Utah State Magazine, University Marketing and Communications Recognized with CASE Awards
This illustration depicts scenes from Wayland Hand's collection of some 600,000 categorized index cards filled with folk belief and superstition that's housed within USU's Special Collections. Utah State Magazine Fall 2025-Collections & Connections. Illustration by Liz Lord.
Utah State University Marketing and Communications (UMAC) racked up multiple awards in this year’s 2026 Circle of Excellence - Region VII CASE awards.
"These awards reflect the collaboration and creativity that define our team," said Bill Plate, vice president of University Marketing and Communications. "It’s no easy task to create innovative content that resonate with prospective students, current students and alumni of every generation, but this group continues to push itself and challenge the status quo."
Utah State Magazine was honored with four Circle of Excellence awards, showcasing the magazine’s vast expertise and creativity in writing, design, and photography.
- Design - Illustrations: Wayland Hand’s Cabinet of Curiosities (Liz Lord, designer)
- Writing -News Feature: Wayland Hand’s Cabinet of Curiosities (Tim Olsen, editor)
- Writing -News Feature: Bones, Tools, and Treasures Tell Utah’s Ancient Story (Tim Olsen, editor)
- Photography: Seeking Darkness (Levi Sim, photographer)
The entire UMAC marketing team was also recognized for its creative approach with the university’s Level Up recruitment campaign, winning the Communications Initiatives category.
USU launched Level Up as an innovative digital marketing campaign designed to engage Generation Alpha through a playful, gamified experience that provide a creative nod to retro video game aesthetics. The visual theme was intentionally crafted to resonate with Gen Alpha's growing fascination with pixel art and vintage gaming culture, while also sparking nostalgia among their millennial parents.
The Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) is the global nonprofit association dedicated to educational advancement—alumni relations, communications, development, marketing, and advancement services—and championing education to transform lives and society. CASE District VII represents universities throughout Arizona, California, Hawaii, Nevada, and Utah.
Discovered during in the summer of 1988, the Huntington Mammoth was a catalyst for the Prehistoric Museum at USU Eastern's modernization and accreditation. Similar to a modern-day elephant, this Columbian Mammoth changed much about the understanding of these animals at the time. Utah State Magazine Fall 2025-Collections & Connections. Photo by Levi Sim.
Maria Rodriguez, an associate professor of physics in Utah State University's College of Science, says the last 10 years has been the "Platinum Era" of black hole research. Utah State Magazine Spring 2025: The Heavens Above and the Sagebrush Below. Photo by Levi Sim.
Image from the Level Up video. Video produced and edited by Taylor Emerson.
Image from the end of the Level Up video. Video produced and edited by Taylor Emerson.
CONTACT
Amanda DeRito
Associate VP of Strategic Communications
University Marketing and Communications
435-797-2759
Amanda.derito@usu.edu
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