2021 - ECC recognized with 15 Medallion awards from NCMPR District 3 Conference

The Elgin Community College Marketing and Communications team earned top honors at the 2021 National Council for Marketing and Public Relations (NCMPR) District 3 Conference, Oct. 3-5 in Grand Rapids, MI. The NCMPR Medallion Awards recognize outstanding achievement in design and communication in each of NCMPR's seven districts. The regional competition is exclusive to marketing and public relations professionals at two-year colleges.

NCMPR District 3, which includes community colleges in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, Wisconsin, and the Canadian province of Ontario, recognized ECC for its work in video, photography, digital images, poster/flyers, social media, and communications.

“This recognition by NCMPR is a testament to what we already know to be true,” said David Sam, PhD, JD, LLM, president of Elgin Community College. “At a time when workloads have increased due to demands related to the pandemic, this team continues to find ways to raise the bar on creativity. This honor for the ECC marketing and communications department is well deserved.”

ECC’s 15 awards include two golds, nine silver, and four bronze medallions.

“I continue to be inspired each and every day by this cohesive group of talented professionals,” said Toya Webb, EdD, chief marketing and communications officer, who also serves as the NCMPR District 3 Director. "I am honored to lead, support, and work alongside this team as they masterfully tell ECC’s story with passion and creative excellence.”

Additionally, ECC’s Communications and Social Media Manager, Elissa Kojzarek, was recognized as the District 3 Rising Star. This award recognizes newcomers who have demonstrated special creativity or ability in marketing and PR and shows evidence of a promising future in the field. Each winner, including Kojzarek, from the seven NCMPR districts will compete for the National Rising Star award at the national conference held in Denver, CO., in March 2022.

Kojzarek started at ECC in fall 2019, bringing more than ten years of non-profit experience to the college. Her passion for promoting student success stories and providing awareness of what ECC offers has led to increased engagement across all social media channels – even throughout the global pandemic. In addition to managing all of ECC’s social media channels and digital communications across campus, Kojzarek handles internal communications, creates content for the weekly employee newspaper, the Spartan Review, and the online newsroom.

The National Council for Marketing and Public Relations is the only organization of its kind that exclusively represents marketing and public relations professionals at community and technical colleges. As one of the fastest-growing affiliates of the American Association of Community Colleges, NCMPR has more than 1,700 members from nearly 650 colleges across the United States and Canada.