Brand Updates

Meet Sprout: A collaborative way to do social media

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The community engagement pillar of public affairs extends to social media management. We have an opportunity to become even better in that space.

The office of university communications (UC) invites Missouri State faculty and staff to attend a demo with Sprout Social, one of the leading social media software companies in the industry. UC has used the platform for more than a year to manage university-level accounts. The investment helped its social media team work more collaboratively and create a better product.

Sprout Social is an all-in-one social media management platform that helps organizations around the country (including Missouri State) build stronger relationships with their audiences through streamlined social media engagement.

What Sprout can do

Sprout’s platform includes several features that allows organizations to:

  • Schedule and publish content across most social media sites, including Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn and Pinterest.
  • Retweet, like, share and reply to customer comments.
  • Tag user accounts and posts to better understand who’s interacting with you.
  • Create reports that analyze content that’s working … and content that isn’t.
  • And much more.

The details

Sprout representatives Chelsea Dunn and Lexi Fallon will provide a platform demonstration and answer questions 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. May 25, 2021 on Zoom.

The demo is free and open to Missouri State faculty and staff, including student workers and graduate assistants who operate official university social media accounts.

For more information and to request the Zoom link, contact Kevin Agee, content strategist, at kevinagee@missouristate.edu.

MSU staff members win CASE awards for publications, videos, events and design

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Missouri State University staff members are the recipients of nine CASE District VI 2021 Institutional Awards. This includes two Grand Golds, the district’s highest honor.

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.

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

These awards recognize work from this district that showcases best practices and builds strong relationships with alumni, donors, potential students and other constituencies.

MSU’s entries competed against a large field of more than 300 submissions, reviewed by more than 70 judges.

2021 awards

Grand Gold in Publications/Student Recruitment-Viewbooks and Prospectuses: Variable Data Viewbook

From the judges: “This is a fantastic example of customizing an experience based on a user. The writing and photography are also excellent. This is a game-changing concept with measurable outcomes, since the team can show a direct correlation to increase in web traffic when these publications were mailed.”

Front cover of variable data viewbook

Lead team members:

  • Veronica Adinegara, senior graphic designer, editorial and design services
  • Michelle S. Rose, assistant director of editorial, editorial and design services
  • Contributing photographer Kevin White, assistant director, office of visual media
  • Contributing photographer Jesse Scheve, photographer, office of visual media
  • Mark A. McCarty, manager of printing and postal services
  • Austin Hubbard, pre-press technician, printing and postal services
  • Julie C. Spinabella, administrative coordinator of data and communications
  • Benjamin P. Metzger, associate director of admissions/operations and systems

Grand Gold in Video/Fundraising-Short: Onward, Upward: The Campaign for Missouri State University

From the judges: “Excellent use of famous alum. Script was really good. Inspiring use of ‘Here come the Bears’ and transition to today’s campus.”

 

Lead team members:

  • Chris Nagle, assistant director, office of visual media
  • Kevin Agee, content strategist, university communications
  • Brent Dunn, vice president for university advancement
  • Suzanne Shaw, vice president for marketing and communications
  • Stephanie Smith, senior director of donor relations and special events

Additional support provided by the offices of development, university communications and visual media.

Gold in Special Events-Single Day: It’s ON — Missouri State University “Onward, Upward” Campaign Launch Event

From the judges: “THIS is how a successful campaign looks, feels and lives. The Missouri State University ‘Onward, Upward’ campaign is a gem on all accounts. Unique aspect of keeping a secret while also inspiring attendees to come. Great marketing materials. Outstanding work!”

Stage and auditorium full as streamers fly through air at It's On announcement.

Lead team member:

  • Stephanie Smith, senior director of donor relations and special events

Additional support from members of the offices of alumni relations, development and the Division of Marketing and Communications.

Gold in Video/PSAs and Commercial Spots: “This is the right place, this is the right time”

From the judges: “Well done. Great placement for a famous alumnus. Great messaging in the time constraints.”

Lead team members:

  • Chris Nagle, assistant director, office of visual media
  • Suzanne Shaw, vice president for marketing and communications
  • Bob Linder, former director, office of visual media
  • Kevin Agee, content strategist, university communications

Silver in Publications/Fundraising-Case Statements/General Cultivation Publications: Onward, Upward Master Case Statement

From the judges: “A comprehensive campaign case statement is a major undertaking, and this one is nicely done. The campaign name and the logo have great movement, and lots of possibilities. They carried this through with a compelling story.”

Case statement for the Onward Upward campaign.

