The “Golden Ticket” promotion from SUNY Oswego’s Division of Extended Learning has earned the Continuing Education Association of New York (CEANY) Exemplary Marketing Program Award, conferred at the association’s annual conference in November.

From concept through execution, the campaign was a collaboration of Division of Extended Learning staff members Caitlin Rioux, Summer and Winter Sessions program manager, and Nora Covington, academic program coordinator, with Tim Taylor, senior marketing manager in the Office of Marketing and Communications. 

“For the last several sessions, Summer and Winter Sessions has become known for giving away chocolate candy bars on campus,” Rioux explained. “From this little tradition, we grew our idea for the golden ticket campaign and leaned hard into what worked for Willy Wonka, hoping it would yield results for us too.”

The humble experiment paid off, Rioux noted, as “the Golden Ticket campaign was ultimately a low-cost, low-lift initiative that used branded candy bars, and five special Golden Tickets, to spark excitement and motivate early summer registration.” 

Golden Tickets guaranteed students a seat in any class of their choosing, adding a prize element to the awareness campaign.

“By pairing a fun, nostalgic concept with modern touches like QR codes, we created a simple but engaging experience,” Rioux said. “To ensure full inclusivity, online students were able to participate in the experience and we sent an online student winner a candy bar in the mail with their Golden Ticket.”

But beyond a clever concept and execution, data showed the Golden Ticket's success.

“The results were impressive: engagement with the Summer Sessions website grew by 20 percent, interactions with the website grew by 113 percent and early enrollment (compared to last summer’s trends) spiked by 23 percent in the two weeks following the giveaway.”

The awards also showed that SUNY Oswego can compete with bigger, more expensive marketing campaigns.

“This award is a meaningful recognition of what a small but creative team can accomplish,” Rioux said. “Summer Sessions and Winter Sessions are managed by one person and the campaign brought in the minds of one of our academic planning coordinators and help from Marketing and Communications.

“We think we highlighted that some of the most impactful ideas don’t require big budgets or big lifts,” Rioux added. “With such a small team, we have to think creatively about how to make a big impact with limited time and resources. Inspirations are born from collaboration and a willingness to think playfully.”

Rioux said it reflects well upon the university’s values as a whole.

“For SUNY Oswego, the award reflects our commitment to innovation, inclusivity and student success,” Rioux said. “It showcases our ability to create high-impact engagement strategies that resonate across modalities and contribute to academic readiness. This recognition not only celebrates the work of Summer Sessions but also amplifies the broader university values. We’re incredibly proud that a joyful, whimsical idea like the Golden Ticket campaign can bring widespread recognition to SUNY Oswego.”

Value of Winter and Summer Sessions

Developing, promoting and delivering Summer and Winter Sessions are important as they help a wide variety of students, Rioux said.

“Summer and Winter Sessions give students flexible opportunities to stay on track, catch up, or get ahead with their academic programs,” Rioux said. “They help lighten future course loads, support timely graduation and offer convenient options for on-campus, online and working students alike.”

In addition, Winter Sessions being completely online provide students opportunities to learn between semesters from wherever they are. 

Summer Sessions, meanwhile, take advantage of a slower time of year for many, whether enjoying the weather in Oswego or elsewhere.

“The field geology course is a prime example of enjoying the best of Oswego summers and learning opportunities,” Rioux said. “Summer Sessions are also largely online and give students the same opportunity as Winter Sessions to be able to take their learning anywhere they roam during Summer Sessions. Simply put, these sessions give students more control and momentum in their academic path.”

Accessibility and flexibility are two key hallmarks that make these sessions worth the effort, Rioux noted, giving options outside of a traditional academic calendar or setting.

“We offer flexible opportunities for community members to take courses for personal or professional growth, explore new interests or advance their careers,” Rioux said. “In turn, this supports the institution;s goals to pour into our local workforce development and provide year-around learning opportunities for all.”