Visibility, Outreach, and Economic Catalyst
Pursue initiatives that make GSU a preferred destination in the region for cultural, social, economic, and continuing education pursuits; enhance collaboration between GSU and its communities; position GSU as a leader and partner in vibrant public dialogue; and increase the university’s effectiveness as an economic catalyst in the region.
- Build regional awareness of, and preference for, GSU as a cultural destination and resource.
- Build GSU’s presence as an important venue for dialogue and problem-solving related to the region’s critical issues.
- Establish GSU as the regional center for continuing education and life-long learning.
- Develop GSU’s identity as a center for excellence in academic research and collaboration.
- Create an engaged and diverse audience (current and potential students, community members, external partners) through effective branding and marketing initiatives.
- Continue to build GSU’s profile as an important catalyst and partner for regional economic development.
A couple of Billboards is not how one gains visibility in today’s world and among potential students. That battle now takes place on the Internet. We need to have marketing experts that understand Internet marketing, and they will need a reasonable budget to accomplish their task.
I believe that our Extended Learning staff and all of the colleges do make substantial and important efforts towards this goal. GSU has many activities involving outside speakers and provides lifelong learning opportunities to both the business and civic community.
Marketing does a very good job of showcasing our diverse student and staff composition. The Center for Performing Arts is also a regional destination for cultural and entertainment events.
The parts where I believe we fall short are our regional partnerships and being a center of excellence for academic research and collaboration.
Regional partnerships should mean more than regional schools and colleges. This should include partnering with local governments, non-profit organizations, community leaders, and civic movements. This partnership should focus on GSU serving as a meeting point for dialogue and ideas and acting as a mediator and subject matter expert to promote alliances, partnerships, and conflict resolution.
Sometimes I wonder about the level of awareness about GSU in our immediate geographic region. How many people can you run across on the street that know who we are and where we are? Do chambers of commerce know us? Do non-profits like Lions and Rotarians know us? Do community activist groups promoting racial or gender equality know us?
If they don’t know us, then we should have a definite strategy so that they know we are here and that we can contribute to their communities through our faculty, staff, and facilities. Are we truly partners with those who live and work around GSU?