running head: a strategic pr plan for the oeece 1 master’s … · 2019. 11. 11. · master’s...

Running head: A STRATEGIC PR PLAN FOR THE OEECE

1

MASTER’S CAPSTONE PROJECT

A Strategic Public Relations Plan

for the Office of Experiential Education and Civic Engagement

Yan (Crystal) Zhang

School of Journalism and Mass Communication

Kent State University

August 2014

Committee:

William Sledzik, Associate Professor

Evan Bailey, Assistant Professor

Anna Gosky, Senior Special Assistant

Paper submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts

A STRATEGIC PR PLAN FOR THE OEECE 2

Table of Contents

Part I

Introduction ......................................................................................................................... 4

Literature Review ................................................................................................................ 8

Definitions of Volunteerism and Service-Learning .................................................... 8

Values of Volunteerism and Service-Learning ........................................................... 9

Motivations Behind Volunteering ............................................................................. 10

Applicable Communication Theories ....................................................................... 13

Best Practices .................................................................................................................... 17

Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) ................................... 17

University of Pennsylvania (Penn) ........................................................................... 18

University of Michigan (U-M) .................................................................................. 20

Summary ................................................................................................................... 21

Situation Analysis ............................................................................................................. 23

Background ............................................................................................................... 23

Key publics (Current) ............................................................................................... 23

Core messages (Current) ........................................................................................... 24

SWOT Analysis ........................................................................................................ 25

Strengths ........................................................................................................... 25

Weaknesses ....................................................................................................... 26


Opportunities ..................................................................................................... 27

Threats ............................................................................................................... 28

Research Report ................................................................................................................ 30

Media Channels ........................................................................................................ 30

Motivations to Serve ................................................................................................. 32

Summary ................................................................................................................... 34

Part II

Action Plan ........................................................................................................................ 35

Publics ....................................................................................................................... 35

Core messages ........................................................................................................... 36

Goals ......................................................................................................................... 36

Objectives ................................................................................................................. 37

Strategies & Tactics .................................................................................................. 38

Evaluations ................................................................................................................ 43

Recommendations ............................................................................................................. 45

Conclusion ........................................................................................................................ 47

Reference .......................................................................................................................... 48

Appendix ........................................................................................................................... 53


Introduction

The Office of Experiential Education and Civic Engagement (OEECE) resides in

the Office of Undergraduate Studies at Kent State. It provides academic advising services

to help students succeed in academic fields. The OEECE was the result of joint efforts

from Academic Quality Improvement Project team and Dr. Andrea Adolph of the Stark

Campus, in collaboration with the Provost’s Office and the Faculty Professional

Development Center.

Different from services that mostly apply traditional teaching-and-learning

methods, the OEECE adopts experiential education to enhance students’ knowledge and

skills. Internship, practicum, service-learning, and volunteerism are four forms of practice

under the umbrella of experiential education. With the Career Services Center and

individual schools and departments in charge of internships and practicums, the OEECE

mainly offers students opportunities to engage in volunteerism and service-learning.

Volunteer opportunities are available every weekend at local community agencies.

Typical experiences may include cooking and serving food for the hungry, making beds

for the homeless, and tutoring children from lower-income families. The OEECE has

more than 200 community partners, including Akron-Canton Regional Foodbank,

Coleman Professional Services, and Goodwill. The volunteering manager at the agency

introduces students to the origin, structure, and mission of the organization, gives

on-the-spot guidance, and supervises students’ in-service experiences.


Founded in 2009, the OEECE implements Experiential Learning Requirement

(ELR). Effective from Fall 2012, all undergraduate students above freshman level must

accomplish certain experiential learning objectives. The requirement can be satisfied via

three ways. The first is to select ELR-designated courses. More than 300 courses at Kent

State are designated as eligible for ELR. In those courses, faculty members integrate

experiential learning experiences into course design and advise students throughout the

service-learning process. Students can earn academic credits and may translate what they

have learned in class with practical experiences. For courses not designated with ELR,

students may add one credit to an existing course each semester by applying for Plus-1

Credit program offered by the OEECE. Once the OEECE, the faculty member, and the

community partner approve the proposals, the students will fulfill the program by writing

a reflective analysis based on what they have observed in the learning experiences. Or,

students can join in non-course based volunteering activities.

Here is an example: Nutritional problems exist among many homeless people.

Through the Campus Kitchen project, a student majoring in nutrition can not only learn

about dietary habits of the homeless and explore the causes of their nutritional problems,

but also study the nutrition value of the food that homeless people typically eat. As part

of this experience, students may further develop a healthy diet plan for those in need.

