CORVALLIS, Ore. – Faculty and staff in the Oregon State University Division of Extension and Engagement received seven awards — including a Gold Award and a best-in-class award for crisis and issues management — from the 2025 Critique & Awards program of the Association for Communication Excellence in Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Life and Human Sciences.
The national organization, known better by the acronym ACE and mostly comprised of communicators in land grant universities, presented the awards June 18 during its annual conference in Milwaukee.
The award-winning efforts involved teams from OSU Extension Communications (EC) and programs in 4-H Youth Development (4-H), Agricultural and Natural Resources (ANR), Family and Community Health (FCH), Forestry and Natural Resources (FNR), Juntos and other partners.
Gold Award
Issue Management: Jennifer Alexander (EC), Jamie Davis, Kristopher Elliott, Tiffany Gillis, Cathy Haas (4-H), Heidi Luquette, Wiley Thompson, Ashton Robertson (4-H) and Lanesha Reagan, for their coordinated response and communication strategy addressing Extension in Josephine County. This entry also received the Outstanding Professional Skill award in the Crisis and Issues Management category.
Silver Awards
Editing: Janet Donnelly (EC), “Fire Bright: A Curriculum for High School Educators.”
Popular Publications, Other: Janet Donnelly (EC), Stella Copeland, Vanessa Schroeder (ANR), Alison Agneray, Sarah Barga, Corey Gucker, Sarah Kulpa, Eugénie MontBlanc and Kelly Finan, “Sagebrush Wildflowers: From Blossom to Seed.”
Bronze Awards
Crisis Communication: Jennifer Alexander (EC), Jamie Davis, Cathy Haas (4-H) and Kristopher Elliott, “Swine Pens” emergency communication response.
Marketing Communications Campaign with Budget of $1,000 or More: Ann Marie Murphy (EC), Diana Reyes (EC), Holly Thompson (EC), Glenda Hyde (FCH), Lauren Kraemer (FCH) and Isabella Brown (EC), emergency preparedness.
Publishing for Diverse Audiences: Ada Solario (Juntos), PASOS Family Guide
Service Photo: Hope Stephens (EC), Seed to Supper in the Garden
Other Oregon winners were Inka Bajandas and Jordan Benner with the Oregon Forest Resources Institute. Bajandas won Gold Awards in Writing Within a Specialized Publication and Annual and Special Reports for Sourcing from Sustainable Forests. Benner won a Bronze Award in Profile Video for Reforestation in Oregon: Series.
