UM SSW Marketing and Communications

The Marketing and Communications team utilizes a diverse toolkit of skills including storytelling, digital media expertise, and public relations savvy.  The communication channels below managed by the marketing and communications team are commonly used to reach targeted audiences.   

Communications Channel	Frequency	Target Audience(s)	Format/Purpose
The Elm/Elm Weekly  UMB SSW	Mondays Tuesdays	Students, Faculty, Staff	Share announcements, events, recaps, accolades, voice and opinions.  To submit content visit.
Digital Screens – AppSpace	Monthly or as needed	Students, Faculty, Staff, Guests	Event/Date Specific Schoolwide Announcements and Accolades, Schoolwide initiatives
Website	Ongoing	Prospective Students, Donors, Alumni & Current Students	Recruit new students, provide info for current students and alumni
Email	Ongoing	Internal  Faculty  Students  Staff  BOA    External  Prospective Students  Community Partners  Referring Schools/Colleges  Elected Officials	Share updates, news and announcements to internal audiences, alumni, donors, and partners.    Provide key dates, deadlines and admissions information for prospective students.
eNewsletters/Publications*  Center for Restorative Change Bi-Weekly Announcements Institute for Innovation and Implementation MSW Interest Emails Connections Annual Report UMB Catalyst	Monthly Bi-weekly Monthly Monthly Yearly Yearly Quarterly	1 – 3:  Faculty and Staff  4:  Prospective Students  5-7: Alumni, Donors, Prospective Students, Faculty, Staff	1 – 3, 5 - 7:  Share announcements, events, recaps, accolades  4:  Provide admissions information, deadlines, etc.
Internal Meetings  Faculty (FO) Staff Council UMB Communications Council Meeting	Ongoing	Faculty  Staff	Present and share university-wide updates, dates, and deadlines.
Social Media  Facebook ' LinkedIn Instagram X YouTube	Ongoing	Prospective Students  Current Students  Faculty/Staff  Alumni/Donors	SSW and UMB News/Research,  Announcements,  Event Promotion and Recaps    Provide admissions information, deadlines, etc.
UMB Pulse Podcast	Monthly – 1st Friday	Prospective Students  Current Students  Faculty/Staff  Alumni/Donors	Interviews with UMB experts and alumni on relevant topics and programs impacting the city, state, and country.
Traditional Paid Marketing  Billboards Direct Mailers Print Ads		Prospective Students  Donors	Drive traffic to specified webpages and forms, increase calls
Digital Marketing  Search Terms (SEM) Paid Ads	Ongoing	Prospective Students	Drive traffic to specified webpages and forms, increase calls

* Additional eNewsletters not managed by the Marketing and Communications team include:  Weekly Research News, CPE, Alumni Newsletter, PIEC Team Newsletter, Sharp Newsletter. 

The School of Social Work's Marketing and Communications Department plays a pivotal role in shaping and disseminating internal communications across the school community. Internal Communications include messaging such as school-wide events, announcements and leadership updates, as well as communications from the Dean’s office that resonates with students, faculty, staff and the board of advisors.   

In alignment with the SSW’s strategic plan, our goal is to ensure clarity, cohesion, and consistency in all communications in collaboration with UMB.  By strategically managing the flow of information we: 

• foster an informed and engaged community 
• enhance transparency, accountability and the administrative experience 
• reduce overlap and conflicting messaging  

In the dynamic landscape of academia, where unforeseen crises can arise from a variety of sources ranging from natural disasters to public relations mishaps, having structured crisis communications protocols is indispensable for the smooth functioning and reputation management of an academic institution. Such a plan serves as a blueprint for faculty and staff to navigate through turbulent times and difficult conversations with clarity, consistency, and effectiveness. By establishing clear protocols, roles, and communication channels, it ensures a coordinated response that minimizes confusion, mitigates potential risks, and fosters trust among stakeholders. In an age where information spreads rapidly through diverse mediums, crisis communications protocols not only safeguard the institution's integrity but also preserve its credibility and resilience in the face of adversity. 

The UMSSW Marketing and Communications team partners with UMB Communications, including media relations and external affairs, and Emergency Management to develop crisis communication plans in response to high-profile events or circumstances that may garner local and national media attention, impact university operations and/or programs or the safety of students, faculty and staff.   

Crisis Communications Plans may contain suggested talking points for faculty and staff, social media boilerplates, and other communication tools to help convey unified messaging to a variety of audiences.   

UM SSW Marketing and Communications Department works in partnership with key stakeholders of SSW Programs and Centers to develop and implement strategic marketing plans to help increase awareness of the program/center and its impact, as well as tie the activities of the program/center back to the SSW in order to attract prospective students and donors.  Our goal is to increase brand recognition across UMB, UM SSW and its related programs and services. The partnership will include development of:  

• Marketing and Communications Plans 
• Media Advisories 
• Collateral Materials (Factsheets, Brochures, Infographics, etc.) 
• Content Marketing (emails, social media posts, news/Elm articles, etc.)