The OEECE informs students of volunteer opportunities through weekly listserv

postings. Student service leaders at the OEECE also help send flyers and place posters in


schools and departments, as well as residential halls, at the beginning of each semester. In

general, communication tools used by the OEECE are one-way. Two-way

communication that involves interactions and conversations is relatively limited.

Challenges. Not all faculty members and students understand what the OEECE

does, according to Tina Kandakai, Director of the OEECE. The first challenge, therefore,

is to find ways to present what the OEECE opportunities to potential audience and to

increase the awareness and knowledge of the organization.

Despite a high registration rate, no-show problems result in a waste of OEECE

resources. The OEECE has never tracked the number of students who do not show up to

fulfill their volunteer assignments, but acknowledge that no-shows are a significant issue

to be addressed. But, according to Anna Gosky, Senior Special Assistant at the OEECE,

this number has decreased by approximately 15% since the office required students to

provide Banner ID and cell phone number during registration, thus encouraging

accountability. If it were not for course requirements, how many students would willingly

participate? The second challenge is to how to arouse students’ interest in

service-learning and prompt them to voluntarily and actively engage.

Opportunities. In the 2012 academic year, 10,764 KSU students contributed more

than 200,000 hours to communities through volunteerism and service-learning programs

(OEECE, 2014). The number is collected through surveys and evaluations. One student

can be counted multiple times if he or she takes part in community service more than


once. Successful and life-changing stories emerge from the program. For example, a

group of KSU students once volunteered at Akron-Canton Regional Foodbank. After two

hours’ work, the volunteers were told, “You have just packaged 7,900 pounds of meat for

hungry people. If someone asks what you did over the weekend, tell them that you made

a difference to thousands of people’s lives.”

This project will introduce the function of public relations to the OEECE and offer

communication recommendations related to recruiting, retaining, and engaging students.

In doing this, the author hopes to increase the awareness of the OEECE, as well as its

programs, reach out a larger audience, deepen their understanding of service-learning,

and improve participation and interaction. The project ultimately aims to realize the

vision of the OEECE, which is to create a culture of service-learning on campus.


Literature Review

This literature review serves four purposes. First, the literature presents the

definitions of volunteerism and service-learning and explains the similarity and

differences between the terms. Second, the literature review discusses the value of civic

engagement such as volunteerism and service-learning. Third, the review examines

studies related to student motivations to participate in volunteering and community

services. Finally, the review discusses several communication theories that may be

applicable to the operations within the organization. By covering these four aspects, the

literature review intends to lay a solid theoretical framework for the final project.

Definitions of Volunteerism and Service-Learning

Volunteering usually refers to performing a service without pay. Anyone can

volunteer in community service at any time for any reason. Volunteers may or may not

acquire learning, depending on whether the experiences are meaningful. Service-learning

is distinctive because it is often incorporated with academic goals and mutuality (Office

of Service Learning, 2014), emphasizing not just the community, but also volunteers

should benefit from the learning experience. Such a “reciprocal” (p. 214) learning

strategy is increasingly considered as a core function of higher education institutions in

addition to scholarly research (Thomson, Smith-Tolken, Naidoo, & Bringle, 2010).

According to the National Service-Learning Clearinghouse, service-learning is an

educational strategy that combines community demands with academic guidance to


enrich students’ experience, to increase their sense of community, and to raise their

awareness of social responsibility (as cited in Taggart & Crisp, 2009). Though scholars

sometimes debate whether service-learning, such an extracurricular experience, should be

examined within the classroom setting, the widely accepted definition of service-learning

takes three factors into account, namely “meaningful service, connection to course

content, and active reflection” (Bush-Bacelis, 1998, p. 20).

Among the key elements of service-learning, reflection plays a prominent role.

Most community-based services focus on building consciousness of social justice issues

in the form of “cooperative learning” (Johnson, 2013, p. 150). During service-learning

experiences, a service leader will hold sessions among students discussing what they have

observed in the project. Student share their own ideas, insights, and values with peers.

Owing to different backgrounds of students, some may see problems that other students

have never considered. For instance, students from higher-income families may notice

how privileged they are when meeting a homeless person sleeping on the street and

coming to understand that person’s plight, whereas students from lower-income

backgrounds may see it as fairly normal.

