Jailyn Bratica

CM 340
12/8/22
Public Relations Campaign: Worcester State University

Introduction/Analysis of Issue
Worcester State University is a college located in Worcester, MA. Worcester State
University is for undergraduate or graduate students looking for a bachelors or masters degree.
Colleges deal with rapid change with the number of students enrolling to continue their
education but also many other issues like food insecurity, parking and campus life. They must
continuously administer and plan a strong campaign to convince students to come to the
university and keep the students there. They need to appeal to students that student life is
flourishing.
Enrollment and the environment at Worcester State University is crucial to the success of
the college. In order to attain this image, there needs to be an image building campaign designed
to promote and appeal to high school students, parents, current students and young adults or
adults. This campaign would be designed to turn Worcester State University’s obstacles into
positives and allow for more opportunities. By the Spring/Fall, Worcester State University will
have gained new interest from students and applications for students who would like to continue
their education. But it will also boost the interest of Worcester residents as they live in the city
and should be aware of Worcester’s offerings regarding higher education. In order to target
residents and students, a public relations campaign to raise acceptance levels among future
students, parents and current students. This plan will involve ideas that will increase enrollment
at Worcester State University but also increase the success of current students. It will allow for
more students/future students to respond and comment on their view of things. It will allow
Worcester State University administrators to hear what people think. With this information, the
school will respond accordingly to the comments. They will make changes based on what they
believe is best to keep interest.
A negative trend in enrollment, food insecurity and parking has led Worcester State to
make this campaign a top priority. In 2019, a study was conducted by Worcester State University
Urban Action Institute which found that more than one of every three WSU students are hungry
and 15% experience housing insecurity (Saltsman, Fowler, Dogali, Johnston & Wetherell, 2019).
Along with this, in 2020-2021, the world was dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic which
significantly impacted enrollment at Worcester State. For example, in 2019 the enrollment was at
5,332 but in 2020 it was 4,958 and in 2021, 4,640 (WSU Fact Book). The COVID-19 pandemic
could have affected this enrollment as many students did not want to go to school during a
pandemic with the many uncertainties that could come with it. Despite these challenges,
Worcester State University has been recognized by College Consensus: Most Affordable
Colleges and Universities, U.S. News & World Report: Best Colleges, Wall Street Journal/Times
Higher Education College Ranking and along with many other recognitions (WSU Fact Book).
Worcester State University must deal with this situation as soon as possible in order to
guarantee an increase in enrollment and to enhance campus life among students. Administrators
know that continued enrollment at WSU is an important issue as the school depends on
enrollment to keep the school open. The college will be changed by this campaign but current
students and residents as well. This campaign will look at several possibilities and activities in
order to accomplish numerous goals to improve the overall image of Worcester State University.
Analysis of the Organization
Worcester State University is a liberal arts and sciences college founded in 1874. WSU
offers various programs including nursing, communication, education, business among many
others. Worcester State is also home to four resident halls: Dowden, Sheehan, Chandler and
Wasylean which house students who choose to live on campus. Along with these buildings, there
is the Student Center, Learning Resources Center, Ghosh Science Building, Sullivan Academic
Building and the Wellness & Recreation Center. Worcester State University’s mission statement
is as follows "Worcester State University champions academic excellence in a diverse,
student-centered environment that fosters scholarship, creativity, and global awareness. A
Worcester State education equips students with knowledge and skills necessary for lives of
professional accomplishment, engaged citizenship, and intellectual growth” (WSU Fact Book).
Worcester State University is a local university that is affordable for Massachusetts students
looking into higher education. Worcester State strives for academic excellence, diversity and
integrity.
The current president of Worcester State University is Barry M. Maloney who has served
as president since 2011. As president, he has improved the graduation rate, doubled its
fundraising, overhauled the physical campus, doubled the diversity of students and expanded
outside-learning opportunities. Maloney wants to put students first to allow them to receive an
excellent education at an affordable cost. He wants students to explore their passions and pursue
their professional interests throughout their time there. Communication is an important part of
Worcester State’s campaign as it is how they get their message across to people of Worcester and
those around Massachusetts. Other colleges and universities in the Worcester area including
Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) , Clark University and Holy Cross are competitors against
Worcester State.
Worcester State’s biggest advantage against their competitors is the low and more
affordable cost. Worcester State's cost for in-state tuition is about $10,586 while universities like
WPI and Clark range from $50,000 to $55,000. Another advantage is that WSU has a better
acceptance rate than other universities in the surrounding area making it easier for students to
apply. Because of these advantages, Worcester State has been named “College Consensus: Most
Affordable Colleges and Universities”, Princeton Review: Best in the Northeast College,
Worcester Magazine Annual Readers’ Poll: Worcester’s Best College (WSU Fact Book).
According to research done and analyzed by Niche, Worcester State has been rated 4.5
out of 5 stars. It also found that 75% of students agree that professors put a lot of effort into their
classes. Many also left written reviews saying that Worcester State has a diversity of programs to
choose from and that the education is exceptional. These reviews are coming from current
students and it is hard to know the view of those who do not attend Worcester State in this case.
Some issues that I have seen that are important to the audience is that many see issues with
parking on campus as there is just not enough parking. Another issue could be the lack of food
security as well as their thoughts on the food served on campus. Most students use social media
as their main source of information or to let the school know their feedback. I think Instagram is
the app they trust the most.
Public perception is the biggest target of this campaign; Worcester State must raise their
image to increase enrollment and work on helping with campus issues. The current public
perception of Worcester State varies. Testimonials on the website show that many believe
Worcester State is unique due to the sense of community, the affordability, and the class size
making it easier for students to achieve their goals. Although some current students' perception
could differ due to the lack of food security, lack of parking and decrease in enrollment. This
campaign will be aimed at tackling these existing issues and misconceptions about the school.
The strategies and tactics enacted during this campaign will attempt to gain more acceptance
from students but also the public. This campaign will in-turn increase enrollment and the
perception greatly.

