Competing against some of the most prestigious colleges and universities in the nation, the University of Central Missouri captured seven honors, including a Gold, three Silvers and a Bronze, in the nation’s largest educational advertising awards program.

Award results for the 28th Annual Educational Advertising Awards, sponsored by the Higher Education Marketing Report, were announced this month. Nearly 3,000 entries from more than 1,000 colleges, universities and secondary schools from all 50 states and several foreign countries were considered in the competition.

UCM was one of 167 institutions that received Gold Awards. Judged in the category for schools with 10,000 to 19,999 students, Central Missouri captured the top honor for Total PR Program, based on a promotional campaign for the fall 2012 Show Me Justice Film Festival. Working in cooperation with University Relations staff members and the Department of Communications and Sociology, two students in the Innovative Public Relations group coordinated an advertising plan and outreach to relevant audiences through news releases, social media and distribution of print material. The IPR group also coordinated a kickoff event three weeks prior to the festival.

“What’s significant about this award is that it represents a strong collaboration between students, professional staff, and an academic department,” said Robin Krause, director of marketing and promotion in the Office of University Relations. “Students planned and executed an excellent campaign while getting great support from other students, faculty members, and professional design staff.”

He added, “It’s also worth noting that for this award and for many others, UCM entries were judged in competition with entries that were created by professional advertising and marketing firms.”

Silver awards were presented to 158 institutions, including UCM, which received separate awards for its Choose Red Radio Advertising Series and for its Choose Red Social Media entry. It also received an award for the “Escojo Rojo” Newspaper Advertising Series, which appeared in metropolitan area media.

UCM earned a Bronze Award for Total Recruitment Package. This entry included a variety of pieces that are used by admissions personnel, including a view book, items for admissions representatives to take on the road, promotional brochures and postcards.

Three Merit Awards were received by the university, including recognition for a promotional brochure that was created for the Department of Theatre and Dance, and recognition for the Choose Red Television/Advertising Series. The other award winner was in the Direct Mail category. It featured a student-designed postcard for the UCM Foundation to promote The Cambium Society, a new giving society open to UCM students.