Article, layout, brochure and social media entries recognized in 2023 DPA and NFPW competitions

For the seventh consecutive year, the University of Delaware’s Graduate College marketing and communications team has been recognized by the Delaware Press Association (DPA) and the National Federation of Press Women (NFPW) for excellence in professional communications. Eighteen 2023 DPA awards and three NFPW awards go to Adam S. Kamras, Cindy Dolan, Nora Zelluk, Sherrie Fauvelle, Tim Nelson and Eric Tommer for their work in writing, graphics, social media and design for publications produced for the graduate programs and the UD Division of Professional and Continuing Studies (UD PCS) in 2022. These new awards bring the communications team’s total number of state recognitions received from the DPA to 85 and the national recognitions received from the NFPW to 18.

Based on a point system that took into account the number of entries per category, Kamras and Dolan finished second and third, respectively for the second consecutive year in the overall DPA Communications Contest, which had approximately 115 entrants. Kamras and Dolan previously tied for third with two other entrants in the 2021 DPA Communications Contest.

“Our team is thrilled to be recognized for our support of multiple components of our complex unit, including both graduate and noncredit programs,” said Kamras, who was promoted by UD’s Graduate College from communications specialist to communications director on Jan. 1, 2023. “While our names are on the awards, we know that these accolades would not be possible without the great work done by our colleagues to provide outstanding programs and services as well as recruit excellent students. Hopefully our storytelling efforts have helped the cause and attracted people to our many impressive offerings and resources.”

As a two-tiered national competition, the NFPW receives first-place winners from the DPA’s annual Communications Contest as competing entries. All three marketing and communications entries were recognized with one of its national awards:

• Second place in the category of Graphics and Design: Page Design, Newsletter/other publication for Unique Educational Strategies page spread (Pages 4-5 of the UD PCS Spring 2023 Programs and Courses Guide — Dolan, Kamras and Zelluk
• Third place in the category of Public Relations Materials: Catalog, Manual or Handbook for the Graduate College Peer Mentoring Brochure — Dolan, Kamras, Nelson and Zelluk
• Third place in the category of Specialty Articles, Ghost-written Articles for “Invest in continuing education” (Page 1 of UD PCS Fall 2022 Programs and Courses Guide) — Kamras

Nearly 1,800 entries were submitted to the NFPW’s 2023 competition.

In addition to the three first-place awards sent to the NFPW competition, the team received 15 other DPA awards. Across all of these entries, the DPA judges highlighted the team’s clean designs, effective infographics, eye-catching photos, engaging writing, compelling stories and persuasive copy.

Second place

• Specialty Articles: Sports:“UD’s ICECP wins national UPCEA award” — Kamras
• Graphics and Graphic Design: Graphics: Artwork for “UD’s ICECP wins national UPCEA award” — Dolan
• Graphics and Design: Page Design, Newsletter/other publication: UD PCS Fall 2022 Programs and Courses Guide Social Media Certificate center page spread — Dolan and Kamras
• Social Media Campaign: Nonprofit, government or educational: Graduate College Facebook Ad Campaign — Dolan, Kamras and Zelluk
• Electronic Newsletter: Nonprofit, government or educational: Graduate College Newsletter, Dec. 18, 2022 — Dolan, Kamras, Nelson and Zelluk
• Report: 2022 Graduate College Annual Report — Dolan, Fauvelle, Kamras, Nelson, Tommer and Zelluk
• PR Materials: Brochure – Nonprofit, government or educational: Graduate College A2i Partner Brochure — Dolan, Kamras, Nelson and Tommer
• Public Relations Materials: Catalog, Manual or Handbook: UD PCS Spring 2023 Programs and Courses Guide — Dolan, Kamras, Nelson and Zelluk

• Public Relations Materials: Catalog, Manual or Handbook: UD PCS Fall 2022 Programs and Courses Guide — Dolan, Kamras, Nelson and Zelluk
• Graphics and Graphic Design: Graphics: UDaily artwork for UD PCS Fall 2022 Programs and Courses Guide — Dolan
• Social Media Campaign, Nonprofit, government or educational: OLLI Fall 2022 Social Media Campaign — Zelluk
• Public Relations Materials: Early College Credit Brochure — Dolan, Kamras and Nelson

• Specialty Articles: Education: “Graduate College welcomes new students” — Kamras
• Specialty Articles: Government or politics: “Governor’s School for Excellence” — Kamras
• Specialty Articles: Green/environmental: “Driven by passion for sustainability” — Kamras

The Delaware Press Association is a network of more than 150 journalists, broadcasters, public relations specialists, graphic designers, photojournalists, educators, authors, poets and freelancers dedicated to the highest standards of excellence in communication and to protecting First Amendment freedoms. The annual DPA Communications Contest is open to all professional communicators in Delaware and encourages and rewards excellence in communication. The contest is judged by out-of-state communications professionals to ensure impartiality and provides communicators opportunities to compete in various categories.

The National Federation of Press Women is a nationwide organization of professional women and men pursuing careers across the communications spectrum. The NFPW Communications Contest encourages and rewards excellence in communications in a wide range of categories. Entries are judged by leaders in their fields of expertise.