Anne Burnett Marion School of Medicine at TCU
Electronic Communications: Audio and Video
Silver
A new building at the Anne Burnett Marion School of Medicine at TCU is under construction in Fort Worth’s medical district. Typically, there’s a groundbreaking ceremony before the start of any building project; however, summer in Texas is not conducive for outdoor events, even in the early morning or late afternoon hours — in 2022, there were 47 days with 100-degree temperatures. To avoid exposing donors, VIPs, faculty, staff, and students to possible heat exhaustion, the Office of Strategy and Communications team created a virtual “groundbreaking” that became the “movie trailer” for an ongoing building construction video series, called “On Site.”
What was the most impactful part of your entry?
The “groundbreaking” movie trailer led to a series of videos that showcase our medical school, as well as our community and clinical partners. Other schools can use the “trailer” idea for their own building groundbreakings and get more ideas for a building video series.
What challenge did you overcome?
In summer 2022, the Dallas-Fort Worth area was experiencing a heat wave. The medical school originally planned an on-site, outdoor groundbreaking of its new medical education building in the heart of Fort Worth’s medical district; however, as temperatures continued to soar, we could not in good conscience hold an outdoor event. As potential event dates continued to be postponed, our team decided to work on a new, unique tactic that saved money, resources, and guests from potential heatstroke.
Contact: Maricar Estrella
m.estrella@tcu.edu