With the support of an open-minded president, Rowan College at Burlington County has spent the past few years redefining the concept of their annual reports, adding fun and functionality into the process for both the audience and the marketing team. From a high-gloss magazine to a calendar to a classic newspaper complete with a comic strip, the marketing team’s efforts have paid off in the form of National Council for Marketing and Public Relations (NCMPR) Medallion awards for consecutive years.
The newest edition takes things a step further, fashioning the year’s notable moments and people into the style of a tarot card deck. The RCBC Deck features 31 (a subtle nod to the college’s marquee 3+1 program) digitally-illustrated cards highlighting students, faculty, alumni and events from the college’s 2020-2021 academic year.
“When we started brainstorming ideas for this annual report, we knew we had to think outside the box for many reasons,” RCBC President Dr. Michael A. Cioce said. “It was a pandemic year, for one. But it was also a time during which everyone around us was reflecting on their choices, their lifestyles and their places in the world. We wanted to do something inspiring. This deck showcases the myriad ways people from varying backgrounds come together on our campuses to learn, evolve and grow.”
Featured cards include “The Athlete,” highlighting Olympic athlete Priscilla Frederick-Loomis, a frequent client at RCBC’s Dental Hygiene Clinic; “The Artist,” highlighting nationally-acclaimed artist and RCBC alum Lavett Ballard; and “The Mobilizer,” highlighting RCBC History Professor Jamie Judge, who created a tutorial on how to complete the mail-in ballot in the midst of the 2020 presidential election.
Each card includes an inspirational message, a brief blurb and a full-color digital illustration of the subject. The set also comes with a guide sharing a message from Dr. Cioce, some institutional statistics and a deeper dive into the subject of each card. The outstanding artistic design masks the fact that the college had less original photography due to the reduced on-campus operations during the pandemic.
