Promoting Campus Diversity to External Audiences

Challenge

Worcester Polytechnic Institute’s Office of Diversity Programs wanted a new magazine to accomplish two key goals:

• to provide a snapshot of WPI’s diversity in its research, teaching and service to the community
• to serve as a marketing communications tool for recruiting minority high school students

The wrinkle in this project -- turnaround time: six weeks!

Strategy

WPI asked Choice Words/Chisolm & Co. to create and edit the annual magazine that would be designed and produced by WPI’s in-house marketing department.  Working closely with the director of the Office of Diversity Programs, we developed story ideas, some emotionally compelling, others showcasing academic talent, and identified sources. We assigned articles to freelance writers, edited all content, drafted a director’s letter, and managed the project.

Results

Spectrum magazine was born. All editorial components for the 16-page magazine were completed by Choice Words/Chisolm & Co. within the ambitious six-week time frame. The magazine was printed and ready for distribution at a major university event.