One of the clearest calls in our 2025-30 Strategic Plan is to strengthen Missouri State University’s brand and identity. This isn’t simply a marketing effort. It’s a university-wide commitment to communicate with clarity and consistency about who we are, what we value and how we serve students and our community.

This week, I’d like to dive a little deeper into this strategic plan goal by sharing a bit about the great work being done across the four work groups focused on this goal.

Refresh the brand

The Refresh the Brand workgroup, led by Corey Canada and Andrea Mostyn, selected Carnegie Higher Education as our brand agency partner. Research started in January and includes interviews, interactive workshops, surveys, competitor analysis and external perception research. The findings will inform Carnegie’s recommendations and the development of a brand strategy to guide creative development.

Interim branding guideline updates have also been approved and are being implemented. The brand website will be updated with the new guidelines by Feb. 23.

Brand workshops are scheduled for Feb. 11 and 12. Almost 280 people have already signed up to participate. Thank you for engaging.

If you can’t attend a workshop, you can still participate by completing a brand survey.

Complete the survey

Bring the community in, send the campus out

Led by Nicki Donnelson, this work group is meeting with leaders across other goal groups to identify overlaps and collaborate. The group also recently hosted retired faculty and staff at the efactory and highlighted Missouri State’s expanded role in the community.

Other initiatives this group is planning include a refreshed BearWear Friday campaign and a virtual hub to serve as a one-stop shop for community partners.

Centralize and connect brand stories

This work group, led by Lucie Amberg and Andrea Mostyn, is inventorying storytelling resources and processes, defining best practices and identifying process improvements. This spring, the group plans to engage with campus communicators in preparation for creating a centralized Communicators Forum.

The group is also developing a guiding definition of “storytelling,” articulating storytelling’s role within an overall communications strategy and connecting storytelling efforts to institutional goals.

Amp up fans and spirit

This team, led by Kelsey Tolbert, has started testing game-day enhancements. Staff demonstrated lighting and special effects at the Jan. 10 basketball game and are reviewing fan feedback. A Dec. 19 bowl watch party at BigShots Golf drew about 85 attendees.

Other progress includes exploring a rewards app integration with the Athletics mobile app and a connection to BearLink.

A huge thank you to all the team members working on these important strategies. A strong brand reflects a strong institution, one grounded in our public affairs mission and strengthened by our shared values.

When we tell our story well and live it consistently, we build pride, trust and connection, and we make it easier for others to see the opportunity that exists at Missouri State.

Go Bears!

Biff