Values of Volunteerism and Service-Learning

Scholars frequently stress the significance of volunteerism and service-learning

from the perspectives of students, faulty, and community. The scope of this project will

be limited to students, and will have the overall goal of recruiting more students and


motivating them to remain active in the program. Speaking of the benefits that

service-learning can bring to students, DiPadova-Stocks (2005) holds that civic

engagement can help students gain a better understanding of social needs, economic

problems, and moral issues that they will encounter throughout their lives. Students are

able to see people from various ethnic, racial, and socioeconomic groups, some who are

less fortunate, and obtain a more profound sense of diversity (Salimbene, Buono, Lafarge,

& Nurick, 2005). Further, with such an understanding, students tend to become more

open-minded and considerate, which may enable them to think more critically and

exercise power more wisely in their future careers (DiPadova-Stocks, 2005). Besides,

students can acquire valuable skills through services. For example, they learn to paint a

room or even build a house when they volunteer at Habitat for Humanity. Meanwhile,

they improve their self-efficacy, getting to know themselves better, as well as what they

are capable of doing (Gazley, Bennett, & Littlepage, 2013). Civic engagement inspires

students to think deeply about their responsibilities as citizens and life attitudes as human

beings (Taggart & Crisp, 2011). Another advantage of service-learning lies in how those

experiences assist students in applying the theories they have learned in class into real

world practice (Salimbene et al., 2005).

Motivations Behind Volunteering

Bussell and Forbes (2002) attribute volunteering to altruism, maintaining that

people volunteer because they want to do good deeds. But more scholars agree that the


initial reasons for people, especially college students, to take part in services are actually

egotistic. They are motivated by the benefits they receive from being involved. Externally,

they acquire skills and enhance their resumes (Chesbrough, 2011; Hibbert, Piacentini, &

Dajani, 2003). Internally, they bolster their self-esteem and increase positive feelings

about themselves (Einolf & Chambré, 2011). Such social and psychological outcomes, in

return, reinforce students’ willingness to volunteer and improve the retention (Bringle,

Hatcher, & Muthiah, 2010).

Another phenomenon to be aware of is called Millennials that is talking about

teenagers born from 1980s to 2000s. This type of young adults is usually described as

lazy, entitled, and narcissistic. They care very much about their images and how others

perceive them (Neilson, 2013). Thus, motivations to serve may be strengthened if the

students are recognized and rewarded for making a difference in the community.

Moreover, this generation has been exposed to abundant media coverage about

human rights abuses and social violence since they were born. With a sense of being

privileged, they tend to become more civic-mind and concerned about the community

(Wendover, 2012).

As time goes by, motivations will change from self-centered to other-oriented

concerns (Brody & Wright, 2004). With a deeper understanding of the community,

volunteers gradually attain a sense of belonging. They are more likely to defend what

they are doing against criticism and take pride in their success (Brody & Wright, 2004).


They become more committed to the cause and regard volunteering as an integral part of

their identity (Darby, Longmire-Avital, Chenault, & Haglund, 2013).

Another group of researchers reveal volunteering motivations from a social aspect.

Einolf and Chambré (2011) concluded that people are more likely to volunteer if their

friends are volunteering, and such networking can be particularly seen in religious

congregations. Hidalgo and Moreno (2009) highlighted the influence of social

relationship when studying volunteers’ intention to remain, noting that a solid bond

between volunteers and organizations can lead to peers’ retention. Haski-Leventhal and

Chaan (2009) probed into the role of groups as a volunteering contributor and discovered

volunteer groups can shape individual values, attitudes, and behaviors via interactions.

Despite the complexity of volunteering motivations, Dolnicar and Randle (2007)

divided volunteers into six categories.

The resulting segments include “classic volunteers,” whose motivations are

threefold: doing something worthwhile; personal satisfaction; and helping others.

“Dedicated volunteers” perceive each one of the motives for volunteering as

relevant, while “personally involved volunteers” donate time because of someone

they know in the organization, most likely their child. “Volunteers for personal

satisfaction” and “altruists” primarily wish to help others, and finally, “niche

volunteers” typically have fewer and more specific drivers motivating them to

donate time, for example, to gain work experience. (p. 135)


It is crucial to divide volunteers into groups. The more specific the segment is, the

more effective the communication strategies can be. Communicators can tailor their

messages in a way that appeals to the niche audience. The audience will also be more apt

to respond and even become loyal to the product, the service, and the brand as they think

communicators understand and care about their needs. Take the OEECE for an example.

For students with the goal of learning, the OEECE may want to reinforce face-to-face

communication between faculty, as advocates, and students. If faculty members talk in

class about the meaning of giving back to the community and academic benefits students

can gain in the service, students who want to achieve high grades may be motivated.

The next portion of this literature review will elaborate communication theories

that organizations such as the OEECE can refer to when they begin to reach out their

audiences, establish relationship with volunteer students, and engage publics in

conversations.

