Mount Vernon, WASH. — Skagit Valley College was honored at the 2025 Paragon Awards from the National Council for Marketing & Public Relations (NCMPR) at the council’s national conference in March in Washington, D.C.
NCMPR’s Paragon Awards recognize outstanding achievement in design, strategy and communication at community and technical colleges. It's the only national competition of its kind that honors excellence exclusively among marcom and public relations professionals at community and technical colleges.
SVC’s marketing and communications team was awarded in the following categories:
- Gold Paragon for the category: Original Photography (unmanipulated), for the team’s work on a photo of a welding student. The striking image captures an SVC female welding student mid-process as she fuses a round piece of steel in SVC’s Welding and Fabrication program.
- Silver Paragon for the category: Communication Success Campaign or Crisis Communication Campaign, for the team’s work on the One Island One Ocean campaign.
“This recognition reflects the talent, creativity, and dedication of our entire marketing and communications team,” said Marisa Pierce, executive director of strategic marketing and communications for SVC. “I’m incredibly proud of the thoughtful, mission-driven work they do every day to connect students with opportunity and tell the story of Skagit Valley College.”
This year’s awards drew 1,585 entries from 216 two-year colleges across the country and was judged by 67 professionals from the marcom and public relations industry.
“Behind every enrollment milestone, retention gain and student success story is a team of marketing and communications professionals working strategically and creatively to connect students with opportunity,” said Patrick Stone, NCMPR’s 2025-26 president and the director of strategic communications and marketing for Cape Cod Community College in Massachusetts. “This year’s winners stood out in an extraordinary field of entries, demonstrating that when community colleges invest in creativity and innovation, they amplify their mission and transform lives.”
For more information about NCMPR and the Paragon Awards, visit ncmpr.org/paragon-awards.
NCMPR supports the professional development of community college communicators, serving more than 1,500 members from more than 400 colleges across the United States and Canada. It’s the only organization of its kind that exclusively represents marketing and public relations professionals at community and technical colleges and is one of the largest affiliates of the American Association of Community Colleges. NCMPR is based in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
Media Contact Info
Marisa Pierce, Executive Director of Strategic Marketing and Communications
360.416.7957
marisa.pierce@skagit.edu