Category — 100 Days at NC State

Back in town from a trip to Vancouver then to Gainesville where the wife and dogs came back with me.  Had two days of very interesting meetings at the University of British Columbia, a place of mind.  UBC is deep into a new branding project and they are doing so many things right it’s hard to list them all (but I’ll attempt that in a future blog.)

They are also sitting right on top of one of the largest events in the world, the Winter Olympics. And as I always say, when things like this happen, you’ve got to seize the moment.  UBC is doing just that with banners, signage, press, on-site media center, experts, etc.  They are also hosting a number of hockey events on campus.  Sure there are going to be challenges, but hundreds of millions of eyes will be on Vancouver for the next month and UBC will be quite visible.  What is the cliche, you can’t buy that kind of visibility!  Indeed.

And I’m still searching for circus dogs.  Not much luck there so if you know anyone who has performing dogs who don’t require a lot of space for their routine, please let me know.  I want to make them stars!

All for now.  So much to do after a few days away.

Passion Rules!

79 of 100

I attended a Chancellor Liaison meeting last week where students were talking about ways to beautify campus and “sandwich boards” came up.  I was thinking Subway or Quiznos, but the sandwich boards people were talking about are those leaning sign boards you see on campus.  All around campus in fact.

That day there were 40 sandwich boards around campus.  Or should I say, 40 sandwich boards around campus on the way to and from the TSC.  That’s certainly not the way to beautify campus.

I was impressed that our students were concerned enough to bring this up with the Chancellor and even more impressed when I realized the wanted to do something about it.  Just what has yet to be decided, but I thought I’d weigh in. [Read more →]

My first post regarding the Alumni Association’s Evening of Stars was so long it was a little overwhelming.  I don’t want to overwhelm anyone — just entertain and inform — so I’ve broken the original post in half.  Part two follows.

And be on the lookout for tomorrow’s N&O feature on the new NC State Chancellor’s Residence.

78 of 100  — yes I’m goig to count it.  It has been very busy lately:-)

Butch Blanchard:

Life is an amazing journey!  I am honored to be included among the high achievers recognized here tonight.  Perhaps my selection is more based on variety, persistence, and longevity, than upon singular achievement, rather like the Long Leaf Pine.

The Forestry Foundation has afforded me the opportunity to work in the support of the College of Natural Resources for student scholarships and other needs, and with special alumni who bring positive changes. The Foundation entrusted me for 23 years with the development, nurture, and growth of the world-unique Hofmann Forest, which became an asset of all-time highest value. [Read more →]

On Friday night, in the midst of a freshly fallen silent shroud of snow, the NC State Alumni Association Evening of Stars recognized 18 individuals for their outstanding contributions to the university, the state and the nation.  The recipients may well be the rocks that form the foundation of this university, but in no way are they islands unto themselves.  In every case, the relationships they built through the university helped make them the men and women they are today.

Their pride for NC State is evidenced in their comments.  While I don’t have comments from every one of them, I’d encourage you to take some time and read what this august group had to say about NC State.  They will make you smile, they will make you cry.  They will make you proud to be associated with NC State University.

Passion Rules!

77 of 100

I’m proud to present the comments made by the winners of the College Distinguished Alumni Awards, the Wolfpack Club’s Ronnie Shavlik Award and the Alumni Association Awards:

Dr. Calvin McNeill:

I am honored, humbled and still amazed standing before you this evening,  and truly thankful to CALS and NC State for this award. I profusely thank all of you who made this possible. I especially thank  Dean Wynne, Chancellor Woodward, Mr. Peter Daniel and Mr. Scott Troutman for seeing fit to recognize me as a recipient of the 2009 Distinguished Alumni Award.

Coming from rural NC- Raeford, which is located about 100 miles south of here- expectations were low. We were dirt poor, probably some of the last of the so-called share croppers.

