Portland State Magazine and PSU Foundation win three international awards

Portland State University’s alumni magazine and the PSU Foundation were recognized with three Circle of Excellence Awards in the Council for Advancement and Support of Education’s annual competition showcasing outstanding work in educational advancement from institutions around the world.

Portland State Magazine won a gold award in the long-form news writing/features category for the 75th anniversary feature “Pieces of History.” The magazine’s spring 2021 cover feature took a new look at the University’s past through the stories of 21 objects and artifacts. Readers learned about everything from the towering copper beech tree the PSU library curves around to the presidential medallion that the university motto first appeared on. 

The magazine also received a bronze award for alumni magazines printed twice a year. Judges commented: “Quirky and original, this magazine captures the essence of its institution, students and alumni. A strong focus on storytelling makes for articles that are compelling reads. This magazine stands out from the formats and content used in many college and university magazines. Stories and photos stayed with us. Love how they chose to tell their institution’s 75th anniversary using artifacts.”

The PSU Foundation won a bronze award in the publication design category for its 2022 Campaign Impact Report, a printed report celebrating the successful completion of the University’s first-ever comprehensive campaign, which raised $300 million for students, faculty and programs. The judges noted: “This is a great example of how donor publications should be done.”

The peer-selected Circle of Excellence Awards are awarded by the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) and are the premier recognition program for educational advancement. In 2022, CASE received more than 4,500 entries from 636 institutions in nearly 30 countries. Of those, volunteer judges selected 626 exemplary entries for bronze, silver, gold, or Grand Gold recognition. Last year, Portland State University Communications won nine regional CASE awards for its work.