklahoma College Public Relations Association’s 2023 Awards Competition. The awards presentation took place during the OCPRA summer conference held at the Downstream Resort in Quapaw, Oklahoma.
OCPRA is a statewide organization comprised of communications and marketing professionals from colleges and universities throughout the state, both public and private. The annual awards competition features schools of all sizes competing against one another, in various categories relating to college and university communications and marketing. The 2023 OCPRA Awards Competition included 523 entries from 39 institutions and departments across the state. This was the 31st year for the statewide contest.
The Rogers State University communications and marketing team won the Grand Award (first place) for the best viewbook in the state of Oklahoma among all colleges and universities. Viewbooks are the primary printed marketing pieces used by admissions teams to promote academic offerings, campus life, student organizations, campus housing, and more on college and university campuses to prospective students. The RSU viewbook was designed by Randy Riggs, RSU’s graphic designer.
The RSU communications and marketing team also took home two writing awards. The team won the Achievement Award (third place) in the “News Writing (250+ words)” category for the story “RSU Assistant Professor’s Rare Paleontological Find Cited in Paper Published in ‘Frontiers in Earth Science.’” The team likewise won the Achievement Award (third place) in the “News Writing (under 250 words)” category for the story “Campus Fraternity Collects More Than 700 Canned Items During Food Drive.” Both stories were written by Tom Fink, RSU’s writer/editor.
“I am extremely proud of the work our communications and marketing team accomplishes every day on behalf of Rogers State University,” said Kenny Day, RSU director of communications and marketing and OCPRA board member. “It is an honor and privilege for us all to serve a great institution like RSU and to help share the university’s story while attracting future students to the Hill. We are grateful and humbled by the recognition received at the OCPRA Awards competition, winning the best admissions viewbook in the entire state as well as top honors in two news writing categories. These awards are gratifying for our team as they are an acknowledgement by our peers of the quality work we are producing as we advance the Rogers State University brand. I could not be prouder of my colleagues who I am blessed to serve alongside every day.”
RSU’s communications and marketing team includes Kenny Day, director; Kelli Fields, web marketing coordinator; Randy Riggs, graphic designer; and Tom Fink, writer/editor. The team works to protect, advance, and manage the university’s brand image; support and advance the university’s mission and strategic plan through communication strategies; maintain clear and open communication channels with all university constituencies; provide marketing and communications leadership and support for student recruitment and fundraising; and maintain clear, open, and proactive relationships with all media outlets.