Applicable Communication Theories

Dialogic Theory. Kent and Taylor’s dialogic theory of public relations talks about

developing mutually beneficial relationships with audience. As mentioned in the

definition, a unique characteristic of service-learning lies in mutuality. On one hand,

organizations as the OEECE welcome students to get involved in service programs, to

meet the community’s needs, and also to endorse the organizations by sharing their

volunteering stories. On the other hand, students also expect academic benefit from


service experiences. A better understanding of “reciprocity” can help encourage both

participation and communication (Kent & Taylor, 2001, p. 22).

In addition, dialogic theory suggests how to communicate through media, which

can be summarized as the 3-C, representing content-rich, constant, and conversational.

Trust is derived from shared values (Lin & Lu, 2011). Organizations, to be content-rich,

should put more emphasis on showing their values rather than advertising their products.

Marketing is no longer a battle of products but a battle of content. Communicators must

remember that the audience can choose information themselves and will almost always

turn to useful messages. Next, the flow of information ought to be consistent so the

audience can expect new and useful information when they return and check the site. If

organizations have social media presences, they should keep their accounts active with

regular posts and real-time responses. Posts to social media must be both appealing and

engaging, so as to drive traffic. Interactions encourage conversations, strengthen

relationships, and contribute to the formation of online communities.

Diffusion of Innovations Theory. This theory primarily states that opinion leaders,

as early adopters and influencers, accept the new information released by innovators, and

further spread messages to a larger yet comparatively passive audience that usually learn

about the information through word-of-mouth (Willi, Melewar, & Broderick, 2013).

Opinion leaders are esteemed and valued because they give information based on their

interest and expertise and without a commercial purpose (as cited in Willi et al., 2013).


Technology and new media have changed the way people exchange information

and interact with others. They are continuously challenging the traditional marketing

media, such as newspaper, TV, and radio (Petrescu & Korgaonkar, 2011). More people

attain knowledge online, especially via social media. In 2011, 65% of U.S. online adults

used social networking platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, etc. The number

can even reach above 90% in some colleges and universities (as cited in Eikenberry,

2012). Hence, communicators gradually realize a new communication channel advances

conventional word-of-mouth by transforming it to online viral marketing (Petrescu &

Korgaonkar, 2011).

With new media, likewise, organizations should first concentrate on identifying

influential individuals or opinion leaders, and encourage them to initiate conversations

(Ang, 2011; Smith, Coyle, Lightfoot, & Scott, 2007). In the virtual world, people expect

“personal sources of information” and “peer-to-peer communication” more highly than

ever (Petrescu & Korgaonkar, 2011, p. 209). Those who frequently “like,” “comment,”

“share,” and “recommend” messages will spontaneously form an online community

because once members in a group get used to sharing information and experiences, they

“claim to know each other” (Willi et al., 2013, p. 117).

However, Smith et al. (2007) point out that even without an advocate, people who

are moderately connected may be as willing as the highly connected group to help

messages go viral, owing to basic human need to be helpful by giving advice.


Volunteering includes a unique social factor. Friends, classmates, and professors

can influence a student’s idea about community service and experiential learning in daily

life. At the same time, as today’s students “increasingly demand more independence and

autonomy in their learning” and “have a greater desire for active, engaged learning

experiences” (Eikenberry, 2012, p. 456), they prefer to access messages based on their

own interests and needs on the Internet, and also lean toward relying on people they

know to gather information (Willi et al., 2013).

The significance of dialogic theory and diffusion of innovations theory lies in that

they both imply the effectiveness of two-way communication that can be applied both

offline through word-of-mouth and face-to-face conversations, and online through

website newsrooms and social media networking.


Best Practices

According to Tina Kandakai, Director of the OEECE, the following universities

have been doing good work in both practicing service-learning and communicating the

idea of experiential education with the publics.

Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI)

Brand. The university describes volunteering, community service, and civic

engagement as “a part of the IUPUI tradition.” An emphasis on its history helps establish

the brand, convincing publics of the quality of the program. To maintain such a heritage

is a permanent goal and requires strategic planning so that staffers can have clear

objectives and messages when managing the program.

Similar to Kent State’s ELR and Plus-1 Credit programs, IUPUI created the RISE

program to encourage students to learn knowledge beyond the textbook. RISE stands for

research, international, service-learning, and experiential learning. Students are required

to have at least two of the four experiences during the undergraduate level. From the

communication aspect, “RISE” is easy to remember and motivating.

Academic support. IUPUI displays a full list of on-campus research institutions

under “Civic Engagement” to highlight the academic values of service-learning. To

elaborate, the Center of Earth and Environmental Science and the Department of Earth

Sciences coordinate with service-learning projects including wetland and floodplain

ecosystems restoration and public education programs, which enables students to directly


experience what they have discussed in class. The university is more likely to support the

department of community service and civic engagement with funding and resources if the

school administration can see how service-learning can support the academic climate.

