UCSD Alumni Association to Receive Three Awards for Excellence from CASE

Online, October 21, 2009 (Newswire.com) - The UCSD Alumni Association at the University of California, San Diego will be presented with three prestigious awards at the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) District VII conference, Nov. 14-17, in San Francisco. The Awards for Excellence recognize best practices in alumni relations, fundraising, public/government relations, advancement services, special events and outstanding communications. CASE district VII represents higher education institutions in the western region of the United States, including Arizona, California, Guam, Hawaii, Nevada and Utah.

"We are thrilled to be recognized by CASE and UC San Diego's peer institutions for our work on behalf of our alumni community worldwide," said Armin Afsahi, executive director of the UCSD Alumni Association and assistant vice chancellor for the university's Alumni Affairs office. "The university's upcoming 50th anniversary is the driving force behind our innovative and creative approaches to alumni engagement."

The CASE awards to the UCSD Alumni Association include:
*Gold Medal Award, Creative Use of New Technology: The Alumni Association partnered with Bay Area technology provider, Heavybag Media, to design the "AlumnIdea" website that encourages interactive feedback on alumni programs such as reunions, career services and social events. UC San Diego was the first university to use this type of "crowdsourcing" platform for alumni feedback.

*Gold Medal Award, New Programs: The "Discovery Ambassador Initiative" engagement effort was developed to reconnect alumni with UCSD through meaningful conversations with current student leaders, or ambassadors. Through interviews, Discovery Ambassadors listen to alumni, offer their own unique perspective and share these newly discovered needs with advancement partners.

*Silver Medal Award, College and General Interest Magazine, Circulation Greater than 75,000: The UCSD Alumni Association publishes the 60-page, full-color @UCSD magazine three-times a year. The magazine was launched five years ago to reach all alumni, re-engage them with their alma mater, instill a feeling of pride in UC San Diego's accomplishments and foster a sense of community among fellow alumni. Since its inception, the magazine has consistently received accolades from CASE for writing, design and overall presentation.

Media Contacts:
Malinda Danziger, 858-822-0063 or [email protected]
Kristin Luciani, 858-822-3353 or [email protected]