It will be important to consider the competitors throughout this campaign because they
play a major role in this area. Other universities in the Worcester area are competitors to us
because they also could have issues with enrollment making it key for Worcester State to gain
these students over them. We want to appeal to people that Worcester State is the school to go to
continue your education and achieve your professional goals. By using the external environment
outside of the campus, Worcester state will attract more appeal from residents in Worcester and
students in the surrounding areas ultimately raising the image.

Identification and Analysis of Key Publics

There are many different publics that are important to Worcester State University. They
will be the target of this campaign as they will help with boosting the image and enrollment.

The publics are as follows:

Current Students:

● Students currently enrolled at Worcester State University whether they are undergraduate,
graduate, commuters, transfers or residents.
● Opinion leaders would be the current students who have been going to school here and
have an idea of what the community and classes are like.
● Wants… to receive a well-rounded education in their respective fields. To receive a
degree when they graduate.
● Benefits…allows current students to convince future students that Worcester State is the
college they should want to attend and apply to.
● Fears… not being able to graduate on time or failing a class. Facing food insecurity or
not being able to afford to attend.
● Communication Characteristics: Social Media (Instagram, Twitter, Tik Tok, Snapchat),
TV.

High School Students

● Junior/Senior high school students are currently in the process of deciding where they
should tour or apply to to further their education.
 ● Opinion leaders would be the students as they will form an opinion on what they think.
But also parents will be opinion leaders as they influence where their child may attend.
● Wants…to choose a college that will fit them best, go somewhere that has a good student
life and fits their field of study.
● Benefits….allows them to see the advantages of choosing Worcester State University and
can imagine them going to school there.
● Fears….being rejected from the school or does not like the idea of attending college.
● Communication Characteristics: Social Media (Instagram, Twitter, Tik Tok, Snapchat),
TV; through word-of-mouth (talking to guidance counselors or family/friends). all
publics are information seeking when curious about Worcester State University.

