On July 2, 2025, the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) announced the recipients of the 2025 Circle of Excellence Awards.
For the second year in a row, SUNY Broome has become a bronze winner in the Magazines: Alumni/General Interest (Two-Year Institutions) category. We were one of the 477 total Circle of Excellence Award winners (all categories) out of 4,460 submissions (all categories) from 33 countries. SUNY Broome was one of only seven two-year institutions to win an award in 2025.
This accomplishment is noteworthy since winning entries are peer-selected by educational advancement professionals worldwide. Winners are chosen for overall quality, innovation, use of resources, and the impact on the institution or its communities, such as alumni, parents, students, faculty, and staff.
We won the bronze award for the two 2024 BROOME Alumni magazine editions. The spring edition featured three alumni working with medical emergencies in hospitals, helicopters, or middle school hallways. The fall BROOME magazine showcased four profiles of alumni working with animals in zoos, veterinarian offices, and labs. The judges commented, “A magazine with a strong identity and solid content that doesn’t need flashy treatment to be compelling and can stand on its own. The editorial team should be proud to find so much for their alumni to feast on and to add pages during a time when many are cutting.”
BROOME’s team in 2024 consisted of Editor Cathy Abashian Williams, MPA, Assistant Editor & Designer Erin Merritt (ARTS ’13), Staff Writer Elisabeth Costanzo Stewart, Staff Photographer Matthew Ebbers (MUSS ’15), and editorial committee members from the Office of Marketing and Communications (MarCom) and the SUNY Broome Foundation: Kerry Gallagher, Ashley Kemak (LAGS ’04; ISAT ’10), Valerie Pitcher, Lisa Schappert & Jesse Wells.
“The Circle of Excellence Awards shine a spotlight on the extraordinary creativity, passion, and innovation demonstrated by advancement professionals at institutions around the world,” says Sue Cunningham, CASE President and CEO. “These awards not only celebrate outstanding achievements but also underscore how essential this work is to strengthen educational communities and positively shape lives and society. I extend my heartfelt congratulations to this year’s recipients for their dedication and remarkable accomplishments.”
CASE is the global nonprofit association dedicated to educational advancement — alumni relations, communications, development, marketing, and advancement services — and championing education to transform lives and society. CASE’s membership includes more than 3,000 colleges, universities, and independent elementary and secondary schools in more than 80 countries, making CASE one of the largest nonprofit education associations in the world in terms of institutional membership. CASE’s annual Circle of Excellence Awards showcase outstanding work in advancement services, alumni relations, communications, fundraising, and marketing.
Tags: Awards, SUNY Broome Foundation
