National marketing council honors Aiken Technical College at Washington, D.C., conference

Aiken Technical College received a 2025 Paragon Award from the National Council for Marketing & Public Relations (NCMPR) at the council’s national conference in March in Washington, D.C.

The college received the Silver Award in the annual report category, celebrating the college’s marketing and communications team for its work on the 2024 Community Benefit Report.

“Behind every enrollment milestone, retention gain, and student success story is a team of marketing and communications professionals working strategically and creatively to connect students with opportunity,” said Patrick Stone, NCMPR’s 2025-26 president and the director of strategic communications and marketing for Cape Cod Community College in Massachusetts. “This year’s winners stood out in an extraordinary field of entries, demonstrating that when community colleges invest in creativity and innovation, they amplify their mission and transform lives.”

NCMPR’s Paragon Awards recognize outstanding achievement in design, strategy, and communication at community and technical colleges. It's the only national competition of its kind that honors excellence exclusively among marcom and public relations professionals at community and technical colleges.

“The Community Benefit Report is one of our most meaningful publications because it allows us to showcase the people, programs, and partnerships behind Aiken Tech’s impact. We are honored to receive national recognition for work that reflects the college’s mission and commitment to the community,” said Nikasha Dicks, Aiken Tech’s director of marketing and communications.

This year’s awards drew 1,585 entries from 216 colleges across the country and were judged by 67 professionals from the marcom and public relations industry.

NCMPR supports the professional development of community college communicators, serving more than 1,500 members from more than 400 colleges across the United States and Canada. It’s the only organization of its kind that exclusively represents marketing and public relations professionals at community and technical colleges and is one of the largest affiliates of the American Association of Community Colleges. NCMPR is based in Albuquerque, New Mexico.