Family and/or Parents

● Parents who have children who will be graduating from high school looking for a college
or university to send their children to
● Opinion leaders would be faculty and administrators who work at Worcester State
University.
● Wants…for their children to have a good education along with experience and to be
successful professionally. For their children to find a career path they enjoy.
● Benefits…allows them to understand the university or college that they will be sending
their child to. Teaches parents about Worcester State University.
● Fears…fear of their child making mistakes during college, making the wrong decision on
where to go or not being accepted to the college.
● Communication Characteristics: Social Media (Facebook), TV, direct mail and emails.

The customers are the major public that needs to be addressed during this campaign. They are
broken into three different groups: current students, high school students and families/parents.
The needs and wants need to be met in order to ensure students will apply to Worcester State
University and that parents will encourage them to. Although these are the key publics, there are
other publics that need to be addressed.

One of these other publics is professors/faculty. In order for the university to succeed, the
professors and faculty are just as important. They are the ones who teach the students the
knowledge they will need to achieve their career goals. But these professors and faculty need to
first respect the university they work for. The professors/faculty are the heart of WSU and
students depend on them to help them succeed academically but also professionally. The primary
focus on this campaign is the students but professors will be the ones to convince students during
open houses how the majors work. Professors and faculty will need to educate themselves and
others about their specified field in order to achieve convincing students. Professors and faculty
play a key role in avoiding a public relations disaster.

The opinion leaders in this group would be the president of Worcester State University
who makes a majority of the decisions for the school. The president is the one who usually
makes the final decisions on policy changes or rules for the university so these professors are
usually the first to know. But there are times where the president could not listen to professors or
other faculty members which could make or break the university’s image. Like students and
parents, professors/faculty members have wants and needs. Their want is to be paid for teaching
but also to teach students about what they are passionate about. A need for them would be that
they need to be paid on time or have enough students to teach a class. Another need for them is
to be welcomed and to work in a safe work environment. In order to keep this university running,
the university also needs to address the staff members as they are a big part of the university.

Professors need to communicate with students but also other faculty members which
should be done through emails. The university should send out newsletters to staff members with
updates regarding the university or any events happening in the community or on campus. This
could help professors interact with students or other members of the WSU community outside of
the classroom. Communication among professors, faculty members and the president is essential
to the university’s goals.

Other publics that are not as important to this campaign could be:

● Competition: Clark University, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Holy Cross,

Quinsigamond Community College. The messages that these colleges send out
need to be monitored in order for WSU to adapt their campaign if needed.
● Charity Groups and/or Community Work: work with different charities or
volunteer in the community to show that WSU is passionate about helping the
community
 ● Government: following state regulations and asking for financial support through
grants

These publics have been identified and all have an important role to the success of this
campaign. Worcester State University must show people that this is the university for them and
these various groups will help with that goal. Needs and wants from these groups are important
and need to be considered during this campaign. If Worcester State University wants to raise
their overall image and enrollment, these publics need to be analyzed. These audiences will
determine the perception of the university.

Goals & Objectives

Goals and objectives need to be established in order to address the issues that are
significant to Worcester State’s key publics.

Goal #1: Raise the overall image of and acceptance of Worcester State University image
among current students.
● Positioning: Worcester State University is a higher education institution which offers
various majors and minors for current students.
● Awareness Objective: to increase awareness among students specifically building a
public perception of what WSU has to offer and to fix the image among current student
issues such as parking, food insecurity, etc. By the next semester, awareness should be up
and see an increase in satisfaction with the university.
● Acceptance Objective: to increase acceptance among current students at WSU making
students realize that WSU cares about their well being and is committed to resolving
issues that are impacting campus and students. It will make current students realize that
they choose the right school to attend.
● Action Objective: to increase action among current students in recommending this
college to others and for these students to be satisfied with the school. By the spring,
college students will be more happy with WSU.
Goal #2: Raise the overall image of Worcester State to future students and their families.
● Positioning: Worcester State University is a higher education institution which offers
various majors and minors for high school students looking to attend WSU after they
graduate.
● Awareness Objective: to increase awareness among high school students and their
families specifically building a public perception that WSU is the school for them to
attend because of classes and affordability. By the spring, awareness about what WSU
has to offer should rise.
 ● Acceptance Objective: to increase acceptance among high school students and their
families making them realize that WSU has the right number of students and a sense of
community when it comes to education. It will show future students that WSU cares
about their success in the future.
● Action Objective: to increase action among high school students and their families to
apply and tour WSU as a viable option for school.

