From the Nominator

#MUThankU is an event coordinated by the scholarship and stewardship committee from the Miami University Student Foundation to thank donors and volunteers, and educate students on the importance of donor and volunteer support. For #MUThankU20, students focused their efforts on National Volunteer Week utilizing ThankView to express appreciation to nearly 1,000 university volunteers. With the number of individuals needing to be recognized and no budget, students identified that ThankView videos were the most effective way to accomplish their goal.

Though they were up against numerous challenges this year due to COVID-19, students pushed forward and met every challenge head-on with grace and persistence. While a portion of the video was recorded prior to the students leaving campus due to the pandemic, they stayed in contact virtually to complete their project. 

By engaging the university president and his wife, sharing overall volunteer statistics, and adding a personal thank you for each board, MUSF students created a fun and memorable thank you for the volunteers. #MUThankU20 is unique because it shows students the importance of recognizing the efforts of volunteers and donors as they can envision giving back to the university in the same manner as future alumni.

Success was measured by volunteer positive responses, as well as metrics through ThankView. Metrics show this specific campaign having well above average open rate at 55.9%, with an 81.4% average view, while industry average is 22.71%. 

The finished product made volunteers feel recognized, appreciated, and aware that they are truly making a difference.

From the Judges

This video campaign had great open rates, which speaks to the ways in which the content resonated with the target audience. This was a great example of continued student volunteerism in a virtual environment.