IUP Student Team Selected for 2026 Innovator Best Stewardship Campaign Award by National Company

"I am so proud of our student media creators and Alexa for winning this award," Director of Annual Giving and Fiscal Oversight Tonya Patterson said. "They took a general idea of wanting to do something more creative and just ran with it. This award really showcases the quality of our students and their willingness to think outside the box. I hope that our donors enjoy the videos and know how truly thankful we are for their ongoing support."

In recognizing the IUP team for the award, the EverTrue team noted that IUP's project "brought creativity, humor, and heart to donor stewardship with a ThankView by EverTrue campaign that felt uniquely IUP."

In addition to very positive feedback from donors, the video had a 68.6 percent open rate and nearly 29 percent click rate-compared to the industry average open rate of 35.63 percent and a click-through rate of 2.62 percent. The solicitation of donors that included the video also increased payroll deduction participation and an increase in the amount of individual gifts.

In addition to the recognition on the EverTrue website, Patterson and Zacek were interviewed for a podcast series, posted on the EverTrue website.

"The student media creators wanted something more creative and meaningful than a video following a standard script," Zacek said during the podcast. "They have really loved doing this work, and they've really appreciated all of the positive feedback," she said.

"When we talked at the beginning of the year about the idea of some kind of creative ThankView video, I told the students we wanted the ideas to come from them, from a student perspective. The students left, met, and then, probably 15 minutes later, they came to my office with the idea for the video. We want someone as a coach, someone as a groundskeeper, someone as a professor, they said. They laid it all out for me, and my response was 'Okay. Do it.' And they did," she said.

"While they had a script, they improvised probably 80 percent of that video, and the improvisation feels more authentic than something scripted," she said. "I made it clear to them that this video is supposed to be fully student created and fully student produced, that I was there only to answer questions or help if they needed it," Zacek said.

"Although there were risks with this, it was a learning opportunity and an important networking opportunity for students. The students get recognized everywhere on campus now by faculty and staff and other people who receive these videos," she said.

Since its founding in 1875, IUP has evolved from a teacher-training institution into a doctoral research university recognized for its commitment to student success and achievement. IUP's Impact 150 comprehensive campaign is designed to honor a legacy of educational excellence while looking toward a future of innovation, public service, and leadership in healthcare education, including the first college of osteopathic medicine at a public university in the Commonwealth.