Quigley Receives 2025 Foster/Inglish Public Relations Prize at UCM

An Quigley, left, senior designer and brand manager, receives the 2025 Foster/Inglish Public Relations Prize from
Kelly Waldram Cramer, associate vice president for Integrated Marketing and Communications.

 

An employee who combines passion with purpose, An Quigley is the 2025 recipient of the Carl B. Foster/John M. Inglish Prize for Outstanding Achievement and Service in Public Relations.

Quigley, senior designer and brand manager in the Office of Integrated Marketing and Communications (IMC), has served the University of Central Missouri (UCM) for 11 years. She said receiving the award is an honor because she works with such high-caliber colleagues.

“The more I interact with outside vendors and other companies and the further I am into my career, the more I realize how the people that I work with are the top tier of the industry,” Quigley said. “And so to get an award before some of these other great people, it's quite the honor.”

The award is presented annually in recognition of an IMC staff member. It was made possible by the late John Inglish, who, upon retiring in 2000 as university director emeritus of public relations, established an endowment through the UCM Alumni Foundation to honor his longtime friend and mentor, the late Carl Foster. A pioneer in university communications, Foster retired as director emeritus of public relations in 1986 after 19 years of service to the university. Inglish, a UCM alumnus, devoted more than 27 years to UCM’s Office of Public Relations (now IMC).

Quigley is a UCM alumna and previously worked as a freelance graphic designer and photographer, working with clients from Warrensburg to Kansas City.

As a graphic designer, Quigley works with campus partners on a variety of projects, from designing printed marketing materials, signage and logos to consulting on branding strategy. She enjoys how graphic design combines creativity and problem-solving.

“I like the idea of being able to be creative, but in a way that serves a purpose for the people I'm working with,” Quigley explained. “I'm not just creating something pretty for them. There’s actually thought put into it. There's a reason behind this end product. I enjoy working for the university because I know that there is a higher meaning behind it, and that is to be there for students at a particular time in their lives.”

Quigley also works closely with IMC’s student designers. She provides instruction and mentorship, helping them develop new skills outside of the classroom. Quigley emphasizes the importance of teamwork in her guidance, and she enjoys brainstorming ideas with the students.

“I'm helping them become problem solvers, encouraging them, and helping them see that, yes, you can work with guidelines and still be creative,” Quigley said.

Kelly Waldram Cramer, associate vice president for Integrated Marketing and Communications, presented the 23rd award and said Quigley is known for being creative, multi-talented, student-focused and kind-hearted.

“An is the person who does special things for others, not for the glory but in the service of others, which is fitting as one of UCM’s values is service,” Cramer said. “Two other UCM values come to mind when thinking of An: community and excellence.”

As the brand manager, Quigley helps ensure UCM’s visual identity remains consistent across campus and in all communications, whether that is the correct use of university logos in publications or the accuracy of UCM’s colors and fonts. A strong and coherent visual identity strengthens the university’s overall brand and demonstrates unity as an institution.

Cramer said branding work is often thankless because many people don’t understand its importance. However, Quigley sees the value in building and sustaining a strong brand identity. Cramer said her work positively impacts UCM in more ways than many know and will continue to guide the university for years to come.

“She makes decisions that require collaboration, but discipline as well. She has to think of solutions that require creative and strategic thinking,” Cramer said. “She is resilient because she knows those decisions matter. What we do today has an effect on what happens and where we go tomorrow. And she wants tomorrow to be better than today.”