By Susan Thwing-McHale, staff writerOakland University will be honored at the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) District V Conference on Dec. 16 at the Sheraton Chicago Hotel and Towers. Three Gold Awards will recognize the work of OU departments and staff.
Robert Saunders, director of development information services and
Karyn Stanley, director of annual giving programs, received a Gold Award in the Best Practices in Fundraising and Development category. Additionally, Saunders and
Kimberly Kempen, an information technologist, achieved a Gold Award in the Best Program in Advancement Services category. This is the fourth CASE V award for Saunders.
The Best Practices in Fundraising and Development Gold Award recognizes exemplary projects that provide a successful solution to overcoming challenges, reflect strategic use of resources and use innovative practices. Saunders and Stanley’s program was an adaptation of a Kintera prospect screening implementation plan and end-user tool.
Saunders said they developed an easier and quicker tool that would assist major gift officers in selecting prospects. They developed this program to create a solid and simple implementation plan to immediately put individual screening results to work for fundraising staff members.
The Best Program in Advancements Services Gold Award evaluates outstanding programs in research, information systems and gift administration. Saunders and Kempen received the honor for the quick reference repository at the university’s development information services Web site.
“As the title of our department states, the service we give to our customers is development information and this Web site is a repository of much of that information which can be accessed quickly and effectively by the customer,” Saunders said.
University Communications and Marketing received a Gold Award in the Excellence in the Special Events, Series of Events category for its work on Oakland University’s 50
th Anniversary campaign. Honorees are Advancement Communications Director
Laura Mutz, writer and Community Relations Coordinator
Dawn Pauli and Art Director
Debra Lashbrook.
The Excellence in Special Events Gold Award recognizes a campaign that successfully highlights a series of related events. Judges consider how well the series meets objectives.
The 50
th anniversary campaign was guided by an internal committee that included
Richard Haskell, professor of engineering;
Karen Kukuk, executive assistant to the president;
Sue MacDonell, director of special events;
Jean Ann Miller, director of the Center for Student Activities;
Michelle Piskulich, associate dean for the College of Arts and Sciences;
George Preisinger, assistant vice president for classroom support and instructional support services;
Richard Stamps, associate professor of anthropology;
Karyn Stanley, director of annual giving programs;
Erin Sudrovech, assistant director of alumni relations;
Paul Tomboulian, distinguished professor emeritus in environmental chemistry; and
Geoff Upward, executive director of Meadow Brook Hall.
The campaign served to publicly recognize the university’s accomplishments, as well as highlight OU’s commitment and vision for the future. The campaign included special events and 50
th anniversary letterhead, publications, a calendar, postage stamps, a Web site, a time capsule and banners throughout campus.
“OU has accomplished so much in just 50 years that it made our job easier to point out successes and share the stories and photos that make OU a special place,” Mutz said. “The anniversary gave us a great opportunity to engage stakeholders and to share pride in OU.”
“Receiving the CASE V award shows the hard work and results accomplished by our divisions and C&M,” added Susan Davies Goepp, vice president of university relations. “It also gives great recognition to Oakland University. The awards presented by CASE V go to major national institutions, and OU’s accomplishments are right there with them.”
CASE is an international association of education advancement officers, which include alumni administrators, fundraisers, public relations managers, publications editors and government relations officers. CASE District V includes members from Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio and Wisconsin.