Website. IUPUI adds “Civic Engagement” into the navigation bar on the home

page of its website, which can directly lead visitors to the section and leave visitors a

deep first impression that civic engagement is a significant part of campus life. On the

page of “Civic Engagement,” a great number of links make it convenient for the publics

to achieve specific information they need.

Call to action. The department of Civic Engagement at IUPUI not only encourages

students to volunteer, but also calls, especially alumni, for donating food and money to

help the office operate programs. The call-to-action link saying, “Want to donate or

volunteer? Want to help your fellow jags? Click here to donate food or money” on the

web page of community service will lead visitors to a specific donation page. It is a way

to be considered to expand funding when the budget is limited.

University of Pennsylvania (Penn)

Vision. Penn’s commitment to serving was inspired by Benjamin Franklin, the

founder of the university. He believed, “The great aim and end of all learning...is service.”

Since then, civic awareness and action have always been a core value embraced by Penn.

In 2004, Penn started implementing its far-reaching vision called the Penn

Compact 2020 introduced by Amy Gutmann, the university’s eighth president. This


strategic objective guides Penn to “engage locally, nationally, and globally.” An

internationally recognized leader in higher education, Dr. Gutmann is an outspoken

advocate in the field of civic engagement. Gusmann offers influence and gives strong

support to the department of Community Services and Initiatives on campus. In addition,

her own endeavor including serving, making policies, and pursuing scholarships sets a

model to students and faculty at Penn.

Brand. Civic House is Penn’s hub for student-led community service. Similar to

Kent State’s Student Service Leaders, the organization connects Penn with communities

and provides platforms for students to develop their leadership and civic responsibility.

Yet, compared with Student Service Leaders, Civic House is a more inspiring brand with

a distinctive logo. It also has a separate building for students to gather. Students not only

learn in community service, but also get a sense of belonging in the place that Rachel

Zurier, a Penn student, described as “home” in a Civic House’s promotional video.

Publics. In addition to students currently enrolled, Civic House stays connected

with Penn’s alumni. Without data, it is difficult to measure how service-learning can

benefit students’ development and future career. Alumni’s stories are great testimonies.

Penn has launched a campaign called “Still My House,” sharing spotlights of alumni in

the public and nonprofit sectors on its website and demonstrating how service-learning

experiences benefit their careers. Civic House also gathers alumni information through

questionnaire and especially creates weekly newsletters for alumni who subscribe. At


Penn, serving is not just something students can do during their school life, but a

continuing cause worth pursuing throughout life.

Call to action. Students and alumni are called to send photos and articles to Civic

House via email. Those stories are used in weekly newsletters, on the website, as well as

social media. Such a tactic helps the OEECE collect stories. Also, publics are more likely

to read those articles that are written by their friends and peers.

University of Michigan (U-M)

Brand. The Ginsberg family endowed the Ginsberg Center for Community Service

and Learning in memory of Edward Ginsberg, a U-M alumnus. Ginsberg professed that

every human being has a responsibility to return something to the society.

Many academic departments and projects need funding each semester, so the

university has to make a balance. Yet, chances are that some departments may not be able

to get adequate financial support. Unlike regular academic departments, the Ginsberg

Center achieves funding from the Ginsberg family, which focuses on community service

and learning, which gives the Center substantial capacity to grow. The family also funds

the Rosalie scholarship, named for Mr.Ginsberg’s wife, to recognize students who are

dedicated to community service.

Publics. On the website of the Ginsberg Center are three prominent sections for

students and student organizations, faculty and staff, and community members. The clear

layout makes it easy for the three key publics to find the information they need.


Campaigns. To increase awareness, the Ginsberg Center created two campaigns.

One is called Literacy in Action, aiming to improve literacy outcomes for youth through

reading, tutoring, and playing with words. The other is called Pop Up Service, seeking to

involve students to learn and reflect upon social issues in services while having fun at the

same time. Moreover, the Ginsberg Center creates videos during its campaigns and posts

them on YouTube. Some of them have been watched more than 100 times.

Summary

The first takeaway from the three best-practices examples is that they all focus a

brand, either a shared core value or an enchanting history that can motivate publics to

participate. A strategic goal also provides directions to help the management team

develop in the long run.

Second, the best-practices cases demonstrate the crucial need to gain support from

the university administration. On one hand, departments in charge of service-learning

obtain resources and funding from the university. One the other hand, departments can

have more advocacies if serving is a core value embraced by the entire university. The

best way to win the support is probably to manifest how service-learning can benefit the

academic atmosphere on campus and how civic engagement can influence the

university’s reputation in the society.

