As students walk around campus, new Waynesburg University posters are seen hanging on walls and doors. The posters advertise the university in a new light, focusing on how students at the university “grow” in many areas of their faith, service and education.

The University Relations team planned the new “GROW” marketing campaign for months, and it finally launched March 15 of this year, according to Stacey Brodak, vice president for Institutional Advancement and University Relations.

“A new marketing campaign was a goal for the University Relations team. We knew that everything else we did would build upon the theme, so it was important to focus on this goal first,” Brodak said.

Ashley Wise, director of University Relations, said it had been several years since the university  launched a new campaign, and the team wanted to reach out to potential students.

“It was time for a new campaign,” Wise said. “We were excited by the opportunity to speak to our audiences in a new way.”

Wise said the campaign was developed with the aid of faculty experts Dr. Chad Sherman, assistant professor of communication and Andrew Heisey, chairperson for the fine arts department.

While planning the new campaign, the team received input from many sources, including students – current and prospective – and faculty. During the 2018 Spring semester,members of the team even sat down with students in the dining hall to ask their opinions on the new campaign and what would draw them to Waynesburg .

“We wanted the theme we chose to be accurate, positive and flexible for many audiences and programs,” said Brodak. “It was really important that we were aligned with our university community, as it is a theme we hope all will embrace.”

The team has branched out, using many mediums to advertise Waynesburg through its  campaign, according to Wise. These methods include movie theater previews, YouTube videos and digital campaigns. They also have placed signs on campus and at the Pittsburgh Airport.

Brodak said the team is receiving “very positive” feedback so far.

“The theme is very versatile and we have noticed many others incorporating ‘GROW’ into their message in various forms, from presentations to meetings, which seems to be a natural progression of acceptance of the message,” she said.

Although they have produced much of their campaign thus far, the University Relations team isn’t   finished with the changes. It’s next step, according to Wise, is a new main website for the university, which is set to launch within the next week. Wise said the “GROW” theme will be fully integrated into the website.

While student recruitment is the campaign’s primary purpose, Brodak said they hope it will also “build a sense of pride among [current] students and energize the university community.” She also believes the mission of the university is important to present.

“At Waynesburg University, we are proud of our mission and our students,” Brodak said. “We are excited to be able to showcase both in our marketing initiative. Not only is it bold, new and fresh, it is also a true representation of the remarkable and important work this university does.”