Western Winning in Nashville

Cowgirl Candace comes to win in the digital media game — every single time.

A sweet treat to add to my equine editorial portfolio happened Feb. 7 in Nashville, Tennessee. I won a Special Merit Award during the 2016-17 Council for Advancement and Support of Education district conference for the Southeast region.

My award-winning work: the digital storytelling and design behind Columbus State University’s alumni magazine (Columbus State: The Magazine of Columbus State University for Alumni & Friends).

The coolest part: The digital publication became a finalist in the category of “Magazine or Publication Rendering for Tablet of Mobile Technology” and earned its first-ever award — an accomplishment I hit as editor just a year after joining the university’s marketing team, revamping the traditional print magazine and bringing it online for today’s mobile reader.

As editor, I spearhead the editorial production of the biannual publication, which chronicles the university’s influential graduates and campus life. It reaches nearly 32,000 alumni and now has an interactive digital presence.

I can’t wait to continue sharing inspiring alumni accomplishments with CSU readers while combining both traditional and new media into cutting-edge digital storytelling.