Weber State University’s 2016-17 President’s Annual Report publication received national recognition after winning a Grand Gold award in the Council for Advancement and Support of Education’s (CASE) Circle of Excellence program. The annual report, produced by WSU’s Office of Marketing & Communications, was the recipient of one of only 13 Grand Gold awards in a competition that featured 3,200 entries in nearly 100 categories. 

Judges selected WSU as the first-place winner in the “President’s Reports and Annual Reports” category. The university competed with 40 other schools such as Boston University, University of Wisconsin-Madison and Georgia Tech. 

“This is a tremendous accomplishment that reflects not only the talent of our Marketing & Communications colleagues, but also the tremendous and powerful stories we have to tell about what’s happening here at Weber State University,” said Brad Mortensen, vice president of University Advancement. 

The CASE Circle of Excellence program honors outstanding work in advancement services, alumni relations, communications, fundraising and marketing at colleges, universities, independent schools and affiliated nonprofits. 

WSU’s award-winning report captured the stories of alumni and students who are living out their dreams thanks to their time at WSU. A Pulitzer Prize winner, a Forbes 30 Under 30 honoree and a WSU graduate getting his master’s degree at Carnegie Mellon University were among the featured Wildcats.  

“As we were compiling the annual report last year, good news just kept flooding into our office,” said Amy Hendricks, Marketing & Communications senior writer and editor. “First, we heard about alumnus Shonduras’ Forbes 30 Under 30 honor. Then, we found out that alumna Jessica Miller was a part of The Salt Lake Tribune’s Pulitzer Prize-winning team of investigative journalists. Then we got word that Tarl Langham had just been accepted into a prestigious program at Carnegie Mellon.” 

Altogether, eight outstanding alumni and students were featured in the publication. Hendricks credits the report’s success to them. 

“Numbers and charts can and do provide wonderful information about Weber State University, but the best stories are always about people,” Hendricks said. “This report came together so easily because Weber State University students, faculty, staff and alumni have such incredibly powerful stories to tell. They made this publication award winning.” 

The 2016-17 President’s Annual Report can be viewed here.