UC Riverside won a national award from the Council for Advancement and Support of Education, or CASE, for its marketing and communications outreach to alumni.

University Relations won a silver CASE Circle of Excellence Award from the nonprofit association dedicated to educational advancement in alumni relations, communications, development, marketing, and advancement services. Its peer-selected and adjudicated awards honor colleges, universities, and schools worldwide for their work in educational advancement. The annual awards were announced in late June. 

The department won in the marketing category for the September 2023 relaunch of its redesigned alumni website.

The project involved a complete overhaul to make the website more navigable and engaging. It added features such as an alumni video header, concise content, and career resources organized by different life stages. Four months after the relaunch, the website’s overall engagement rate increased from 34% to 77%.

The redesign was overseen by Lisa Tyson, alumni communications manager, with website design by Johnny Lam, digital marketing manager; video content by Kristopher Vargas, video production manager; and other content by Brock Cavett, programming and career development director for alumni engagement.

CASE judges noted that “it was a good, well-executed, and well-evaluated microsite with clear goals. Additionally, the microsite was packed with information, and the results for alumni engagement are impressive. Overall, this project shines from all directions.”