We all have stories to tell about our institutions and the people who are a part of them. How do we bring those together in creative ways that help us build our identity or brand? What role do words and images play in telling those stories? What about sound? This session will share some principles and concepts to help you develop a message, breathe life into your mission, and help your campus community and other audiences know who you are.

1. Telling Your Story:
How Ideas, Words and Images Can Come Together
Sunday, January 8, 12

2. Think of
three stories —
books or
movies that you
love.
Sunday, January 8, 12

3. Why tell stories?
They simplify.
They are memorable.
They help us relate.
Sunday, January 8, 12

4. Think of your
three favorite
characters
from books or
movies that
you love.
Sunday, January 8, 12

5. What are the parts to a story?
Character Setting Plot
Sunday, January 8, 12

6. Where do we
find stories?
Sunday, January 8, 12

7. Think of a favorite or
interesting:
• faculty member
• student
• alumnus
• staff member
• donor or booster
Sunday, January 8, 12

8. FACULTY
• Why they love their field
• What they think of students
• Why they teach or research what
they do
• More about their personal lives,
hobbies, interests
Sunday, January 8, 12

9. STUDENTS
• Why they came to Our College
• Their hopes, dreams and plans
• Their experiences in the
classroom, labs and field
Sunday, January 8, 12

10. ALUMNI
• Their memories of their college
experience
• Their experience in the workplace
Sunday, January 8, 12

11. STAFF
• How they view Our College
• Why they do what they do
Sunday, January 8, 12

12. COMMUNITY
• How they
interact with
students,
faculty, staff
Sunday, January 8, 12

13. To whom do we
tell these stories?
Sunday, January 8, 12

14. To whom do we
tell these stories?
To the
same
audiences.
Sunday, January 8, 12

15. Do you know
your
institution’s
mission? What
is your brand?
Sunday, January 8, 12

16. What is
storytelling?
It makes a good story
even better
It adds style and imagery
Sunday, January 8, 12

17. What avenues
do you have
for telling your
institution’s
stories?
Sunday, January 8, 12

18. Storytelling in the digital age
Images and
Sound Documentary
Video
Sunday, January 8, 12

19. What stories or
traditions does
everyone at
your institution
know about?
Sunday, January 8, 12

20. What stories
do you know
about your
institution that
not enough
people know?
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21. Key Pointers
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22. Own it. Make it your
story. Embrace it fully.
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23. Tell it earnestly,
enthusiastically and
expressively.
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24. Know it by heart.
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25. Pay attention to pacing.
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26. Pass on wisdom.
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27. Help people see themselves
in the world you create.
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28. The story of your institution
is the story of its people.
It is a spirit, not a timeline.
It is organic, not linear.
Sunday, January 8, 12

29. Graham Garner
Assoc.VP for Marketing and Communication
Wartburg College
Social media handle: garnergraham
graham.garner@wartburg.edu or
garnergraham@gmail.com
Sunday, January 8, 12