This document provides a communications plan for a Catholic Studies program. It analyzes the program's situation, including its leadership role and academic offerings. It then lists the program's competitors and core institutes. The plan assigns developing a unified message across communications channels that conveys the dynamic nature and mission of the Catholic Studies experience. It provides recommendations for specific channels, including social media, websites and magazines. The plan aims to clearly articulate the program's mission and competitive advantage to current and prospective students.

1. Catholic Studies Communications Plan
Working Document
Summer 2013

2. Situation Analysis
• The first “Catholic Studies” program and considered an
authority in Catholic mission and identity in Catholic
Universities and Colleges in the U.S. and world.
• Offers an undergraduate major and minor, a master’s
degree, a joint-degree with the School of Law and a study-
abroad program in Rome.
• The center is a leader in Catholic Intellectual conversations
with it quarterly journal, Logos: A Journal of Catholic
Thought and Culture, since 1997.
• Perspectives is the communications channel that
communicates the vitality of the Center for Catholic Studies
through engaging and salient articles.
• Offers students a mentorship and leadership intern
programs.
• Still a leader in Catholic Studies and well respected with its
leadership.
• Catholics Studies facility are leading international scholars
that collaborate with the Pontifical Council of Justice and
Peace.
• Center for Catholic Studies program is full of vitality and
robust dimensions is both a strength and a challenge in
articulating the Catholic Studies experience to new students
and those unfamiliar with the center.

3. Competitors
We are 1 of 5 Undergraduate Catholic Studies Major Programs
We are 1 of 3 Graduate Programs
19 Undergraduate Catholic Studies Minor Programs
1 Catholic Studies Resource at Notre Dame
Cushwa Center for the Study of American Catholicism
Institute for Black Catholic Studies offered at Xavier University of
Louisiana.

4. Core Institutes for Catholic Studies
Murphy Institute
Catholic Thought, Law
&Public Policy
Ryan Institute
CST
Habiger Institute
Center for
Catholic
Studies
While the Center for Catholic Studies has three main institutions,
other departments collaborate for events and programs to foster the
Catholic mission and identity.
The challenge is to articulate this dynamic and robust relationship
to others, especially those who are new to Catholic Studies.
Veritas
Institute
Opus
College of
Business
St. Thomas
More Society

5. Assignment:
• Develop a communications
strategy that conveys Catholic
Studies with one single message.
Ryan Institute
CST
Murphy
Institute
Habiger Institute
Center for
Catholic
Studies
Each Institute will position how it accomplishes the core mission
of the Center for Catholic Studies.

6. Solution:
• Update Catholic Studies video that explains the
center’s mission and how each institute
accomplishes the mission and works with other
departments within the University of St. Thomas.
• Use an integrated communications plan across all
communications channels highlighting each
institute’s salient topics and events.
• Continue to foster relationship with alumni
through all communications channels.
• Provide donors with Perspectives and streamline
all salient topics and events to a communications
medium of their choice, e.g., email.

7. Center for Catholic Studies Communications Channel Audience
Murphy
Institute
Ryan
Institute
Habiger
Institute
Center for
Catholic
Studies
CS Alumni
CS
Undergrad
UST
Law
Students
Community
UST
Community
Catholic
Universities
&
Colleges
CS
Graduate
CS
Undergrad

8. What Channels Are Effective?
Solution: (1) Examine analytics from Google within UST CS
websites (click ratios) and Facebook analytics; (2) Create a survey
to determine what channel preferred and content ideas,
particularly within audience segments.

9. Communication Channel Trends
Rise in tablet and smart phone with college students and
Generation Z (12-17 year olds).

10. Communication Channel Trends
Solution: Consider texting for event reminders and cancellation of
classes or Mass times at Sitzmann Hall that is unique to Catholic
Studies students. UST already has a public safety texting system in
place. This platform could be used through the university for a specific
Catholic Studies list or developed by a willing and able staff
member(s) with voluntary numbers from students.
Many mobile providers have a mass texting system that can be done
online or most mobile phones have the ability to send out a mass text
message. A master list of willing students can easily be created.

11. Communication Channel Trends
Continue to produce videos and invite current and prospective
students to watch a Catholic Studies video on You Tube or within
the university website.

12. Our Voice
Solution: Use our Perspectives website and magazine as the voice of Catholic Studies
to articulate the dynamic nature intuitions at work that reflect the mission and
identity of Catholic higher education. This is also important to articulate our
competitive advantage since the landscape of competitors increasing and maintain
our share of voice.
Each institution within Catholic Studies has a Facebook page that should direct their
followers (audience) to read an article related to their mission that reflects the
integration and universal vocation of the Center for Catholic Studies.

