An initiative to raise money for the United Way has earned Continuing Studies at Western national recognition in continuing education.
The Canadian Association for University Continuing Education (CAUCE) awarded Continuing Studies top honours in the category, Marketing on a Shoestring (for low-budget/high-impact initiatives), at the CAUCE Annual Conference.
The campaign, Invest in Yourself: Help Your Community, was launched in November 2010 to raise money for the United Way and help Western meet their fundraising goal. Since 1994, Western faculty, staff, students and retirees have contributed more than $5 million to help strengthen the London community through their support of the United Way.
“United Way makes a significant difference in the lives of those in need in London and Middlesex,” says Alison Adair, communication coordinator at Continuing Studies. “We wanted to do our part for a great local charity, help Western meet their fundraising goal and make a substantial donation on behalf of Continuing Studies.”
During the month of November, five dollars from every registration at Continuing Studies was donated to the United Way.
Described as “innovative and a great way to help the community and enrolments,” the campaign was recognized for its marketing and communications plan.
“Using social media and email to spread the word helped us reach the local community immediately,” Adair says. “Our students are the ones that made the difference. They invested in themselves and at the same time helped their community.”