Best of CASE District III Award
 

Institution: University of Mississippi

Title of entry: 60th Anniversary of Integration at the University of Mississippi

About this entry: The University of Mississippi honored distinguished alumnus James Meredith and the 60th anniversary of the integration of the university with a series of events, programming and other commemorative activities in fall 2022 and throughout the academic year. United through the theme of “The Mission Continues: Building Upon the Legacy,” units across campus contributed to the commemorative efforts, including University Marketing & Communications, which was tasked with building awareness; garnering positive attention; promoting attendance and participation; and documenting the anniversary’s initiatives, events and recognitions. Because of the historical significance of the anniversary, the target audiences ranged from the campus community to national and global audiences.

The comprehensive communications campaign included developing a new anniversary microsite that features a dynamic timeline; publishing more than 30 news stories; designing a logo; producing printed materials including programs, posters and banners; developing a walking tour brochure and accompanying online map layer; creating a commemorative coin; promoting events; producing video content; and sharing email updates and a digital press kit.

The signature event occurred Sept. 28, 2022, with around 1,000 people in attendance including students, faculty, staff, community members, U.S. marshals, and federal, state and local government representatives. During the event, Meredith received numerous awards and commemorative items, a recently published book about the integration of the university and an honorary deputization into the U.S. Marshals Service. During that event, Meredith shared, “Thank you, University of Mississippi, for this occasion. I can assure you, in my opinion, this is the best day I ever lived.”