SUNY Canton Public Relations Earns SUNYCUAD Recognition

The SUNY Canton Public Relations Department has received two awards from the State University of New York Council for University Advancement (SUNYCUAD).

The department earned judges’ citations in the “Excellence in Print and Design” category for the digital edition of the 2019-2020 annual report, as well as the “Excellence on a Budget” group for the Spring 2020 issue of the college’s alumni publication, “After Canton.”

The awards were announced at the council’s annual conference June 10. SUNYCUAD is an organization representing public relations, alumni and development, and marketing specialists at every SUNY campus. The annual awards competition consists of more than 40 categories in event management, design, advertising, video production and more.

“We’re grateful to once again be selected by our SUNY peers to receive this recognition,” said Public Relations Director Travis G. Smith. “This year’s award submissions were particularly competitive, so we consider it a major accomplishment to be among the finalists.”

The digital annual report, which details the college’s achievements for SUNY and other stakeholders, was designed by Smith to be viewed on a variety of devices, particularly mobile. He said the theme conveyed how the college quickly adapted to remote learning at the onset of the pandemic, while also detailing how students and faculty used their skills to assist in the fight against COVID-19. It also chronicles the explosive growth of esports and the progress of the Dana Hall renovation, which will house the new Center for Criminal Justice, Intelligence and Cybersecurity.

“Readers come away with the understanding that despite the pandemic, the college was engaged in the community, while also making huge strides on our most important projects on campus,” Smith said.

The Spring 2020 issue of “After Canton” also highlights recent contributions to the community, while looking ahead to how the college can be a powerful ally in the economic recovery process. The edition also profiles successful entrepreneurs whose journey began with the strong foundation SUNY Canton provided.

“The alumni magazine is one of our premier products of the year, so our team strives to create eye-catching designs to engage readers and develop compelling content that tells the SUNY Canton story,” Smith said.

Publications Coordinator Matthew J. Mulkin designed the edition, Public Relations Manager Lorette A. Murray served as editor and writer, and Senior Media Relations Manager/Photographer Gregory E. Kie conceptualized the cover design and provided interior photography.

“This is one of our best issues, even though we were interrupted by the pandemic while preparing to go to print,” Smith said. “My team was able to re-group quickly and adjust the content to reflect what was happening at the moment.”

The Public Relations Department has previously won several SUNYCUAD awards, most recently in 2019.