For Immediate Release:
April 4, 2022
Primary Media Contact:
Sally Voth
Public Relations Specialist
[email protected]
Phone: 540-868-7134

Laurel Ridge received a 2021 Paragon Award from the National Council for Marketing & Public Relations (NCMPR) at the council’s national conference in Denver last week.
The award came in the magazine category, and celebrates the college’s Communications and Planning Team’s work on the fall 2021 issue of “The Laureate.” The 48-page publication – which featured a message from Laurel Ridge President Kim Blosser, and articles on everything from members of the Class of 2021, to the G3 tuition assistance program, to new programs, to Sept. 11 remembrances, to college-community partnerships and so much more – earned a bronze award.
“I would like to congratulate the Communications and Planning Team for its hard work on ‘The Laureate,’” said Laurel Ridge Vice President of Communications and Planning Chris Coutts. “This award is especially remarkable as it came from the inaugural issue of the magazine. I know the team will continue to produce a quality publication, showcasing all of the wonderful students, faculty, staff, alumni and programs that make the college proud.”
More than 1,700 entries were submitted by 232 colleges to the 2021 Paragon Awards competition. Nearly 70 marketing and public relations professionals judged the entries, which came from across the U.S. and Canada.
“We are honored to recognize the outstanding work of community colleges across the country,” said Debra McGaughey, NCMPR’s 2021-22 president. “The creativity and hard work displayed in these winning entries is a testament to the talent and dedication of our members.”
NCMPR’s Paragon Awards recognize outstanding achievement in design and communication at community and technical colleges. It’s the only national competition of its kind that honors excellence exclusively among marketing and public relations professionals at two-year colleges.
Click here to read the Fall 2021 Laureate.
NCMPR, which is based in Albuquerque, New Mexico, is the professional development organization for community college communicators, serving more than 1,500 members from more than 470 colleges across the United States and Canada. It’s the only organization of its kind that exclusively represents marketing and public relations professionals at community and technical colleges.
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Founded in 1970, Laurel Ridge Community College is a multi-campus public institution of higher education. With four locations — Middletown, Warrenton, Luray-Page County and most recently, Vint Hill— the College serves eight localities in the Shenandoah Valley and northern Piedmont regions. The localities are the counties of Clarke, Fauquier, Frederick, Page, Rappahannock, Shenandoah and Warren and the city of Winchester. Laurel Ridge offers more than 75 associate degree and certificate programs in a wide variety of disciplines, in addition to providing access to bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degree programs offered on site by a four-year institution. Laurel Ridge also serves the business community by offering workforce preparation programs for employees and employers. Laurel Ridge serves more than 9,000 unduplicated credit students and more than 11,000 individuals in professional development and business and industry courses annually.
Laurel Ridge Community College (Laurel Ridge) is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools to award associate degrees. Contact the Commission on Colleges at 1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, Georgia 30033-4097 or call 404-679-4500 for questions about the accreditation of Laurel Ridge Community College. Laurel Ridge Community College is an equal opportunity institution providing educational and employment opportunities, programs, services, and activities and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, sex, age, religion, disability, national origin, marital status, political affiliation, sexual orientation, or other non-merit factors. Laurel Ridge also prohibits sexual misconduct including sexual violence or harassment.
Laurel Ridge Community College was known as Lord Fairfax Community College until June 2022. For consistency purposes, the college will be referenced as Laurel Ridge going forward.
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