COMMUNICATIONS Communications to our alumni and friends of the University were never more critical than in FY20. The year was filled with many unknowns, and the NIU Alumni Association Communications team made every effort to keep Huskies connected. Weekly alumni feature stories on www.myniu.com highlighted exciting Huskie careers and hobbies, including stories about some of our most notable alumni, such as actress Joan Allen, ’89 and
In March and April, in the heights of uncertainty, the Communications team developed a weekly COVID-19-focused newsletter, bringing Huskie expert opinions
comedian Sebastian Maniscalco, ’95. In November, the NIUAA released its second Impact Report in as many years and increased the page capacity from 16 to 20 pages.
and front-line workers’ experiences to alumni readers. These newsletters were recognized by Annual Giving Network (AGN) Resources as a “best practice” for cultivating community online.
The NIUAA dipped its toes into promoting and endorsing various products, ranging from selling branded leather goods and travel neck pillows, and most notably our co-branded beer Dawgma with Pollyanna Brewing Company. What began as a seasonal run in October 2019 is now entering its fourth batch of the Kölsch beer, and we have even begun to sell Dawgma merchandise for loyal Huskie and Pollyanna fans to wear!
The Fall 2019 issue of Northern Now brought several stories about innovation and handson experiences. The coronavirus also played a role in our magazine production. The pandemic forced the team to pivot a planned food-themed issue to a COVID-19-specific issue that was released digitally in July.
JOAN ALLEN, ’89
SEBASTIAN MANISCALCO, ’95 FOLLOW US ON:
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