The Council for the Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) District VI recognized Sheri Irwin-Gish, executive director of Communications, Marketing and External Relations at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln College of Business Administration, with the Distinguished Service Award. Irwin-Gish received the award December 13 at the District V and VI Joint Conference in Chicago.
 
The award honors individuals in alumni relations, development and communications and marketing with exemplary professional service to CASE who have been involved in the advancement profession for a minimum of eight years. District VI includes professionals in institutions from Colorado, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wyoming.
 
A volunteer for CASE for more than 20 years, Irwin-Gish most recently served on the CASE VI Board of Trustees as district chair. She also served the board as secretary for two terms, sponsorship chair for many years and membership chair. She chaired the 2009 CASE Conference and also served on the conference committee in various roles including program chair, communications and marketing chair and personal development chair.
 
“CASE helped me develop into a professional in my field. I learned about all areas of advancement and served in many leadership positions that allowed me to take my career to the next level,” Irwin-Gish said. “However, it has always been about the people involved in this great organization. They are my sounding board, idea generators, colleagues and friends. I share the award with so many people who helped and supported me.”
 
Irwin-Gish has been with CBA since April 2011, a few months prior to UNL joining the Big Ten Conference. In 2015, she received the CBA Distinguished Service Award, which recognizes staff who show consistently outstanding job performance, provide service or support above and beyond the call of duty, exemplify or inspire a teamwork attitude, and make innovative or creative contributions. She co-chairs the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) Marketing and Communications Council Affinity Group and serves on the RISE Lincoln Board of Directors. She earned her master’s degree from the UNL College of Journalism and Mass Communications and is also a graduate of Leadership Lincoln.
 
Before coming to UNL, Irwin-Gish spent 11 years as the associate director for communications, marketing and system relations for the Nebraska State College System, which includes Chadron, Peru and Wayne State Colleges. Prior to that, she worked at Doane College in Crete as assistant public relations director and sports information director.
 
“Sheri’s leadership over the last six years has dramatically improved the visibility of CBA in our community,” said Dr. Donde Plowman, James Jr. and Susan Stuart Endowed Dean of CBA. “She has done an outstanding job of managing a high-stress position overseeing all communications, marketing and outreach aspects for a changing and growing college. She can always be counted on to not only accomplish whatever task is set before her, but to do so in a professional, intelligent and team-oriented manner.”
 
At the CASE Conference, CBA also received a CASE Gold Institutional Award for the DREAMBIG Academy and a CASE Silver Award for the 2015 “Thank You” video. Published: December 16, 2016