Penn College's Marketing Efforts Honored in National Competitions

Pennsylvania College of Technology's two television series, its quarterly magazine and a promotional poster all produced through the Office of College Information& Community Relations received honors recently in three national competitions.

In the 19th Annual Admissions Advertising Awards sponsored by Admissions Marketing Report, the national newspaper of admissions marketing, the College's television series "You're the Chef" and "Penn College & You" won a collective Gold Award. Also honored in the competition were a College poster and the College magazine, "One College Avenue," which received Bronze and Merit Awards, respectively. The competition compares the work of public and private colleges and universities nationwide.

In the annual Telly Awards competition, "Penn College & You" won a Bronze Award for the third consecutive season. The Telly Awards, founded in 1978, honor outstanding local, regional and cable TV commercials and programs, as well as the finest video and film productions.

In the National Council for Marketing & Public Relations' annual Paragon Awards competition, "One College Avenue" took home a Bronze Award. The Paragon Awards recognize excellence in communications at community, junior and technical colleges.

"You're the Chef" and "Penn College & You" captured the gold in the Television Advertising/Series category (schools with 5,000-9,999 students) of the Admissions Advertising Awards. Three episodes from the 2002-03 season of each series were submitted.

"You're the Chef's"winning fifth-season episodes are: "Wine Country Brunch," "Spanish Special" and "Grilled Lobster." The nationally distributed public television cooking series is hosted by Chef Paul Mach, an assistant professor of food and hospitality management/culinary arts, and Tom Speicher, broadcast productions coordinator at Penn College. The College produces "You're the Chef" with WVIA-TV, the PBS-member station serving Northeastern Pennsylvania and the Central Susquehanna Valley. WVIA's Kris Hendrickson is "You're the Chef's" director/editor.

The honored "Penn College & You" episodes are: "Aviation Technology," featuring Brett A. Reasner and James E. Doebler, associate professors of aviation technology; "Office Technology," with Elizabeth A. Dahlgren, assistant professor of business administration, and Daniel K. Christopher, assistant professor of business administration/office technology and medical records; and "Transformation of Raw Materials," with Dr. Eric Albert, associate professor of machine tool technology/automated manufacturing, Timothy E. Weston, assistant professor of plastics technology, and James P. Lentz, associate professor of printing and publishing.

"Penn College & You," produced in conjunction with SusCom, Williamsport's cable provider, is hosted and produced by Speicher and directed/edited by Michael G. Strunk, production manager at SusCom. The production features the videography expertise of Jeffrey Campbell, production technician at SusCom, and Christopher Leigh, digital media developer at Penn College. With coverage via the DISH Network satellite system, 37 cable affiliates in 14 states and broadcast station WFMZ in Allentown, "Penn College & You" is distributed to more than 14 million television homes.

The 2003 Pennsylvania College of Technology promotional poster received a Bronze Admissions Advertising Award in the Poster category (schools with 5,000-9,999 students). It highlights a new Penn College facility, the Student and Administrative Services Center, in conjunction with photos of students.

The design team responsible for the poster includes Heidi Mack, supervisor of design/publishing; Deborah Carter, graphic designer; Larry Kauffman, digital publishing specialist; Sarah Patterson, desktop publishing specialist; and Park Williams, coordinator of digital publishing.

"One College Avenue" received its Merit Award in the Newsletter category (schools with 5,000-9,999 students) of the Admissions Advertising Awards. The honored Spring 2003 issue, "Green Is Not Just a Color," was edited by Tom Wilson, writer/editor.

The issue examined the College's role in bettering the environment and included articles about biological testing of local watersheds, ecologically sound construction tips, alternative-fuel options and an appreciation of area woodlands all involving Penn College students and faculty.

College Information and Community Relations staff contributors were: Carter, Kauffman, Mack, Patterson, Williams and Joseph Yoder, news bureau manager. Other contributors included Debra A. Buckman, assistant professor of environmental technology; Buckman's son, Nicholas, a 2002 Mass Communications graduate; James F. Finkler, annual giving officer; Jack E. Fisher, lab assistant for forest technology; Dr. Ronald A. Garner, associate professor of automotive technology; Dorothy J. Gerring, associate professor of architectural technology; Dr. Carol J. Kafer, associate professor of biology; Dr. Dennis F. Ringling, professor of forestry; and Dr. Mary A. Sullivan, assistant dean of natural resources management.

"Penn College & You" captured its Bronze Telly Award for the episode "Diversity of Life." Taped at Wallis Run in the Williamsport area, the episode documents the efforts of Dr. Kafer and her biology students in sampling macroinvertabrates to determine diversity level and water quality.

"One College Avenue" received its Bronze Paragon Award for the Summer 2003 issue, "Crafting a Life," which celebrated artisans and their handiwork. The issue, edited by Wilson, profiled a Civil War author and a welding artist from among the College's alumni and examined crafts as diverse as woodworking and model railroading. Other articles highlighted the importance of crafts in occupational therapy and a graduate's automotive tribute to the father he never met.

College Information and Community Relations staff contributors were: Carter, Kauffman, Mack, Patterson, Speicher, Williams and Yoder. Other contributors included William T. Goddard, assistant professor of construction technology; Barbara J. Natell, director of the occupational therapy assistant program; William Van der Meer, director of the Pennsylvania Housing Resource Center at Penn College; and Shea Winton, a senior at The Pennsylvania State University and the daughter of Mack.

"To be recognized as among the best in the nation in diverse media, ranging from television to magazines to promotional materials, is evidence of the diversity and creativity of our staff and faculty. It is very fitting that Pennsylvania's premier technical college also is seen as a leader in its use of various advanced marketing technologies," said Elaine J. Lambert, director of college information and community relations.

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