I applied to only one college, and luckily got accepted. That was one of my best decisions, for NC State proved to be the nurturing environment I needed. I realized this further by actually spending a semester away from State at Howard University- only realizing NC State was the place for me.

I thank my family for its nurturing and encouragement; and also my NC State mentors, professors and role models. These individuals, the likes of Dr. Gerald Hawkins, the late Dr. Augustus Witherspoon, Dr. Tom Stafford, Dr. Banks Talley, my advisor Dr. Carl Lytle, and Dr. George Barthalmus. These individuals, some of whom have buildings named after them, dedicated their careers to developing students by astutely recognizing individual student needs, their strengths and encouraging them to succeed.

[Read more →]

We talked a lot, well, maybe a little, about social media during the Advancement Summit yesterday.  People are definitely interested and I think just about everyone is participating in this form of communications.

But man are there lots of questions.  How do you do it? What tools do you use?  How do you create, disseminate, control your messages?  How, What, Why seems to dominate the discussion.

Came across this list of things to do with social media on one of the sites I frequent; http://brandmindblog.com/.  Check it out.

1. Listen and educate internal stakeholders
   • Invest some time and energy in learning about social media.  Listen to the social web for sentiment about your company, and also learn from competitors and other categories.
2. Understand your audience and how they currently interact with social media
   • Using simple techniques and tools, learn which topics are important to your customers.  Find out how your customers are engaging with other companies.
3. Determine social marketing objectives
   • What do you hope to achieve with social media?  Are you interested in using it for customer service? To create a closed customer-feedback loop?  To provide product information?  To promote your products?  To build your brand?  Make sure that internal stakeholders agree on objectives and how to measure against them. [Read more →]

The University Advancement retreat today was very nice and worthwhile.  Had a chance to preach the Passion Rules! gospel and talk about change.  Because the Passion Rules! portion was somewhat off the cuff, I’m just posting the change stuff here.

Hope it’s useful

If there is one constant at the NC State, it’s change.

Students change. Faculty members change. Courses and graduation requirements change.

Coaches change.  Even senior leadership changes…perhaps more than we’d like, but even in the really good times, things change.

Look at me; I’m standing up here before you because change happens.

We can’t do a lot about change and most of us don’t like it. We dislike change so much that we may resist it and that just adds to the stress of day-to-day life.  Understanding how change affects our lives can help reduce that stress and make change work for us.

Betsy Flanagan talked about change as it relates to campaign planning and advancement.  Who would have dreamed two years ago that the Internet would help Barack Obama raise more than $500 million for his presidential campaign.  About half of his donations were made online and the average donation…less than $80 a pop!

Now that’s change.

Just two weeks ago, who would have dreamed that your cell phone would help raise millions to help the earthquake victims in Haiti.  And at just $5 or $10 a pop.

Now that’s change.

Chancellor Woodward talked about change at NC State from a personal perspective.

As the glue that helped hold this place together for the past six months, Woodward represents change.  Professional change and personal change.  If you don’t think the Chancellor went through a lifetime of personal change during that short period of time, think again.  He was just starting to enjoy retirement when everything changed.  All this man has done since July is deal with change. [Read more →]

It has been a little hectic around here the last couple of days (I mean months) and I’m taking the easy way out on the Blog today.  Following you’ll find suggestions on dealing with the media.  I encourage you to share with your deans, directors and department heads and anyone else interested.  Really no magic involved.  Be yourself, be prepared, be honest, be …

It’s been so long I don’t remember where these come from but I think they may be from a friend and media consultant in Sarasota, David Voss.  Thanks David.

Passion Rules!

74 of 100

1.  BE REALISTIC

Time and space limitations

Think news value, not fluff

We need the press

They won’t go away

Understand the press (news values, local philosophy, key players, competition)

2.  BE PREPARED

Increase personal media consciousness and analyze the news

Understand the organizational structure of your media outlets

Keep up-to-date information readily available

Delay if necessary by asking questions (“When is your deadline?”), then do your homework and prepare a message

[Read more →]

You have to love big rivalries on the college level and today one of the biggest in the nation is on center stage.  Rivalries bring graduates back to campus for the day, stir old memories and create new.  They bring out the passion in fans and you know how much I love Passion.

