Opening Session: 8:30 a.m. - 9:00 a.m.

Join us for an opening session kick-off for the Summer Institute hosted by NC State’s Chief Communications Officer and Associate Vice Chancellor for University Communications and Marketing, Brad Bohlander. Network with fellow communicators and enjoy light refreshments and coffee.

Session 1: 9:15 a.m. - 10:00 a.m.

(Select One)

Do It With Style: How to Strengthen Your Communications by Using NC State Editorial Style

Brent Winter
Writer and Editor
University Communications and Marketing
NC State University

Which is correct: “red, white, and blue,” or “red, white and blue”? Actually, the answer is “neither,” because the rules of English grammar have no position on whether you should use a comma after “white” in that phrase. So how do you decide? The best way is to consistently use a well-defined editorial style, which answers such questions when to spell out a number vs. using numerals, how to handle abbreviations and when to capitalize “chancellor” (hint: it’s not every single time the word appears). NC State’s brand includes an editorial style based on AP style but with a few significant exceptions. This session will cover what an editorial style is, the benefits of adhering to a style, the specifics of NC State/AP style and how to use a style in practice.

Hashtags and Herding Cats: Social Media Lessons from NC State’s First-Ever Day of Giving

Drew Sykes
Interim Director of the Social Media Strategy Hub
University Communications and Marketing
NC State University

Megan Ellisor
Interim Assistant Director of the Social Media Strategy Hub
University Communications and Marketing
NC State University

Social media is essential for ongoing communication during a 24-hour Day of Giving.But at a time when algorithms are changing and users are constantly NC State University bombarded by notifications, how do you get your prospects to stop scrolling and take action? We’ll share what worked (and what didn’t) as part of NC State’s first-ever Day of Giving social media strategy — and how you can deploy these tactics for everyday content, personalization, stewardship and a variety of other campaigns.

How Marketing and Institutional Advancement Can Work Together

Kristi Eaves-McLennan
Vice President for Marketing and Communications
Meredith College

A popular reporting model for marketing and communications offices, especially those at smaller institutions, has been to report to the vice president in charge of fundraising. However, with colleges more dependent than ever on tuition revenue, there is an increasing need for marketing offices to oversee branding efforts that differentiate their institutions and to develop marketing strategies designed to enroll and retain more students. With this changing relationship, how can marketing and development work together to make sure the institution’s fundraising and branding goals are met?

Session 2: 10:15 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.

(Select One)

Campus Photowalk

Becky Kirkland
Photographer
University Communications and Marketing
NC State University

Marc Hall
Photographer
University Communications and Marketing
NC State University
Join two of NC State’s photographers for an interactive photowalk around Talley and the surrounding campus areas. Bring your camera or cell phone and get technical suggestions and artistic inspiration. We’ll show you some tips and tricks for getting your best shot, while doing some hands-on posing, framing and photographing.

No Crystal Ball? No Problem: Tips and Tricks for Proactive
Issues Management

Mary Cole Pike
Issues Management Lead
University Communications and Marketing
NC State University

You can’t predict the next on- or off-campus crisis that will affect your key stakeholders, but you can prepare for it ahead of time through proactive issues management. This session will provide helpful tools for identifying potential issues, building consensus, engaging stakeholders and more. The practice of issues management can’t tell the future, but it can help communicators address problems before the alarm bells start ringing.

Share Your Stories…They Matter to Your People

Mark Schmitz
Founder – Creative Director
ZEBRADOG

We live our lives in a series of narratives that need to play out. The “places” we work in, learn in and hang-out in literally make us who we are. They deeply affect our emotional wellness and can either inspire us to achieve or demote us to complacency and failure. The passion of integrating dynamic storytelling tools into your physical environments is critical on all fronts. Human beings connect to stories. We don’t buy the “thing”, we buy the story about the thing. We can connect to “places” the same way. ZEBRADOG Creative Director Mark Schmitz will share techniques on how to leverage your cultural storytelling within your built environments. From donor recognition experiences to interactive digital exhibits on campus, the way we develop a long term relationships is through authentic storytelling.

