From the Nominator

"In summer 2020, Princeton completed a large-scale renovation of the university's most iconic classroom, McCosh 50, a venerated lecture hall with a storied history. Speakers in McCosh 50 have included Supreme Court justices, Nobel laureates, Academy Award winners, and, perhaps most famously, Albert Einstein, who presented his theory of relativity in 1921. Funded by unrestricted alumni support through annual giving, the renovation was a complete overhaul that equipped the room with state-of-the-art furnishings and technology while preserving the historic character beloved by generations of Princetonians.   

During the 2020-21 academic year, the classroom remained unused due to COVID restrictions, so we were faced with the challenge of producing a donor thank-you video that showcased the renovation without being able to show students and faculty using the space. We decided to use animation, combined with video footage, not only to bring life to the vacant room, but also to tell the history of McCosh 50--and, in turn, the history of Princeton--in an imaginative way.   

Advancement communications staff members developed the concept and script and recorded voiceover narration. We contracted with a variety of external partners to film inside the room, develop storyboards, and create the animation that would bring our story to life.  

In fall 2021, the video was emailed to FY21 donors to show impact of their giving on behalf of the volunteer chair of annual giving, and posted on the alumni website and Princeton Alumni social channels, garnering over 14,000 impressions and 2,300 views."

From the Judges

This entry featured a very creative concept using animation to tell a story. We enjoyed the silhouetted and colorful animation overlay on top of the videos and photos. The video does a great job of evoking emotion.