Awards - Descriptions and Forms

Types of Entries

ACHE invites you to submit a variety of entries for consideration. Examples of marketing communications tools that could bring the Award to your organization include (but are not limited to): website design, electronic tools, print advertising campaign, broadcast spots (radio, television or Internet), publications, public relations events or a social networking campaign. The marketing/promotional initiative can include elements of print publication, radio and television, media relations, public relations activities, electronic communications, internal magazines, newsletters and similar tools. Institutions and members may submit multiple entries. However, each entry must be in support of a continuing education program or activity, not of other branches of the school.

Judging

The panel of judges from the Florida Institute of Technology will evaluate evidence of planning, quality, creativity and outcome(s).
Judging criteria include:

• The overall strategic approach, including clarity of purpose, definition of audience(s) and quality of implementation.
• Appropriateness of the communication tool chosen to reach the selected audience(s) and a thorough understanding of the intended outcome(s).
• Achievement of stated objective(s) and methods of measuring results.
• Innovation, originality and cost effectiveness.

All submissions will be reviewed by a judging panel that includes senior representatives in the field of marketing communications.

Eligibility

Nominees must be ACHE members in good standing and all programs nominated must be from institutional or organizational members. Multiple entries may be submitted for consideration. Marketing communications strategies and tools must have been implemented or completed between September 1, 2008 and December 31, 2009 to be considered for this award.

Recognition

One first-place winner will be announced and a representative invited to receive the award at the ACHE annual meeting as well as present the details of the project in a public session. The Crystal Marketing entry and a selection of other submissions will also be on display during the conference.

Submission Guidelines

• Submit a Nomination Form for each individual entry. Each form submission should include a Word document (.doc or .rtf) that includes responses to the following:
  • title of the campaign or submission
  • a brief background
  • target audience(s)
  • objective(s)
  • implementation
  • results
  • and budget (projected and actual).
• Once you’ve completed the online form, you’ll receive a confirmation e-mail to the e-mail address on your submission form.  Please print this confirmation email and enclose TWO copies of it with your submission materials.
• Send your submission materials by surface mail to:

Mary S. Bonhomme, Ph.D. Associate Provost for Online Learning and University Professor Dean of Online Learning Florida Institute of Technology 150 W. University Blvd. Melbourne, FL 32901-6975

• Your entry does not have to be mounted, but it should be prepared in a manner appropriate for judging and exhibition. Please consolidate materials for judging as an easy-to-follow presentation, e.g., a loose-leaf binder or one or more presentation boards. Mounted entries should be sized for easy handling and display (keeping in mind that entries may be displayed at the annual meeting). If you have questions about the packaging of entries, please contact the marketing award coordinator for suggestions.
• Electronic media entries must include hard copies of sample pages. Broadcast entries must include a script.

Please note that submissions and the components or samples cannot be returned, nor does ACHE reimburse award recipients' travel, registration fees or application expenses.

Nomination Form

A. Original or Innovative
In order to qualify for an award, a program should be judged original or innovative in two or more of the following areas:

• Audience
• Minority, under-represented, or underserved population
• Delivery system
• Marketing and promoting
• Resources and/or facilities
• Partnering or in consortial arrangements
• Topics, content, or program design

B. Successful
To be judged a success, a program must fulfill all of the following:

• Meet established goals and objectives
• Receive positive response from the target group as demonstrated in evaluations (measurable outcomes)
• Meet budget requirements defined for its goals and objectives

Nomination Form

Award recipients must be ACHE members in good standing. Their winning program or project must be innovative, have a proven success record, demonstrate excellence, and be adaptive to other settings or institutions. Concise, well-written and engaging award nominations enjoy a clear advantage over other submissions.

Applicants are asked to submit a Word document (.doc or .rtf) than includes a maximum of a 500-word summary describing the program/project as fully implemented and then answers to the following:

• What are your goals and objectives with this project?
• Which technologies do you use and why did you select them?
• Why was the selection successful?
• How was it innovative?
• What does your program cost and how do you pay for it?
• How many people does it serve?
  
• How have you evaluated the program?
  
• What are the evaluation results?
  
• What is the most significant lesson learned from this experience?
  
• How might other institutions replicate or adapt this program to their needs?

Nomination Form

Criteria

The educational program must include a three-year strategic plan (current year plus two years) and meet the following criteria:

1) Program Definition and Duration:

• The educational program must be ongoing and delivered on a regular basis (i.e. not a single course or activity, such as an Elderhostel event).
• The proposal should include a schedule and description of the number and type of program offerings.
• The proposal should define the target population and enrollment numbers.

2) Program Replicability:

• The educational program can be clearly defined and described.
• The program provides a specific set of program opportunities (courses, events, activities) which are clearly described and documented.
• The program entry describes the human and financial resources (in-kind, fees, volunteers, etc) and explains the extent to which the resource allocations model can be replicated.
• The entry describes the ways the educational program can be adapted to a variety of educational environments and include:
  • A detailed description of the retirement-age target audience.
  • A detailed description of all programmatic opportunities.
  • A budget sheet describing income sources and expenses (direct/indirect) from the second year and the current year, including direct costs (printing, duplication, postage, facility costs, etc.), personnel costs and any “in-kind” contributions.

3) Budget:

• The entry should include a budget with stated financial objectives and documented success in meeting those objectives.

4) Innovative Model Program Elements:

• The educational program consistently utilizes institutional resources in creative new ways.
• The program consistently demonstrates new and different types of cooperative partnerships with other institutions/agencies.
• The program provides significant original content and/or format.
• The program employs a delivery system uniquely suited to its audience.

5) Program Impact:

• The educational program can document success in meeting older adult learner participant needs through evaluation measures.
• The program has developed program objectives and can document measurable success in meeting these program objectives.
• The program has earned recognition by the home institution for its contribution to the institutional mission.
• The program has contributed to the development of other older adult learner programs at other institutions.

6) Describe how the program fulfilled all of the following:

• Use of evaluation measures which document success in meeting retirement-age adult participant needs.
• Development of program objectives and documentation of measurable success in meeting these program objectives.
• Achievement of institutional recognition for programmatic contributions to the mission of the institution.

Nomination Form

Award recipients must be ACHE members in good standing. Their winning program or project must be innovative, have a proven success record, demonstrate excellence, and be adaptive to other settings or institutions, and document service to populations typically underserved by continuing higher education. Concise, well-written and engaging award nominations enjoy a clear advantage over other submissions.

Applicants are asked to submit a Word document (.doc or .rtf) than includes a maximum of a 500-word summary describing the program/project as fully implemented and then answers to the following:

• What are your goals and objectives of this program or service?
• Why does this program or service successfully meet the goals of this award?
• Describe the program or service as fully implemented. How was it innovative?
• What technologies, if any, were employed and how were they used?
• How much did the program or service cost? How was it financed? What was the cost to the beneficiaries?
• Has the program or service been evaluated?
• What are the evaluation results?
• What is the most significant lesson learned from this experience?
• How might other institutions replicate or adapt this program or service to their needs?
  

Nomination Form