University Communications and Marketing (UCM) was recognized for its achievements in university communications and publications, receiving four regional awards from the Council for the Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) in 2023, according to the Dec. 13, 2023 issue of the Cal Poly Report.
Two Cal Poly Magazine stories were honored, including a story about members of the Cal Poly community with tattoos inspired by their academic field and a multimedia story on Design Village.
According to senior editor of Cal Poly Magazine Larry Peña, who co-authored the tattoo story, roughly 30 students, faculty and staff expressed interest in being featured.
“It was really really fun to be able to see that variety of people who were so excited about their academic pursuits that they would put it on their bodies,” Peña said.
The Design Village story covers the entire process from conception to construction through a combination of photos, video and text.
Senior storyteller Robyn Kontra Tanner, who collaborated on the Design Village piece, said the multimedia approach allowed UCM to explore a different angle of the story.
It provides an interactive and immersive experience for the reader, allowing them to “experience the thrill of creating structures over a weekend and creating this community out of nothing,” Tanner said.
In addition to the Cal Poly Magazine stories, two photographs taken by university photographer Joe Johnston received CASE awards: an image depicting women dancing a traditional Chinese dance during CultureFest 2022 and an image of marine ecology students studying tide pools at Montaña de Oro State Park.
Johnston’s work, for which he has received various regional CASE awards throughout his career at Cal Poly, prioritizes genuine moments of spontaneity.
“I often find myself holding up my camera, framing the image, and then waiting for however long it takes for a genuine moment to occur,” Johnston said.
UCM was launched in 2014 as a group of communication, design and marketing professionals who are committed to telling the “story of Learn by Doing,” according to their official website. These most recent recognitions have brought their total number of regional CASE awards to 30.
“It’s always thrilling to see our work come together and be able to earn accolades next to our peers throughout the West Coast,” Tanner said. “It makes us feel very proud that we are putting Cal Poly’s best foot forward.”
Students, faculty and staff who want their stories – special projects or impactful research – told by UCM, may submit pitches to the Cal Poly Magazine or Cal Poly News.