UAFS Communications Wins International CASE Award for Intrepid Ambition Publication

Written By: Rachel Putman

The University of Arkansas Fort Smith has earned a Silver Circle of Excellence Award from the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE), receiving international recognition for its Intrepid Ambition campaign publication.

The award places UAFS among the world’s leading educational institutions recognized for excellence in advancement, marketing, communications, and fundraising. In 2026, teams from 628 institutions across 33 countries submitted 4,185 entries, with volunteer judges selecting just 493 entries for bronze, silver, gold, and grand gold honors.

Published as part of UAFS’s Intrepid Ambition comprehensive campaign, Intrepid Ambition tells the story of the university’s mission to expand opportunity, strengthen the regional workforce, and transform lives through education..

The publication is available to read online at: https://issuu.com/ua_fort_smith/docs/uafs_intrepid_ambition_campaign.

In recognizing the publication, CASE judges praised both its storytelling and execution.

“This standout piece effectively illuminates the University of Arkansas Fort Smith’s impact on its students and the region. The publication features beautiful photography. Strong writing is easy to follow, culminating in a particularly powerful and moving final page. By successfully weaving together interviews and compelling quotes, the team created a cohesive narrative that feels both deeply rooted in the local community and highly effective for its primary audience.”

Often considered the premier international honors in educational advancement, the CASE Circle of Excellence Awards recognize exceptional ingenuity, creativity, and resourcefulness in higher education. The program spans 93 categories encompassing publications, fundraising campaigns, alumni engagement, marketing, special events, leadership, video, and other advancement initiatives.

Winning entries are evaluated on overall quality, innovation, effective use of resources, and measurable impact on their institutions and communities. Regional and district recognitions will be announced later this year.

The award recognizes the collaborative work of UAFS’s Communications and Marketing teams and the campus and community partners who helped bring the publication to life.  Rachel Putman, Ian Silvester, and Daniel Wiggins contributed to the final publication.

To date, the Intrepid Ambition campaign has raised more than $79 Million in support of UAFS students, faculty, staff, and the Rivery Valley community as a whole.