March 6, 2026

Ferris State Marketing and Communications team earns nine Education Advertising Awards for telling the stories of people and programs

KCAD student Austin Nesbitt standing in front of a billboard inspired by his design, which helped lead Ferris State to receiving a Silver Award for the "Total Advertising Campaign" category.

BIG RAPIDS, Mich. —

Ferris State University’s Marketing and Communications team earned nine awards, including three Gold Awards, from a national education marketing organization for its work telling the stories of Ferris State students, faculty, and programs.

The honors came from the Educational Advertising Awards, the largest and oldest national competition recognizing excellence in marketing and advertising for schools, colleges, and universities.

Judged by industry experts, entries are evaluated for creativity, marketing execution, and message impact across 54 categories ranging from print and digital media to social platforms. More than 2,000 entries were submitted for the 41st Annual Educational Advertising Awards, with results announced this week.

“Every day, we are inspired by Ferris State students and by the faculty and staff members who educate and support them,” said Dave Murray, associate vice president for Marketing and Communications. “It’s an honor to tell their stories, and we hope they inspire others to begin an educational journey that can transform their lives.”

The recognition comes as Ferris State recently received the elite Opportunity Designation from the Carnegie Classifications and the American Council on Education, recognizing institutions where graduates earn more in their careers compared to students from peer universities.

Overhead shot of The Ferris Foundation's 2025 Annual Report

The Ferris Foundation's 2025 Annual Report is one of many recent works that help tell the stories of Ferris State students, faculty, and programs.

The award-winning work reflects strong partnerships between the Marketing and Communications team, the Admissions Office, and departments across campus to share the stories of Ferris State people and programs.

Many of the campaigns focused on providing information to prospective students and their families while raising awareness of the high-quality education Ferris State provides to learners of all ages across Michigan and the nation.

All of the winning projects were planned and produced by members of the university’s Marketing and Communications team.

Ferris State’s awards included:

Gold Award – The Annual Report category for The Faces of Ferris State University, The Ferris Foundation’s annual report highlighting students who overcame challenges and succeeded with the support of foundation scholarships.
Gold Award – Direct Mail category for the redesigned admitted student acceptance packet that welcomes students and provides guidance on next steps and registration.
Gold Award – Integrated Marketing Campaign category for the “Unleash Your Potential” campaign featuring coordinated messaging and materials across multiple platforms.
Silver Award – Outdoor category for a wrapped bus design created through a partnership with The Rapid transit system.
Silver Award – Poster category for a new admissions recruitment poster.
Silver Award – Special Event Materials category for promotional materials supporting the annual student exhibition of Ferris State University’s Kendall College of Art and Design at DeVos Place in Grand Rapids.
Silver Award – Total Advertising Campaign category for the “Make it Here” campaign, which highlighted KCAD student creativity through billboards, social media, video, and press outreach during ArtPrize in Grand Rapids.
Merit Award – Outdoor category for a statewide “Unleash Your Potential” billboard campaign.
Merit Award – Student Viewbook category for a redesigned Ferris State viewbook introducing prospective students and families to academic opportunities and campus life.