(Santa Ana, Calif.) – The Santa Ana College Foundation's 2025 Annual Report earned a Gold Medallion Award in the Annual Report category at the National Council for Marketing & Public Relations (NCMPR) 2026 District 6 Medallion Awards. The award was announced during the organization's District 6 Conference, held Oct. 26–28 in Scottsdale, Arizona.
The recognition honors excellence in design and communications among community and technical colleges and highlights the Foundation's efforts to communicate the impact of philanthropy, celebrate donor generosity and showcase the programs and opportunities that support student success at Santa Ana College.
"To receive NCMPR's Gold Medallion Award for our annual report is a profound honor, because our annual report is so much more than a publication. It is our compass and our North Star," said Christina Romero, executive director of the Office of College Advancement and the Santa Ana College Foundation. "The true winners are the story makers: our students and scholars, alumni whose lives have been changed by Santa Ana College's mission, and donors who believe in students they've never met. I am grateful to the gifted team of artists brought together by the Santa Ana College Foundation to bring these stories to life, and honored to stand among these storytellers. Our mission is a story worth telling, and we are proud to tell it."
David Valentin, president of the Santa Ana College Foundation Board of Directors, said the award reflects the people at the heart of the report.
"Excellence is what we strive for every day for our students through philanthropy," said Valentin. "The stories and content of this annual report are a reflection of the excellence of our students, our alumni and our donors."
The NCMPR Medallion Awards are the premier regional competition recognizing outstanding marketing, communications and public relations achievement at community and technical colleges across NCMPR's seven districts. District 6 encompasses Arizona, California, Hawaii, Nevada and Utah, along with Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, the Republic of Palau and the Republic of the Marshall Islands. Entries are evaluated by industry experts and NCMPR peers with expertise in marketing, public relations, communications and advancement. Gold, silver and bronze awards are presented based on established scoring standards, with Gold representing the highest level of recognition.
The Santa Ana College Foundation's annual report highlights the importance of philanthropic support in expanding educational opportunities and helping students overcome financial barriers to completing their education. Through stories of students, scholars, alumni and donors, the report shows how the Foundation works with alumni, donors, businesses and community partners to support scholarships, academic programs and initiatives that advance Santa Ana College's mission of providing accessible, high-quality education.
Among those featured is Santa Ana College donor, former United Nations Ambassador, and Santa Ana College alumnus Gaddi Vasquez who reflected on the value of alumni staying connected to the college.
"Sharing the Santa Ana College story is key to bridging the past with the promise for the future," said Ambassador Vasquez. "Alumni and current students can learn about and celebrate the richness of the SAC experience by staying connected and contributing to the advancement of the college."
A special thank you to those involved in the creation of the 2025 Santa Ana College Foundation Annual Report: Producers Christina R. Romero and Kristin Ellsworth, Writer Shaleek Blackburn, Graphic Designer and Photographer Yuhong Cao, and the Office of College Advancement.
To view the award-winning 2025 Santa Ana College Foundation Annual Report, visit the link below 2025 Santa Ana College Foundation Annual Report
Questions about this press release can be directed to Ethereal Reyes from the Public Information Office at reyes_ethereal@sac.edu.
About Santa Ana College
Santa Ana College, founded in 1915, serves more than 70,000 students yearly. At present, Santa Ana College students can work toward completing an associate degree, university transfer, career/workforce training or a bachelor's degree in occupational studies. As part of Santa Ana College, the School of Continuing Education located at Centennial Education Center offers free classes throughout the community for adults of all ages and academic backgrounds. Santa Ana College is an award-winning college and was recently ranked as one of the nation's top two-year colleges awarding associate degrees to Latino and Asian students. The college is also recognized throughout the state for its comprehensive workforce training programs for nurses, firefighters, law enforcement and medical personnel. Santa Ana College is one of two comprehensive colleges under the auspices of the Rancho Santiago Community College District.
About the National Council for Marketing & Public Relations
The National Council for Marketing & Public Relations (NCMPR) is the leading professional development association exclusively serving those working in marketing and communication at two-year community and technical colleges. An affiliate council of the American Association of Community Colleges, NCMPR has more than 1,600 members from colleges across the United States and Canada. With a focus on learning, networking and advocacy, NCMPR helps members become better at their jobs and supports two-year colleges in their mission to promote student success.