Biola’s Web site for prospective undergraduate students has stirred up considerable buzz and earned the University a slew of design awards over the past year.

One of the most prestigious honors came this spring from the Webby Awards, which have been called the “Oscars of the Internet” by the New York Times.

The University was one of 13 schools in the nation to have a Web site selected in the 12th annual Webby Awards as an “Official Honoree,” a distinction that recognizes work exhibiting remarkable achievement. The awards were handed out in June at a star-studded ceremony in New York City.

Further accolades for Biola’s site came when the first annual eduStyle Higher-Ed Web Awards were handed out in Atlantic City in July. Biola won an impressive seven awards and received high praise from the judges.

“This is an amazing piece of work,” one judge said. “I’ve never seen so much personality from a university,” another commented.

Biola received the judged and people’s choice award for best redesign of the school’s main Web site, beating out fellow nominees Notre Dame, Ball State, Louisville and Rice. Judges commented that Biola’s Web site redesign was “perfectly executed” and “a perfect example of higher education redesign.”

Biola also received five other awards: Best Visual Design (people’s choice), for the undergraduate admissions site; Most Innovative (people’s choice), for the undergraduate site; Best Use of Typography (people’s choice), for the undergraduate site; and Best Prospective/Future Students or Admissions (judged). Biola won awards in every category it was nominated.

Biola’s undergraduate site, which features several videos, a virtual tour and whimsical artwork, was designed in-house by Integrated Marketing Communications. The majority of the other award-winning university Web sites utilized outside marketing firms for their designs.

Biola’s undergraduate Web site has been honored elsewhere by Admissions Marketing Report, UCDA (University and College Designers Association) and dozens of Web design showcase sites since it was launched in late 2006.