EXCEPTIONAL STORIES UNIVERSITY COMMUNICATIONS MID-YEAR REPORT JAN–JUNE 2021
IN THIS ISSUE
BY THE NUMBERS
1 BY THE NUMBERS 2 MAKING HEADLINES 2 TOP 10 PHOTOS OF THE YEAR
340,966
200,000+
900+
reads of articles published to The Conversation by UNO faculty members since becoming members in October
views of Access the Experts segments on News Channel Nebraska and UNO social media channels
times UNO students, faculty, staff, alumni, and research were featured in news media six months into 2021–1,800+ total
5,227
64,365
115,315
3 TAKING CARE OF
OUR COMMUNITY
4 RECOGNITION
followers added across Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn 174,767 followers in total
engagements across Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn
COVID-19 symptom selfscreenings through the 1-Check UNO mobile app promoted by University Communications
25
1,268
1,437
5 TEAM UPDATES 5 FROM THE
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
6 FROM UCOMM’S DIRECTORS
events hosted from January-June, including seven May 2021 commencement ceremonies
prospective students submitted a request for information as a result of UNO’s digital marketing campaign
prospective students sent to UNO’s application page through UNO’s digital marketing campaigns
585,000
30,000
775
8 PRAISE FROM
UNO’S PARTNERS
completed views of university video ads on YouTube
pageviews for the new May 2021 Commencement site
inquiries resolved through the new HubSpot Live Chat tool
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MAKING HEADLINES
DR. JOANNE LI ANNOUNCEMENT The NU System partnered with UCOMM to craft and deploy strategic messaging around the announcement of FIU College of Business Dean Dr. Joanne Li as the university’s chancellor-elect – an effort that led to statewide coverage.
2020 CENSUS UCOMM partnered with the Center for Public Affairs Research (CPAR) to hold a virtual press conference with researchers who shared their insights with media around the state.
UNO STATE IMPACT CAMPAIGN A statewide image campaign that highlighted the positive impact UNO has on the state. Touch-points included a high frequency radio schedule on KFAB AM and NPR as well as sponsored content with the Lincoln Journal Star, the Omaha World-Herald and Omaha.com.
LIMITING THE SPREAD OF COVID-19 UCOMM led campus-wide COVID-19 health and safety communications efforts that contributed to one of the lowest transmission rates among its peers and zero classroom transmissions throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.
TOP 10 PHOTOS OF THE YEAR
3
TAKING CARE OF OUR COMMUNITY
IN-PERSON COMMENCEMENT UCOMM orchestrated seven safe, successful commencement ceremonies for May 2021 across two days in Baxter Arena as UNO celebrated more than 1,700 graduates.
BLACK HISTORY MONTH UNO sponsored and participated in KETV’s Project CommUNITY, which celebrated Black History Month. This television partnership provided the Omaha community with stories of hope and unity while providing education on diversity and inclusion. This sponsorship delivered more than 1.27 million impressions in February 2021.
DIVERSITY, EQUITY, ACCESS, AND INCLUSION UCOMM reaffirmed UNO’s commitment to inclusivity through campus forum outreach and strategic communications from leadership on topics that included the Capitol riots, violence against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, the 2020 election, and strategically supporting transgender recognition and outreach efforts.
SENIOR SHOUT OUTS UCOMM initiated the Senior Shout Out segments through television and online, which congratulated high school seniors on their accomplishments with photos and words of encouragement. The campaign elevated university branding and awareness while providing the graduating class of 2021 the recognition they deserve.
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RECOGNITION The 2020-2021 awards season closed out with a haul of 18 total awards from four separate organizations, besting regional and national competitors in categories that featured work from each University Communications unit.
