Brand Updates -

Learn about updated social media accessibility requirements

April 10, 2026 by Strategic Communication

Starting April 24, updated digital accessibility requirements under the Americans with Disabilities Act Title II will take full effect for most public higher education institutions.

At Missouri State University, this means all university-affiliated social media accounts are expected to meet these standards moving forward.

To meet accessibility requirements, all social media content must include:

Alt text on all images so screen readers can accurately describe visual content
Closed captions on all videos to ensure accessibility for individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing

Why accessible content matters

Accessible content ensures everyone can engage with and benefit from Missouri State’s social media, regardless of ability.

It allows individuals to access important information, feel included in the campus experience and fully connect with our content. It also helps the university meet federal requirements and improve the overall clarity and effectiveness of our communications.

Access free trainings

To help get started, Missouri State offers access to Digital Collegium resources through our institutional membership.

Creating an account is free. Simply create an account and select “Missouri State University” to connect and access the trainings.

Recommended resources include:

Accessible Social – Learn why accessibility matters and how to apply best practices
Accessibility Community Group – Join discussions and view past presentations on accessibility topics

You can also explore:

These resources provide practical guidance for creating accessible social media content.

Get support

We’re here to support you as you implement these practices.

If you have questions or need guidance, contact social media coordinator Adair Seifert.

You can also attend open Zoom office hours:

Share with your team

Please share this information with your teams and ensure anyone managing social media for your area is aware of and prepared to meet these requirements.

Take note of updates to branding guidelines

March 6, 2026 by Strategic Communication

Missouri State University has unveiled important updates to its branding guidelines, refining how the university looks, communicates and presents itself. This refinement of the current brand comes as the university begins a broader brand refresh, with a new brand set to be unveiled this fall.

From visual elements and editorial tone to the official color palette, these changes provide a cohesive framework that ensures every touchpoint reflects the university’s identity with clarity and consistency.

Highlights

Visuals

The Mo State spirit logo is now downloadable from the brand website and it is limited to athletic and non-academic applications
Stop the use of:
– All other spirit logos (M, MSU)
– The Mo State Helvetica and Make Your Missouri Statement logos
– Any images of bear paws or claws
– Other bear imagery from colleges, departments, offices, etc.

Editorial

Naming of the university: First reference of the university’s name should be Missouri State University. Subsequent references may be Missouri State, Mo State, the university or the institution. The use of MSU is fine in print publications as a secondary or tertiary reference, especially with serious/academic topics. Mo State is two words, uppercase M and lowercase o. In headlines, Missouri State or Mo State is acceptable depending on context of the piece, but never MSU.
Limit the use of “Make Your Missouri Statement” (until a new tagline is approved)
Stop the use of “Bear Up”

Color palette

Use secondary colors and tertiary neutrals sparingly (no more than 30%) and they should not be used as the primary color in environmental branding or for branding for any official university unit
Stop the use of tertiary pop accents

For further details, refer to this brand refinement document and the brand website.

For any questions or issues, please contact Veronica Adinegara, creative services director.

Explore the brand website

Participate in upcoming MO State brand workshops

January 28, 2026 by Strategic Communication

Missouri State University is beginning an important project to better define who we are at our best — and to strengthen enrollment, awareness and our university reputation. We’ve retained Carnegie Higher Education to guide this research and consensus-building work. Carnegie specializes in crowd-sourced, consensus-driven processes that surface what is most authentic about an institution.

The project will conclude with a clear reputation strategy and communication platform to guide how we tell Missouri State’s story.

This effort depends on input from the people who know Missouri State best — including you. Carnegie will lead six in-person workshops on Wednesday, Feb. 11, and Thursday, Feb. 12, and your perspective is essential. If you’re able, please attend and encourage colleagues and campus partners to participate, too.

The central questions we’ll explore throughout each workshop are simple, but powerful:

Who is Missouri State at its best?
Who do we want to be?
Who do we never want to be?

These workshops are designed to build a shared brand foundation. The two days are connected and build on one another:

Feb. 11: Brand Personality Workshops — Together, we’ll define the authentic human personality of Missouri State — who we are today and who we aspire to be tomorrow.
Feb. 12: Brand Messaging Workshops — We’ll translate those insights into clear, consistent messaging and storylines that can be used across the university. Carnegie’s sessions aim to be engaging and practical. Come ready to share candid feedback and help shape the outcomes.

Details

Dates: Feb. 11 and 12
Workshop options: 9-11 a.m., 12:30-2:30 p.m. or 3:30-5:30 p.m. each day
Location: Union Club, PSU 400
RSVP: Sign up for sessions
If possible, attend one session each day. You’re welcome to participate either day based on your schedule.

Workshop capacity is limited, but we’ll do our best to accommodate as many participants as possible. We’ll send a calendar invitation once your day and time are confirmed.

MSU Creative Services staff members win CASE awards in illustration and writing categories

January 20, 2026 by Veronica Adinegara

Missouri State University graphic designer, Brenna Davis and writer/editor, Taylor Ladd were the recipients of CASE Best of District VI 2025 Institutional Awards.

CASE, the Council for Advancement and Support of Education, is a nonprofit that supports alumni relations, communications, development and marketing professionals at educational institutions worldwide.

Missouri State is in CASE District VI, which includes Colorado, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wyoming.

The winning works are:

Illustration series for Maroon Saloon: A MarooNation Ball to Benefit Missouri State University
Alumni profile (1000+ words) in the September 2024 issue of Missouri State magazine titled “Former soccer standout is a goal getter”

Boost your skills in marketing and communications

August 20, 2025 by Strategic Communication

Whatever your role is on campus, recruiting and retaining students is at the forefront of Missouri State University’s (and your) mission. It’s all about using effective marketing and communications strategies to reach those students (and their parents) where they are.

That’s why the division of marketing and communications will offer a series of free training sessions on campus that will help you understand the university’s brand better and explore best practices to improve your skills in design, social media, writing, videography and more.

Faculty, staff, graduate assistants and student workers are invited to MarCom Training Week, Sept. 22-26, 2025.

How to register

Registration is required in My Learning Connection at my.missouristate.edu.

Log into your My Missouri State.
Locate the Learning and Development card.
Click the My Learning Connection link.
Search for the appropriate session.
Sign up.

Event schedule

You can access details for each event on the university calendar.

Contact strategic communication at strategiccommunication@missouristate.edu or 417-836-6397 for questions or more information.