13. St. Thomas Website
Converting to a new platform that is clean visually and image (picture)
centric that is easy to navigate to get salient information.
Clear articulation of mission and its relationship within the university,
department of Catholic Studies and the community.
Ryan Institute can model this an link its large collection of documents,
publications and resources with the page “Resources specific to vocation,
professional development and educational leadership for Catholic
institutions and academic leadership.

14. Master Blogging
• “We moved from a world of Mass
Communications to a world full of
mass communicators.”
Solution: Continue to promote Catholic Studies Blog across
all social media channels.

15. Blog Content Mix
Encourage students and professors to write blogs on various
aspects of Catholic Studies. This is very effective for taking
concepts of the intellectual and social tradition and making it
accessible to everyone.

16. Facebook Page Strategy
Use pictures on Facebook to attract the audience and then
use an engagement strategy to start the conversation for
events, resources and news within the center.

17. CS Facebook Page Reach
Catholic Studies highest reach is adults 18-24 demographic for a
communications channel. Presumably composed of current undergraduate
students.
Solution: All event for the center of Catholics Studies should be promoted
through Catholic Studies Facebook page to reach current students.

18. Ryan Facebook Page Reach
Ryan Institute highest reach is adults 25-34 demographic for a
communications channel. Presumably composed of alumni and graduate
students. While only 7% reach the college age demographic.
Solution: Create survey to current undergrad Catholic Studies
Students to determine if Facebook can help streamline communications.

19. How To Use Twitter
Short succinct messages with a direct call-to-action or a picture.
Follow the Pope and other Catholics sources and retweet!

20. How To Use LinkedIn
Reach out to colleagues around the world and promote the mission
of the center.
Maintain an active dialogue with the business community and like
minded people with different backgrounds.
Can be an effective way to send out “Call for Papers” for upcoming
conferences and fundraising.

21. LinkedIn Groups
Excellent way to foster community while sending out job postings
to alumni.

22. Moving Forward
• Develop our communication goals
for 2013-14 school year.
• Create a list of events to promote
to intern(s) and staff.
• Create survey to students.
• Measure results for Fall semester.
• Evaluate during J-Term.
• Keep what works and develop it.

23. References
Competitors
http://www.aquinas.edu/catholicstudies/
http://sites.jcu.edu/catholic/
http://catholicstudies.georgetown.edu/ http://catholicstudies.emory.edu/home/
http://catholic.las.uic.edu/ http://www.shu.edu/academics/artsci/ba-catholic-studies/

24. Competitors
http://www.fordham.edu/academics/programs_at_fordham_/francis_and_ann_curr/index.asp
http://www.stedwards.edu/academics/bachelors/catholicstudies
http://www.gonzaga.edu/Academics/Colleges-and-Schools/College-of-Arts-and-Sciences/Majors-Programs/Catholic-Studies/default.asp
http://www.depaul.edu/academics/undergraduate/majors/Pages/catholic-studies.aspx

25. Competitors
http://bulletin.marquette.edu/undergrad/helenwayklinglercollegeofartsandsciences/interdisciplinarymajmin/catholicstudies/
http://www.scu.edu/catholicstudies/
http://cstminor.nd.edu/
http://bellarmine.lmu.edu/catholicstudies/

26. Competitors
http://www.loyola.edu/academic/catholicstudies.aspx
INSTITUTE FOR BLACK CATHOLIC STUDIES
http://www.xula.edu/ibcs/index.php
http://www.ndm.edu/academics/departments-and-programs/catholic-studies/

27. Competitors
http://www.religion.ucsb.edu/catholicstudies/index.php
St. Mary's Institute of Catholic Studies
http://www.aggiecatholic.org/index.cfm?load=page&page=137
http://www.loras.edu/Academics/Majors/Religious-Studies/Catholic-Studies-Minor.aspx

28. Competitors
http://www.has.vcu.edu/wld/catholicstudies/
http://interdisciplinary.loyno.edu/catholicstudies/
http://www.usfca.edu/artsci/cath/

29. Competitors
http://www.slu.edu/x14949.xml
http://www.seattleu.edu/artsci/catholic/default.aspx?id=924
http://www.sau.edu/Academic_Programs/Interdisciplinary_Minors/Catholic_Studies.html

30. Resources
http://www.eppc.org/programs/catholic-studies/
http://ipr.cua.edu/
http://www.loyno.edu/jsri/
http://www.usfca.edu/centers/lane/
Lo Schiavo Chair in Catholic Social Thought
http://www.usfca.edu/centers/lane/loschiavo_chair/

31. Resources Cont.
Journal of Catholic Legal Studies
http://www.stjohns.edu/academics/graduate/law/journals_activities/catholiclegalstudies

32. Blog Comments
http://www.firstthings.com/blogs/firstthoughts/2013/06/24/i
n-praise-of-catholic-studies/
St. Thomas listed #1-top of mind brand recall.
Social Media Planning:
http://www.idealware.org/articles/mapping-your-mix-are-
you-providing-right-mix-content