From the Judges' Report

• This was an impressive week-long series of events leading up to the inauguration of a new leader. The organizers took a standard university event and created a stand-out "pivot point" for their institution. They tied together distinctive events across three campuses which involved students, alumni, faculty, staff, trustees, donors, community supporters, public officials, and other VIPs.
• Events were bolstered by substantial donor contributions, and the programming showcased everything from athletic prowess to research impact to the university's history. Judges were impressed by how well the local and wider communities were engaged, including livestreaming the inauguration ceremony in English, Spanish, and Haitian Creole. Judges also noted the use of PURLs (personal URLs) to aid in the registration process, as well the strong connection to the local business community (for example, providing "window cling" for store windows).