Goal #3: To condition an academic and professional environment in which

professors/faculty members work efficiently with students and provide an unique
education.
● Positioning: Worcester State University provides an unique education and allows
professors and students to work effectively together.
● Awareness Objective: to increase awareness among both current students and prospective
students that professors offer an unique educational experience and that WSU professors
and staff members care about their students receiving a well-rounded education.
● Acceptance Objective: to increase acceptance among people that Worcester State
University offers a unique environment for the students and their professors by promoting
the idea that WSU is unique because of how much professors care.
● Action Objective: to increase action and participation among professors and students
specifically by getting them to achieve their academic and professional goals
guaranteeing students, professors and prospective students enjoy WSU.

Public Relations Action & Response

All public relations throughout this campaign is to increase the advertising and
engagement with Worcester State. The point of this campaign is to appeal to current students,
prospective students and parents that WSU is the school people should choose to go to. With the
goals for this campaign to increase the overall image and recognition of WSU, this campaign
will only be successful if it appeals to the benefits of joining the Worcester State Community. We
will need to deal with issues such as parking or deal with food insecurity which has been shown
in the past. An action oriented plan will help with the campaign succeeding over a period of
time which is needed to ensure Worcester State’s enrollment increases.

Organizational performance will need to be addressed and adjusted in order to provide

quality information to leave our students, faculty and staff satisfied. Worcester State University
will educate their professors and faculty in order for them to provide the best form of education
for their students. By increasing the organizational performance through this campaign, it will
allow Worcester State to become an welcoming and perfect environment for everyone’s
educational needs.

Increased audience performance is a crucial part to this campaign. Raising public

perception of Worcester State University will lead to more high school students and parents to
learn more about fields that they offer which will in turn increase enrollment. The audience is the
most important public, the needs/wants are addressed by the organization to ensure they create an
environment that is focused on their consumers. Since enrollment has been in the 5,000’s in past
years, the aim for this campaign is to get back up to the 5,000’s as currently it is in the 4,000’s. In
order for this campaign to be successful, it will be designed to increase audience awareness.

Public relations activities conducted during this campaign will need to form alliances
with the public that will overall benefit the university. For example, if Worcester State University
worked with a local high school like Doherty Memorial, they could hold an event or promote
themselves among those students. They could hold a college fair and have current students speak
with these high school students allowing them to get a view from someone who goes there.
Instead of a fair, they could have a student representative as a speaker who could answer any
questions high school students have about WSU or the college process in general. Doherty
Memorial could help students understand why Worcester State might be the place for them and
how to choose a place to go. Alliances could also be formed with other high schools around the
area, businesses and community organizations.

These public relation initiatives will depend on successful communication between the
university and the key publics. The audience can be addressed through various forms of
mediums including television commercials, radio ads, contests, giveaways, print ads and social
media explaining the benefits of enrolling at Worcester State. Professors and faculty could
receive newsletters describing upcoming events or highlighting a certain academic department.
The university could also make videos directed for professors or even students to help with the
image of the university. If there is not successful communication with the publics, then a positive
image will not be achieved through this campaign.

