The document provides a communications plan for promoting Military Appreciation Week events at the University of Mississippi. It outlines strategies and tactics to build awareness of the week's events and the UM Veterans & Military Services office through advertising, promotional tools, and social media posts on platforms like Daily Mississippian, Rebel Radio, Facebook, and Twitter. Key events include a Veteran's Day ceremony, ROTC Chancellor's Review, Rebel Trail Challenge, and ROTC Egg Bowl Run.

1. UM Office of Public Events Communications Plan DRAFT
Situation:
To honor all of the veterans who have served our country, the University of
Mississippi will host Military Appreciation Week. The Ole Miss Veterans & Military
Services (VMS) office is part of the University of Mississippi’s Center for Student
Success. The mission statement of the Veterans & Military Services is “to provide
comprehensive resources to veterans, military and dependents to aid in their
overall success as University of Mississippi (UM) students” (2015 UM Veterans &
Military Services mission statement). University & Public Events and UM
Communications will team together to promote Military Appreciation Week in an
effort to increase awareness of the Veterans & Military Services office and of
Military Appreciation Week at the University of Mississippi.
Target Audience:
1. Current students
2. Faculty/staff members
3. Alumni (especially Veterans)
4. Oxford community (especially Veterans)

2. Objective:
 Build awareness for the Military Appreciation Week events and
programming
o Measurement: attendance growth for programs
 Build awareness of the Veterans & Military Services department at the
University of Mississippi
o Measurement: attendance growth (of students and faculty)
Strategies:
1. Inform students, faculty and staff of Military Appreciation Week in order to
increase attendance at those events.
2. Inform students, faculty and staff of the services provided by the UM
Veterans & Military Services office
Strategy 1: Inform students, faculty and staff of Military Appreciation Week in
order to increase attendance at those events.
Tactics:
 Develop advertising
o Schedule of events in Daily Mississippian
o Feature on Veterans Day in Daily Mississippian/Oxford Eagle
o Feature story on NewsWatch
o Feature story on Hottytoddy.com
o Advertisement on Rebel Radio

3. o Photography on Ole Miss website
 Develop promotional tools
o Press release to be sent to news outlets
o Media alert to be sent
o Posters/flyers with schedule of events
 Social media promotions
o Blog (4 easy ways to salute the troops during Military Appreciation
Week)
o Email schedule of events to alumni
o Facebook posts by UM Communications
o Tweets by UM Communications
 Feature on Wounded Warrior Project (Spartan Run and
Rebel Trail Challenge)
 Tweets about benefits of UM Veterans & Military Services
department
 Hashtag ideas:
 #UMMilitaryAppreciation
 #ThankAVeteran
 #eggbowlrun for ROTC Egg Bowl (used every year)

Strategy 2: Inform students, faculty and staff of the services provided by the UM
Veterans & Military Services office

4. Tactics:
 Set out table in front of the Student Union with information concerning UM
Veterans & Military Services
 Feature article on the Veterans & Military Services program in Daily
Mississippian or on hottytoddy.com
 Tweets and Facebook posts (including info about Veterans & Military
Services)
 Profile a student veteran and show how the program has helped them
(feature in Daily Mississippianor hottytoddy.com)
 Create individual posters concerning UM Veterans & Military Services
MEDIA ADVISORY:
University & Public Events

5. Media Contact: Taylor Morton, tmorton1@go.olemiss.edu
University of Mississippi Celebrates Military Appreciation Week with ROTC
Chancellor’s Review
The University of Mississippi will host an ROTC Chancellor’s Review with a Pass
in Review and Inspection ceremony on Thursday, Nov. 12 in front of the Lyceum
at 3 p.m. A Pass in Review is a formal military ceremony that honors the hard
work and dedication of students in the University of Mississippi ROTC programs.
WHAT: The University of Mississippi ROTC programs, which include
Army, Navy/Marines and Air Force will conduct an inspection and Pass in
Review at the ROTC Chancellor’s Review Ceremony.
WHO: Interim Chancellor Morris H. Stocks, Acting Provost Noel E. Wilkin,
Dean Lee Cohen, Captain Brian J. Goszkowicz, Lieutenant Colonel E.
Scott Walton, Lieutenant Colonel Mark C. Sudduth II will host the
Chancellor’s Review Ceremony.
WHERE: University Circle in front of the Lyceum
WHEN: Thursday, Nov. 12 at 3 p.m.
-END-

