Austin College Wins Gold in Collegiate Advertising Awards

SHERMAN, TEXAS – Austin College has received multiple Gold Awards in the 2025 Collegiate Advertising Awards.

The Collegiate Advertising Awards (CAA) is a prestigious competition that honors excellence in higher education communications, marketing, advertising, and promotional efforts across the United States and Canada.

This year’s competition received entries from a wide range of colleges and universities, from small community colleges to large institutions and university systems.

Submissions were evaluated by a national panel of industry professionals and scored on a 100-point scale. Austin College competed against institutions of similar size within designated categories and divisions.

Awards were presented to entries receiving the highest scores, with Gold Awards given to entries that score 95 to 99, representing the top 5% of all entries from across the nation for advertising excellence. Entries were judged on criteria including creativity, layout and design, functionality, message effectiveness, production quality, and overall appeal. Representing all areas of communications, media, marketing, advertising, and promotion, the 2025 Collegiate Advertising Awards showcased some of the strongest and most innovative work in higher education marketing today.

The College’s Institutional Marketing and Communications team received Gold Awards across five categories:

• External Publication: Austin College Magazine 2025 Issue
• Radio – Single: August in Texoma Radio Ad
• Virtual Tours: Austin College Residence Life “Welcome to ’RooNation”
• Photo/Illustration – Single: Hand Drawn Community Map
• Self-Promotion Series: What’s New with You ’Roo?

“Winning five Golds this year is a tremendous honor. I am proud of this team for trying—and excelling at—some new things, like the radio ad we produced for KLBC and our virtual residence hall tour.  I am equally proud to earn a Gold Award for our 2025 issue of Austin College Magazine; achieving creative excellence on a project that you do year after year is its own feat,” said Vice President for Marketing and Communications Heidi Rushing.  “The marketing and communications staff members at Austin College are all incredibly talented at what they do, and it is gratifying to once again have some of our outstanding work recognized by the Collegiate Advertising Awards.”

Austin College, a private national liberal arts college located north of Dallas in Sherman, Texas, has earned a reputation for excellence in academic preparation, pre-professional foundations, committed faculty, and hands-on, adventurous learning opportunities. One of 44 schools profiled in Loren Pope’s influential book Colleges That Change Lives, Austin College boasts a welcoming community that embraces diversity and individuality, with more than 50 percent of students identifying as persons of color. The residential student body of approximately 1,300 students and an expert faculty of more than 100 educators allow a 11:1 student-faculty ratio and personalized attention. Related by covenant to the Presbyterian Church (USA), Austin College cultivates an inclusive atmosphere that supports students’ faith journeys regardless of religious tradition. The College, founded in 1849, is the oldest institution of higher education in Texas operating under original name and charter.