Lead team members:

  • Amy Schuldt, assistant director of design, editorial and design services
  • Michelle S. Rose, assistant director of editorial, editorial and design services
  • Wendy Ferguson, executive director of development
  • Lauren Stockam, graduate assistant, university communications

Silver in Publications/Institutional Relations-Research Publications: 2019 Mind’s Eye

Cover of 2019 Mind's Eye, featuring Lisa Brescia in NYC's Times Square.

From the judges: “This publication is a great example of sharing research activities with excellent storytelling and readability.”

Lead team members:

  • Nicki Donnelson, assistant director, university communications
  • Teri Poindexter, graphic designer, editorial and design services
  • Contributing writers:
    • Andrea Mostyn, director of university communications
    • Emily Yeap, public relations specialist, university communications
    • Kevin Agee, content strategist, university communications
    • Graduate assistants Lauren Stockam and Tori York
    • Lucie Amberg, former strategic communications specialist for the Reynolds College of Arts and Letters
  • Contributing photographers:
    • Bob Linder, former director, office of visual media
    • Kevin White, assistant director, office of visual media
    • Jesse Scheve, photographer, office of visual media

Silver in Video on a Shoestring: “Better Than Ever”

From the judges: “Good energy. Student and alumni pride was clear.”

Lead team members:

  • Chris Nagle, assistant director, office of visual media
  • Kevin Agee, content strategist, university communications
  • Suzanne Shaw, vice president for marketing and communications
  • Clif Smart, university president

Silver in Video/Student Recruitment-Long: “Mind’s Eye: Putting it all out there”

 

Lead team members:

  • Nicki Donnelson, assistant director, university communications
  • Chris Nagle, assistant director, office of visual media
  • Kevin White, assistant director, office of visual media
  • Lisa Brescia, assistant professor, theatre and dance
  • Lucie Amberg, former strategic communications specialist for the Reynolds College of Arts and Letters

Bronze in Design for Publications (Multi-Page): 2019 Mind’s Eye

From the judges: “Very nice piece, whether in print or video. … This took a lot of coordinating and expense to create. Well-written and diverse selections for highlighted stories.”

Lead team members:

  • Nicki Donnelson, assistant director, university communications
  • Teri Poindexter, graphic designer, editorial and design services
  • Contributing photographers:
    • Bob Linder, former director, office of visual media
    • Kevin White, assistant director, office of visual media
    • Jesse Scheve, photographer, office of visual media

Associated Press style updates: Capitalization of Black and Indigenous

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There is an important change to AP style with regard to the capitalization of Black and Indigenous.

From now on, capitalize Black in a racial, ethnic or cultural sense. This conveys an essential and shared sense of history, identity and community among people who identify as Black, including those in the African diaspora and within Africa. The lowercase black refers to a color, not a person.

Also, capitalize Indigenous in reference to original inhabitants of a place.

These two changes align with long-standing capitalization of other racial and ethnic identifiers, such as Latino, Asian American and Native American.

The updates become part of the AP Stylebook’s race-related coverage guidance, which begins:

“Avoid broad generalizations and labels; race and ethnicity are one part of a person’s identity. Identifying people by race and reporting on actions that have to do with race often go beyond simple style questions, challenging journalists to think broadly about racial issues before having to make decisions on specific situations and stories.

“In all coverage — not just race-related coverage — strive to accurately represent the world, or a particular community, and its diversity through the people you quote and depict in all formats. Omissions and lack of inclusion can render people invisible and cause anguish.”

Missouri State has a limited membership to the online AP Stylebook. More information on each of these entries is available in the online guide. If you create content for the university, contact Andrea Mostyn to request access.

Associated Press style updates: Coronavirus

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The Associated Press is maintaining a coronavirus topical guide that includes many rulings on spelling and common usage. The university is following this guide when writing and editing.

Missouri State has a limited membership to the online AP Stylebook. More information on each of these entries is available in the online guide. If you create content for the university, contact Andrea Mostyn to request access.

Updates and additions

coronaviruses (revised)

A family of viruses, some of which cause disease in people and animals, named for crownlike spikes on their surfaces.

The viruses can cause the common cold or more severe diseases such as SARS (severe acute respiratory syndrome), MERS (Middle East respiratory syndrome) and COVID-19, the latter of which first appeared in late 2019 in Wuhan, China.

Referring to simply the coronavirus is acceptable on first reference in stories about COVID-19. While the phrasing incorrectly implies there is only one coronavirus, it is clear in this context. Also acceptable on first reference: the new coronavirus or the new virus for the virus; COVID-19 for the disease caused by the virus.

