Acadia medals twice at annual Prix d’Excellence competition


Acadia University’s Office of Advancement received two bronze medals at this year’s Canadian Council for the Advancement of Education (CCAE) Prix d'Excellence competition.

Originally scheduled as part of an in-person conference in early May, CCAE made the decision in March to cancel its 2020 National Conference in Winnipeg due to the coronavirus pandemic and announce its Prix d'Excellence winners through a series of online, half-hour Zoom segments from May 19-22.

Acadia captured bronze in the Best Donor Report and Best Photograph categories for The Giving Report, a 40-page magazine that was distributed to alumni, friends and donors electronically and in print.

The Best Donor Report submission included:

In fall 2018, Acadia University launched Campaign for Acadia, with a goal of $75 million to sustain the Acadia of today and build the Acadia of the future. It features four distinct themes: Transform, Inspire, Discover, and Build. The 2018-2019 Giving Report is a stewardship piece that provides financial details on the endowment fund and shares impact stories so donors can see how their gifts support Acadia’s transformative educational experience. The report celebrates individual donors and students, and provides an opportunity for members of the Campaign Cabinet to express their gratitude to donors as well.

We strove to create a report that was both widely accessible and inherently professional, with clear endowment fund details alongside poignant, heartfelt stories. We featured information on cutting-edge research projects on campus, shared service outreach partnerships led by community members, and reflected on the many alumni engagement and networking events organized by the Advancement team and alumni volunteers the previous year.

Why the cover photo? Simply put:

Alumni understand the transformative value of the Acadia experience and have, since the University’s inception, provided financial aid to worthy recipients to ensure their academic and personal success. This photograph of Emily Murray (’18) on her graduation day with degree in one hand and alumni pin in the other embodies the joy of accomplishment that we hope each student experiences at the conclusion of their Acadia journey. The image also captures the enthusiasm and excitement of Convocation and all its wonderful implications, reflecting exactly how Emily and many of our alumni feel when they graduate. Her unabashed sense of achievement is clearly visible in the photo and offers a sense of her excitement as a young adult fully confident and equipped to make a difference in the world upon graduation.

Vice-President, Advancement Dr. Rod Morrison applauded Executive Director, Philanthropy and Campaign Nancy Handrigan (’92) and Manager, University Communications Sherri Turner for crafting the report and selecting the cover image, captured by freelance photographer Dan Callis of Halifax.

“It’s great for our team to be back on the podium again this year,” Morrison said, “and I would especially like to acknowledge Nancy’s and Sherri’s outstanding work on this important project. They created a dynamic and visual information package that offered Acadia’s donors and friends a vital snapshot of our fundraising efforts and an up-close and personal perspective on the results of their generosity and kindness. We are extremely proud of the work we do at Acadia, and I’m looking forward already to next year’s CCAE Prix d’Excellence competition.”

Prix d’Excellence is the annual awards program of the Canadian Council for the Advancement of Education, recognizing outstanding achievements in alumni affairs, public affairs, communications, marketing, development, advancement services, stewardship and overall institutional advancement.

Written by Fred Sgambati ('83)


Go back

 Donate Now

 Alumni & Friends

 Alumni Affairs

Contact

Office of Advancement
Rm 225 University Hall
15 University Avenue
Wolfville, NS, B4P 2R6, Canada
General Inquiries: 902.585.1026
To make a donation: 902.585.1912
Toll Free in North America:
1.866.ACADIA (1.866.222.3428)
advancement@acadiau.ca

Charitable Registration #: 106681893 RR0001