From the Nominator

At the close of 2018—a challenging year at Michigan State University—an institutional-level holiday greeting and related campaign shared messages of good will and reflected what it truly means to be a Spartan in a way that was appropriate for the season and, more important, for the time. The interactive on-campus and social media activities enabled MSU students, faculty, staff, and alumni to give and receive messages of hope and inspiration, hand-written on specially designed Spartan snowflake ornaments. The activities, and the resulting video and feature content, provided Spartans near and far with a “A Flurry of Spartan Good Will” and some much-needed comfort and joy.

From the Judges

As educational institutions throughout the world face an increasing number of challenges outside of the ordinary, this entry stands out as an example from which everyone can learn and benefit. Michigan State University handled an extremely difficult situation in a very graceful way. They truly did create a “Flurry of Spartan Good Will,” as evidenced by impressive social media reach and page views. The small team also accomplished this with a very modest budget. This was thoughtful, strategic communications and marketing at its best, and an example of how these professionals can make a powerful impact beyond fundraising and recruitment efforts.