Though community service programs on campus usually target at students, other

audiences such as alumni and publics who care about the community can also be included


in the message and engagement strategies. Not only can these publics support programs

financially by donating, they can also inspire more people to engage by sharing their

serving experiences, reflections, and stories.

Each of the three best-practices case studies feature a distinctive social media

presence, but none of them has regular posting times for messages. The main channels for

students to get information are university websites and newsletters. The information is

easy to access on websites thanks to clear layout.


Situation Analysis

Background

The Office of Experiential Education and Civic Engagement (OEECE) at Kent

State University is committed to extending success in teaching and learning through

volunteerism and service-learning experiences. The office plays a collaborative role

among students, faculty members, and local community partners, bridging experiential

education with civic engagement and at the same time promoting community well being.

So far, the OEECE has established partnership with more than 200 community partners

who offers volunteering opportunities and supervises students during the services.

The OEECE has seven staff members, four of whom are graduate assistants. The

office is temporarily located on the fifth floor of the University Library.

Key publics (Current)

The OEECE encourages all the students to engage in community service. The

2012-2013 evaluation report, collected from 1402 participants, shows further insights into

key publics in the service-learning programs. First, the number of female participants

accounts for about 70% of the total. Second, among all the participants, undergraduate

students make up the majority with 93.24% of the total and less than 1% participation is

attributed to alumni. More than 60% participants live on-campus. The grade distribution

of the students is as follows.


Freshman Sophomore Junior Senior

34.66% 27.11% 23.13% 15.09%

Students who want to apply for Residential Assistantship are expected to have

community service experiences. Current assistants are required to engage in community

service once a month. Besides, students who are enrolled in courses that are designated

with Experiential Learning Requirement (ELR) must take part in community service.

According to the evaluation, 18.42% of the participants participate with the OEECE

because of a class requirement.

Another important group is faculty. Members of the OEECE staff visited academic

departments during 2012-2013, introducing ELR to chairs of 14 departments including

Art, Economics, Health Sciences, and Political Science. The OEECE expects faculty

members in the ELR program to share their feedbacks and encourage more faculty

members to embrace and take advantage of experiential learning in the classroom setting

so that more students can learn about and further take part in serving opportunities.

Core messages (Current)

The OEECE wants the audience to understand that through volunteerism and

service-learning experiences:

l Students may broaden their worldview, gain a deeper understanding of what

they have learned in class through real experiences, and achieve better

academic results.


l Students may come to understand and reflect upon social issues, break down

stereotypes, and improve critical and strategic thinking competence, which is

good to be put on their resumes.

l Participates may feel more connected with local communities and obtain a

sense of belonging. Meanwhile, students may come to know professionals,

develop skills, and build social networks that may benefit their future careers.

SWOT Analysis

SWOT is an acronym that stands for strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and

threats. This analytical approach can help the OEECE better understand the pros and cons

of its situation and develop communication strategies that meet the office’s mission,

vision, and core values.

Strengths

l Contribution to the mission: The participation of community partners,

faculty members, and students has increased each year since 2009, when the

OEECE was founded. The OEECE continues to work hard creating a

service-learning culture on campus.

l Knowledge of experiential education: The staffs working in the OEECE

clearly understand the meaning of experiential learning. The advisors with

strong professional backgrounds can serve as ambassadors, offering faculty

members and students insights into the value of experiential education.


l Strong relationship with community partners: The OEECE continuously

researches new social justice issues, reaches out local community partners,

and tries to help people in need. The OEECE usually gathers feedback from

and communicates with community partners through weekly phone calls. In

summer, the OEECE organizes outreach trips, communicate with local

communities face-to-face, and seek for partnership opportunities.

Weaknesses

l Website: The OEECE redesigned its website in 2014. The site serves as the

primary information source where students can gather the information of

volunteerism and community-based service opportunities and learn about

experiential education. The website is informative, but not interactive. It is

unknown how effective the website is because the OEECE has not taken the

time to gather and access data related to the website’s metrics. Besides, there

is no constant flow of news to attract students to keep checking the site, nor is

there any social media activity that might drive traffic there.

l Budget: The OEECE receives all the funding from the university and may get

grants for special projects such as the Campus Kitchen project, but still the

budget is limited to cover salaries, transportations for students to get to the

volunteering sites, membership fees, etc. Due to the budget limitation, the

OEECE is not able to provide as many volunteering opportunities as it could if


more funding were made available. It is even difficult to expand the scale of

the program, bring more benefits to the audiences, and enhance its impact on

the community. Moreover, the OEECE must pay professional organizations to

let students take part in their programs and use their resources.

l Small team: The limited budget also causes a difficulty expanding the staff

team. The OEECE has only seven staffers and four of them are students. It is a

heavy burden for such a small team to oversee various projects involving over

200 community partners. Hence, the OEECE has to compromise on the size

and depth of the programs. In addition, a small team results in a lack of public

relations function to communicate with students effectively. The OEECE may

have a writing intern from English department to help create newsletters and

flyers every spring semester. But the intern is not at the request of the OEECE

and is not necessarily a communication expert.

l Data: The OEECE asks participants to fill out evaluations after each service.

