The Public Relations Society of America has presented its top communications award, the Silver Anvil, 
to the Council of Independent Colleges (CIC), along with PhairAdvantage Communications, LLC, and J. Davis Public Relations, LLC, for a national public relations campaign in support of liberal arts education.
The award, for the Public Service – Nonprofit category, was presented on Thursday, June 9, at a gala awards ceremony and reception in New York City. Each year the Silver Anvil Awards – often referred to as “the Oscars of the public relations profession” – recognize the best public relations programs of the year and the highest standards of performance in the profession. The winners were chosen from more than 700 entries in 57 categories that were judged by teams of senior public relations professionals. According to PRSA, the annual event honors organizations that have successfully addressed a contemporary public relations issue with exemplary professional skill, creativity, and resourcefulness.
PhairAdvantage and J. Davis Public Relations provided major support to the Council for the campaign, “Securing America’s Future: The Power of Liberal Arts Education.” The campaign was launched in late fall 2013 to “bust myths and change the conversation about the value of a liberal arts education.” It utilized a mix of traditional media outreach, social media (including Twitter avatars “Libby,” a student, and “Art,” a college counselor), video, print and digital materials, the web, and research briefs and reports to take the liberal arts story to students, parents, counselors, and the media. Overall, the campaign has produced a wealth of resources to help CIC members become more effective advocates for the liberal arts, in addition to moving the needle in public and media perceptions of the value of liberal arts education.
L-R: Georgia Nugent, Laura Wilcox, Lilia LaGesse, Judy Phair, Jeff Davis.
Judy Phair, PhairAdvantage Communications president, has a continuing role with CIC as Senior Advisor, Communications, and assists not only with the liberal arts campaign but with other initiatives, such as the annual College Media Conference.
With more than 600 member institutions, CIC is the major national service organization for all small and mid-sized, independent, liberal arts colleges and universities in the U.S. CIC provides services to campus leaders through seminars, workshops, and programs that assist institutions in improving educational offerings, administrative and financial performance, and institutional visibility.
Speak Your Mind