6. University of Mississippi Public Events
Media Contact: Taylor Morton, University of Mississippi Public Events
Tel: 817-701-6058; Email: tmorton1@go.olemiss.edu
University of Mississippi To Celebrate Annual Military Appreciation Week
Military Appreciation Events Begin Nov. 11
OXFORD, Miss.--The University of Mississippi has announced the
schedule of events for the Annual Military Appreciation Week that will continue
throughout the month of November, beginning Wednesday, Nov. 11 and ending
Friday, Nov. 27.
Military Appreciation Month will kick off with a Veteran’s Day Ceremony
that will take place in Paris Yates Chapel at 2 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 11. The
Veteran’s Day Ceremony honors the hundreds of Ole Miss students that receive
Veteran’s Administrations benefits along with all of the country’s veterans.
The ROTC Chancellor’s Review Ceremony will take place at 3 p.m. on
Thursday, Nov. 12 in front of the Lyceum. The University of Mississippi ROTC
programs, which include Army, Navy/Marines and Air Force, will conduct an
inspection and Pass in Review Ceremony. The Pass in Review has been
conducted annually since the beginning of the ROTC programs.

7. The second annual Rebel Trail Challenge will take place on Saturday,
Nov. 14 at 8:30 a.m. at the South Campus Rail Trail. Partners will run and bike
the trail and navigate obstacles for four miles. All proceeds will benefit student
scholarships.
Military Appreciation Month will conclude with the ROTC Egg Bowl Run.
Each year, Ole Miss and Mississippi State cadets split the 100-mile Egg Bowl
Run route. This year, Ole Miss cadets will begin their portion of the run in Oxford
at 5 a.m. on Friday, Nov. 27 and meet Mississippi State cadets at the halfway
point in Calhoun City at the town square’s pavilion around noon. The cadets will
exchange the game ball and Mississippi State cadets will run the game ball back
to Starkville.
All events are open to the public and all veterans are encouraged to
attend. For additional information on military appreciation month activities,
contact the university’s Veterans and Military Services office at 662-915-5021 or
at umveterans@olemiss.edu.
-END-
Twitter

8.  Check out the Chancellor’s Review as part of Military Appreciation Month
on Tuesday, Nov. 12 at 3 p.m. in front of the Lyceum
#UMMilitaryAppreciation
Facebook
 Posts before and after each event
 Ole Miss is celebrating Military Appreciation Month throughout the month
of November. Military Appreciation Month serves to honor all of those men
and women who serve in the U.S. Military. Don’t miss out on upcoming
events on campus.
o Photo of schedule of events
 Join Ole Miss cadets in sending off the game ball on Friday, Nov. 27 at 5
a.m. at the Lyceum. Each year, Ole Miss and Mississippi State cadets split
the 100-mile Egg Bowl Run route. This year, Ole Miss cadets will begin
their portion of the run in Oxford at 5 a.m. on Friday, Nov. 27 and meet
Mississippi State cadets at the halfway point in Calhoun City at the town
square’s pavilion around noon. The cadets will exchange the game ball
and Mississippi State cadets will run the game ball back to Starkville.
o Photo of Egg Bowl Run/Game Ball
Instagram
 Photo of schedule of events

9. o Ole Miss is celebrating Military Appreciation Month throughout the
month of November. Don’t miss out on upcoming events on
campus!
 Photo of Veteran’s Day Ceremony
 Photo of ROTC Chancellor’s Review Ceremony
 Photo of ROTC Egg Bowl Run/Game ball
o Join Ole Miss cadets in sending off the game ball on Nov. 27 at 5
a.m. at the Lyceum. Each year, Ole Miss and Mississippi State
cadets partner to cover the 100-mile Egg Bowl Run in two separate
legs. This year, Ole Miss cadets will begin their leg of the run in
Oxford at 5 a.m. time and meet Mississippi State cadets at the
halfway point in Calhoun City at the town square’s pavilion around
noon.