Yet, information about how they learn about service opportunities and why

they volunteer is either absent or incomplete.

Opportunities

l Requirements: Many students, such as those in ELR-designated courses,

must fulfill certain service-learning requirements within their respective

departments. Through real experiences, they can have more contact with


faculty members, achieve a better idea about what experiential education is

about and may voluntarily participate in the future.

l Earn credits: Undergraduate students can earn credits via community-based

learning by applying for Plus-1 Credit program developed by the OEECE.

l Expectation: Some students who became involved in community services

during high school expect to have similar opportunities in the university.

Threats

l Relocation: The OEECE was located in Moulton Hall in 2012 and moved to

Lake/Olson Hall in 2013. It is now located on the fifth floor in University

Library and will move back to Lake/Olson Hall after renovation. Constant

relocation creates confusion among students.

l Terminology: In the field of experiential education, terms such as

volunteerism, community-based learning, and service-learning each have

distinctive meanings. However, students do not necessarily have to understand

those confusing jargons. The goal of the OEECE is to help students advance

their intellectual and professional performances. Students are not expected to

be experts in the experiential education area who can distinguish all the terms.

Therefore, the OEECE should particularly pay attention to word choice and

avoid using different terms. “Volunteering” and “service-learning” may be

enough for the purpose of communication.


l Graduate supervisor: Most volunteerism and service-learning programs are

in the charge of two graduate assistants who are replaced every two years. It is

challenging to start all over every other year when a team has just been well

established.


Research Report

Informal interviewing was employed as the main research method in this project.

Twenty-seven students were interviewed, 11 of whom were involved in the Super Service

Saturdays (SSS), a half-day service project. SSS opportunities are available on Saturdays

at local community organizations including Ravenna area churches, Habitat Restore, and

the Amelia DiGirolamo Center of Hope. Sixteen of interviewees were in Alternative

Spring Break (ASB) – Buffalo, a seven-day service project. Students usually learn about

Native American culture and build houses with Habitat for Humanity on this trip. During

longtime service, students are expected to have a more profound understanding about

stereotype, equality, privilege, and community from every day’s reflection.

Those interviewed included 6 freshmen, 7 sophomores, 8 juniors, 4 seniors, and 2

graduate students. These students represented 17 majors from across the university.

The research is to answer two major questions. First, how do KSU students learn

about volunteerism and service-learning programs? What are the media channels that the

students turn to for information? Second, what are students’ motivations to get involved

in such programs? Does their understanding of experiential education correspond to the

messages that the OEECE intends to convey? Is there any communication gap?

Media Channels

Word of mouth. When Lauren Gombas decided to join the Alternative Spring

Break trip, she asked Delaney Sullivan to be her companion. For Sullivan, “It’s just so


hard to say no to a friend.” In addition to friends, some faculty members and advisors

also encourage students to get involved in community service. Outside the classroom, for

students who live on campus, roommates can especially be influencers. For students who

live off campus, family members can also exert an influence on students. Jordyn Austin

took part in the Alternative Spring Break trip because her mother saw the promotional

poster online and shared it on her Facebook page. The same thing happened to Jake

Addessi. Further, students in organizations such as Alpha Phi Omega that considers

“serving” as one of their core values usually share information about volunteering

opportunities within groups.

Marketing tools. Most undergraduate students below the junior level are required

to live on campus. Students who do not return to their homes during weekends may be

seeking weekend activities. Hence, these students are more likely to pay attention to

posters or a weekly listserv. Taylor Christy said she “had to” see posters because they

would jump into her sight as soon as she walked into her residential hall. But Andrea

Malys said though she got newsletters every week, she usually ignored them.

KSU website. Students said the KSU website is a main source for staying current

with school events and most of those interviewed mentioned the website as a source of

information on serving opportunities. Some may get the information from different

sections, for example, Calendar, FlashLine, and FLASHperks, which do not necessarily

include service-learning activities. Few look up SSS projects specifically. A larger


number of students tend to type “volunteer” in the search box. They first learned about

opportunities from other channels such as word of mouth and marketing tool and became

an active information seeking public.

First experience. Graduate students usually have busier schedules and focus more

on study and work. Not many want to or have time to get involved in school activities.