This campaign will use both offensive and defensive characteristics used by the
university to raise the overall image of the university and also bring awareness. For example, a
problem that WSU faces is the lack of parking available for students/faculty so this will need to
be dealt with accordingly. In a defensive manner, Worcester State University will look over how
they could add more parking and make any policy changes related to parking. They will need to
participate in an image boosting event in order to combat this problem which could tarnish their
image. They need to make sure that a positive image is thought of or they will not be able to
connect with their current students who do not like this issue. In an offensive manner, Worcester
State would have to take their problems and act in a way that would promote more enrollment.
Worcester State needs to act in a way that represents their mission and core values as an higher
education institution and to provide the best possible opportunities for their students.

Effective Communication

An important aspect of any public relations campaign is verbal and nonverbal

communication. Communication allows for there to be a two-way process between the university
and the key publics so we can address their needs and wants. The communication will only be
successful if it is presented clearly, wisely and appropriately. Barry M. Maloney would be the
best spokesperson for this campaign because has been the president of the university for 11 years
making him well-rounded in this topic. He could provide information to prospective students by
telling them about how campus life works, class size and what WSU will offer to them. Since the
president is important to the operation of any university, it would allow these students to engage
and ask questions. Barry Maloney gives speeches and attends events regularly so he is the best
spokesperson as he can connect and communicate effectively. He could even have a student
representative with him as well so it allows high school students to get a better understanding
coming from a current student at WSU. President Maloney will help raise awareness and bring
recognition to this university which in turn could increase enrollment.

Students, professors, administrators or even alumni who are opinion leaders for our key
publics could also address prospective and high school students looking into colleges and speak
why Worcester State University is the best college to attend when looking in the Worcester area.
Students and professors would be excellent spokesmen for the university because they have first
hand experience with the good and bad. Students would be able to provide insight on classes
(how they operate, how the workload is, etc), what there is to do on campus and how dorming on
campus is. While professors would be able to provide information on how college classes are
taught and what they expect. Both these groups would be extremely beneficial to this campaign
because they are the ones most informed and can provide their point of view. Since not all
students and professors are good at public speaking, there would be a screening process to
determine who would work best for this campaign.

Although Worcester State could have the best spokesperson speaking on behalf of the
university, our messages need to appeal to our audience or they will not have an effect on them.
The key publics that we have identified need to see these messages in order to be influenced to
see what Worcester State is about. The overall message to high school students is that they
should apply to Worcester State because it’s affordable, local and an welcoming environment.
While the message to current students is that Worcester State is an welcoming environment open
to working on certain issues that have arisen. Worcester State’s slogan/message on their website
is “we prepare our students to be innovative thinkers and doers, ready to take on real world
challenges and make an impact in our community and beyond”. These themes bring togetherness
and preparedness to the audience as it shows that Worcester State is committed to preparing their
students for the absolute best. The message to professors and faculty would also be togetherness.
By having professors working together in various departments, it allows them to work better
with each other but also with students. I think that if students could nominate professors for
going “above and beyond” in the classroom, it would reassure the professors that they are doing
a good job teaching.

Through verbal communication, our messages will use various keywords and themes to
appeal to our audience. Some of these keywords will include “community”, “affordable”,
“togetherness” and “achievable”. These keywords will help with the success of our campaign
because they will boost the image of the university. The measure structure to the audience is
organized in a way that shows that Worcester State is affordable for students to attend. The
message will then go on to explain why Worcester State is like a community, how it will benefit
them and what they can achieve as a Worcester State Lancer. The solution will enable students to
choose Worcester State University over other colleges because they will remember that WSU is
affordable and the best experience for a sense of community. With all the different types of
spokespeople for the university, they will be able to provide messages that will appeal to our key
publics but also provide a positive image of the university.

Nonverbal communication will be used in television commercials or print advertisements

to help the audience respond to the messages. This will help increase the number of students who
apply or decide to attend Worcester State University. Pictures of Worcester State’s campus,
classrooms and students interacting with each other will help the audience remember what
Worcester state will look like during their education. Looking at pictures will trigger an idea
among students that shows Worcester State is a healthy environment. For example, by showing
photos of students working in the classroom or a lab, it will show that Worcester State students
are hardworking and determined. By using these photos, the goal will be to increase the number
of students who end up enrolling to Worcester State for their academic goals. Pictures of the
professors helping students will show the togetherness therefore creating the positive image for
our campaign.

