University Excellence in Communications Awards 2021
For the third year, the University Excellence in Communications Awards was a celebration of our outstanding university storytellers. Communicators from across the Forty Acres attended the ceremony on December 8 to recognize the remarkable work produced by their peers this year. Congratulations again to our 2021 winners! View the winners and finalists from 2020 and 2019.
Winners are shown in bold.
Social Media Finalists
Social media strategy demonstrated by a campaign or overall presence
Moody College Commencement Handwritten Notes
Lizzie Chen, Bithia Dantoumada, Anna Epstein
Moody College of Communication
The Cher Surprise: Celebrating the Fine Arts Class of 2021
Twitter, Facebook, Instagram
Cami Yates
College of Fine Arts
The Great Transition: Presidential Social Media
Deseré Cross Ward
University Marketing and Communications
Community Outreach Finalists
Outreach campaigns or publications to external communities and non–UT Austin community partners in Texas
Travis County Medical Society Virtual Town Hall
John Daigre, Linda Breining, Mary Cope, Ali Killian, Matthew Arias, Hannah Jane Collins, Carsen Russell, Adria Johnson, Shahreen Abedin
Dell Medical School
Lisa Porter, Laura McDonald
LBJ School
New Grounds Initiative Virtual Preview & Groundbreaking Celebration
Manny Alcala, Carlotta Stankiewicz, Anna Berns, Sarah Burleson, Jennifer Lioy
Blanton Museum of Art
Websites and Applications Finalists
Digital platforms such as websites, web and mobile applications, augmented reality, and/or virtual reality applications
Texas Career Engagement Website
Sam Heimbach, Olga Escamilla, Allie Nambo, Brian Kaleh, Amanda Karr
Enrollment Management
Protect Texas Together Website
Hillary Berquist, Charles Leverington, Kevin Rathge, Leroy Rosales, Rebecca Salazar, Avrel Seale, Thomas Swafford, Robin Meeks
University Marketing and Communications
Henry Tijerina
Executive Vice President and Provost
3D Room Tours
2400 Nueces Apartments (3D tour), Jester West (3D tour)
Cynthia Lew, Cailin Rosborough Jeylan Yolac, Dylan Santurri, Veronica Giavedoni, Joselyn Salazar, Rachel Hudson, Alayna Hudson, Mariana Medina
University Housing and Dining
Publications – Non-magazines Finalists
Non-story-centered publications (e.g., viewbooks, annual reports) produced online or in print
Global Engagement Report 2018 – 2020
Darcy McGillicuddy, Fiona Mazurenko, Jenan Taha
Texas Global
Annual Report Series, Bridging Barriers Grand Challenges
Adrienne Dawson, Mary Huber, Jenny Nelson Gray
Office of the Vice President for Research
Moody College Impact Report
Marketing and Communications Team
Moody College of Communication
Photography Finalists
Photography in a single work product or campaign (up to seven images). Photos are not required to have been taken by the same photographer.
Texas Connect Magazine, Sounds of Silence photo series
Marsha Miller
University Marketing and Communications
Longhorn Local Market
Alayna Hudson
University Housing and Dining
Capturing Back to School in a Pandemic Through Photography
Marc Speir
Moody College of Communication
Marketing and Development Campaigns Finalists
Campaigns produced online and/or in print
LBJ School 50 Forward: A Planned Giving Campaign
Adrienne Leyva, Maddie Pelan, Eva Mikes, Noah Israel, Tara Smith
University Development
Rachel Ciullo
LBJ School of Public Affairs
Adoria Sommer
University Marketing and Communications
Incoming and Continuing Student Anti-Melt Summer 2020 Campaign
Kathleen Mabley, Natalie England, Lizzie Chen, Amanda Buchanan, Marc Speir
Moody College of Communication
Dell Medical School 40 for Forty, Spring 2021 Campaign
Catherine Haltom, Holly Gaete, Kristin Tommey, Patrick Reyes, Rachel Deng, Carsen Russell, Liz Hoover
Dell Medical School
Kellie Sullivan
University Development Office
Writing Finalists
Long-form and/or short-form writing, published online or in print, single articles or multiple stories (up to three)
Profile of and Q&A with the University’s Incoming President
Avrel Seale
University Marketing and Communications
COVID-19 Vaccine Reporting
COVID-19 Vaccines with UT Ties Arrived Quickly After Years in the Making
