A Quick Guide to University Communications

University Communications is dedicated to cultivating and safeguarding the brand of the University of Mary Washington. Our primary objectives include enhancing brand recognition, bolstering national reputation, and fostering meaningful connections with diverse audiences and stakeholders.

We aim to celebrate everyone who joins the UMW community. We showcase student success, faculty expertise, and staff excellence. Our storytelling approach focuses on people and place, our shared passions and purpose, and our strategic plan and core values. We also work to share resources and knowledge with our community members, and we elevate the Mary Washington brand to engage new audiences and encourage our alumni to stay connected to their alma mater.

Who We Are

University Communications strategically encompasses four teams: Creative Services, Digital Communications, Marketing, and Media and Public Relations. Together, these departments are charged with integrating and leading the University’s creative services and brand management, digital communications and the website, marketing and advertising, social media, news and public relations, and editorial services.

What We Do

We design, manage, and implement University-wide communications and strategic marketing initiatives, focusing on brand awareness and admissions, recruitment and retention, and alumni engagement and advancement.

How We Do It

We work through digital, print, and in-person channels to communicate the Mary Washington experience. This includes:

• Broadcast emails on campus
• Newsletters and email communications, including EagleEye
• News releases and feature stories
• Media relations and pitches for faculty expertise
• Social media through the University’s flagship accounts
• Publications from postcards to annual reports
• Brand awareness initiatives
• UMW swag distribution
• Campus signage, digital screens (EagleVision), and banners
• Event fliers (for series, annual events, and traditions)
• Art direction for photography and video and booking these services
• Creative design initiatives
• Marketing and advertising via digital, traditional, and out-of-home channels
• Website management, analysis, trainings, and user testing
• Web content and search engine optimization

Note: Digital marketing campaigns must be coordinated with University Communications to connect with Google Analytics and coordinate with the University’s marketing strategy.

When to Contact Us

If you have an idea to reach external audiences including prospective students and their families, or want to broadcast news to all faculty and staff and/or all students, please contact us to start. We’ll work with you to build it into the University’s content calendar and project schedule and zero in on ways to reach your audiences. If you have a targeted audience in mind, we’ll make sure it’s in the plan and provide online tools, resources, and creative consultation at any step in the process where you need advice.

Please allow at least 24 hours for broadcast email requests and adhere to the Policy on Broadcast
Emails. Content for newsletters and website updates should be submitted one week in advance when
possible. Larger projects and requests require at least three-weeks’ notice and should factor in at least
two-weeks for each stage (i.e. conceptualization = 2 weeks, design = 2 weeks, printing = 2 weeks).

To expedite a step, please submit any approved content, photos or video with permission to publish,
or design samples with your request.

Where We Work

We’re located in Eagle Village Suite 300. Contact us at communications@umw.edu, schedule a Zoom consultation, invite us to join your project team or departmental meeting, or call us at ext. 1055.