From the Nominator

Grand Valley State University (GVSU) students embarked on a four-week journey across the country, immersing themselves in water-related issues, along with faculty and experts. Three members of the university communications staff spent seven days shadowing the group in Utah and Arizona, interviewing students and faculty, and gathering photos and videos. Deliverables focused on print and digital content, with social media amplifying promotion to the GVSU audience. The campaign’s objective was to promote the new water-issues road-trip program, Water in the West, to the GVSU community and beyond, while showcasing the program's experiential learning opportunities, a core tenet of the university. Content focused not just on the students’ trip but also the days leading up to their departure and their return to campus. To increase awareness, digital content was promoted daily to the GVSU news site, GVNext, as well as via social platforms. The story, along with other water-related features, was one of the spotlights of the Grand Valley Magazine fall 2023 issue, themed “Our Story of Water.” The magazine is distributed to faculty, staff, alumni, and other stakeholders, and the GVSU community responded strongly to the magazine water issue and the digital content. The accompanying photo gallery reached more than 19,500 views, ranking as one of the department’s most popular galleries in 2023. Based on the magazine’s online audience, the project was the most-read story in the fall issue.

From the Judges

This comprehensive package was well done and cohesive, with every element complementing the others and maintaining a consistent tone. The visuals were appealing and balanced students and nature. It was a strong project that leveraged multiple storytelling vehicles and strong imagery to share content. The fun topic was overall executed nicely, with great pictures.