East Tennessee State University has earned a prestigious 2025 Circle of Excellence Award from the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE), recognizing the powerful storytelling behind its “Bucs on Parade” fundraising and hype video. This piece captured the spirit, heart and historic achievement of ETSU’s Marching Bucs.
The award is a significant honor.
Colleges and universities submitted more than 4,400 entries from 33 countries.
“This is no small feat,” CASE leaders wrote in the award notification. “You should be proud of this accomplishment and eager to share it with the world.”
That’s exactly what “Bucs on Parade” was designed to do.
Produced by ETSU’s Office of University Marketing and Communications in collaboration with Montage Media Co., the video was a crucial element in a campaign that generated support and built momentum ahead of the parade.
In fall 2024, the Marching Bucs became the first collegiate marching band from Tennessee in over 60 years to perform in the iconic Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. Despite steady rain on parade day, the band delivered a rousing performance in front of more than 31 million viewers – a record for the broadcast.
The weeklong journey to New York City was packed with memorable moments: a Broadway performance of “Hadestown,” sightseeing in Central Park, and a Thanksgiving dinner in New Jersey with friends and family. Some members of the Color Guard and Majorettes even shared the stage with the Radio City Rockettes.
“The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade gave us the chance to showcase ETSU’s excellence to a national and global audience,” said Dr. Joe Bidwell, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences. “From the students and faculty to our communications and advancement teams, this was a collective achievement. The recognition from CASE is incredibly meaningful.”
