Fellow Seawolves,
Over the past four months I have been in the leadership role at Sonoma State, not a day has gone by where I haven’t been inspired by our student and faculty success stories, the amazing achievements of our student athletes and the altogether incredible energy that emanates pure potential from this beautiful campus.
That’s why I’m excited to share the news with the campus community that Sonoma State is set to embark on a new and sophisticated marketing strategy that will ensure that the truly special story of Sonoma State is spread far and wide.
No longer will SSU be the best kept secret of the CSU system. My former marketing professor instincts tell me that it’s time we prioritize raising public awareness of the unique value and impact that SSU contributes to the North Bay Community and beyond.
Through a diligent RFP process, SSU has contracted with a renowned consulting firm, Vision Point Marketing, that brings proven experience in strategic marketing and enrollment management in the post-secondary education sector. Among the goals we aim to accomplish with this exciting new partnership includes:
- Growing student enrollment through increase in applications between November 1, 2022 and January 31, 2023 and enrollment confirmation between February 1 and May 1 2023.
- Leveraging SSU’s status as a Hispanic-Serving Institution and First-Gen Forward Institution to attract an increasingly diverse student population.
- Leveraging SSU’s status as a public liberal arts and sciences institution that provides students with a world-class education and prepares them for a successful transition to the workforce.
- Ensuring that SSU’s marketing campaigns, websites, programs and services are in sync campus-wide with the expressed needs and desires of its target markets and market segments.
- Better positioning of the SSU brand in the broader market.
We expect work with Vision Point Marketing to begin this month and we will be sharing further updates and details with the campus community on our plan of action and sharing ways we can all work together to achieve our goals.
For now, please join me in thanking all of the members of the RFP Selection Committee who have worked tirelessly to bring us to this exciting new stage.
Thank you to Dr. Jerlena Griffin-Desta and Provost Karen Moranski; Neil Markley, Committee Chair; Sandy Destiny, Adam Jarman, Kelley Kaslar, Casey Kelley, Kyuho Lee, Laura Monje-Paulson, and Andy Shepherd.
Mike
Mike Lee, Ph.D.
President