Ann Arbor Times

Eastern Michigan University’s 175th Anniversary microsite has received the Best of CASE District V Award in the Marketing: Micro-sites category. The award highlights the site’s innovation, sustainability, and storytelling impact.

The Division of Communications developed the website as a central feature for EMU’s 175th anniversary celebrations. The team included Darcy Gifford, assistant vice president of marketing and communications, Paul Vuocolo, director of web and digital strategy, Biju Kalapurakkal (web developer), Deena Hosmer (web content specialist), Aditya Lall (student web developer), and Sathwik Naveen Kumar (student web developer). Alexis Braun Marks and the EMU Archives team contributed by populating the timeline and providing content support.

“We wanted to create something with staying power,” Gifford said. “The goal was a living, lasting archive that continues to tell Eastern’s story long after the milestone year.”

The microsite offers interactive storytelling, archival images, multimedia content, a timeline of milestones, “Points of Pride,” University “Firsts,” and stories from Eastern Magazine and EMU Archives. Visitors can view a commemorative video, historical photo galleries, and other multimedia resources.

Built entirely by staff and students using existing templates and frameworks, the project focused on sustainability and long-term value.

“The EMU 175th anniversary site was a great opportunity for our team to grow creatively,” Vuocolo said. “We explored new page layout ideas, added features like the interactive timeline, and expanded our library of page-building components. It was a true team effort across content, design, and development."

This award is one of three recognizing initiatives related to EMU's 175th anniversary. Other honors include recognition for Eastern Magazine's 175th-anniversary issue in Publications: Promotional Publications category and an award for the EMU Foundation’s single-day celebration event.

CASE District V includes more than 400 institutions in Michigan, Indiana, Ohio, Illinois, and Wisconsin. Its annual awards recognize excellence in advancement activities such as alumni engagement and marketing.

Founded in 1849, Eastern Michigan University is Michigan's second-oldest public university with over 12,000 students enrolled in various programs across several colleges. The university emphasizes career readiness through hands-on learning opportunities.