The UMUC Story, 2015

THE UMUC STORY

dreamthe CONFIDENCE to

THE UMUC STORY

dreamthe CONFIDENCE to

Attend a UNIVERSITY OF

MARYLAND UNIVERSITY

COLLEGE commencement,

and you’ll know that it’s a

UNIQUELY INSPIRING

experience.

inspired!

UNIQUE because of the

amazing breadth and diversity of our student body.

Our graduates span generations, national borders,

and ethnic backgrounds. We confer degrees on war

heroes and grandmothers, married couples and single

parents, mothers and sons. They come together to

share a collective sense of pride and achievement.

unique

INSPIRING because of the passion and

determination that define their stories.

These are individuals who, as adult learners,

come to UMUC with a dream. They want

to improve their lives and those of their families . . .

and have an impact on the world around them.

inspiring

UMUC has been serving these unique and inspiring students

since 1947, when the university was founded as the University

of Maryland’s College of Special and Continuation Studies.

The college was created to address the unprecedented growth

in student enrollment, partly fueled by the passage of the

G.I. Bill in 1944. It served the vital purpose of addressing the

increasing demand for higher education, providing World

War II veterans with the skills and confidence to thrive in

the expanding post-World War II economy.

In the nearly seven decades since our doors opened, UMUC has

become one of the most dynamic and innovative institutions

of higher learning in the world. We are pioneers in empowering

adult learners with the confidence to advance their careers

and achieve their dreams.

roots of the UMUC STORY

todaythe UMUC story

Great brands have meaningful purpose.

Great brands are relevant to their customers

and have a distinct place in the hearts

and minds of those they serve.

“ Your customers dream of a happier and better life. Don’t move products. Enrich lives.” —Steve Jobs

One of the world’s strongest brands, Apple, has always had a

powerful sense of purpose. Apple’s brand embodies simplicity,

empowerment, and the democratization of information—

and enriching a customer’s life in the process. This sense of

purpose has defined Apple’s story for more than three decades.

At UMUC, we have always had a powerful sense of purpose, but

we wanted to dig deeper to better understand that purpose from

the unique perspective of our students—their hopes, dreams,

and motivations. And, we wanted to turn this understanding

into the foundation of a strong and enduring brand. A brand

that would clearly and confidently capture the university’s

value to students and the role it plays in our students’ lives.

We’ve been providing educational

options to allow adult learners to

achieve their career goals for more than 65 years. And, as

a member of the University System of Maryland, we have

a respected place in higher education. To build on that history

and reputation, we aspired to consistently communicate a

brand with a clear and compelling purpose, one that captures

the voice of those who matter most—our students.

historyour story hasan IMPRESSIVE

It has never been more important for UMUC to clearly articulate

its brand promise and value proposition. We need to differentiate

ourselves to prospective students who are challenged to choose

the right institution from an ever-evolving array of higher

education options. Moreover, our brand value must be defined

in the context of a rapidly changing adult education landscape:

• Highly competitive and complex job market

• Gaps between job opportunities and skill sets

• More competitors in online higher education,

particularly traditional universities expanding online

• Changes in military dynamics, notably funding

for higher education

promise:important now, more than ever

a strong BRAND

Our journey of discovery started with a

simple question: “What is it about UMUC

that has attracted our determined students

for nearly seven decades?”

Of course, no one is better suited to answer these questions

than the students themselves. We sought to reveal the

common thread that connects the dreams of students

across generations, genders, nationalities, and ethnicities—

from students coming out of community colleges in our

home state of Maryland to military students taking on the

challenge of higher education while serving overseas.

And every nontraditional, adult learner in between.

discovery

To get to our answers, we held exploratory

sessions with hundreds of past, present,

and future students. We talked to different groups,

each with their own unique motivations:

• Current students

• Prospective students

• Alumni

• Federal employees

• Veterans and active-duty

servicemembers

• Community college

students

Our exploration and studies included small group discussions,

online surveys, and even in-home personal interviews.

We were able to probe deeply into what motivates and inspires

each group—and understand what they are ultimately trying

to achieve. We were heartened by what we heard. We came

away with rich and rewarding insights about what drives our

students and the role that UMUC has played in transforming

so many lives.

learningLISTENING and

Of all the feedback gained through discovery, four insights

helped define UMUC’s brand promise and would guide how

we brought it to life in our communications and interactions

with students:

1. CONFIDENCE IS KEY.

The most prevalent theme we discovered is that our students

want to have the confidence to stand up, stand out, and make

a difference—they need this confidence to be successful.

promiseTOWARD our

“ The end result is a better job. What’s most important is what employers think of my degree.“

2. OUR REPUTATION IS VALUABLE.

UMUC’s solid reputation differentiates us from other

schools because it offers reassurance of quality and results.

