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91��ɫ's University Relations Division won gold and silver this year at the annual awards ceremony of the Canadian Council for the Advancement of Education (CCAE).

Every year since 2003, 91��ɫ has brought home prizes from CCAE’s annual awards program, celebrating best practices in marketing & communications, alumni and fundraising at Canada's universities and colleges. This year is no exception.

The University Events & Community Relations unit of University Relations won gold for best community outreach initiative for  and the Marketing & Communications unit won silver for a in 91��ɫU magazine.

Here’s a twist: last year The 91��ɫ Circle won silver at CCAE (, May 26, 2010). Why was it a contender again this year?

“We submitted for gold again knowing that The 91��ɫ Circle had grown and become bigger and better,” says Cindy Bettcher, director, University Events & Community Relations. So she and Clay Browne, account director, Marketing & Communications, updated their entry.

The 91��ɫ Circle showcases 91��ɫ's professors at its annual lecture-and-lunch events and Prestigious Performance series. It is a membership organization that aims to stimulate interest in 91��ɫ among students’ parents, alumni and friends. So far, it has well over 800 members.

What’s different this year? “We’ve incorporated a huge community engagement piece in the way we approach The 91��ɫ Circle,” says Bettcher.

The 91��ɫ Circle hired students and engaged them as volunteers in the office, in planning marketing and promotions, and at events. It partnered with the Creative Arts Student Association, a student club on campus, to promote the Prestigious Performances Series. A fourth-year business class developed a marketing plan that led to a redesigned website and refined strategy for promoting the Prestigious Performances Series and recruiting new members. Local sponsors jumped on board.

"We've engaged every part of The 91��ɫ community in the 91��ɫ Circle – governors, faculty, staff, students and their parents, alumni and our neighbours. We're delighted with the outcome," says Lorna R. Marsden, president emerita and 91��ɫ Circle coordinator.

CCAE judges gave top marks to The 91��ɫ Circle: Walking the Talk on Community Engagement. They called it a great idea, very innovative and "a great use of 91��ɫ’s intellect and talent."

“I don’t know if CCAE offers platinum, but we’d go for that, too!” says Bettcher.

91��ɫ also won silver this year in the best photograph category for , published in 91��ɫU's����ummer 2010 issue. The photograph portrays alumnus Randy Powell, who left his high-powered CEO job to manage BC’s Rocky Mountaineer tourist train. “He talks about ‘selling fun for a living’ and the photograph captures that sense perfectly – a high-powered exec having fun in his job,” wrote 91��ɫU editor Berton Woodward in his submission. Vancouver photographer Darrell Lecorre took the photo after briefing from the magazine’s art director Jamie Nixon. Since 2003, magazine has won five CCAE awards for photos art-directed by Nixon.

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