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VANCOUVER, B.C. - A diverse range of promotional efforts for Oregon State University programs and people earned major recognition recently at a regional conference for the Council for the Advancement and Support of Education (CASE), the world's largest educational organization.

Entries from OSU won 10 awards in the CASE District VIII competition, including a grand gold. District VIII includes 117 educational institutions from Oregon, Alaska, Idaho, Montana and Washington, as well as Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, Northwest Territories, Nunavut, Saskatchewan and Yukon Territories in Canada. OSU was among the most recognized schools at the conference, held Feb. 22-24 in Vancouver, B.C.

"It's gratifying to see professional recognition of promotional materials that have resonated so well with potential students, alumni, and members of the University community," said OSU President Ed Ray. "These awards represent important peer recognition of the significant progress that we are making in communicating the university's story."

Six posters created in support of the OSU strategic initiatives won the district's highest honor, a grand gold in Visual Design, Illustration and Photography. CASE presents only one such prize in each of its six award categories, and at OSU, that honor went to Brian Kerr, assistant professor of art, Tina Chovanec, director of University Publications, and Gregg Kleiner, director of marketing and communications for the College of Engineering.

The imaginative, eye-catching posters are hanging in multiple campus locations, including the lobby of the Kerr Administration Building and the heavily trafficked coffee shop of the Valley Library.

OSU earned a second gold award in the same category for street banners created in support of the grand opening of the Kelley Engineering Center. Graphic designer Chris Hunter and Kleiner collaborated on that project.

In the Publications category, a suite of print ads touting OSU research excellence earned a silver award. Combining forces on those ads, which have run in The Oregonian and other publications, were Chovanec; Kelly James, photographer; Nick Houtman, director of Research Communications; and Melody Oldfield, assistant director of University Marketing.

OSU earned a second silver award for the College of Engineering annual report - a collaboration between Kleiner; Aimee Brown, engineering marketing communications associate; Amy Charron, senior graphic designer; Sarah Fine, a freelance designer; and photographers Gary Oakley of OakleyPhotography.com, Craig Volpe, Peter Eckert/Eckert & Eckert Photography and Larry Geddis Graphic Design.

OSU took home a total of six bronze awards for the following projects:

In electronic media, an OSU television commercial created by Fluid Images of Sisters, Ore., in conjunction with University Advancement Vice President Luanne Lawrence, Oldfield, marketing coordinator Rebecca Klinkhammer, and Larry Pribyl, associate director of News and Communication Services earned kudos.

Jared Corcoran, OSU Foundation graphic designer, and Nate Coston, annual giving associate director, won for an e-mail solicitation making creative use of Flash animation. Chovanec, Web communications coordinator Carol Andrews and senior editor Larry Luta teamed with the creative firms of Leopold Ketel & Partners and Deep Play on an OSU virtual tour that also earned honors. Also from the foundation, graphic designer Amy Voldengen was honored for a Thanksgiving/holiday card for innovative multimedia projects.

In visual design, art department chair Jim Folts and graphic designer Hunter won for creation of banners celebrating OSU faculty, students, staff and alumni that have been prominent on both Jefferson Street and in OSU This Week. Finally, photographer Cheryl Hatch won in the same category for a collection of faculty photos that have been used in the president's annual report, on the OSU home page and elsewhere.

"I'm proud of all the thoughtful, high-impact work created by the University Advancement staff and our colleagues across campus," said Lawrence. "But all of these projects highlight the outstanding research, scholarship and service of the people of OSU, so I'm particularly pleased that these awards focus even more attention on that."