The AMA Higher Education Marketing Awards honor extraordinary leadership and celebrate innovation and achievement in higher education marketing. The awards are brought to you by the AMA Foundation and its founding sponsor Yes& Lipman Hearne.
The tradition continues at the 2025 AMA Symposium for the Marketing of Higher Education with an individual and a team award! Nominees must be currently employed at a higher education institution with a focus on the branding, marketing and communications aspects of a college or university.
Individual Award
AMA Foundation Higher Education
Marketer of the Year
Team Award
AMA Foundation Higher Education
Marketing Team of the Year
Nominations Close: August 31, 2025 11:59 PM CT
Watch the Higher Ed Awards Info Session Recording: Tips to Elevate Your Award Nominations
Missed the live session? No problem! The 2025 AMA Higher Ed Awards Planning Committee hosted an Awards Info Session on August 8, 2025, where we covered everything you need to know about the nomination process, award categories, and how to craft a standout entry. Watch the full session and get insider tips to strengthen your nomination:
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Eligibility and Process
To be eligible for the AMA Higher Education Marketer of the Year Awards, individual nominees and teams must be currently employed at a higher education institution with a focus on the branding, marketing, and communications aspects of a college or university. All nominees will be considered regardless of organization size and budget. There will be two awards bestowed, one award recognizing an individual thought leader and one award recognizing an outstanding marketing team.
Everyone is invited to submit nominees, self nominations are also welcome, for any of the awards by completing a short form online by August 31. Nominees will be contacted by AMA staff to submit a nomination package that addresses award criteria. Finalists will be announced in October, and winners will be announced live at the Symposium.
The selection committee for all awards includes higher education marketing professionals, former AMA Symposium committee members, previous award winners and influencers in higher education marketing.
Please note that current AMA Symposium committee members are not eligible for the individual award and do not participate in award selection.
Award Criteria
- How the candidate’s work has helped advance or transform the field of higher education marketing
- How the candidate’s work has helped transform their organization
- Award will be judged on work, contributions and accomplishments executed during the 2024-2025 academic year (from August 2024 – August 2025)
Strategy, such as:
- Breakthroughs and advances in organizing and planning in the context of higher education organizations
- Development of unique methodologies
- Effective collaboration inside the organization and with outside partners
- Creative approaches to marketing problem-solving and communications, including how to resource a campaign (budget restrictions, etc)
Results, such as:
- Employment of effective methods of measurement
- Achievement of the organization’s goals, both immediate and over time
- Innovative use of technology or other emerging tools or trends to advance higher education marketing practices
- Metrics of growth (can be campaign, enrollment or otherwise measured)
History
The AMA Foundation Higher Education Marketer of the Year Awards were established by the AMA Foundation and Yes& Lipman Hearne to recognize outstanding marketing visionaries and extraordinary marketing teams in the field of higher education marketing.
AMA Foundation
As the philanthropic arm of the AMA, the AMA Foundation champions individual marketers who are making an impact in our profession and community. We recognize marketing visionaries who have elevated the field, and we support the next generation of marketers who will transform the profession.
Celebrating Our Marketers
Congratulations to our 2024 AMA Higher Ed Marketer of the Year Awards winners!
2024 AMA Foundation Higher Education Marketer of the Year
Grant J. Heston
Virginia Commonwealth University
2024 AMA Foundation Higher Education Marketing Team of the Year
The United States Military Academy at West Point