COVID-19 Vaccine Innovation Could Dramatically Speed Up Worldwide Production
Human Trials Begin for a Low-Cost COVID-19 Vaccine to Extend Global Access
Marc Airhart
College of Natural Sciences
Article interpreting the Eyes of Texas History Committee Report
Avrel Seale
University Marketing and Communications
Cross-University Collaboration Finalists
Work by multiple teams and individuals collaborating across campus
Orange & Maroon: Texas Tough Campaign
Brooke Bulow, Jess Cybulski, Sara Kennedy, Heather Miller, Alma Garcia
Vice President for Student Affairs
Bianca Bellavia, Sarah McAbee, Maria Huang, Maddie Pelan, Christian Witte
University Development Office
UT COVID-19 Vaccination Campaign
Susan Hochman
University Health Services/Counseling and Mental Health Center
Melissa Loe
Financial and Administrative Services
Vaccine Distribution Communication Planning and Marketing
Melissa Loe, Veronica Treviño, Kerri Battles
Financial and Administrative Services
Susan Hochman
University Health Services
Jennifer Singer
University Marketing and Communications
Shahreen Abedin
Dell Medical School
Small But Mighty Finalists
Work by teams of three or fewer people in an office, school or unit that makes a big impact despite small resources
State of Black UT, hosted by the Black Studies Collective
Deseré Cross Ward
University Marketing and Communications
Justice Madden
Warfield Center
Shaleiah Fox, Christina Bryant
African and African Diaspora Studies
Virtual International Women’s Day Celebration
Eva Tirion, Lesley Robinson
Kendra Scott Women’s Entrepreneurial Leadership Institute
Jessica Sutherland
College of Fine Arts
Compendium of Resources on Sexual Assualt – Video Training Tools
Caitlin Sulley, Victoria Camp, Melanie Susswein, Margaret Bassett, Noël Busch-Armendariz
Institute on Domestic Violence & Sexual Assault
Internal Communications Finalists
Strategy, campaigns or publications focused on any UT Austin internal audiences: students, faculty or staff
FAS Internal Vaccine Education
Kerri Battles, Veronica Treviño, James Buratti, Charlie Moore
Financial and Administrative Services
Get Out the Vote Social Media Campaign
Lisa Porter
LBJ School of Public Affairs
Integrated Online Campaign for Student Resources During COVID
Allie Nambo, Olga Escamilla, Brian Kaleh, Jennifer Love, Amanda Karr
Enrollment Management
Visual Design Finalists
Visual design, online or in print
2021 Senior Stories
Ryan Goeller, Jennifer Singer, Kevin Rathge, Susanne Bynum, Marsha Miller, Sara Lentz, Laurie O’Meara
University Marketing and Communications
Freshman Admit Packet with Gone to Texas Mailing
Cayce Canipe, Lucy Ledesma, Amanda Karr
Enrollment Management
Friends of the College Awards Dinner
Amanda Buchanan, Kathleen Mabley, Natalie England
Moody College of Communication
Media Relations Finalists
Placements and/or press coverage with external media
McCombs Faculty Research Publicity Packages
Big Ideas, YouTube
Todd Savage, Molly Dannenmaier, Jeremy Simon, Matt Turner, Catenya McHenry
McCombs School of Business
From a Great Society to a Resilient Society, Government Executive Reprints
Steve Pedigo
LBJ School of Public Affairs
McCombs Op-Eds
Jeremy Simon, Molly Dannenmaier
McCombs School of Business
Publications – Magazines Finalists
Magazines (story-telling vehicles with narratives and images) produced online or in print
Wildflower Magazine, Fall/Winter 2020 and Spring/Summer 2021
Amy McCullough
Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center
Todd Savage, Molly Dannenmaier
McCombs School of Business
Jeremy Simon
McCombs School of Business
Video Finalists
Video for a specific institutional purpose
Senior VP and CFO Darrell Bazzell on Receiving the COVID-19 Vaccine
Kerri Battles, Veronica Treviño
Financial and Administrative Services
Community & Well Being Modules: ‘Preparing Comfort’ & ‘Belonging’ Videos
Manny Alcala, Siobhan McCusker, Ray Williams
Blanton Museum of Art
Online Class Experience: Connecting, Learning, Building Community
Lizzie Chen
Moody College of Communication
Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation Legacy
Marketing and Communications Team
Moody College of Communication