Initiatives promoting CSU won top honors in the annual University & College Designers Association Design Competition.
Creative projects promoting Colorado State University that included a video, magazine spreads, and graphic displays took top honors in a national design competition.
The University & College Designers Association presented six awards to several groups across CSU, including Creative Services and the staff of State, the magazine of the Colorado State University System.
This year, the UCDA Design Competition judges evaluated 1,061 print and digital entries and awarded 232 honors in the contest. The winning entries will be part of the UCDA Design Show on display during the 49th annual UCDA Design Conference scheduled for Oct. 12-15 in Portland, Oregon.
Creative Services
Creative Services, part of the Division of External Relations, won a Silver Award for its video “Proud to Be,” produced by Brian Buss, Elias Martinez, and Marla Wegrzyn. It was one of only 11 Silver Awards given by UCDA.
The 30-second commercial features a variety of alumni in their career environments, quietly singing the CSU chant, “I said I’m proud … to be … a CSU Ram.” The video debuted on the RamVision video board at Canvas Stadium in 2018 and appears on televised Ram sports events.
Creative Services, which helps tell the story of CSU through graphic design, photography, and videography, also played an integral role in two Awards of Excellence winners.
The team won an Award of Excellence in Environmental Graphics for work completed with the Warner College of Natural Resources. Creative Services designed interior branding for the addition to the Michael Smith Natural Resources Building. The displays make a modern museum of the building, featuring the college’s majors, career paths, research, and academic excellence.
The interior branding for the addition to the Michael Smith Natural Resources Building.
Creative Services also helped the College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences with a video brochure, “This is How We Care,” which won an Award of Excellence. The innovative brochure includes a slim embedded video screen that plays the college’s “sizzle reel” upon opening.
“At Creative Services, working with colleges and units to develop ambitious, fresh communications is an everyday honor,” said Lindsay Connors, brand strategist and interim brand manager. “By recognizing our work, UCDA awards not just the designs we create, but also our University’s distinctive culture of innovation.”
State magazine
State magazine, which reflects the work of the CSU System and its three campuses, won two Awards of Excellence in Magazine Editorial Spread for its debut issue. Launched in Winter 2018, State reaches Colorado policymakers and community leaders throughout the state.
Art Director and Designer Mary Sweitzer was responsible for design and production of the award-winning magazine spreads, “Heart Doc at High Altitude” and “Learning en Pointe,” which included photoshoots on location.
“Learning en Pointe” for State magazine.
“We’re thrilled to have designs from the debut issue of State recognized in the top national design contest for university publications,” Executive Editor Coleman Cornelius said. “We’re striving for sophisticated design that conveys the impact of world-class academic programs within the Colorado State University System, and it’s always rewarding to have this effort recognized by peers.”
UCDA Design Competition winners
Silver Award
Video: “Proud to Be” – CSU Creative Services, Brian Buss, Elias Martinez, Marla Wegrzyn
Awards of Excellence
Magazine Editorial Spread: “Heart Doc at High Altitude” – State Magazine, Mary Sweitzer, Coleman Cornelius, Alec Jacobson, Cara Neth, Kathy Phifer
Magazine Editorial Spread: “Learning en Pointe” – State Magazine, Mary Sweitzer, Coleman Cornelius, Mary Neiberg, Cara Neth, Kathy Phifer
Environmental Graphics: The Foundry – CSU Housing & Dining Services, Tonie Miyamoto, Marianne Wieghaus, Jarad Heintzelman, Bonnie Palmatory
Environmental Graphics: Michael Smith Natural Resources Building, Warner College of Natural Resources – Cameron Nelson, Adam Mendez, Britton Hart, Lindsay Connors, Rob Novak, Bill Cotton, John Eisele, Joe Mendoza, Elias Martinez, Mark Hanson
Other (any entry not fitting listed categories): CSU College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences College Overview – Kris Browning-Blas, Rachel Yager, Billy Babb, Jason Russell, Carly Ross, Lindsay Connors