Alumni, in particular, told us that employers recognize

and respect UMUC’s credentials. This respect ultimately

translates to more opportunity, or as one student told us:

3. IT’S ALL ABOUT PERSONAL MOTIVATION.

UMUC’s “rational benefits” of flexibility, affordability, and

convenience are an integral part of our story. They make it

possible for our students to balance higher education with the

realities of their lives. But rational benefits alone don’t explain

how UMUC is different from other universities. Through

discovery, we learned that the UMUC experience is about

much more than earning a degree. Ultimately, the UMUC

brand delivers higher, emotional, and longer-term benefits

that help students believe in themselves and their future:

• FINANCIAL SECURITY: “I feel that it is important

to financially support myself and my family.”

• PRIDE: “I get a sense of pride in my achievements.”

• ACHIEVEMENT: “I want to be valued at my job.”

• FREEDOM: “I now have more freedom to pursue

the best career path for myself.”

4. PERSONAL MOTIVATION EXTENDS TO THOSE AROUND US.

We also learned that personal motivation is as much

about students’ families and colleagues as it is about them.

Our communications need to tap into the sense of pride

and value our students want to feel. We learned that to create

a compelling and differentiated brand, we have to speak to

the dreams and aspirations that are unique to adult learners:

• “I want to make my family proud.”

• “I want to be a role model for my children.”

• “I want to be an indispensible member of my team at work.”

We learned that the UMUC brand is about

building confidence that translates to employability:

• Knowing you have skills that are in demand

• Feeling that you can contribute on the job from day one

• Believing that you can make a difference in any organization

• Understanding what it takes to be a leader

• Being able to chart your own course

togetherbringing it ALL

Through discovery, we explored the notion of shared value,

a belief held by an organization and its customers about

a higher purpose, passion, or philosophy that has meaning

in our lives beyond a specific product. UMUC and its students

believe that confidence can unlock dreams. This statement

clearly resonated with our students.

At UMUC, you gain the confidence that your education is making a difference in your career. And in your life. It’s the confidence to stand up and stand out. To share your ideas and solutions. To try new things knowing you have what it takes to succeed. You’re confident that what you’re learning and the skills you’re developing are what employers want—and need. You know you can not only do the job—but that what you can do sets you apart from the others.

UMUC supports this shared value with the quality and career-

relevance of more than 90 programs and specializations that

are designed to give students that confidence. And, our students

will experience it one UMUC Moment at a time—each time they

realize that the skills and knowledge they’ve gained at UMUC

are helping them unlock their dreams.

confidenceto ACHIEVE your DREAMS

“The most powerful and enduring brands are built from the heart.— Howard Schultz, CEO, Starbucks

MomentsDEFINING

The insights we gained from the extensive research we

conducted were game changing. We learned how to convey

not just what we do, but why it matters to our students.

When we considered how we would bring these insights to

life, we knew our messages had to be authentic and believable.

Those considering investing in higher education have

to believe that they can achieve their dreams. Born out

of this research was a campaign that captured the emotions—

the freedom, empowerment, and confidence—our students

hope to achieve. We captured it in words and images

for students as well as for faculty and staff.

The campaign brought the stories of our

students to life, capturing their “Moments.”

The moments when they felt confident and self-assured

about their skills and abilities. The moment they knew their

education helped them achieve that confidence and start

building a better future:

• They are invited to give an important presentation.

• They are chosen to lead a task force on a special project.

• They are asked to take over an important account.

• They start being considered a subject matter expert.

sharingour STUDENTS’ stories

These are the seemingly small, but life-changing moments

that tell us “we’ve arrived.” We feel empowered, confident,

and proud of our breakthrough. It was these career anecdotes

that inspired the “Moments” campaign:

The UMUC Moment is that point in time when our students feel that their professional value is validated because of what they’ve learned at UMUC, giving them the confidence they need to succeed in their careers and achieve the financial security they desire.

Advertising is simply an expression of a brand’s promise,

and advertising campaigns evolve over time.

The campaign was designed to capture the essence of

confidence and employability that is associated with the

UMUC brand. We wanted it to be authentic—in the voices of

our students. We wanted the message to connect, to elicit

a visceral response like the following:

that!”“I want to FEEL like

“ If that’s the way I’ll feel, then UMUC is the place for me.”

The centerpiece of the campaign is first-person testimonials

delivered by actual UMUC students and alumni. Speaking

from the heart, they provide their own “Moments” stories—

powerful affirmations of the decision to attend UMUC.

“ I gave a presentation to 50 HR professionals. . . . I’m sure they were thinking ‘What’s this kid going to tell me that I don’t already know?’ I had a lot to tell them. . . . When it was over, I did not get the pity clap, I got a big applause. That was my Moment.”

Joey Price Master of Science in Management

“ It gave me the confidence to know I’ve got this. That was my Moment.”

Cathy Hogendobler Master of Business Administration

“ Winning the Global Cyberlympics. That was my Moment.”