Session 3: 11:15 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.

(Select One)

So You Wanna Podcast?

Billy Liggett
Director of News and Publications
Campbell University

More people are listening to podcasts today than ever before. Why can’t your university become a part of their regular playlist? Campbell University shares the story behind its podcast “Rhymes With Orange,” launched in 2017, and how its audience grew despite a small staff and limited equipment. Podcasting 101, with some 200- to 400-level information included.

Resources for NC State Communicators

Jennifer Kendall
Director of Client Relations and Marketing Strategy
University Communications and Marketing
NC State University

NC State is a big university with a lot of resources for communicators — but do you know all the resources out there and how to access them? We don’t either, but this presentation is a start! We’ll walk through some of the more practical (and free) communications resources on campus while also exploring some of the processes and protocols specific to NC State. We hope you’ll walk away learning a new resource or two that you can add to your toolkit. Come ready to learn and share other resources we may not even know about!

Live Events:  How to Make Them Feel More like Sky Writing and Less like Sky Diving

Ellen Klingler
Director of University Special Events
University Communications and Marketing
NC State University

There is a reason why “Event Coordinator” consistently ranks among the top 10 most stressful jobs in America. Planning and executing a live event requires an abundance of organizational and people skills. To help you navigate the process, we have developed our top 5 tips for marketing and planning a successful live event.

Session 4: 2:15 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.

(Select One)

How to Source and Target the Right Content to the Right Audience

Sonja Likness
Director of Social Media and Content Strategy
Duke University

A university is a complicated institution with widely varied audiences of students, stakeholders, fans, and more. In this session, Sonja will review how Duke University decides which content type works best for each audience, how they create and collect that content, and how they measure the impact of their content strategy across channels and audiences.

The NC State Brand

Bob Witchger
Art Director
University Communications and Marketing
NC State University

Learn how NC State’s brand is a singular, cohesive experience across many communications channels — including social media, video, print and the web. Understand the basic nuts and bolts of the NC State Think and Do brand. Find out how and why the brand rules were created, and see before-and-after examples of creative projects that put the rules into perspective. Bring your questions and examples.

Panel Discussion: Get to Know NC State’s Social Media Strategy Hub

Facilitated by Drew Sykes with NC State Social Media Hub staff members

NC State’s Social Media Strategy Hub was founded in 2016 with the intention of unifying and elevating the university’s social media presence. Built with an agency structure, our “Digital Renaissance People” cover everything from content creation and strategy to data analysis and paid social media. Come learn more about what the Hub has to offer and stick around for a Q&A panel with our specialists regarding best practices, platform-specific content and strategy tips.

Session 5: 3:15 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.

(Select One)

SEO Building Blocks: Getting the Basics Right

Joshua Dodson
Vice President of Marketing and Innovation
VisionPoint Marketing

Search engine optimization (SEO) is as much an art as it is a science. Competition for online visibility has become fierce in recent years, and it’s more important than ever to ensure you’re taking the appropriate steps to be found online. Discover considerations of both the art and the science of SEO so that you can ensure that you have the right pieces in place. We’ll explore technical, on-page SEO, as well as how you can position your content in the best way possible.

From the Inside Out: Internal Communications Resources and Tips

Suzanne Stanard
Internal Communications Lead
University Communications and Marketing
NC State University

Sherry O’Neal
Communications Coordinator
Distance Education and Learning Technology Applications
NC State University

Communicating within an organization is just as important as marketing to external audiences. In fact, successful internal communications efforts can create a sphere of influence that spreads from the inside out, strengthening the organization’s culture and brand identity. Suzanne and Sherry will share tips, tricks and university resources for effective communication with your internal audiences.

Applying University Brand Standards to Promotional Products

Gregg Zarnstorff
Director
Trademark Licensing
NC State University

It’s one thing to use the NC State brand on a website or in print, but applying it to promotional products is another story. This session will delve into best practices for communicating the NC State brand clearly and concisely with just a few elements, and will touch on processes and procedures for branding promotional products in general.