Capturing Our Place In History

Month: November 2025

By Spark451 Media Relations|November 5, 2025

Spark451, a Jenzabar Company, is proud to announce that our partner, Hartwick College, has won a Gold Circle of Excellence Award from the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE). The Circle of Excellence Awards showcase outstanding work in advancement services, alumni relations, communications, fundraising, and marketing, and was awarded to Hartwick in recognition of their strategic market repositioning efforts, work completed in collaboration with Spark451.

“We’re incredibly proud that our shared work with Spark451, and the Hartwick team has been honored with a 2025 Circle of Excellence Award from the Council for Advancement and Support of Education,” said Gail Glover, Vice President for Strategic Communications. “This recognition is a testament to the strength of our partnership and the deep collaboration that fueled every step of the process, from strategy and storytelling to creative execution. Together, we elevated Hartwick’s distinctive Life Balance message in a way that not only reflects the spirit and momentum of the College, but also makes a lasting impact on how students, families, and the broader community see Hartwick’s transformative value.”

Taking a Stand

After years of being perceived as a high-cost liberal arts institution and in the midst of rising anxiety over FAFSA rollout delays — as well as increasing concerns from students, families, and the general public regarding the costs of higher education — Hartwick College made a bold decision: Implement a transparent tuition reset.

The Work

To assist in their efforts, Spark451 was brought on board to help craft a comprehensive campaign that would dismantle their high-cost perception, position the tuition reset as evidence of a larger commitment to financial accessibility, and establish them as a forward-thinking college that prioritizes student well-being. The result? “The Life Balance College.”

By aligning our work with the College’s newly launched capital campaign, “Together We Soar,” and engaging key stakeholders such as the College President, Board of Trustees, current students, advancement, faculty, coaches, the Oneonta community, and more, we helped raise awareness, excitement, and campaign contributions. Not only that, but by deploying resources across a mix of traditional and digital channels, including postcards for senior search, website updates, social media engagement, and importantly, data-injected, personalized financial aid communications to existing students, we were able to help existing students understand the new tuition model and illustrate how the changes impacted their individual financial aid packages. This level of transparency and individual attention helped to reduce anxiety and build trust.

The synergy between operational change and communications, driven by extensive stakeholder research, ensured that the message wasn’t just promotional but genuinely reflective of Hartwick’s values.

Outcomes

At the time of submission, measurable outcomes included significant year-over-year increase in freshman applications and acceptance rates, as well as noteworthy growth in key academic areas. Furthermore, a survey of admitted students revealed that 71% believe Hartwick is within their financial reach, a strong indicator of the success of the tuition transparency work.

Judges lauded the initiative, noting the well-executed materials and a unique connection to philanthropy. They further commented that “the communication strategy and products are a model for other institutions.”

We are honored to share in Hartwick’s accomplishments and take great pride in the results of this tremendous effort.