As a new member of the NC State family, I joined the Wolfpack to celebrate today’s rivalry. Started with the women’s basketball game where the Reynold’s Coliseum was really rocking then walked through the Free Expression Tunnel to the bar-b-que, I mean, Ram Roast.  Pride in NC State was everywhere and people were having a great time. Now this morning I figure some kids have pulled a prank on the student newspaper until I realized the name on the masthead, “Daily Tar Hell,” was a spoof and the stories too.  Good stuff.  Passion Rules on campus today.

Pay attention when you’re walking around today or at the game tonight, because the emotional branding I talk about all the time will on display in all its glory.  It’s this level of connection, this emotional connection, that we have to access if our strategic communications plan and our branding approach is to be successful at NC State.  We’ve got to connect with people on a personal and holistic level if we’re to imprint NC State on their psyche and we’ve got to do it day in and day out.  When the rivalry games occur, we’ve got to seize the moment to drive our message home.  It’s hard work trying to burn your message into someone’s mind.  Its even harder to make sure athletics is only a part of that connection.  An important part, but just a part.  Remember, STUDENT athlete.

[Read more →]

From a report completed by Art & Science Group LLC. a few years back.  Some pretty interesting stuff.  What do you think?

The big issues that NC State should position itself as taking a leading role in addressing are:

• Producing leaders for the state, nation, and world
• Energy and the environment
• Health and well-being
• Educational innovation across all grade levels
• Economic development and social equity

Realize that this information was gleaned from several hundred interviews in early 2007.  From focus group research conducted around the same time and from “man-on-the-street” discussions on campus, in town, and around the nation.  Sure the world has changed a lot since then, but many of the findings could still be valid…couldn’t they?

I’m planning to post the longer report from Art & Science Group and others on the NC State Communicators NING site.  Probably won’t happen for  few days, but keep your eyes open.  The recommendations in the reports are great thought starters and I suspect that many of them will weave their way into our strategic communications plan.  In fact, many of them are already in the plan we’re following today around NC State branding.

Passion Rules!

72 of 100

By Jeffery P. Braden:

Perhaps one of the greatest regrets I will have is that I never met Abe Holtzman. Professor Emeritus Holtzman died Monday (1-18-10), leaving an academic legacy that might surprise many who equate NC State with agriculture, engineering, and technology. Abe did none of those things-he was a professor of political science, and his career spanned five decades of scholarship and teaching. His scholarship shaped and influenced his field-and his lectures shaped and influenced generations of NC State students.

Although I never met Abe Holtzman, I know him. I know Abe from the alumni who pull me aside at football and basketball games and tell me about his class and the way he challenged their thinking. I know Abe from his colleagues who can’t hide their surprise when I admit I never met him, but quickly proceed to regale me with tales of his scholarly accomplishments and his stance as a liberal lion and stalwart defender of social justice. I know Abe from an alumnus in the Arizona legislature who called yesterday to express his condolences and tell us of the profound effect Abe had on him and his political beliefs-despite the fact his beliefs are so conservative he decries Senator John McCain as “too liberal.” I know Abe from legislators, judges, engineers, and architects, who run the gamut of the political spectrum, yet are united by a deep and endearing reverence for a man who challenged them, who demanded them not just to voice but to justify their opinions, and who never faltered in conveying and commanding respect.

Abe Hotlzman was the antithesis of our current culture, in which differences of opinion devolve into pseudo-political theater where the loudest voice wins. Abe used debate to bring out ideas, to push students out of their comfort zone, forcing them to examine cherished beliefs and grapple with prickly ideas. [Read more →]