The 2024 CASE Circle of Excellence Awards recognize Texas Tech’s magazine and overall storytelling talent once again.

Texas Tech University's Marketing & Communications once again was lauded for its exceptional storytelling acumen, earning nine awards in the 2024 CASE Circle of Excellence competition, announced Wednesday (June 26).

The number of winning entries represents a record for the office after it landed eight a year ago and five in 2022. The international competition received more than 4,200 entries from around the world. Each year the awards salute exceptional achievement in advancement services, alumni relations, communications, fundraising and marketing.

“We have an extremely talented group of people dedicated to the craft of storytelling and the rewarding mission of sharing the incredible things happening on this campus,” said Glenys Young, senior director of storytelling. “I am extremely proud of our team and happy to see the amazing work they do every day affirmed in this meaningful way.”

Leading the way for Texas Tech's award winners were a pair of Grand Gold honorees, marking the second straight year the office has claimed two top-tier honors.

The invitation for “Texas Tech at Arrowhead: An Evermore Experience” was recognized with a Grand Gold in the invitations design category. The unique invitations were produced by Creative Lead Armando Godinez and Senior Designer Frank Vaculin. The judges were wowed by the creativity and passion of the Texas Tech team.

“This was absolutely fantastic. We loved it,” read their comments. “This entry sparked so much excitement. It was clear that they knew their audience, they had a solid (and clever) strategy and their execution was creative and inspiring. Their recipients should truly feel special.”

The other Grand Gold honoree was in the Column or Opinion Piece category and went to Lead Storyteller Lucy Greenberg for her powerful column entitled “Unfinished,” that provided a deeply vulnerable first-person account of Greenberg's own struggles to balance her mental health with the demands of professional success.

“We agreed, ‘Unfinished' was a very brave and compelling piece that was written with self-deprecation and humor, making it relatable to readers,” the judges said. “Additionally, the writer accomplished the goals of highlighting mental health services available and furthering the Beyond Okay campaign. The subject matter and the writer's ability to connect with the reader really set this piece apart from the group. Excellent work, Texas Tech University.”

Texas Tech storytellers also collected four Silver Awards, including two in the 1,000-plus-word profile writing competition. “The Rebirths of Shyama Golden” written by Young piqued the judges' interest as they praised the story concept as well as its narrative and the research work involved in bringing the account to life. It appeared in Evermore No. 5.

Greenberg received the other Silver Award in the category for her breathtaking story about the life of Saleha Soadat, titled “Never Erased.” The judges were impressed with the story's narrative pendulum, which swung back and forth between Soadat's life in war-torn Afghanistan and the United States.

“A powerful subject and compelling story,” they wrote. “This is an outstanding study of a subject, with a terrific Q&A included as well. Well done!”

Evermore, the university's award-winning magazine, added to its impressive array of accolades with issue No. 5 and issue No. 4 collecting Silver Awards in the Promotional Publication category. 

The fourth issue featured a sweeping retrospective on the origins of the Texas Tech fight song while the fifth issue drew a throughline from 1963 to the present day, relying on a web of interviews with a group of now-familiar Texas Tech alumni. The Evermore creative team is led by Young, who is assisted by designers, photographers and storytellers in bringing the twice-a-year publication to life.

“Great writing with dynamic and engaging design and photography,” the judges wrote of Evermore No. 5. “A unique cover really made this nomination stand out. Similarly, we really enjoyed the content creativity of the piece.”

“An excellent anniversary issue with a mix of historic and contemporary articles and a focus on illustrations,” read their comments on Evermore No. 4. “Kudos for the originality. We agreed that the cover is striking, and the design sets the nomination apart. A perfect mix between fun and professional, this publication speaks to several target audiences.”

Texas Tech picked up three bronze awards, all in the 1,000-plus-word profile writing category. Entries recognized included “Righting History, One Case at a Time,” a piece written by Allen Ramsey, director of digital storytelling, that offered an insightful look at Allison Clayton, who directs the Texas Tech Innocence Clinic.

“A well-written piece that captures the essence of grit,” read the judges' comments. “We appreciated the thoughtful detailing, compelling storytelling and well-chosen quotes.”

Lead Storyteller Ashlyn Grotegut's superb work was recognized with a pair of Bronze Awards. The first was for her story, “Curiosity Could Lead to Disney's Next CEO,” about a Texas Tech student's longtime inquisitiveness about Disney during the company's annual shareholder meetings.

“Lucid style, a sweet subject and a well-organized chronology made this a delight to read,” the judges said. “We appreciated the article's relevance and lessons for the intended audience.”

Her second award was for the story “It is Never Too Late to Change,” which detailed the redemptive tale of Anna Treviño, who overcame addiction and now uses her life story to encourage and empower others.

“An important and thought-provoking profile,” the judges said. “We praised the author's writing, research and tactful approach to a delicate subject. Well done.”

Young said Texas Tech's storytelling group continues to break new ground with emotional accounts that connect the campus audience to the people, projects and programs making a difference in West Texas and beyond.

“Our team loves Texas Tech, and they love what they get to do here,” she said. “I think that comes through across our storytelling platforms. These stories that were recognized are all fantastic, yet they are only a small sample of the work we do day in and day out.”

Read more of the outstanding work produced daily by Marketing & Communications on Texas Tech Now and by subscribing to Evermore.