Communications – 鶹Ƶ Wed, 21 Jan 2026 19:53:15 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9.4 /wp-content/uploads/2019/04/cropped-favicon_logo-32x32.jpg Communications – 鶹Ƶ 32 32 Evaluating Stormwater Management Graphics /projects/evaluating-stormwater-management-graphics-3/ /projects/evaluating-stormwater-management-graphics-3/#respond Wed, 01 Nov 2023 03:37:43 +0000 https://portal.epicn.org/case-stories/evaluating-stormwater-management-graphics/ Read More... from Evaluating Stormwater Management Graphics

]]> The Mississippi Watershed Management Organization (MWMO) has a library of graphics for stormwater best management practices. The MWMO uses these graphics on signs, flyers, and other communication materials for the public; these communication materials seek to engage the public in implementing stormwater best management practices to promote infiltration of water into the ground and prevent runoff to the Mississippi River. Other watershed districts in the area are interested in collaborating with the MWMO to use this set of graphics across watershed districts so that they will become more recognizable to the public and so that watershed districts can build momentum around them. However, before the MWMO proceeds with this collaborative effort, the MWMO would like to assess whether the graphics are effective in achieving their desired responses/goals in different communication settings. Students in Environmental Communication will evaluate these graphics with respect to the MWMO’s goals and provide their analysis and feedback to the MWMO to inform their work.

Project Overview Poster
Partner Outcomes
MWMO staff met in May 2017 to review and discuss the focus group’s comments. The students’ feedback provided insights that challenged the level of confidence MWMO had in some of the symbols they had been using. It also gave MWMO a roadmap for improving those images and bringing a higher level of consistency to their iconography. MWMO plans to do additional research with other audiences and ultimately redesigning several of the icons.

]]> The Freshwater Society’s (FWS) Master Water Stewards program (MWS) develops, certifies, and supports community volunteer leaders to manage stormwater at a neighborhood scale to improve water quality. FWS is wrapping up the third year of its partnership with the Minnehaha Creek Watershed District and is preparing to expand the MWS program to seven watershed districts and one city in the coming year, including the Mississippi Watershed Management Organization. To support this expansion, FWS would like to develop a set of recommended communication practices for its new partners to use to develop and maintain engaged, interested, and involved water stewards after they have completed their certification. Students will examine how FWS has set up communication with MWS volunteers to identify and analyze what works well and what can be improved to develop and maintain engaged, interested, and involved water stewards after they have completed their certification. Based on this research, they will create a set of recommended communication practices or blueprint for communication for new local government unit partners to develop and maintain engaged, interested, and involved water stewards.

]]> The Freshwater Society’s (FWS) Master Water Stewards (MWS) program develops, certifies, and supports community volunteer leaders to work for the health of their water at a neighborhood scale to improve water quality. FWS has implemented the MWS program with many watershed districts and cities and is in the process of expanding state-wide. To date, MWS messaging has focused on stormwater and stormwater management; however, MWS would like to broaden their messaging about what the MWS program does and what it means to people. Students will create a strategic communications plan and materials/messaging for different audiences and communication outlets to achieve this goal.

]]> The Freshwater Society’s (FWS) Master Water Stewards (MWS) program develops, certifies, and supports community volunteer leaders to manage stormwater at a neighborhood scale to improve water quality. After a successful pilot, FWS will expand the MWS program to watershed districts and cities state-wide. As the program expands, the FWS needs to develop and refine recruiting materials and messaging for cities and watershed districts to attract community members to enroll in the program. Students in COJO 368 will develop messaging and recruiting materials for the MWS in various formats (possibly including flyers, website material, informational sessions, photos, videos) using FWS’ style guide.

]]> College students are often unaware of the wide range of employment and career opportunities available to them when they graduate. This is also true with government agencies like the Metropolitan Council. The Metropolitan Council would like students to help develop a strategic communications plan to promote the Council as an employer for recent college graduates. COJO 344 students will develop a strategic communications plan in collaboration with the Metropolitan Council to promote the Council as a prospective employer. Messaging will emphasize the range of multi-disciplinary job opportunities as well as the mission-driven nature of the Council.

]]> This project was part of the USCB’s Students Connected. USCB communication
studies students were given the opportunity to explore and apply communica-
tion research methods to a transportation project sponsored by the community
partner, Together for Beaufort County. This project included an extensive four-
pronged data collection with four groups of students collecting and analyzing the
data in four parts of Beaufort County, SC.

]]> Students will apply the contemporary applications and techniques of the public relations
profession to create a comprehensive communications plan for an actual client. Grounded in the
fundamentals of relationship management and the theoretical foundations of the profession, the
course serves as a practicum for students who are interested in public relations as a career.
Students will be responsible for working directly with the client, conducting and analyzing
pertinent research, and creating a fully actionable plan and a framework for executing the plan
and evaluating its success. In addition to extensive contact hours with client representatives, the
course employs multiple instructional methods in the classroom including lecture, group
discussion and oral presentations with an associated critical discussion.

