Awards Presented at the 2024 AMA Symposium for the Marketing of Higher Education Held in Las Vegas, NV
Chicago, IL—The American Marketing Association (AMA) and the AMA Foundation announced the winners of the prestigious AMA Higher Education Marketer of the Year Awards and the AMA Emerging Marketer in Higher Education Award. These awards recognize exceptional creativity and ingenuity within the higher education marketing landscape and celebrate individuals and teams or organizations that have demonstrated outstanding innovation in traditional and/or digital realms. The Best Branded Merch in a University Marketing Campaign Award recognizes the creativity and effectiveness of promotional merchandise in university marketing efforts.
“Congratulations to all our 2024 winners and finalists for their extraordinary contributions to higher education marketing,” said Bennie F. Johnson, CEO of the AMA. “Their leadership, creativity, and vision have set new standards in the field, and we’re honored to recognize these winners for their transformative impact and marketing excellence.”
The AMA Foundation Higher Education Marketer of the Year Award sponsored by Yes& Lipman Hearne
Individual Winner:
- Grant J. Heston, Virginia Commonwealth University
Finalists:
- Lauren Griswold, Boise State University
- Tony Proudfoot, Western Michigan University
The AMA Foundation Higher Education Marketer of the Year Award sponsored by Yes& Lipman Hearne
Team Winner:
- The United States Military Academy at West Point
Team members: Luke High; Nathan Pfaff; Damian Shepard; Emily Baird; Peter Kinton
Finalists:
- Point Loma Nazarene University
Team members: Dave Gladson, Associate VP for Marketing; Jill Chou, Director of Creative and Brand; Sachi Sterns, Design Manager; Erin Togerson, Director of Marketing Operations; Nate Hamill, Director of Content Strategy; Tyler George, Website and Content Strategy Manager
- EdPlus at Arizona State University
Team members: Casey Ambrose, Deputy Chief Growth Officer; Steven Barthelemy, Sr. Multimedia Marketing Specialist; Mary Brewer, Assistant Manager; Courtney Coudret, Educational Outreach Manager; Lexy Fairfield, Sr. Marketing Copywriter; Matt Freed, Sr. Director of Marketing; Ashley Gallagher, Assistant Director, Special Projects; Lauren Hanneman, Communications Coordinator; Chad Hays, Sr. Marketing Content Strategist; Carrie Holstein, Associate Director of Marketing Services Management; Hannah Hunter, Social Media Specialist; David Ifergan, Marketing Research Analyst Sr.; Tabitha Karaba, Multimedia Marketing Assistant; Margot LaNoue, Sr. Media Relations Coordinator; Charrie Larkin, Social Media Manager; Jesse Millard, Sr. UX Writer; Allison Mills, Director, Content Strategy; Quinn Mitchell, UX Writer; Stephanie Morse, UX Content Manager; Breena New, Marketing Services Manager; Domenico Nicosia, Associate Director, SEO Technical Operations and Strategy; Grace Olson, Social Media Asset Coordinator; Dakota Parks, Marketing Copywriter; Katie Paulson, Marketing Copywriter; Carrie Peterson, Associate Director, Media Relations; Faith Popov, Multimedia Marketing Assistant; Carlos Samano Ramirez, Sr. Director, Enrollment & Retention, Communications; Meenah Rincon, Public Relations Manager; Jordan Roberts, Associate UX Writer; Ty Seibel, Associate Director, Student Success Communications; Abby Terlecki, Associate Director, Content Strategy; Ruben Tinoco, Multimedia Marketing Team Lead; Marianna Touloumes, Communications Specialist; Katelyn Tse, Multimedia Marketing Specialist; Jennifer Wagner, Associate Director, Recruitment Communications; Brooke Weiler, Communications Manager; Kelsey Wiseman, Manager of Performance and Digital Engagement; Madison Woodward, Marketing Services Manager
The AMA Emerging Marketer in Higher Education Award Winner
- Devin Purgason, Forsyth Technical Community College
Finalists:
- Allyson Schatzer, Ohio University
- Katelyn Mills-Erickson, University of Iowa
The AMA Emerging Marketer in Higher Education Award recognizes exceptional creativity and ingenuity in advancing marketing and communications strategies within the higher education landscape. This award celebrates individuals, teams, or collaborations that have demonstrated outstanding innovation in traditional and/or digital realms among project-based, campaign-based, or a collection of projects from the last academic year.
