HOLLAND - Hope College has been honored for three of its advancement programs by the Great Lakes District of the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE), including with a top award for the college's new Parent Relations program.

Hope received a Gold Award in the "Alumni Relations Best Practices/Individual Projects" category for launching the college's new comprehensive Parent Relations Program. In addition, the college received two awards in the "Fundraising Best Practices/Individual Projects" category: a Silver Award for the "Legacies: A Vision of Hope" comprehensive campaign, and an Honorable Mention for the summer, 2003, phonathon on behalf of the campaign.

The awards were made through "The Pride of CASE V District Awards Program," and were presented on Tuesday, Dec. 14, during a luncheon scheduled as part of the annual CASE V conference held in Chicago, Ill. Programs were honored for excellence at the Gold, Silver or Bronze level, or with Honorable Mention.

Hope has organized activities geared toward parents for several years, particularly during New Student Orientation in August and Parents' Weekend in November. The college established a new Office of Parent Relations in the fall of 2003 and has substantially expanded its outreach to parents.

The Parent Relations Program's director is Stephanie Greenwood, who holds a full-time position created to design and manage the enhanced program.

New initiatives developed during the following year include a 19-member Parents' Council that provides a forum for discussion between parents and the college, and assists in developing and implementing programs and volunteer activities for Hope parents and families; a Web site and quarterly e-newsletter geared toward parents; and receptions and other events designed with parents and families in mind, including a series of "Summer Send-Off" picnics to welcome incoming freshmen and their families.

Efforts to further enhance the program, including through networking with other institutions, are ongoing. On July 15, Hope hosted approximately 30 representatives from about a dozen institutions for the one-day workshop "Going for the Gold Standard: How to Achieve an Exemplary Parent Relations Program," which featured Helen E. Johnson, president of HEJ Associates, the nation's leading consultant to colleges and universities in the area of parent relations.

The "Legacies: A Vision of Hope" comprehensive campaign is an effort with four major initiatives: building a new science center and renovating the Peale Science Center; increasing the endowment to provide ongoing support for college operations and programs; constructing the Richard and Helen DeVos Fieldhouse to help meet spectator facility needs for the college and Holland; and other campus development, including the construction of the Martha Miller Center for Global Communication.

The campaign has involved the entire advancement staff and others at the college as well as numerous volunteers. Kate Frillmann, regional advancement director, serves as the "Legacies" campaign team leader.

The phonathon helped the college obtain a challenge grant from The Kresge Foundation of Troy, Mich., on behalf of the science center project. To receive the $850,000 grant, announced in the spring of 2003, the college was challenged to raise an additional $3.1 million by March of 2004. As part of the overall effort, the phonathon in June and July of 2003 called some 4,700 science alumni to seek their support for the campaign.

The calling was conducted by Hope science students. Staff members coordinating the effort were Dianne DeYoung, assistant manager of the Hope Fund and phonathon director; Marnie Parris-Bingle, phonathon calling supervisor; and Teri Sivertson, phonathon information services supervisor.

CASE is an international association of education advancement officers, who include alumni administrators, fundraisers, public relations managers, publication editors and government relations officers. The ultimate goal of advancement professionals is to enhance their institutions by bringing in support, whether in the form of money, alumni loyalty, public esteem or new students. Established in 1974, CASE offers information resources and training opportunities to aid its members.

CASE District V includes Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio and Wisconsin. The district's awards program, new this year, provides recognition in several categories, including alumni relations, communication and marketing, fundraising and government relations.

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