Strategic Priority: Cultivate a Distinguished National Reputation
Initiative #1: Build Student, Employee and Alumni Pride
Understand the elements of pride that UDM can emphasize with students, employees and alumni.
Begin creating alumni pride from the time students first step on campus and continue throughout their University experience.
Promote alumni programs to provide links between current students and alumni.
Example Action Plans:
- Identify talking points of pride in a comprehensive way across the University.
- Distribute quality swag to new students and employees.
- Institute "Titan Tuesdays" at all campuses. "Titan Tuesdays" encourages students, faculty and staff to wear their UDM apparel.
- Create new alumni programs.
- Develop a campaign to connect our Jesuit and Mercy values to daily campus life, where students, faculty, staff and administrators can share examples.
- Capitalize on existing taglines, such as "The World Needs Titans."
- Publicize/share points of pride using social media and other tactical platforms (e.g., television screens) to increase visibility throughout all campuses.
Definition of Success:
- Increased alumni engagement.
- More Titan pride and increased embrace of the brand visible on students and employees.
- Increases to donor base, number of donors and dollars raised.
Key Metrics Influenced:
- Enrollment
- Retention
Initiative #2: Raise the Profile of the University
Promote academic quality, value and employment prospects after graduation.
Through various marketing channels, showcase our Jesuit and Mercy reputation, athletics and achievements of students, faculty, staff, administrators and alumni.
Develop strategies to improve national rankings.
Example Action Plans:
- Create a branding committee composed of employees, alumni and students.
- Charge the committee with developing strategies to define, build and enhance the brand.
- Capitalize on national rankings, where appropriate, and integrate into branding strategies.
Definition of Success:
- Greater recognition of the brand as identified by contemporary metrics (Google search engine metrics, national rankings, student/employee feedback).
Key Metrics Influenced:
- Enrollment
- Employment/Outcomes
Initiative #3: Improve the Quality of Athletic Programs
Review priorities and invest in facilities, coaches and support services.
Example Action Plans
- Evaluate the cost/benefit of athletic programs and viability for long term success.
- Review facility renovation priorities for athletic programs (i.e., sports medicine, Titan Club, locker rooms, scoreboard, film room, restrooms, other Calihan upgrades, etc.)
- Utilize athletic renovation plans to initiate a fundraising strategy.
- Analyze the need for additional support staff in Athletics.
- Develop strategies to retain and support coaching staff.
Definition of Success:
- Improve recruitment and retention of student-athletes, coaches and staff.
- Provide additional income when hosting events.
- Improved winning percentage for all teams.
Key Metrics Influenced:
- Enrollment
- Community Engagement