Johnathan Arneson Bachelor of Science in Cybersecurity

“ I’m a middle school English teacher. . . . At UMUC, I was taught to accommodate different learning styles and make it fun. . . . I made a difference. That was my Moment.”

Yolonda Body Master of Arts in Teaching

“ I’m a vice president at the University of Maryland Medical Center. . . . My degree from UMUC has allowed me to do more for the people we serve. . . . Doing more for the community I love. That was my Moment.”

Marianne Rowan-Braun Master of Science in Management

Regardless of how the brand

is brought to life creatively in

future advertising campaigns, UMUC will continue to stay true

to our brand promise and our students. And, we are committed

to ensuring we live our brand in everything we do.

lifebringing MOMENTS to

Marketing campaigns are just one ingredient in bringing

the brand to life. They support the effort of everyone in the

UMUC family who is dedicated to reflecting our brand promise

in their words and actions. And, what we have learned since

launching the campaign is that this collective effort is resulting

in greater numbers of prospective students reaching out

to us to learn more about UMUC—and that their overall

impression of UMUC is more positive.

performancePURPOSE translated to

“Your culture is your brand.”— Tony Hsieh, CEO, Zappos

Each of us has an impact on our future, present, and past

students. Whether you are a faculty member, adviser,

or staff member, you help shape how UMUC is perceived

by students and prove our value with each interaction.

You personify our purpose—in the classroom, on the phone,

in our offices, and in the community.

ambassadorswe each bring the brand to LIFE as brand

SHARE OUR STORY

Inevitably, people in your life—friends, neighbors, family

members—will ask you about UMUC as they consider their

own journey. This is the ideal opportunity to help them

understand the meaningful work we do. We deliver a

high-quality education to students who may not otherwise

have the opportunity. But, even more distinctive is our ability

to empower our students with the confidence to achieve

their dreams. Each one of us has the ability to share that

story . . . exponentially increasing awareness and understanding

of our purpose, leading more and more prospective students

to build a better future through UMUC.

missionThe mission of University of Maryland University College is

improving the lives of adult learners. We will accomplish this by:

1. Operating as Maryland’s open university, serving

working adults, military servicemen and servicewomen

and their families, and veterans who reside in Maryland,

across the United States, and around the world;

2. Providing our students with affordable, open access

to valued, quality higher education; and

3. Serving as a recognized leader in career-relevant

education, embracing innovation and change

aligned with our purpose and sharing our

perspectives and expertise.

visionUMUC will be a recognized leader in learner-centered adult

education, focusing on career-relevant programs that build

the skills, competencies, and capabilities our students need

to realize their professional aspirations. We will transform

ourselves to place student interests first in all things; support

sustained quality academic innovation; and become more

agile, efficient, and effective.

core valuesUMUC’s core values are at the heart of our university’s

culture and guide what we do and how we do it. The core

values were developed to inspire all members of the UMUC

community to reach even greater heights of academic

service and success. Therefore, these core values reflect

the central and enduring tenets that stress that the way

we do things is as important as the things we do. With that

in mind, we have adopted and embrace the following core

values to guide our actions and behaviors:

STUDENTS FIRST

These are the people who make our work possible.

ACCOUNTABILITY

We are each responsible for our overall success.

DIVERSITY

Each individual brings value to our efforts and results.

INTEGRITY

Our principles and standards are never compromised.

EXCELLENCE

Outstanding quality is the hallmark of our work.

INNOVATION

We advance so others can benefit from our leadership.

RESPECT

The rights and feelings of others are always considered.

These core values demonstrate how we treat one another

as employees. They guide our decisions and behavior

to manage ourselves, our teams, and our organization.

Our core values demonstrate commitment to our UMUC

employees and enhance employee effectiveness through

engagement. These are more than a collection of words;

they are the underpinning from which we develop our

culture, our brand, and our approach to learning.

aspirations UMUC clearly recognizes that our individual

and collective work determines the strength and quality of

the student experience. We commit to relentlessly pursuing

an unrivaled and flawless student experience. To fulfill this

commitment, we pledge to:

• Interact with one another and with every student

in a personal, thoughtful, and respectful manner,

despite our size;

• Collaboratively perform our work, recognizing its impact

on our students as the first and foremost consideration;

• Recognize and reward performance that demonstrates

the culture to which we aspire and hold accountable

behaviors that do not;

• Actively seek and encourage new ideas, innovation, and

smart risk taking with the intent of strengthening the

student experience and improving our business results;

• Align the work of the university units worldwide while

fostering internal and external relationships to best enable

student success; and

• Demonstrate passion for the work we do and have fun

doing it.

CULTURAL

confidencei have the

to DREAM

As you go through your day and see the difference UMUC

is making in the lives of our students and how we help

students build better futures for themselves and their families,

jot it down on the pages that follow as a reminder of why

we are here.