Harvey Mudd College Receives Top Awards from PRSA-IE

At a November event celebrating cutting-edge communications programs, Harvey Mudd College received three top awards from the California Inland Empire Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America.

Members of the College’s Office of Communications and Marketing received three Polaris Awards of Excellence: two for Mudd Magazine and one for an Office of Admission microsite. The magazine was lauded in the Digital–Website and Magazine/Newsletter/Periodical categories. Published three times per year, Mudd Magazine fosters ties with alumni and friends of the College by featuring achievements of alumni, students, faculty and staff, with particular emphasis on the societal impact of engineering, science and mathematics.

The admission microsite, which also received recognition this year from the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (Bronze) and UCDA (Design Award of Excellence), earned a Polaris Award in the Digital–Website category. Developed by an in-house team of two designers, one web developer, three content developers and two proofreader/reviewers, the HMC admission microsite contributed to a record number of applications for admission—a nearly 40% increase—from the most diverse applicant pool in the College’s history. The admission staff saw increases in applications from women (up 42%), Hispanic/LatinX students (up almost 50%) and African American/Black students (up 79%).

The Polaris Awards recognize the very best in public relations tactics and programs that successfully incorporate sound research, planning, execution and evaluation and represent the highest standards of performance in the public relations profession. This year, the Inland Empire chapter’s 53 entries were judged by the Maine Chapter of PRSA based on the four-step process to develop, implement and evaluate public relations programs and projects.

Formed in 1965, the Inland Empire Chapter of Public Relations Society of America serves San Bernardino and Riverside counties and is one of 10 chapters in the PRSA’s Western District, comprised of the states of California, Nevada, Arizona, Colorado and Hawaii. The Public Relations Society of America, headquartered in New York City, is the world’s largest professional organization for public relations professionals.