STCC marketing team wins national awards for writing and community relations

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. – Springfield Technical Community College was selected as the winner of two 2021 Paragon Awards – a gold for writing and a bronze for a community relations campaign for COVID-19 response – at the National Council for Marketing & Public Relations (NCMPR) annual conference held in Denver. 

This year’s Paragon Awards competition drew 1,719 entries in 52 categories from 232 community colleges across the United States and Canada. Marketing and communications professionals who are NCMPR members working at community colleges recruit advertising agency and other creative professionals to judge the entries. 

Gold, silver and bronze award winners were announced during the conference held March 24-26.

STCC received the top prize in the category “Excellence in Writing – Short Form.” The article, titled “After decades of addiction, student draws inspiration from STCC,” profiled Springfield resident Kimberly Quinonez, who spoke candidly about her struggles and how STCC helped transform her life. 

Judges wrote: “Nice lede (first sentence). Really good story. Outstanding writing. I connected with Kimberly and was rooting for her by the end of this piece.”

Jim Danko, assistant director of communications at STCC who wrote the article, said, “I love showing how STCC supports students as they transform their lives, and one of the best ways to do that is to write about a non-traditional student like Kimberly Quinonez. She is inspiring and has a bright future. I thank her for sharing her story.”  

Judges awarded STCC with a Bronze Paragon for its COVID-19-response marketing materials, which included emails, campus signage, social media messaging, videos, press releases and more. The materials were created by the STCC marketing team, which includes Keith Paul, director of Marketing and Communications, Danko and Kerry Ferrero, coordinator of design and production services who retired in February 2022.

Dr. Shai Butler, Interim Vice President of Advancement & External Affairs, who oversees the College’s Marketing and Communications team, said she was thrilled to see the department recognized for their work both nationally and regionally.

The entire Marketing and Communications team work with their colleagues across campus to create compelling and strategic messages to let the community know about the mission at STCC: to support students as they transform their lives. Dr. Shai Butler Interim VP of Advancement & External Affairs

“I am very fortunate to have a gifted team,” Butler said. “The College has a deep appreciation for the writing talents of Jim Danko who uses his industry expertise to bring out the authentic, relatable qualities of his subjects. We are not surprised that he brought home the Gold! These awards are well deserved.”

She added, “The entire Marketing and Communications team work with their colleagues across campus to create compelling and strategic messages to let the community know about the mission at STCC: to support students as they transform their lives.”

In October, Paul received the NCMPR District 1 Rising Star Award. District 1 comprises several Northeast states and Canadian provinces. Also at the district conference, STCC won four Medallion awards: Gold awards for Special Event or Fundraising Campaign; Government or Community Relations Campaign; Print Advertising; and Bronze award for Communication Success Story or Crisis Communication Campaign.

“I’m super proud my team received national and regional recognition for their work,” said Paul, who attended the conference. “We love finding creative ways to tell stories about student successes and to let our community know how special STCC is as a higher education institution.”

Butler applauded the marketing and communications staff for bringing home the national awards for writing and the COVID-19 response.

“It is always important to communicate clearly and effectively, whether we’re telling an individual student’s story or crafting a message about STCC’s response to the pandemic,” Butler said. “During these challenging times, it’s especially critical. Our students, faculty and staff need to know about vaccination and masking requirements and other protocols. I’m proud that Keith, Jim and Kerry have been successful in their efforts and honored for their work.” 

Interested in applying to STCC? Visit stcc.edu/apply or call Admissions at (413) 755-3333.

About Springfield Technical Community College

STCC, the Commonwealth's only technical community college, continues the pioneering legacy of the Springfield Armory with comprehensive and technical education in manufacturing, STEM, healthcare, business, social services, and the liberal arts. STCC's highly regarded workforce, certificate, degree, and transfer programs are the most affordable in Springfield and provide unequaled opportunity for the vitality of Western Massachusetts. Founded in 1967, the college – a designated Hispanic Serving Institution – seeks to close achievement gaps among students who traditionally face societal barriers. STCC supports students as they transform their lives through intellectual, cultural, and economic engagement while becoming thoughtful, committed and socially responsible graduates.

MEDIA CONTACT:

Jim Danko, (413) 755-4812, jdanko@stcc.edu

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