Communication Tactics

Interpersonal Communication

This campaign is necessary to improve the communication between the university and
current students but also to improve the number of high school students who choose to apply and
enroll at Worcester State. This campaign will address why students should attend Worcester
State.

In order to gain the audience’s approval and recognition, there are many things that need
to be changed. First, Worcester State University should offer an open forum discussion for
current students regarding issues that they believe the campus is facing (ex. Lack of packing).
This may raise the interest of current students recommending the school to others if they feel as
if their voices are being heard. Another thing that could be offered is a survey from current
students but also high school and prospective students. For the current students, the survey could
be for feedback of what the university could change whether its campus life, classes, food, etc.
While a survey for prospective students could ask what they are looking for in a college and a
reason why or why they wouldn’t choose to attend WSU. This could help faculty at the
university improve their campus based on feedback from both current and prospective students.

If Worcester State University wants their campaign to be extremely successful, the president and
faculty will need to adhere to all these changes in order to increase the likelihood of this
campaign being successful. It could make a huge difference in the perception of Worcester State
University.

Along with this, Worcester State could hold special events throughout the campaign which will
attempt to draw students and parents to the school.
 ● Entertainment Event: Polar Park is home to the Worcester Red Sox. Polar Park is a
popular place in the Worcester area so it would be ideal for Worcester State to host an
event here. Worcester State could host the WSU baseball team at the park. At this game,
students could come for free, join a raffle or do giveaways. It could be open to anyone in
the Worcester area. The WSU logo could appear on the jumbotron which will simply
interest viewers to look at what WSU has to offer. Having a WSU sports team play at
Polar Park could make it a fun event and something interactive.

Estimated Cost: $100-$5,000

● Educational Event: An educational gathering needs to be held for professors and faculty
to remain in line with Worcester State's mission. Conferences or mini seminars could be
run by the president, board members or even other professors so they could succeed in
their job but also learn more about how to handle certain situations. Workshops should be
held annually so professors and faculty members could improve their leadership skills.
These types of educational events would help staff members see the mission and quality
of the university and overall improve relationships within the institution.

Estimated Cost: $500

● Technology Event: Worcester State’s website just underwent renovation and is now very
appealing and easy to use. The website shows students and faculty stories, it allows
current students, future students, graduate students, faculty and alumni to choose a
personalized path which offers numerous opportunities and information for them to
choose from. The tabs at the top of the page make it easy for navigation to find exactly
what you're looking for. It’s easy to apply as there is a button at the top making it
accessible to anyone who looks at the website. The website uses numerous photos of
student clubs, athletics, classrooms, campus and of students/professors. I think updating
the site periodically with new photos would make it more fresh so that’s the only change
that would need to be made.

Estimated Cost: $100

● Audience Participation: Young adults (16-25 years old) will be given numerous
opportunities to explore the benefits of attending Worcester State University. Worcester
State offers an Open House and Accepted Students Day which allow for students to tour
the school before they apply and once they are accepted and have enrolled. WSU could
work with local high schools in the area and hold a special Worcester State University
fair. This will allow it to be interactive for high school students looking to attend college.
There could be giveaways of WSU merchandise like t-shirts, water bottles, hats, etc.
Students could engage with students at this fair and even engage with some of the
programs without having to actually go to the school. The goal of this would be to
 promote the school and then these students could apply and even hold interviews on the
spot.