Read the final student report delivered to the local gov/community partner.

Students Connected: Fieldwork for the Future Contact Info

University Faculty Contact
Kim Cavanagh
Communication Studies
Assistant Professor
kcavanagh@uscb.edu
843-208-8347

Local Government / Community Contact
Ginger Allen

]]> /projects/volunteers-in-medicine-the-creation-of-a-comprehensive-communications-plan/feed/ 0 Undergraduate course identifies tourism strategies for Apache Junction /stories/undergraduate-course-identifies-tourism-strategies-for-apache-junction/ Fri, 24 Apr 2020 13:06:05 +0000 /?post_type=case_stories&p=1509 Read More... from Undergraduate course identifies tourism strategies for Apache Junction

]]> The is rich with enticing natural assets, from recreational outdoor spaces to a personality synonymous with ‘The American West.’ Yet, while long-term seasonal visitors are attracted to the city each winter, Apache Junction is not known as a short-term travel destination. Municipal officials feel as if the city is missing out on a short-term tourism industry that could support the growth of both their community and economy.

To turn Apache Junction into a regular tourist destination, local officials created the “Positively Apache Junction” program, designed to generate ideas for maximizing the city’s tourism potential while benefiting its population.

To support this city program, Apache Junction invited an undergraduate course from Arizona State University’s (ASU) , a member of the 鶹Ƶ, to identify reasons for its limited growth as a tourist destination and generate sustainable strategies that could develop its tourism economy. 

The undergraduate ASU students partaking in this specially designed Tourism Planning class assessed Apache Junction’s characteristics regarding its tourism economy, from interviewing community members to gain context of the city’s strategy to determining the overall strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT) to their tourism industry. 

Methods utilized by students included: 

  • Leading community focus groups to garner citizen engagement. 
  • Conducting interviews with vested stakeholders, performing literary analysis to compare nearby community approaches tourism strategies.
  • Undertaking SWOT analysis—which lends a measurable quantification to community traits, and overall categories, to garner insight into the effectiveness of current approaches.

Having gained insight from the research conducted in Apache Junction, students compiled an evidence-based report that provided recommendations for Apache Junction and its “Positively Apache Junction” program. The primary findings of students identified one primary strategy and two secondary strategies to grow the city into a considerable tourist destination: 

  1. Promote the city’s outdoor adventurism and Western roots through social media to target niche audiences, such as adventure travelers. 
    • Create urban resources targeted towards short-term tourists, including dining, entertainment, and lodging. 
    • Develop a community-driven, walkable downtown to increase residential interest in supporting the city’s tourism industry. 

Due to analysis conducted by the Project Cities course, they provided three actionable, tenable tourism strategies for Apache Junction. By directing development attention and funds to these strategies, the city now has identifiable pathways towards attracting new visitors to a reinvigorated tourism market.

Read the full story of the partnership.

]]> University of Wisconsin-Madison /stories/uw-madison/ Thu, 28 Mar 2019 04:46:16 +0000 http://www.epicn.org/?post_type=case_stories&p=566 Read More... from University of Wisconsin-Madison

]]> UniverCity Partnership

Website |
Xn|
Instagram |
LinkedIn |  
Newsletter |

Wisconsin local governments can partner with UW–Madison through the UniverCity Partnership.

The concept is simple. The community partner identifies projects that would benefit from UW–Madison expertise. Faculty from across the university incorporate these projects into their courses, and UniverCity Alliance staff provide administrative support to ensure the collaboration’s success. 

In phase one, the community partner identifies projects that would benefit from UW–Madison expertise, and UniverCity Alliance staff match projects with faculty across the university. In phase two, faculty incorporate these projects into their courses, and some individual students conduct independent research. During phase three, UniverCity Alliance staff provide project implementation support. Throughout the partnership, UniverCity Alliance staff provide administrative support to facilitate an efficient and effective workflow.  

The results are powerful. Partners receive big ideas and feasible recommendations that spark momentum towards a more sustainable, livable, and resilient future.

Through partnership, we can create better places together.

Fun Facts about UniverCity Alliance

Public or Private Institution | Public
Number of students at institution | 51,822
Year Program Established | 2015
Country | US
Federal Region of Program | 5

Highlight Articles/Videos


 

Video Links: 

