While wrapping up the latter half of the 2012 fall semester, Washburn was presented with a unique award. Dec. 9, 2012 Washburn’s website, www.washburn.edu, received the gold award in Integrated Advancement Programs- Complete Institution Website. Washburn’s website design ranked just ahead of the Air Force which received the silver award and Rockhurst University which received the bronze award. The awards were presented at the 2012 Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) District VI conference in Chicago.

CASE is a professional association that serves educational institutions and promotes professionals working on behalf of alumni relations, communications, development, marketing and allied areas. The CASE “Gold Award” recognizes schools notable achievements in mobile apps, websites and video.

Washburn was judged against 188 other competing schools that make up the CASE district VI. The district recognizes not only colleges and universities, but also independent elementary and secondary schools throughout the Midwest. These states include Colorado, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wyoming.

Washburn’s website was upgraded in the summer of 2011 to better the range in which students may connect to the universities services, and further Washburn’s presence on the web. Washburn.edu was fully instituted May 21, 2012. The new site’s supplemental features include responsive web design or RWD. This technique provides a user operating from a desktop computer to mobile phones an optimal viewing experience such as easy reading and navigation with a minimum of resizing, panning and scrolling. In addition, the updated version of www.washburn.edu offers students using the website more in depth search capabilities, multimedia features and a virtual tour of the university.