Estimated Cost: $10-$1,000

Organizational Media Communication

This campaign will only be successful through the use of several publications and organizational
media.
● Newsletter: Newsletters should be emailed out to each program department at WSU for
professors and staff to see changes or events being held on campus. It could highlight a
different staff every week and a “department” of the month. This will boost member
participation. Estimated Cost: $300
● Scholarship: Worcester State University already has a scholarship program in place which
is very successful. It is available to current and prospective students who will be
attending Worcester State. Worcester State should continue with this scholarship program
as it is extremely important for students to know that WSU cares and will help make their
college experience affordable. If future students see the opportunity that WSU provides
scholarships, it will make them more intrigued and interested in the university. It will
show students that WSU cares about their academic goals. Estimated Cost: $500-$10,000
● Website: Worcester State University’s website will provide information and forums for
people to fill out or to learn about a certain program more.
● On site Interviews/Acceptance: Many universities and colleges already do this so it may
work well for Worcester State. Worcester State could go to local high schools in
Worcester and offer on the spot interviews/applications and acceptances to students. It
would allow students to meet with an on the spot admission counselor and allows them to
know if they have been accepted. It would also allow students to ask questions and give
students reassurance that they are on the right track.

News Media Tactics

In today’s society, many people turn to a form of the media to get information and the
best way to do this is through generating news. Many that are not from the Worcester area or
familiar with Worcester colleges may not know much about the opportunities offered at
Worcester State University. Through using news media tactics, Worcester State’s image will be
improved.

● News Releases: New releases will be administered in the Worcester area illustrating the
opportunities that Worcester State has to offer. Press releases highlighting important
 events on campus that made an impact will show the community that Worcester State is
committed to making a change.
● Feature Releases: A feature release will be given to Worcester Telegram and Gazette
(local Worcester newspaper) explaining the programs and opportunities that Worcester
State has to offer to students and even adults. It will address the costs of Worcester State
and the programs that will help someone succeed in a career. This feature release will
increase the image of Worcester State. Estimated Cost: $1,000
● Photos: When sending out press releases or any other information related to the bank,
photographs will accompany the text. Photos of Worcester, Worcester State University’s
campus and students working will provide a welcoming perception of the company and
bring unity among others. This will ultimately increase the enrollment. Estimated Cost:
$400
● Video News Release: A video could be posted on Youtube highlighting a “day in the life”
of a student. This would give a future student a look into a daily college student’s life and
to show them what Worcester State will be like. Estimated Cost: $2,000
● Tik Tok Video Release: Tik Tok is something that everyone uses in this day and age and
is accessible and able to get a message across easily. Worcester State could create a Tik
Tok page and post a short video showcasing a classroom or the campus. It would increase
engagement with Worcester State.

Advertising and Promotional Media

Any aspect of a campaign will need an advertising budget and ideas including Worcester State
University. Since there are many other colleges in the area, special offers will need to be offered
to students to give an edge against the others.

● Non-broadcast videos will be sent to current students on the Worcester State

emailing list explaining the changes or policies being made to the campus
● Radio Ad: Local radio stations will broadcast an ad about Worcester State
University and their mission statement . Estimated Cost: $500
● Color Newspaper Ad: a colored newspaper ad will be printed in the Worcester
Telegram and Gazette during the months of September-November (usually
because open houses happen during this time) showcasing a photo and the
programs offered. Estimated Cost: $2,000
● Coupons: Once students are accepted and enrolled to Worcester State, they could
receive a 15% off discount at the Worcester State bookstore.
Implementing the Strategic Plan

This campaign will confront several barriers between current/prospective students and
Worcester State University. To have a successful approach to this campaign, Worcester State
University needs to be organized when it comes to their promoting and advertising. They need to
make sure that their current students understand that they are committed to solving current
campus issues. While they need to make sure prospective students understand the opportunities
and advantages of enrolling at Worcester State. If Worcester State University fails to increase the
enrollment rate, it will be on them. They need to rely on their information and themselves to get
their message across because it will only sound sincere if it comes from them. Worcester State
University needs to first fix the issues that current students want them to be aware of and also
offer more open forums. Worcester State University needs to offer more opportunities and be
more appealing to prospective students and their families. They could do this by hosting events,
print ads and keeping up with social media trends to meet their goals. If needed, policies and
changes will be made to achieve our goal.

