Virginia Tech Licensing and Trademarks awarded licensing award and finalist recognition

For Renee Alarid, director of Virginia Tech's Licensing and Trademarks office, May 8, was a good day.

Alarid was enjoying the final day of the three-day College Licensing Company (CLC) annual conference in Indianapolis, celebrating her birthday, and taking in the sights and sounds of the afternoon awards presentations, when she was called not once, but twice to the podium to accept high-profile recognitions for Virginia Tech.

Accepting the award on behalf of Virginia Tech, Alarid was cheered on by colleagues from around 400 other universities in attendance at the conference.

National Campaign Marketer of the Year award

Virginia Tech’s Licensing and Trademarks office won the CLC National Campaign Marketer of the Year award for its College Colors Day campaign.

On Sept. 1, 2023, Virginia Tech joined colleges and universities around the country to celebrate College Colors Day. Hokie fans wore maroon and orange, Burruss Hall was illuminated in the hues, and social media rallied around #CollegeColorsDay.

Alarid and Sharon Dudding, licensing program coordinator, organized a T-shirt giveaway on the Drillfield and ran a survey to garner student apparel preference data. CLC gave away a gift card to a randomly selected student for tagging social media and using #CollegeColorsDay. Alarid and Dudding worked with local retailers and merchants through Downtown Blacksburg Inc. to amplify the event. It also coincided with Gobblerfest 2023, which helped spark attention.

“The Licensing and Trademark group did a remarkable job,” said Heather Ducote, senior director of marketing and brand management. “The legwork involved in reaching out to stakeholders on campus, off campus, and around town to get the word out was no small feat. It’s such a thrill for this effort to be recognized like this. The award contributes to raising Virginia Tech’s visibility nationally.”

Operation Hat Trick Excellence in Service award

Virginia Tech was one of eight finalists for the 2024 Operation Hat Trick Excellence in Service award in recognition of the university’s White Effect initiative at the Military Appreciation Game on Sept. 30, 2023. Alarid said it was a true team effort and credits her colleagues across departments for pulling off the initiative. Virginia Tech Athletics, assisted by the Office of Veteran Services, highlighted veterans on social media during the game. The Licensing and Trademarks team added headwear to the product line for the first time last year. White Effect T-shirts and baseball hats were promoted and sold at the campus bookstore, the Hokie Shop, and the Hokie Sports Shop.

To recognize the award, Operation Hat Trick will donate $15,000 to Fisher House of Richmond, which builds comfort homes where military and veteran families can stay free of charge while a loved one is in the hospital.

Founded by Dot Sheehan in 2007, Operation Hat Trick (OHT) generates awareness, support, and funding for the recovery of America’s wounded service members and veterans. More than 500 American universities and colleges proudly display their logos with OHT’s on co-branded merchandise, as do businesses and athletic organizations.

“Over the past year, the universities have shown not only a commitment to support OHT, but also a commitment to support their local community, which is so critical,” Sheehan said when she presented the awards at the conference. “We at OHT are honored and proud to partner with them both and all of our finalists.”

Alarid said for the 2024-25 academic year, Operation Hat Trick merchandise will be sold not only through the Hokie Shop and the Hokie Sports Shop, but also through large retailers including Dick’s Sporting Goods.

Details on College Colors Day this Aug. 30, which again coincides with this fall’s Gobblerfest, will be available soon.