Pepperdine University Wins Two CASE Circle of Excellence Awards

Internationally Recognized Among 628 Academic Institutions for Marketing and Communication Excellence

Pepperdine University has received two 2026 Circle of Excellence Awards from the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE). Presented annually, the peer-selected awards recognize premier achievements in higher education marketing that advance the public face of educational institutions. 

This year's global competition attracted 4,185 entries from 628 educational institutions across 33 countries. The program’s 93 award categories span the full breadth of advancement, including magazines and publications, fundraising campaigns, alumni initiatives, special events, marketing, leadership, video, and more.

Pepperdine’s For Greater Purpose brand campaign anthem, “Hear the Call,” earned a Gold Award in the video commercials category. Filmed during breaking dawn and sunset along the Pacific coast, the cinematic minute-long video follows students’ journeys toward realizing their life's purpose—tracing the transition from seeking to full confidence in their direction. To ensure authenticity, actual Pepperdine students starred in the short video. 

“We are grateful for this recognition by CASE and our peers in higher education,” says Michael Thomas, Pepperdine’s vice president for integrated marketing communications. “These awards are the result of the extraordinary talent and devoted efforts of our media, marketing, and communications teams who care deeply about Pepperdine and each student’s greater purpose."

Judges praised “Hear the Call” as a “thoughtful use of light, transitions, and authentic student perspectives [that] draws viewers into a meaningful ‘aha’ moment of finding purpose through higher education. Its originality, authenticity, and in-house creativity make it a compelling and memorable piece that rises above typical higher education campaigns.” 

CASE recognized Pepperdine again with a Silver Award for the School of Public Policy’s Master of Middle East Policy Studies Launch Campaign for Marketing Initiatives (of more than 25 Staff). Designed to prepare principled policy leaders for success in diplomacy, intelligence, research, business, and many more vocations, the Integrated Marketing Communications team helped the school launch its Master of Middle East Policies Studies program in partnership with The Washington Institute for Near East Policy during the fall of 2026. Robust marketing efforts helped secure donor endowments that made the inaugural two-year program tuition-free.

Pepperdine students in Washington D.C.

“This campaign was a highly effective and agile launch effort, which hit all its objectives within an exceptionally short three-month time frame,” CASE judges wrote in a public statement upon announcing the school’s recognition. “Judges particularly liked the campaign’s focused messaging and operational agility, which made it both impactful and highly replicable for other institutions.” 

According to CASE, judges selected each winner by the following criteria: overall quality, innovation, use of resources, and the impact on the university and its community, such as students and their parents, alumni, faculty, and staff. 

Founded in 1974, CASE is a global nonprofit association dedicated to advancing education through alumni relations, communications, development, marketing, and related disciplines. The Circle of Excellence Awards represent one of the organization's highest annual recognitions of excellence in educational advancement.

“The Circle of Excellence Awards shine a spotlight on the extraordinary creativity, passion, and innovation demonstrated by advancement professionals at institutions around the world,” exclaimed Sue Cunningham, CASE president and CEO, in a published press release. “These awards not only celebrate outstanding achievements but also underscore how essential this work is to strengthen educational communities and positively shape lives and society. I extend my heartfelt congratulations to this year’s recipients for their dedication and remarkable accomplishments.”