Public relations and advertising need to be the key focus during this campaign. The
overall goal of this campaign is to increase satisfaction among current students and to also
increase enrollment but it should also improve and benefit the university’s image. Many probably
have already heard of Worcester State University, but we need to increase the overall appearance
of it. Worcester State needs to form a relationship with current students, prospective students,
faculty and parents in order for this campaign to be effective.

Although we would like to see immediate results in satisfaction or enrollment, we know

that this won’t be possible right away. We would like to see a slight increase in enrollment and
satisfaction over a period of time. This would be successful in this campaign because it shows
trust and respect is forming. As a university providing higher education, communication is
always going to be the top priority with the public. How Worcester State University responds and
communicates with their audience will make or break the university. The two most important
publics in this campaign are current students and prospective/high school students as they are
vital to the success of the school.

Campaign Schedule
 Ideally this campaign will be year-round. Usually, between September through
November, open houses will be held for universities. During the months of
September-November, Worcester State University should be focused on advertising their
university to students. During the months of January-March, Worcester State will also need to
focus on advertising as well as PR and marketing to enhance their campaign. Implementation
will need to start around January for the success of this campaign. A follow up could be done in
April–May as many will have already committed to Worcester State and many current students
will be wrapping up the current school year. The only way this campaign will be successful is if
it operates year round.

Budget: $22,000

● Advertising/Media Cost: $5,900

● Scholarships: $10,000 (up to this amount)
● Special Events: $7,500
● Charity/Donations: $100

Evaluating the Strategic Plan

Many other universities have policies and plans put in place when it comes to promoting
their school to people. They also have plans to communicate and receive feedback from their
audience. It is important to any university, organization or company to know how they are
perceived through an publics eye. This campaign is necessary because Worcester State has failed
to create enough satisfaction among current students but also failed to increase enrollment
among prospective students. There will be several checkpoints throughout the campaign to
analyze progress that has been made and if needed, the campaign will be altered.

The overall goal of this campaign was to essentially establish a relationship between
students and Worcester State University. In order for them to do this, Worcester State University
needs to appeal to high schools in the area and in surrounding areas. They also need to appeal to
their current students. They could also form relationships through events, giveaways or even
hosting special acceptance events.
 An action-oriented objective for this campaign is to raise the image of the university but
also making sure that professors are providing the best education for themselves but also their
students. Surveys will be offered to current students who have been receiving an education with
WSU. This would provide feedback for management to see how they should improve therefore
benefiting any future students.

Audience participation and audience feedback are going to be extremely important to this
campaign. Worcester State University should allow for feedback so they can see what current
students think and prospective students think about their campus. If this campaign is going to be
successful, both WSU and the public's all need to be on the same page.

By the end of this campaign, most of the advertisements will end at that time. New
policies and procedures should be introduced after this in order to keep seeing results in the long
term. They should look at what worked and what didn’t work to make these changes. They will
need to adapt to the ever changing social media world in order to keep up with students and
trends. Although immediate results would be great, they are not needed the right way in this
case. Worcester State University should continue to form a relationship with students and their
staff, and raise their image.
 Works Cited

Saltsman, A., Fowler , M., Dogali, M., Johnston, G., & Wetherell , O. (2019). Hunger &
Homelessness at Worcester State University. Worcester State University. Retrieved from
https://webcdn.worcester.edu/citylab/wp-content/uploads/sites/49/2022/05/Hunger-and-Homeles
sness-at-WSU-final.pdf

Student, G., & Junior. (2022, October 20). Explore Worcester State University. Niche.
Retrieved December 2, 2022, from
https://www.niche.com/colleges/worcester-state-university/#about

Worcester State University Fact Book 2021 . Worcester State University . (n.d.).
Retrieved from
https://www.worcester.edu/academics/provosts-office/institutional-assessment-planning/institutio
nal-research/university-data/