LSU Launches Digital Badges for Two Flagship Student Recognition Programs

LSU has launched digital badges for recipients of two university student recognition programs: the LSU Communicator Certificate and the LSU Distinguished Communicator Medal. Both programs and these digital badges are administered by LSU Communication Across the Curriculum (CxC).

Issued through Parchment Digital Badges and built on the Open Badges standard, the credentials provide a verified and shareable record of an LSU student’s achievement. Badge recipients can add the credential to LinkedIn, résumés, digital portfolios, and other professional materials. Each badge includes information about the issuing institution, the award date, and the criteria required to earn it, so employers, graduate programs, faculty members, and other reviewers can see what the recognition represents.

The launch began with an inaugural cohort of 259 LSU Communicator Certificate badge earners and 94 LSU Distinguished Communicator Medal badge earners. Since the programs began, LSU has recognized 1,719 Communicator Certificate recipients and 1,175 Distinguished Communicator Medal recipients. Moving forward, students earning the certificate and medal will also immediately have access to the corresponding digital badge.

Credentials Built on Pre-Defined Criteria

The new badges extend the visibility of two established student-recognition programs rather than creating a new academic award.

Launched in 2018, the LSU Communicator Certificate is a non-degree credential issued by the Office of Academic Affairs through LSU CxC. To earn it, undergraduate students complete Communication-Intensive, or C-I, coursework across written, spoken, visual, and technological communication; earn at least a B- in each qualifying course; and submit a written reflection connecting their communication learning to academic, professional, and civic contexts. The certificate is available to eligible LSU undergraduates in every major and can be earned before their graduating semester. 1,719 LSU Communicator Certificates have been issued to date.

Launched in 2005, the LSU Distinguished Communicator Medal is an application-based program for undergraduates who pursue sustained communication development beyond individual courses. Candidates complete all requirements for the LSU Communicator Certificate while concurrently working with a faculty advisor, completing mentored communication experiences, developing a public portfolio, and demonstrating discipline-specific communication leadership over multiple semesters. Students who complete the program receive a medal at graduation and a permanent commendation on their official LSU transcripts. 1,175 Distinguished Communicator Medals have been issued to date.

Why the Badges Matter

Communication is consistently identified as important in employers’ evaluation of new graduates. In the National Association of Colleges & Employers' (NACE) Job Outlook 2026 Spring Update survey, 98.7% of employers rated communication as very or extremely important for new hires, while 55.4% rated recent college graduates as very or extremely proficient in communication. The survey also found that 78% of employers sought verbal communication skills on résumés and 72% sought written communication skills.

These findings do not mean that a badge guarantees employment or independently measures every communication ability relevant to a position. Instead, they provide a transparent, LSU-issued record that a student has met the documented requirements of either the Communicator Certificate or Distinguished Communicator Medal program.

The employer case for clear, credible credentials extends beyond communication alone. The American Association of Colleges & Universities' (AAC&U) 2025 employer research reports that 81% of employers say a candidate’s possession of a microcredential, such as a digital badge or certificate, has a positive influence on hiring decisions. The report also notes that employers place particular confidence in microcredentials issued by colleges and universities.

Value for Key Audiences

For students and alumni: The badge gives recipients a direct way to connect their LSU recognition to job, internship, graduate school, or professional applications. It can be shared on LinkedIn, incorporated into a digital portfolio, or linked from a résumé alongside relevant work samples and experiences.

For parents and families: The badges make students’ academic and co-curricular accomplishments easier to explain and share beyond the university. They provide a durable digital record of an LSU recognition program that students may use as they transition into internships, employment, graduate study, and early career opportunities.

For employers and graduate programs: A badge provides more than a self-reported line on a résumé. Reviewers can access the award criteria and issuing information to understand the work required for the credential and consider it alongside the candidate’s portfolio, academic record, experience, and the requirements of the role or program.

Badge Distribution

Recipients in the inaugural cohort have been notified through Parchment with instructions for accepting and sharing their badges. Students who complete either recognition program moving forward will receive badge notifications after fulfilling the applicable program requirements.

For more information on the LSU Communicator Certificate, the LSU Distinguished Communicator Medal, and LSU Communication across the Curriculum, visit LSU CxC.

LSU CxC Digital Badging