COLLEGIATE ADVERTISING AWARDS (CAA) GOLD – COVID-19 Response Crisis Management
SILVER – Special Events (Series) December 2020 Commencement
GOLD – Email Marketing Grad Studies Email Campaign
EDUCATION DIGITAL MARKETING AWARDS (EDMA) GOLD – New Media Content: Big Opportunities on the Prairie at UNO’s Glacier Creek Preserve SILVER – Total Digital Marketing Program UNO Undergraduate Recruitment Total Digital Marketing Program
MERIT – Digital Video: Over 2 Minutes Maverick Strong #MavStrong MERIT – Digital Video: Under 2 Minutes UNO to Oversee Counterterrorism, Terrorism Prevention Research Center
EDUCATIONAL ADVERTISING AWARDS (EAA) SILVER – Digital Video (Long) Biomechanics R01 Grant
MERIT – Outdoor Durango Elevator Graphics
SILVER – Total Digital Marketing Program Digital Marketing Campaign – Undergraduate
MERIT – Digital Video (Short) Maverick in the Making
BRONZE – Design: Posters David Baldacci Poster
PUBLIC RELATIONS SOCIETY OF AMERICA (PRSA) AWARD OF EXCELLENCE – Crisis & Issues Management COVID-19 Website AWARD OF MERIT – Video Mavericks United AWARD OF MERIT – Events & Observances Chuck Hagel Forum in Global Leadership
AWARD OF MERIT – Media/Press Kits Biomechanics R01 Grant Media Kit AWARD OF MERIT – Reputation/Brand Management UNO Experts Guides AWARD OF MERIT – Social Media May 2020 Commencement Countdown
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FROM THE TEAM UPDATES
AY Z A B OL A NO S
Operations Coordinator
Ayza is a recent UNO graduate with a degree in neuroscience. She recently joined the UCOMM Events team to manage the MavIGATION Station in the Eppley Administration Building, provide centralized communication support to the UNO community via phone, online live chat, and in-person interactions. In addition to these core duties, she assists with special projects, manages office space, and provides events support. Ayza was a highly involved student, spending time as a Buffett Scholar, serving as a peer mentor for two years in the Thompson Learning Community, serving as an ambassador for New Student and Family Programs, and was actively involved in a number of Greek and academic organizations.
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR One of the greatest lessons in leadership I have received is to focus on the “why.” If organizations place too much of an emphasis on answering questions such as when projects are due, what is coming next, how we manage expectations, or where is the organization going, they can lose focus on why they do the work they do. It is our mission in University Communications to focus on our “why:” make a tangible, lasting, positive impact on the university and the community it serves. This year we launched a monthly newsletter to state, community, and legislative leaders to demonstrate the value UNO has to all Nebraskans. We led a robust retention messaging campaign because we believe that if students earn their degree from UNO, they can make a difference in Nebraska communities. We elevated the expertise of our faculty experts because we know the insights they share can change lives. We poured our hearts into creating safe in-person commencement because it strikes an emotional chord with families and develops generational bonds with the university. These are some of the many examples featured throughout this Exceptional Stories publication that highlight how our desire to make an impact drives everything we do and why it will serve us well into the future.
M A K AY L A MC MOR R IS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, UNIVERSIT Y COMMUNICATIONS
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FROM UCOMM’S DIRECTORS SASHA THURIN
Marketing
The Marketing team works to grab the attention of future Mavericks so they are inspired and comfortable to begin their educational journey with UNO. It is important that we continue to deliver the right message to the right audience at the right time. We are honored to work with our campus partners as this synergy works for the betterment of the whole. The University Marketing campaigns are driving new prospects to our RFI or APPLY pages, from there this student prospect is nurtured and engaged in our customer relationship management (CRM) tools where we are able to build the relationship and ask for
SAM PESHEK
their commitment. Marketing’s partnership with Grad Studies over this past year is a great example of this collaboration. We are proud to have won the GOLD from the Collegiate Advertising Awards for the Graduate Studies email marketing campaign as it has been successful internally, it is now being recognized externally as well. Eagerly looking into the next six months, Marketing will continue to collaborate with campus partners such as Multidisciplinary Studies, Online Learning and Career Currency programs to deliver success in full funnel advertising and communications.
