Poppulo Impact Award: Cody Silfies Recognized for Transforming Campus Communications at the University of Vermont

Cody Silfies, Creative Director at the University of Vermont (UVM), has been honored with the Poppulo Impact Award for his visionary leadership and transformative impact on campus-wide communications through digital signage.

Cody’s innovative approach has redefined how UVM connects with students, faculty, and visitors—creating a more informed, engaged, and connected campus community.

Key Achievements Under Cody’s Leadership

1. Unified Campus Communication Strategy: Cody led the charge in centralizing UVM’s digital signage network, bringing together screens across multiple departments and buildings under a single, cohesive platform. This consolidation has enabled consistent branding, streamlined content management, and ensured that critical messages reach the right audiences at the right time.
2. Empowering Departmental Personalization: While establishing a centralized governance model, Cody also championed a decentralized content strategy—empowering individual departments to contribute localized, relevant content. This balance between consistency and customization has made the signage network both scalable and deeply resonant with its diverse audiences.
3. Scalable Onboarding for New Departments: To support UVM’s growing signage network, Cody developed a streamlined onboarding process that helps new departments quickly adopt and contribute to the platform. From branded templates to training resources, his approach ensures consistency, empowers content creators, and makes it easy for teams to align with university-wide communication goals.
4. Creating a Personalized Visitor Experience: Cody has transformed digital signage into a welcoming touchpoint for prospective students and campus visitors. By tailoring content to highlight UVM’s unique culture, achievements, and events, the signage network helps create a personalized, engaging experience that leaves a lasting impression from the moment guests and prospective students arrive.
5. Key Integrations for Smarter Messaging: Cody led the integration of UVM’s digital signage with key campus systems—including emergency alerts, event calendars, and live data feeds. These integrations enable real-time, targeted messaging across campus, ensuring timely communication during critical events while keeping everyday content fresh, relevant, and engaging.

Cody’s work at UVM exemplifies how digital signage can be a strategic asset in higher education—bridging communication gaps, enhancing campus culture, and supporting institutional goals. After accepting the award, Cody stated, “On behalf of UVM’s entire Strategic Communications team, I’m honored to receive this award. We’ve put a lot of thought and a lot of work into making our vision for a campus-wide digital signage network come to life, and we’re excited that effort is being recognized. We’ve come a long way, and I’m excited about what the future holds for our campus-wide digital signage network.”

Ruth Fornell, CEO of Poppulo, praised Cody’s achievements: “Cody’s work at UVM is a shining example of how digital signage can be used to connect and inform students, faculty, and staff on campus. His ability to blend creative vision with strategic execution will have a lasting impact on the UVM community—and serves as a model for higher education institutions everywhere.”

Check out the full case study to learn more about how UVM is enhancing campus communications with digital signage.

About the Poppulo Impact Awards: The Poppulo Impact Awards celebrate individuals and organizations that demonstrate excellence in utilizing digital signage to drive value within their companies. This program recognizes innovators who leverage Poppulo's solutions to achieve significant results and set new standards in their respective fields.