Fairfield University CD Student Handbook receives Crystal Award of Excellence | Press Releases

Fairfield University's Student Handbook 2003/2004, produced for the first time as an interactive CD-ROM, received the Crystal Award of Excellence from The Communicator Awards. The CD, produced by John Ur of Fairfield's Media Center was produced at the request of Mark Reed, Dean of Students, who said he wanted to upgrade the traditional print copy of the student handbook to the 21st Century.

Designed and coded with Macromedia Flash (MX), the Handbook provides students with everything from how to connect a computer to the university network and activate the phone line in their dorm rooms to an interactive tour of the rules, policies and procedures that they need to know. In addition, the CD contains two video components: an introduction by the University President and a thirty-minute history of the University's buildings. Nearly 3300 undergraduate students received the CD at the beginning of the fall semester.

The Communicator Awards is an international awards competition that recognizes outstanding work in the communications field. Entries are judged by industry professionals who look for companies and individuals whose talent exceeds a high standard of excellence and whose work serves as a benchmark for the industry. There were 2,876 entries from 48 states, the District of Columbia and 11 other countries.

The Communicator Awards also recognized Fairfield's DVD of the 53rd Commencement and Baccalaureate Mass with an Award of Distinction. Since 1983, the University had videotaped the baccalaureate Mass and commencement exercises. More than 1200 graduates this year were offered the DVD copy, produced by using a BETA, multi-camera remote; editing on an Apple Final Cut Pro system; and, final post-production with Apple DVD Studio Pro.

The Communicator's prestigious Award of Excellence is presented to those entrants whose ability to communicate elevates them to the best in the field. About 13 percent of the entries won this award. The Award of Distinction is awarded for projects that exceed industry standards in production or communication skills. Approximately 18 percent of entries won this award.