Sherman College earned first place in six categories of the 2021 Media Women of South Carolina (MWSC) Communications Contest; two entries were awarded second place, and another of its publications was recognized with an honorable mention. The contest, sponsored by the state affiliate of the National Federation of Press Women (NFPW), encourages and rewards excellence in communication. First-place award winners for South Carolina have now moved on to the national contest for judging.
The college’s first-place projects in South Carolina included a speech written for Lyceum 2020 (speech), the Sherman College Brand Guide (manual/handbook), the Community Impact Report (report), a compilation of college communications regarding Covid-19 (crisis communications), the summer 2020 issue of Excel Magazine (editing for print – magazine), and the Sherman College Instagram profile (social media presence – nonprofit or educational).
Second-place entries included the college’s new admissions viewbook (brochure – nonprofit or educational) and the Sherman College Facebook profile (social media presence – nonprofit or educational). The enewsletter Sherman Shares was also recognized with an honorable mention (writing – newsletter).
Senior Director of Marketing and Communications Karen Brower Rhodes, M.B.A., and Communications Coordinator Erica Martin produced these communications in 2020 as part of initiatives spearheaded by several departments, including Marketing and Communications, Institutional Advancement, and Admissions.
Feedback submitted by the state judge cited the appeal of the spoken word, the relevance and importance of the projects completed, and the liveliness and engagement of the college’s printed publications and social media presence.
“Extremely well-done,” the judge commented regarding the Sherman College’s winning entry in the social media category. “Instagram can be a trickier medium for meeting audiences, but the use of Reels and visual elements really gives life to your promotional message and achieves the all-important mission of meeting your readers exactly where they are.”
The judge also noted the content, infographics and engaging format of the college’s Community Impact Report. “The word that jumps out at me while reviewing this publication is ‘energy,’” she said. “It’s apparent starting from the cover and holds true throughout the rest of the publication.”
This is not Marketing and Communications’ first time receiving honors from MWSC and NFPW. In 2020, the college had five first-place awards, three second-place awards, and one honorable mention for it’s various publications in the state competition. Of the five entries that moved on to the national competition, four took home second place and honorable mention prizes. Additional projects have been recognized nationally throughout the years, with a print piece for prospective students taking first place in the nation in 2014.
