�鶹��ý��Ƶ��վ University Website Redesign Wins Gold at Awards Ceremony

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�鶹��ý��Ƶ��վ University Website Redesign Wins Gold at Awards Ceremony

A laptop, tablet, and smartphone display the new website, illustrating its compatibility and modern design across platforms.

Mar 28, 2025 By Brad Thomas

The redesigned website earned top honors for creative excellence at the 51st Annual American Advertising Awards in Baltimore.

Sixteen months of dedication and diligence were rewarded when �鶹��ý��Ƶ��վ University’s website redesign won a prestigious Gold ADDY for advertising excellence at the annual American Advertising Awards, hosted by the . Taking first prize in the category of Consumer Online Interactive Websites, the website redesign advanced to the next round of the three-tier national competition, the largest and most representative in the advertising industry, attracting more than 35,000 entries each year.

�鶹��ý��Ƶ��վ undertook the challenge of redesigning its website after a successful brand relaunch in 2022. According to Casey Timmeny ‘99, assistant vice president for digital operations, the University understood that a website redesign was a necessary component in the push toward national prominence and was in a great position to begin that process.

For the redesign project, �鶹��ý��Ƶ��վ partnered with Baltimore-based , an integrative marketing and social design agency that works with mission-based brands in higher education and healthcare. “From the beginning,” Timmeny said, “idfive stood out to our team because of their creativity, higher education experience, research-driven approach, and focus on web accessibility, SEO, and performance.”

�鶹��ý��Ƶ��վ was determined to introduce visitors to its institutional identity through powerful design and storytelling, but the architecture of the website had not undergone a complete revision in over a decade. A redesign was necessary to provide more images, videos, dynamic content, and simpler navigation.

“A University’s website is often one of the first places a prospective student, parent, or job candidate might visit to learn about a school,” said Jennifer Anderson ’97 MBA’02, vice president for marketing and communications. “Having a well-optimized, modern interface and intuitive navigation ensures a good first impression.”

The new interface was created using data-driven insights and extensive user research. “By meeting with undergraduate and graduate students, parents, and alumni, we captured what was important and relevant to each of these user groups and presented the content in a way that captures their attention and meets their expectations,” Anderson explained.

The result, she added, “is a more engaging, responsive experience that connects with the visitor.”

From contract to launch, the redesign took about 16 months to complete. Timmeny said he is still impressed with how quickly it came together, especially given all the tasks and people involved.

“From conducting audience scans and interviews with stakeholders to redesigning the information architecture to designing, writing, and migrating content, it was intense,” he said. “It could not have happened without the dedication of many people, not only at �鶹��ý��Ƶ��վ and idfive but also at , who provided essential content management system support.”

Though idfive was the named recipient of the ADDY Award, �鶹��ý��Ƶ��վ University celebrated the achievement just the same, for its staff made significant contributions to the project.

For their tireless efforts, Timmeny gave a special shoutout to the Marketing and Communications team at �鶹��ý��Ƶ��վ. “This could not have happened without their selfless dedication to the project,” he said.

Meanwhile, idfive praised the winning partnership with �鶹��ý��Ƶ��վ. “Collaborating with such a committed and talented team at �鶹��ý��Ƶ��վ University to build a site that reflects their spirit and academic rigor was deeply rewarding,” a spokesperson for the company said. “Being recognized by the American Advertising Federation of Baltimore made it all the more meaningful.”

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