Developing an award-winning annual report
UWC Costa Rica proudly announces that its 2023–2024 Impact Report has been awarded Silver in the Circle of Excellence Awards by the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE), in the category Publications: Fundraising Annual Reports and Fund Reports.
These awards recognize the highest standards of achievement by educational advancement professionals worldwide.
The Impact Report’s second-place recognition stands out among over 4,460 nominations across 93 categories, including publications, campaigns, events, video, and more. UWC Costa Rica is especially proud to represent one of only three awarded entries from Latin America & the Caribbean.
Behind the Scenes: Designing the Impact Report
UWC Costa Rica’s Impact Report is an annual publication that promotes accountability and transparency for stakeholders, donors, and the wider community. It celebrates the collective impact of the UWC Costa Rica community. The report is a collaborative effort across all departments and programs of the College and is edited and designed by the in-house Design, Marketing & Communications team in a magazine-style format.
For the past five editions, each Impact Report has followed an overarching theme that guides the presentation of results. The 2023–2024 edition highlights achievements from the academic year, structured around the College’s mission pillars: Learning from Nature, Learning from Each Other, and Learning for a Lifetime. It also outlines the progress of the new campus construction, aligned with the four priorities of the "We Are United" campaign.
Although data is collected year-round, the creation of each report typically spans two to three months. The process begins with research—drawing inspiration from previous CASE Circle of Excellence Award winners—and an evaluation of past reports. Once the theme and layout are approved, cross-departmental collaboration begins.
Making information accessible through collaboration
A key challenge in this year’s report was streamlining content to enhance readability while introducing a second section focused exclusively on the New Campus project. The new format features a central rendering of the new campus as a visual and thematic transition point, creating a “2-in-1” experience in the printed version.
Following approval of the layout and overall concept, directors and assistants from across the College were invited to contribute content based on a pre-established structure. Over the course of a month, teams collaborated closely with the Development and Design teams to ensure the publication accurately reflected the College’s initiatives.
To broaden accessibility and engage wider audiences—without requiring readers to explore the full 50-page document—the team developed a system of compact content “widgets” for use on social media, within the report, and on the College website. These efforts were recognized by CASE award judges:
“Integration of building and impact report was a smart use of resources. Digital presentation of file is particularly interesting, especially the ease with which you can jump off into other parts of the site for storytelling, without weighing down the digital narrative.”
Celebrating with the Community
The Impact Report serves as a celebration of collective efforts toward the College’s mission. A launch event was held at the College’s Social Center, attended by all staff members, and the Report has since been featured at alumni events, during graduation family visits, and across digital platforms.
UWC Costa Rica is honored to receive this recognition and looks forward to continuing to develop innovative ways to communicate its impact.
Congratulations to everyone involved in this achievement.
Our mission: To cultivate in young people the passion and ability to serve humanity and our planet—learning from nature and from each other for a lifetime.
San José, Costa Rica. 10901.
+506 2282 5609 | info@uwccostarica.org
San José, Costa Rica. 10901.
+506 2282 5609 | info@uwccostarica.org
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