Commonwealth University Honored with 3 ‘CUPPIE’ Awards

Shown from left, are Thomas McGuire, director of strategic communications; Nicole Keller, senior director of enrollment marketing; and Stephen Filipiak, associate director of web and digital strategy.
Shown from left, are Thomas McGuire, director of strategic communications; Nicole Keller, senior director of enrollment marketing; and Stephen Filipiak, associate director of web and digital strategy.

MANSFIELD – The Marketing and Communications Department (MarComm) at Commonwealth University (CU) took home three awards at the recent 2023 CUPPIE Awards competition sponsored by CUPRAP (College and University Public Relations and Associated Professionals).

During an awards ceremony at the Lancaster County Convention Center on March 9, Commonwealth U received one bronze and two gold CUPPIES. A gold was awarded in the Long Form Story Writing category for the piece, “Pulling Back the Curtain on the Uncommon Man,” written by Thomas McGuire, senior director of strategic communications, for the Bloomsburg: The University Magazine winter 2022 issue. The second gold was awarded in the Wild Card category to the MarComm staff for their collective effort for community scholars and scholarship strategy (scholarship materials, media relations, social media and webpage) and the bronze was awarded in the Executive Communications Speech Writing/Remarks category for the “Clinton County Economic Partnership Keynote,” written by Elizabeth Arnold, executive communications and editorial director and Dan Knorr director of external and government relations.

“Congratulations to the Commonwealth University Marketing and Communications team on their impressive accomplishments at this year’s CUPRAP awards ceremony. Their efforts to promote and advance the university’s mission are to be commended,” said Bashar W. Hanna, president.

CUPPIE Awards are given for creative excellence in marketing and communications to the work of member institutions in the categories of advertising, electronic media, print, public relations and marketing, writing, and photography.

A total of 501 entries were received for the 16th annual CUPPIE Awards from colleges, universities, agencies, and providers of private, specialized, and secondary education. Judges represented experts in the field of communications and included designers, writers, educators, corporate executives, and media professionals.