National marketing council honors Southeast New Mexico College at Washington, D.C., conference

Southeast New Mexico College has 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 award, for logo wear, celebrates the college’s marketing team for its work on the SENMC button up shirt sold in the SENMC bookstore. The short-sleeve button-up shirt features an all-over graphic print inspired by our diverse and desert landscapes in Southeast New Mexico. The design includes repeated panels showcasing Eddy the Mountain Lion, desert landscape, Yucca plants, and SENMC lettering. The warm, earthy brown tones contrast against a light background gives the shirt a bold yet relaxed look. The shirt can be worn in both professional and casual occasions.

“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.

This year’s awards drew 1,585 entries from 216 colleges across the country and was 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.