Past City Partners

2015-2018 | City of Monona, WI • Population: 8,000
2016-2019 | Dane County, WI • Population: 516,000
2017-2020 | Green County, WI • Population: 37,200
2018-2021 | Pepin County, WI • Population: 7,287
2019-2022 | Adams County, WI • Population: 20,220
2019-2022 | Brown County, WI • Population: 264,542
2019-2022 | Egg Harbor, WI • Population: 202
2019-2022 | Marshall, WI • Population: 4,050
2019-2022 | La Crosse County, WI • Population: 118,016
2019-2022 | Milwaukee County, WI • Population: 945,726
2019-2022 | Wisconsin Rapids, WI • Population: 18,877
2020-2023 | Marathon County, WI • Population: 135,692
2020-2024 | Racine County, WI • Population: 196,311
2020-2023 | Waunakee, WI • Population: 18,877
2021-2024 | Columbia County, WI • Population: 57,532
2021-2024 | City of Stoughton, WI • Population: 13,114
2021-2024 | Polk County, WI • Population: 43,783
2021-2024 | Outagamie County, WI • Population: 187,885
2021-2024 | Koshkonong Creek Collaborative
2022-2025 | Cottage Grove, WI • Population: 8,880
2022-2025 | Eau Claire County, WI • Population: 108,830
2022-2025 | Marinette, WI • Population: 11,045
2022-2025 | Milton, WI • Population: 5,658
2022-2025 | River Falls, WI • Population: 16,935
2022-2025 | Shorewood, WI • Population: 13,603
2022-2025 | St. Croix County, WI • Population: 97,954
2022-2025 | Wausau, WI • Population: 39,968
2022-2025 | Wood County, WI • Population: 73,943
2024 | Whitewater Unified School District, WI
2023-2025 | Chippewa County, WI • Population: 67,323
2023-2025 | Jackson County, WI • Population: 21,027
2023-2025 | Mount Pleasant, WI • Population: 27,727
2025 | Appleton, WI • Population: 74,719
2023-2026 | DeForest, WI • Population: 11,107
2023-2026 | Iowa County, WI • Population: 23,963
2023-2026 | Waupaca, WI • Population: 6,333
2024-2025 | Monroe County, WI • Population: 46,370
Current | Sheboygan County, WI • Population: 118,331
Current | Trempealeau County, WI • Population: 30,801
Current | Walworth County, WI • Population: 106,478
Current | Beaver Dam, WI • Population: 16,708
Current | Vernon County, WI • Population: 30,714
Ongoing | Dane County • Population: 588,347
Ongoing | City of Madison • Population: 280,305

Contact Info

Megan McBride
Managing Director, UniverCity Alliance
608-890-1211
UniverCityAlliance@wisc.edu

Abigail Becker
Communications & Outreach Specialist, UniverCity Alliance
(608) 262-1839
albecker4@wisc.edu

]]> University of South Carolina Beaufort /stories/uscb/ Thu, 28 Mar 2019 04:16:56 +0000 http://www.epicn.org/?post_type=case_stories&p=553 Read More... from University of South Carolina Beaufort

]]> Students Connected

Website | 

Students Connected is a university-wide program that aims to develop the values that inspire students to contribute to the needs of their community, enrich the student learning experience through experiential research and service-learning opportunities across disciplines, improve collaboration with community partners, and ultimately transform our campus culture. These goals are reflected in our Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs), which measure how students, through participation in Students Connected , (1) consider the issue; (2) collaborate with others; (3) conceive of a solution; (4) commit to implementation; and (5) reconsider in light of experience.

The Students Connected program implements and builds upon two central initiatives. First, Students Connected courses will provide opportunities for students to reach one or more of the SLOs at multiple times throughout their academic careers:

In University 101, students will begin learning their role in the larger community, and as they take introductory-level courses, faculty will engage students in more specifically considering the issues facing their community. In traditional experiential learning courses, such as internships, practicums, or service-learning courses, students will explore an issue in more depth or potentially work on addressing these issues through their real-world experience. Newly implemented community-partnered courses will create collaborations between students, faculty, and local organizations where students study issues identified by the community partners, research possible solutions to them, and possibly even implement their solutions through work with these partners.

Second, faculty development programs will provide faculty with understanding of not only how to transform their existing courses into Students Connected courses, but also the impact they can have on students’ learning through adapting best practices for experiential education.

USCB’s Quality Enhancement Plan, which incorporates Students Connected, will transform students’ learning, the experience students and faculty expect to have in the classroom, and the impact the University has on the community. USCB is committed to supporting Students Connected through training and development, financial support, fostering of community partnerships, and recognition of involvement and outstanding contributions.

Fun Facts about Students Connected

Students Connected although formally announcing this year, piloted the idea in 2017. Students Connected is closely tied to the Department of Hospitality Management at the University of South Carolina Beaufort. So far, one of the only 鶹Ƶ programs including this discipline in their courses. Incorporated into the university’s Quality Enhancement Plan, Students Connected is one of the examples of university leadership adopting the 鶹Ƶ Model as an institutional priority to meet the needs of their students and their communities.

Year Program Established | 2017
Country | U.S.
Federal Region of Program | 4

Public or Private Institution | Public
Number of students at institution | 2,000

Highlight Articles/Videos

The first Students Connected report – 

City Partners

Together for Beaufort County, Human Services Department

Contact Info

Carolina Sawyer, Ph.D.
Co-Director (Community Partnerships)
(843) 208-8223
CESawyer@uscb.edu

Summer Roberts, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Sociology
(843) 208-8353
smcwilli@uscb.edu

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