Powerful storytelling. Transformational philanthropy. East Tennessee State University earned national recognition for both, capturing two prestigious Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) Circle of Excellence Awards that showcase the impact of sharing stories that inspire action.

ETSU won Gold in the Circle of Excellence Video: Promotional (Long) category with “Hurricane Helene: One Year Later,” which documented the region’s recovery and reflected on lessons learned.  

Through insight from Dr. Andrew Joyner, Tennessee’s state climatologist and ETSU associate professor of geosciences, and Dr. Randy Wykoff, who recently retired as dean of the College of Public Health, the video connects climate science, public health readiness and regional resilience.  

This one-year reflection on the extensive work the university engaged in following the devastating storm extends that work, highlighting how research and partnerships continue to guide recovery long afterward.  

Judges lauded “Hurricane Helene: One Year Later” as “a great video with fantastic storytelling that relays a sense of community and shows how people can come together to turn a disaster into an opportunity for positive growth,” and that “helps generate a strong sense of pride in the institution.”

“It was incredibly inspiring to see the many ways the people of our region and our ETSU campus pulled together to help each other in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene,” Jess Vodden, vice president for Marketing and Communications, said. “I am very proud of our team for the work they did in documenting the role ETSU played in the recovery over time and sharing the valuable expertise and perspective of our campus experts who were deeply involved.”  

In addition, “Forever ETSU” won Bronze in the CASE Circle of Excellence Fundraising category for Annual/Regular Giving Campaigns for more than 25 staff.  

Forever ETSU is a weeklong campaign that grew in April 2025 from the university’s annual spring Day of Giving, celebrating gratitude, connection and impact across generations. Led by University Advancement, Forever ETSU included a multiday series of events, each with a unique focus – from Faculty and Staff Day and the traditional Day of Giving to a Student Day featuring a new dedicated student ambassador program.  

The 2025 Forever ETSU effort raised $826,335, a 79% increase over the previous highest total, with dramatic growth in participation across all groups.

Judges praised the campaign’s “effective ‘deep dive’ strategy, dedicating specific days to individual donor audiences, while maintaining an umbrella messaging framework across the entire campus.” They also noted the campaign’s success in doubling faculty/staff giving and growing student giving by over 300%.

“Forever ETSU was designed to be more than a week of giving,” said Desmond Pierce, executive director of annual giving in the Office of University Advancement. “It is a week of celebrating the people who make ETSU special. We’re honored that this work has been recognized with a CASE Circle of Excellence Award and proud to represent ETSU on the national stage.”

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