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RDP receives two national awards for alumni initiatives

May 28, 2023 | 11:40 AM

Red Deer Polytechnic has received two awards from the Canadian Council for the Advancement of Education (CCAE).

In the annual Prix d’Excellence, Palate: A Taste of Local received silver in the Best Alumni Event category, and the RDP Athletics Brand Reveal video received bronze in the Best Video – Announcements category.

“Palate: A Taste of Local is the RDP Alumni Association’s annual signature event. The event is driven by alumni and student volunteers to plan and deliver, so this award is especially meaningful for us,” says Courtney Avram, Chair of the RDP Alumni Association Board of Directors.

Palate builds on the rich history of the Fine Wine and Food Tasting event, which ran for 16 years. It was reinvented in 2022 to further enhance our community and alumni connections, and celebrate our region. To achieve this recognition in our first year is validating and reaffirms our commitment to the vision of celebrating and strengthening our alumni and community connections.”

The redesign of Palate: A Taste of Local was also an opportunity to evolve the event to incorporate attendee and volunteer feedback from past years, reflect the bold new vision for Red Deer Polytechnic and enhance alumni ownership of the event, RDP officials say.

Through Palate, which attracted more than 260 attendees, the RDP Alumni Association has raised $16,000 to support scholarships, student and alumni engagement activities, plus honorariums to event-day volunteers.

Meantime, the bronze-award-winning video, “Red Deer Polytechnic Athletics | History and Brand Reveal” was created to help Red Deer Polytechnic reveal the new logo and branding of their Kings and Queens teams.

“Receiving these two awards in the CCAE Prix d’Excellence is a significant honour. These national awards are very competitive, and both categories included submissions from colleges, universities and polytechnics across Canada, including very large institutions,” says Richard Longtin, Red Deer Polytechnic’s Associate Vice President of External Relations.

“We’re proud to have been chosen for these two projects, which are extremely meaningful to our faculty, staff, alumni, students and community. This national recognition demonstrates that our Homecoming Weekend is an exciting opportunity for alumni and community to engage with Red Deer Polytechnic.”

READ MORE: RDP unveils ‘bold’ new logo for Kings and Queens athletics

The RDP Alumni Association is already planning this year’s event. Palate: A Taste of Local will be held on October 19, 2023, and tickets are available now. Visit rdpolytech.ca/palate for more information.