Dawn Sugimoto, Lethbridge College’s internal communications specialist, has been named one of four SimpsonScarborough Scholars by the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE). She is the only Canadian to win the award this year.
The SimpsonScarborough Scholars program supports the professional development of promising communications and marketing practitioners in the educational advancement profession who are new to the field of post-secondary advancement. As one of this year’s scholars, Sugimoto received free attendance at the Summer Institute for Communications and Marketing, CASE's flagship training program for newcomers to the communications and marketing field, this week in Boston.
“I'm very grateful for this learning and networking opportunity,” says Sugimoto. “But I am most grateful to be part of the Lethbridge College learning community. I have amazing colleagues in Communications and have appreciated the support, kindness and encouragement of people from across campus.”
Sugimoto’s nomination was launched by her supervisor, Paul Kingsmith (who won the same scholarship three years earlier), and supported by many colleagues. In his nomination, Kingsmith described Sugimoto as a vital part of the college’s small communications team. Her “great initiative, creativity, and abilities” along with her “infectious positive attitude” have made her a great fit at the college.
“Dawn came to us with a wide array of experience in both communications and journalism, but hadn’t worked in the post-secondary environment,” says Kingsmith, senior communications specialist. “But she has truly been a natural, immediately understanding the need to connect our on-campus community. She’s been an invaluable team member and I’m excited to see what she comes back with following her time at the summer institute.”
Sugimoto, an alumna of the college (Communications – Print Journalism 1988), spent 20 years with the Lethbridge Herald, first as a reporter and editor and later as managing editor. She then transitioned into the communications industry, where she spent eight years with the Palliser Regional School Division.
She joined Lethbridge College as the internal communications specialist in January 2018. Her duties include writing and editing Connections, the college’s twice-weekly internal newsletter, working with faculty and staff to convey messages important to the on-campus community, and producing video and written stories.
Joining Sugimoto as this year’s SimpsonScarborough Scholars are Carly Banks, media relations officer at Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff, Arizona; Tom Mayhall Rastrelli, director of digital communications at Willamette University in Salem, Oregon; and Zangi Miti, assistant director of marketing strategy at University of Missouri-Kansas City in Kansas City, Missouri.
The CASE Summer Institute for Communications and Marketing began on Monday and runs through Friday at Boston University.