1. A Campaign for College students of Incarcerated Parents Created by: Imogene Miles
2. Why? College students with incarcerated parents have a much more difficult time emotionally and financially getting through college than other students. There is not much support for them.
3. Audience Objectives and Message Strategies Audience: College Administrators and College students with incarcerated parents. Objective: At the end of this campaign, at least 5 college campuses out of the 10 contacted in NC will create programs or add to existing programs or services for students of incarcerated parents. Message Strategies: Emotional appeals, real life testimonials, guilt appeals (what would happen without help).
4. How I created messages to persuade the school administrators to take steps toward helping this group of students.
5. Message #1 Introductory letter to college administrators introducing the issue and how they play a part in the success or failure of these type of students. WHAT I HOPED TO ACHIEVE: Spark the college administrators interest in learning more about this issue and what they could do to help. Make them feel guilty that nothing was being done to help the students.
6. Message #2 Follow up email and request for a meeting. WHAT I HOPED TO ACHIEVE: Used a since of urgency ( If they don’t act now, another student could lose the chance for a college education.)I wanted to make them feel like they have to set up a meeting immediately. My goal was to get them to agree to having me some for a visit.
7. Message #3 Speech from a college student with an incarcerated parent telling their story and explaining their hardships. WHAT I HOPED TO ACHIEVE: I hoped that a student explaining their hardships would make the administrators feel sympathetic towards the family and then to anyone facing this situation and this would be the start of them making the decision to do something.
8. Message #4 Facebook Group for college students with incarcerated parents. WHAT I HOPED TO ACHIEVE: I hoped to build a network of college students going through the same thing. A place for them to connect, find advice and friendships, while also connecting them with programs at their school.
9. The Results We were able to set up visits with 8 college campuses, and 5 of them adopted programs that now help to assist students with incarcerated parents.