Passages and stories focusing on the science of the disease require sharper distinctions.

COVID-19, which stands for coronavirus disease 2019, is caused by a virus named SARS-CoV-2. When referring specifically to the virus, the COVID-19 virus and the virus that causes COVID-19 are acceptable.

But, because COVID-19 is the name of the disease, not the virus, it is not accurate to write a new virus called COVID-19. Also incorrect are usages such as COVID-19 spreads through the air; scientists are investigating how long COVID-19 may remain on surfaces; she worries about catching COVID-19. In each of those, it should be the coronavirus, not COVID-19.

Do not shorten to COVID, even in headlines, unless part of a quotation or proper name.

In stories, do not refer simply to coronavirus without the article the. Not: She is concerned about coronavirus. Omitting the is acceptable in headlines and in uses such as: He said coronavirus concerns are increasing.

Common symptoms of COVID-19 include fever, cough, breathing trouble, sore throat, muscle pain, and loss of taste or smell. Most people develop only mild symptoms. But some people, usually those with other medical complications, develop more severe symptoms, including pneumonia.

SARS is acceptable on first reference for the disease first identified in Asia in 2003. Spell out severe acute respiratory syndrome later in the story.

MERS is acceptable on first reference for the disease first identified in 2012. Spell out Middle East respiratory syndrome later in the story.

COVID-19

All capitalized; stands for coronavirus disease 2019.

cancel, canceled, canceling, cancellation

CARES Act

Avoid using this term unless in a direct quotation in reference to the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act. Instead, use phrasing such as the coronavirus relief bill, the coronavirus aid bill, the coronavirus rescue package, etc., for the U.S. government’s $2.2 trillion package to help businesses, workers and the health care system. Do not refer to it as a stimulus or a stimulus package, etc.

contact tracing (new)

The practice of tracking down and monitoring people who have been in close proximity to someone who is infected. Do not enclose in quotation marks. Include a hyphen for clarity when used as a modifier: The state’s contact-tracing efforts. Consider rephrasing to avoid the term or for variety: The state’s efforts to identify people who have had close contact with the nursing home worker.

contagion (new)

Avoid this term. Usually better to use words like disease or illness, or more specific words like virus.

distance learning (n., adj.)

No hyphen. Examples: Schools are turning to distance learning. He is taking a distance learning class.

epidemic, pandemic

An epidemic is the rapid spread of disease in a certain population or region; a pandemic is an epidemic that has spread worldwide. Follow declarations of public health officials when writing. On March 11, the World Health Organization declared the COVID-19 outbreak a pandemic. Do not write global pandemic, which is redundant.

hand-washing

Use a hyphen.

health care

Don’t use a hyphen.

nonessential

Do not use a hyphen.

patient

Only use if someone is being or has been treated by a medical professional. The vast majority of people with the virus are not hospitalized, and some may not seek care, so avoid using patients to refer to all people with the virus.

personal protective equipment

Don’t use PPE. If necessary to use PPE in a direct quotation, spell it out and explain the term.

shelter in place (v.), shelter-in-place (adj.)

Examples: The governor urged residents to shelter in place. Authorities issued a shelter-in-place order.

stay at home (v.), stay-at-home (adj.)

shutdown (n.), shut down (v.)

social distancing, socially distancing

No quote marks, no hyphen: Examples: The CDC is urging social distancing. The parents are taking social distancing precautions. They’ve been socially distancing themselves.

telecommute, telecommuting, telecommuter

teleconference, teleconferencing

telemedicine

travel, traveled, traveling, traveler

videoconference, videoconferencing; video chat

virus’s

The singular possessive form of virus. Not virus’.

A digital #BearGrads experience

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More than 2,800 students will graduate from Missouri State this week. Although we can’t celebrate them in person until later this year, we can still give you a way to express your pride online.

Facebook Frames

Click or tap on each image to open Facebook and test the frame on your profile picture.

For #BearGrads

Missouri State Bear Grad on maroon with graduation cap

For families

"So proud of my Bear Grad" in maroon and white"So proud of my Bear Grad" with walking Bear

GIPHY stickers and GIFs

We’ve loaded several #BearGrads-themed stickers and GIFs for you to use on Instagram, Snapchat and Twitter. Access the collection or search using the “beargrads” tag.

Access the collection

YouTube congratulations from President Smart, deans and administrators

President Clif Smart, deans and administrators recorded messages of congratulations to the class of 2020.