From the Nominator

The University of Cincinnati is the 18th oldest public institution in the United States, tracing its origins to the founding of the Medical College of Ohio and Cincinnati College in 1819. Reaching this historic milestone puts UC in prestigious company of other pioneering and enduring institutions, including Harvard, University of Pennsylvania, Princeton, and the University of Virginia. Home of the first cooperative education program, the nation’s first teaching hospital, the oral polio vaccine, and the first antihistamine, UC is rooted in innovation, grit, and tenacity to learn more, to be more, and to do more. It was with this perspective and these themes in mind that we pulled together a multitude of stakeholders to plan and execute such a momentous occasion.

From the Judges

The width and breadth of this entry is breath-taking. Every aspect is highly impressive, from planning and execution, to internal stakeholder engagement that included planning through four presidents, and the analytics around alumni engagement, fundraising activities, inclusion and social media. There were lots of creative touches, such as the Boldly Bearcat ice-cream. A very impressive entry.