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Movers & Shapers - New Division Gets the Word Out

Members of the university marketing and communications team take the Loyola Values message to the streets.  See page 22 for details on the new image advertising campaign.
If you listen to the radio, watch TV, read newspapers or pick up your news on the Internet, you’re bound to have come across some great stories about Loyola in the past year.  It’s not that Loyola didn’t have great stories to tell before, but the heightened attention is a function of building a team dedicated to upholding and enhancing the reputation, image and values of the University.

In spring 2005, Michael J. Garanzini, S.J., Loyola president, saw the need to create a new division called university marketing and communications (UMC).  The president hired Kelly Shannon, a 20-plus year marketing and communications executive, to oversee the function, and from there a team was created that is responsible for brand marketing, internal and external communications, University web communications and advancement communications.

“You often hear the term ‘hit the ground running,’ and in many cases it is a figure of speech, but from the day I joined Loyola, our team was literally running because there were so many opportunities to get the word out about all of Loyola’s accomplishments and plans,” says Shannon.  

The group has been extremely busy getting acclimated; learning all it can about Loyola’s mission and values; communicating Loyola’s stellar academics and growth plans; and telling individual stories that emphasize how students, faculty, staff and alumni live out the University’s mission and better the world.  

Some highlights from UMC in recent months include:

“We can’t wait to see what the next year holds,” says Shannon.