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Members of the UNL Choirs perform ‘One Voice’ inside the United States Capitol Rotunda during the 2025 Presidential Inaugural ceremony on Monday, Jan. 20, 2025.
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Lauren Roberts, left, takes a selfie with Kirby Le outside the Thomas Jefferson Memorial on Friday, Jan. 17, 2025.
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Devin Countryman, left, and Anissa Hoffman dance before rehearsal inside the Rockville Hilton Hotel on Friday, Jan. 17, 2025.
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Members of the UNL Choir perform inside the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception on Saturday, Jan. 18, 2025.
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Chancellor Rodney Bennett surprises U.S. Congressman Mike Flood with a scarf as he met with members of the UNL Choir outside the United States Capitol on Sunday, Jan. 19, 2025.
Voices on a National Stage
Category
Communications > Storytelling
Description
Best of CASE District VI Award
Institution: University of Nebraska - Lincoln
Title of entry: Voices on a National Stage
About this entry: When the University of Nebraska–Lincoln Choir received an invitation from U.S. Sen. Deb Fischer to perform at the 2025 presidential inauguration in Washington, D.C., it was more than just a performance opportunity; it was a historic moment for students and for the university.
Working with the School of Music, the University Communication and Marketing team crafted a storytelling strategy that honored student achievement and expanded the university’s visibility across local and national platforms. We produced a three-part content arc on Nebraska Today: a pre-event announcement, a feature on a grandmother-daughter duo in the choir and a reflective multimedia story anchored by an original “One Voice” video and photo story on Exposure.
Two members of our team traveled to Washington, D.C., to capture photographs and video, while colleagues back in Lincoln developed written stories, coordinated distribution and supported media outreach. To participating students, the trip was a once-in-a-lifetime experience, a chance to sing at a moment of civic significance and represent Husker excellence on a national stage.
Our coverage drew strong engagement on Nebraska Today and generated more than 1 million social media impressions, nearly 29,000 reactions and widespread sharing. Local and national outlets, including CBS News, NBC Insider, USA Today, Voice of America, Deadline and 1011 Now, amplified the story, extending Nebraska’s presence well beyond its traditional audience. Nebraska’s federal congressional delegation also shared widely about the choir to their own channels. Multimedia coverage was highlighted with the YouTube video https://youtu.be/OD1Ll9cS5jo