College Receives 'Communicator Award' for Marketing CD-ROM

Pennsylvania College of Technology has received a prestigious honor from an international awards program for an innovative CD-ROM it produced for marketing purposes.

The CD-ROM, "This is the Real World," earned the College a "Crystal Award of Excellence" in the "Multi-Media/Interactive CD-ROM" category of the Communicator Awards 2001. It featured on-screen testimonials by Penn College students and is used by the College in a variety of recruiting efforts.

With the innovative multimedia features of the CD-ROM, prospective students can navigate through various sections at their own pace. They can choose from a listing of academic majors, an overview of the College's eight academic schools and a virtual tour with 360-degree panoramic views. Students can also learn about the admissions process, get a feel for housing, dining, activities and sports options, and apply online directly from the CD.

The award the College received is presented to approximately 12 percent of entrants in the competition. The entries are judged by a panel of industry professionals who look for work that serves as a benchmark for the communications industry. For the 2001 video competition, there were 3,401 entries from 47 states, the District of Columbia and 11 countries.

The Penn College effort was designed and produced entirely "in-house," using staff from the Office of Instructional Technology and Distance Learning, the Office of College Information and Community Relations, and Computer Services.

Working on concept and program development for the CD-ROM were Fred Gilmour, who retired recently as director of instructional technology and distance learning; Steven T. McDonald, coordinator of instructional technology/media services; and Elaine J. Lambert, director of college information and community relations.

The graphic design was provided by Alex P. Bierly, multimedia development specialist, with support from College Information and Community Relations staff. Digital engineering and video were provided by Bruce E. Huffman, coordinator of digital media production; and Christopher J. Leigh, digital media production specialist.

"This is a well-deserved honor that everyone worked hard to achieve," said Jennifer McLean, director of instructional technology and distance learning. "The time and talent these individuals put into this project is a credit to the institution."