To be eligible for the AMA Foundation Higher Education Marketer of the Year Awards, individual nominees and teams must be currently employed at a higher education institution with focus on the branding, marketing, and communications aspects of a college or university. All nominees are considered regardless of organization size and budget. Two awards are presented—one award recognizing an individual thought leader and one award recognizing an outstanding marketing team.
Best Branded Merch in a University Marketing Campaign Award sponsored by Promotional Products Work! Winner
- University of Pittsburgh
Finalists:
- Loyola University Maryland
- University of Montana
The Best Branded Merch in a University Marketing Campaign Award recognizes the creativity and effectiveness of promotional merchandise in university marketing efforts. This award invites all higher education marketers to showcase their most innovative and impactful branded merchandise used in a marketing campaign.
Learn more about these AMA awards.
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About the Winners:
Grant Heston, Vice President for Enterprise Marketing and Communications, VCU
Grant Heston is vice president for Enterprise Marketing and Communications for VCU and its health system, VCU Health. After arriving in 2021, he built the first integrated branding, communications and marketing division and unified brand platform that serve both the university and health system.
He is thankful every day for the talented, dedicated and fun marketing and communications colleagues he works with. Home to more than 28,000 students, VCU is ranked as a top 50 public research university by the National Science Foundation.
Grant previously spent more than 12 years in several roles — including vice president for Communications and Marketing and Chief of Staff to the President — at the University of Central Florida.
He has an undergraduate degree in Journalism from the University of Florida and an MBA from the University of Central Florida. Grant has written professional and personal stories that have been published by The Washington Post, Sports Illustrated, The Chronicle of Higher Education, Inside Higher Ed, the Association of Governing Boards and more.
West Point Directorate of Admissions Marketing Team
The West Point Directorate of Admissions Marketing Team is a cohesive and innovative group comprising Army Officers, an Army Civilian, and Agency professionals, all dedicated to attracting and enrolling high-caliber candidates who embody the values and standards of the United States Military Academy. The team includes expert marketers, data analysts, outreach specialists, and strategic planners who leverage their varied expertise to support the Academy’s mission. Each team member plays a critical role, from developing data-driven, omni-channel marketing strategies to building impactful partnerships and engaging with prospective students nationwide.
Through a collaborative and mission-driven approach, the team synchronizes brand communications across the Academy, ensuring consistency in West Point’s messaging and values. By focusing on geographic reach, academic excellence, and leadership potential, they connect with a diverse candidate pool, cultivating a well-rounded and inclusive Corps of Cadets.
With a steadfast commitment to innovation and continuous improvement, the West Point Admissions Marketing Team remains a leader in higher education recruitment, advancing the Academy’s mission to develop future leaders of character for the Army and the nation.
Devin Purgason, Executive Director of Marketing and Student Care, Forsyth Technical Community College
As Executive Director of Marketing and Student Care at Forsyth Tech, Devin brings a rich blend of visual creativity and a deep commitment to education. Devin’s evolution as a media professional enriches his innovative strategies in higher education marketing. He has been honored with Winston Salem’s Under 40 Leadership Award, NC Triad Business Journal’s 40 under 40 and a multiple CASE awards. His academic achievements include graduating summa cum laude from Piedmont International University, earning a master’s in historical theology from Southeastern Seminary, and securing a graduate certificate from Duke University, reflecting his dedication to leadership and community transformation.
About the American Marketing Association (AMA)
As the leading global professional marketing association, the AMA is the essential community for marketers. From students and practitioners to executives and academics, we aim to elevate the profession, deepen knowledge, and make a lasting impact. The AMA is home to five premier scholarly journals including: Journal of Marketing, Journal of Marketing Research, Journal of Public Policy and Marketing, Journal of International Marketing, and Journal of Interactive Marketing. Our industry-leading training events and conferences define future forward practices, while our professional development and PCM® professional certification advance knowledge. With 70 chapters and a presence on 350 college campuses across North America, the AMA fosters a vibrant community of marketers. The association’s philanthropic arm, the AMA’s Foundation, is inspiring a more diverse industry and ensuring marketing research impacts public good.
AMA views marketing as the activity, set of institutions, and processes for creating, communicating, delivering, and exchanging offerings that have value for customers, clients, partners, and society at large. You can learn more about AMA’s learning programs and certifications, conferences and events, and scholarly journals at AMA.org.