The University of Baltimore won a Gold Award for its newly redesigned website, ubalt.edu, in the competitive UCDA Design Awards for 2025.
From 773 entries across all categories, judges awarded just 19 Gold Awards overall. UBalt ranked in the top 2.5 percent of submissions with its win in the Website-Entire Site category.
"UBalt's website is our digital front door, and a critical tool for branding, recruitment and storytelling," said University of Baltimore President Kurt L. Schmoke. "When we started the redesign process, we knew we had to create something that could tell UBalt's story in an authentic way and seamlessly provide information about our degree programs, academic units, and clinics and centers. Together, our project team, design vendors and contributors from across the University have built a web presence that will usher UBalt into its bright second century.
The University's new website launched in April with a design focused primarily on the student user. It brings the faces of the UBalt community to the forefront, inviting site visitors to get to know and see themselves in the students who consider this University another home.
The immense design project was a University-wide effort led by Eric White, manager of web services for the Office of Marketing and Creative Services, and Alex Davis, director of project and service management for the Office of Technology Services. Several key web and communication individuals within the University contributed to the project, and external partners iFactory and Modern Campus provided web design and development.
The University also won an Award of Excellence for Portfolio/Body of Work in the In-House – Small Team categories. Judges recognized 195 winners overall, awarding 115 Awards of Excellence. UBalt's work ranked in the top 25 percent of submissions.
In its winning portfolio, UBalt submitted a variety of works by the Office of Marketing and Creative Services. Pieces included two videos, the 2025 commencement recap video and a spotlight on an MFA in Integrated Design student whose thesis tied into the University's Centennial celebrations, the Oliver Street mural, a series of posters for the Career and Internship Center, the graduate brochure, and billboards themed around the University's 100th anniversary.
The UCDA Awards added to an already-winning portfolio of work by UBalt and its advertising agency, BVK, at the 40th Educational Advertising Awards earlier this year.
The University won three Gold Awards for its "No Impossible" campaign in the Integrated Marketing, Digital Video Ad Less than Two Minutes, and Radio Advertising categories. The campaign also won Silver and Merit Awards in the Magazine Advertising and Online Display Ad categories, respectively.