Harding University won three gold awards in the annual Council for Advancement and Support of Education District IV 2013 Accolades Awards Program March 26 at the organization’s conference in Fort Worth, Texas.

The gold award is the highest recognition in each category. More than 1,300 entries were submitted in 70 categories.

Harding was one of only six schools to win three or more gold awards in the competition. Other top winners were Oklahoma State University, University of Texas – Austin, Southern Methodist University, University of Texas – Dallas and Texas State University.

More than 700 representatives attended the conference from CASE member institutions in Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas.

The school’s Office of Public Relations submitted Harding’s winning entries, achieving gold awards in television and radio spots categories and in the illustration design category.

In the television category, Harding’s series of three 30-second spots (“A Place of Faith, Learning and Living”) headed the list of winners, including Rice University (silver), Louisiana State University (bronze), and Texas A&M University – Corpus Christi (honorable mention).

In the radio category, Harding’s three 30-second radio spots, also titled “A Place of Faith, Learning and Living,” topped the category with Baylor University and Dallas County Community College finishing second and third respectively.

Mangan Holcomb Partners in Little Rock under the direction of the Public Relations Office created both the television and radio spots.

Harding’s third gold award was for an illustration in Harding magazine created by Searcy resident and alumna Hannah Alexander Carpenter. Her illustration, appearing in the winter 2012 issue of the magazine, accompanied an article about the early years of the school’s live mascot, Benny the Bison.

The University’s 2012 view book was also a recipient of honorable mention recognition in the design of admissions, recruitment and promotional literature. Enrique Colón in the Public Relations Office designed the view book.

All four awards were presented to David Crouch, director of public relations, by CASE IV chairperson, Jim Lewis, vice president for development at University of Texas – Arlington.

Harding is the largest private university in Arkansas with 6,815 students and attracts more National Merit Scholars than any other private university in the state. Harding also maintains campuses in Australia, Chile, England, France, Greece, Italy and Zambia.