Web site wins district award

The Emporia State University home page was recognized as one of the best in the region in a recent university marketing contest.

The Council for Support and Advancement of Education District VI recognized the university entry page at www.emporia.edu with its Silver Award for “Excellence in Multimedia.” ESU’s entries competed with university projects from eight states.

“The homepage is the most important page on our website because it has to be able to identify and relate to many different types of people,” said ESU Webmaster Zac Lavicky.

“This award tells us that we are doing a good job identifying with our audiences, and we plan to make it even better in the future,” he said.

The site features links which lead prospective students, current students, employees, alumni and parents to information that best applies to them. It also features a rotating selection of photos that represent the diverse cultures and activities found at ESU.

“These photos represent each type of student that attends the university. They allow prospective students the opportunity to relate to current students who have common interests,” said Lavicky.

The university web site serves as a marketing tool, an information archive, a directory, a public relations bureau and a means of communication with faculty and staff. According to Lavicky, the site is often the first impression prospective students have of ESU.

“If we don’t identify with that user within 10 to 15 seconds, they will move onto another university web site. We have to attract their attention and give them a reason to learn more about the university,” he said.

According to Lavicky, the front page was created with feedback from all sectors of the university. Since the new site launched in December 2002, the webmaster’s office has worked with departments and offices to create a consistent design themes among all ESU web pages.

Future upgrades will allow users to customize the information they use most when they open the homepage. It will also feature video and audio to promote ESU’s programs in a more multidimensional fashion.

“We want to show the richness of our university with the rich selection of digital tools we have to choose from,” said Lavicky.

Last Updated July 2, 2007>