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UCOMM Recognized with 10 Awards from Local, National Organizations

UNO's Office of University Communication has been recognized by Nebraska PRSA and the Education Digital Marketing Awards for its continued work to elevate student recruitment, engagement, and retention, as well as UNO's perception in the community.

  • published: 2021/02/02
  • contact: Brandon Bartling - University Communications
  • email: unonews@unomaha.edu
Snow rests atop the head of the Maverick Monument outside the Health and Kinesiology building on-campus.

Local and national organizations are recognizing UNO’s Office of University Communications (UCOMM) for its continued award-winning work to elevate student recruitment, engagement, and retention – as well as overall perception of the university.

UCOMM recently received ten awards collectively from the Education Digital Marketing Awards (EDMA) and from the PRSA Nebraska Paper Anvil Awards. The EDMA recognized UCOMM with four awards in competitions alongside institutions including Syracuse University, the University of Missouri, UC Davis, and Texas A&M International University. The PRSA Nebraska Paper Anvil Awards pitted UCOMM against top public relations specialists and agencies across the area.

Among the top honors received was an Award of Excellence from PRSA Nebraska in the Crisis & Issues Management category for UCOMM’s efforts on the Fall Forward website, which is now known as Maverick COVID Response.

Makayla McMorris, executive director of UCOMM, credited the teamwork within UCOMM and in partnership with stakeholders across campus for driving the department’s success. “All of the awards UCOMM has received this year speak to the incredible work of our digital, editorial, events, marketing, and state and community relations teams within University Communications; but none are perhaps as impactful as the recognition we’ve received for our online hub of COVID-19 related campus information. We take great pride in the work we’ve done and continue to do to keep the UNO campus community informed, engaged, and safe throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.”

The Educational Digital Marketing Awards (EDMA) recognized UCOMM with a Gold award in the New Media Content category for “Big Opportunities on the Prairie,” an article with photos and video elements featuring the research being conducted at UNO’s Glacier Creek Preserve.

EDMA also presented a Silver award to UCOMM in the Total Digital Marketing Program for the UNO Undergraduate Recruitment Total Digital Marketing Program. The marketing program included videos, digital display and social media advertisements, email campaigns, and more.

UCOMM also received several Awards of Merit from the 2020 PRSA Nebraska Paper Anvil Awards. Among these included UCOMM’s Expert Guides, which connect journalists with faculty experts on various timely news topics, received an Award of Merit as well as the top score within the Reputation and Brand Management category. Entries in the competition were judged by members of the Minnesota PRSA chapter. UNO’s School of Communication also received a number of awards from PRSA Nebraska, primarily in the student categories.

A full list of awards won by UNO’s Office of University Communications, including links to related content, when available, can be found below. A full list of winners for each competition can be found on the EDMA website and on the PRSA Nebraska website, respectively.

Education Digital Marketing Awards (EDMA)

Gold – New Media Content – Big Opportunities on the Prairie at UNO’s Glacier Creek Preserve
Silver – Total Digital Marketing Program – UNO Undergraduate Recruitment Total Digital Marketing Program
Merit – Digital Video Under 2 Minutes – Maverick Strong
Merit – Digital Video Over 2 Minutes – UNO to Oversee Counterterrorism, Terrorism Prevention Research Center

2020 Nebraska PRSA Paper Anvil Awards

Award of Excellence - Crisis & Issues Management – Fall Forward (Comprehensive)
Award of Merit – Events and Observances – Chuck Hagel Forum in Global Leadership
Award of Merit – Media/Press Kit – Biomechanics R01 Grant
Award of Merit – Reputation/Brand Management – Expert Guides
Award of Merit – Social Media – May Commencement Instagram Stories
Award of Merit – Video – Mavericks United

About the University of Nebraska at Omaha

Located in one of America’s best cities to live, work and learn, the University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO) is Nebraska’s premier metropolitan university. With more than 15,000 students enrolled in 200-plus programs of study, UNO is recognized nationally for its online education, graduate education, military friendliness and community engagement efforts. Founded in 1908, UNO has served learners of all backgrounds for more than 100 years and is dedicated to another century of excellence both in the classroom and in the community.

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