Editorial & Media Relations
The Editorial and Media Relations team’s approach to 2021 is grounded in the belief that when Mavericks are empowered to tell their own stories, great things happen. What did this look like in action? We developed a social media strategy for commencement that amplified the stories students were telling on their own accounts. The Conversation editor workshops we hosted gave faculty members the resources they needed to share their expertise proactively to audiences around the world. We facilitated Zoom press conferences with campus leaders and faculty experts in response to breaking news events so reporters can go straight to the source
for information and analysis. We switched our COVID-19 messaging tone from informational to action-oriented to support vaccination and testing efforts. When the time came to ramp up Summer and Fall 2021 retention efforts, we shared retentionfocused action items and resources with students ahead of key deadlines so their academic journeys could stay on track. We also stepped up to support campus diversity and inclusion messaging efforts so all Mavericks could have their voices heard. In 2021 and beyond, we’ll continue to find ways to work quickly and efficiently to keep our audiences engaged, informed, and excited about all things UNO.
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JENNIFER WALCUT T
Events
The smallest details can make a big difference. This was especially true as we transitioned back to planning an in-person commencement since December 2019. We successfully implemented a quick and efficient COVID-19 screening process that kept our guests safe. We incorporated video greetings from celebrities and multimedia presentations into ceremonies to keep the event dynamic and engaging. The addition of several campus photo engagement
ELIZ ABETH BILLINGTON Sometimes the way to make the greatest impact on someone’s life isn’t through grand gestures, but by making their lives a little easier. When you make a person’s path to the information they need quick and easy, it results a positive experience and fosters trust. This was the name of the
VICTORIA KOHOUT
opportunities includes large marquee letters, yard signs, and more lent well to capturing one of the most important days of the graduates’ lives in their own unique way. When the details express that you care, it ensures a positive experience. This event will serve as a case study about how detail-oriented events can keep our community engaged as we transition from our pandemic setting.
Digital Communications game on some of our latest web projects, including consolidating our email and online chat platforms, new special events pages, a new gallery template, and an academic program template that results in more consistent experiences for our users.
State & Community Relations
Early on in 2020 we stated a goal: Help Nebraskans understand the positive impact UNO has on their daily lives. In 2021 we achieved just this through the launch of two projects. First, the Impact Statement – a monthly themed newsletter that focuses on one impact area and is delivered to hundreds of community and legislative
stakeholders. And second, the UNO Impact website – a landing page for stories that highlight the myriad of ways UNO makes a difference. These two products will be crucial to our never-ending efforts to advocate for this institution in the halls of power and in our local communities.
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PRAISE FROM UNO PARTNERS The Office of University Communications has been by our side every step of the way throughout the COVID-19 pandemic as we worked to keep campus safe. When we needed to encourage the campus community to get tested or wear a mask, they crafted action-oriented messaging. When the time came to open vaccine availability to faculty and staff, we worked hand-in-hand to relay instructions. Most recently, when Douglas County was able to open a vaccine clinic on campus, they quickly put together a messaging campaign that resulted in 200 students, faculty, staff and community members getting their first vaccine dose. They care deeply about the health and safety of this community and we look forward to working with them on the next phase of our pandemic response.
JANE MEZ A
Interim Executive Director, Office of Health Security
Congratulations to the entire UComm team for such a terrific commencement series! I am always so incredibly impressed by the grace, professionalism, and highest degree of delivery you all work to achieve. It just amazes me that no matter what, you all deliver events that are personal, memorable, and so celebratory! Even a global pandemic has not stopped your team from making sure students receive great commencement experiences, even when they could not be in person.
SAR A WOODS
Executive Associate to the Senior Vice Chancellor for Community Engagement Director, Barbara Weitz Community Engagement Center
CAMPUS PARTNER IN PERCEPTION. RETENTION. RECRUITMENT. ENROLLMENT. START A PROJECT WITH UCOMM
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