News from campus and beyond
University Communications wins awards for storytelling, design
Riley, a 15-year-old dog, has been visiting campus with her humans nearly every day for 10 years.
Furman University is earning recognition for putting its best face forward, with the work of the University Communications department recently earning five industry awards.
Furman’s most popular news story, “Riley’s Love,” won two awards from the Council for Advancement and Support of Education. CASE is a global nonprofit dedicated to educational advancement.
The limited-edition FU All the Time Bourbon was designed to commemorate the launch of Clearly Furman, the Campaign for Our Third Century.
In “Riley’s Love,” Senior Director of News and Media Strategy Clinton Colmenares tells the story of 15-year-old Riley, a golden retriever-Basset hound mix that has visited campus every day for 10 years. Her owners, Kathy and Dave Knox, bring Riley to campus to give back for the love that their son Jeff, a Furman alumnus, received after a near-deadly car accident left him permanently disabled. After a three-month coma, Jeff’s first move was to pet a hospital therapy dog.
When the story, featuring photos by Multimedia Content Creator Owen Withycombe, ran in the summer, it quickly became the most shared story on Furman social media. Instagram reached 16,514 people with 3,026 likes and 82 comments. On Facebook, Riley reached 87,670 people, with 1,633 reactions, 148 comments and 105 shares.
The story garnered a Best of CASE District III Award, as well as a national CASE Circle of Excellence Award.
University Communications staff also earned CASE Best of District III awards for the FU All the Time Bourbon and the recruitment publication for the Master of Arts in Strategic Design program.
The award-winning recruitment publication for the Master of Arts in Strategic Design program profiles graduates and showcases their experiences and portfolio selections.
The limited-edition bourbon, a project led by Senior Director of Brand Strategy and Visual Communications Elizabeth Lichtenberg and designed by Graphic Designer and Visual Communicator Chris Turner, is Furman’s first private-label licensed product. The bourbon was launched in April 2023 in partnership with Affinity Licensing and Ironclad Distillery to commemorate the launch of Clearly Furman, the Campaign for Our Third Century. The bourbon has sold more than 7,000 bottles, and Lichtenberg was invited to speak about the success at the Intercollegiate Licensing Association Winter Symposium in Las Vegas in January 2024.
The MASD recruitment publication, designed by Assistant Director of Visual Communications Kaylee Welgraven, profiles three successful graduates from the program and showcases their experiences and innovative portfolio selections. It outlines course information, professional development and networking opportunities, faculty contacts and a financial overview. This publication also won a University and College Designers Association award.
“I am incredibly proud of the outstanding work of our team,” said Vice President for University Communications Tom Evelyn. “Winning these awards is a testament to the creativity, dedication and collaboration that drives our mission to engage and inspire. Such recognition reflects not only the team’s talent but also the impact of their work in advancing Furman’s vision and connecting with our audience in meaningful ways.”