Maria Petrasko is a graduate student living in Stow. She said she wanted to get involved

but did not know how until she checked a weekly newsletter from the Newman Center, a

Catholic student association, and took part in Kent State’s Day of Service on Martin

Luther King, Jr. Day. She was added to listserv then and started receiving newsletters

from the OEECE. She now achieves information about other projects such as SSS.

Motivations to Serve

Service as an Academic Requirement. This category contains three groups. The

first is group students who have course-related requirements to participate in service

projects. These students are more likely to choose SSS because such volunteering

opportunities are provided every Saturday and each project only takes a half day. The

second is resident assistants, students who are employed by the university as student

leaders who live in the residence halls. Serving experiences are required for resident

assistant applicants, as they will shoulder the responsibilities to carry out the mission of

the Department of Residence Services by assisting the development of community within

their halls, to engage dormitory students in community service once they are hired. The


third is students in groups such as National Society of Collegiate Scholars and sororities

that share a core value of serving. Those students volunteer because they are enthusiastic

about serving, not just because they are required to serve. Amanda Bevington is required

to log 22 service hours required each semester, but she puts in far more time, competing

more than 100 hours of service during the 2012 academic year. Another finding is that

few students interviewed are familiar with the Plus-1 Credit program.

Altruism. Many interviewees said they were happy to help others and give back to

the community. When seeing others’ hard lives, students came to understand “privilege,”

appreciate what they owned, and become more willing to share. Ruth Smith, an Honor

College student, said, “I don’t have money to donate, but I can donate my time [to serve].”

Notably, many students interviewed have religious beliefs.

Social motivations. To meet new friends is a common motive for students to

participate in school activities. As mentioned earlier, many students take part in services

because their friends recommend it. PJ Kimmel joined in the 2013 Alternative Spring

Break trip. During the trip, he made some good friends with whom he still keeps in touch.

To him, friendship is the most important reason for him to once again sign up for the

2014 trip.

Career. Students such as Marissa Marcin and Taylor Hawkins only join in projects

that are related with their majors so they can acquire some professional experiences and

enhance their resumes. In another case, Brie Jutte likes to get out of her comfort zone


with activities that challenge her to grow and become a stronger leader. Pursuing a

master’s degree in higher education, Jutte said, “The more you know, the more you need

to know.”

Expectation. Most students interviewed had volunteering and community service

experiences in high school and expected similar opportunities in college. Jordyn Austin

said she wanted to participate in services at a college level, which would include more

reflection on those activities so she could learn more while serving.

Summary

According to the research, word of mouth is the main channel for the audience to

discover direct information about the OEECE. Influencers include students and student

organizations that are passionate about community service, faculty members, and family

members. Marketing tools such as flyers, posters, and e-newsletters are feasible. However,

it is hard to measure the effectiveness due to a lack of data.

Students will search information about volunteering and community service more

actively if these relevant experiences are required or if they want to get more involved in

the university, in the community. Initial motives for students to participate are various

and include making friends, fulfilling credits, and acquiring professional experiences. As

time goes by, once they realize the difference they have made to others, they are more apt

to enjoy volunteering and start to care about social issues, reflect, and learn.


Action Plan

Based upon previous research, this section suggests specific strategies and tactics

that can help the OEECE increase its awareness and reach out publics in the community.

Publics

Key publics

l Undergraduate students. Firstly, Experiential Learning Requirement is

designed for undergraduate students only. Secondly, they have more flexible

schedules than graduate students. Thirdly, according to the 2012 academic

year evaluation, over 90 percent participants are undergraduate students.

l Faculty members. Faculty is one main target for course-based community

service. Firstly, they can cooperate with the OEECE, offer courses eligible for

ELR, and integrate service-learning into course design. Secondly, they are

influencers who can motivate students to register for ELR-designated courses

by educating students about the benefits of service-learning in class.

l Community partners. If community partners better understand the mission,

vision, and core value of the OEECE, they can have clearer objectives and

messages when supervising volunteering students on the site.

Potential publics

l Alumni. The OEECE can build long-term relationship with alumni, especially

those who are in the public and non-profit fields. On one hand, alumni can


support the OEECE through, for example, donation. On the other hand,

alumni can be influencers by sharing their real service-learning experiences.

l Local residents. Residents are part of the Kent community. Especially adults,

they are usually more mature and aware of the importance of giving back to

the community so they are more likely to join in community service. At the

meantime, locals, such as parents of Kent State students, can be influencers by

encouraging their children to participate.

Core messages

l Students can earn credits, achieve better academic results, improve employment

competitiveness, develop civic responsibility, and become more well rounded

through volunteerism and community service.

l Service-learning is a pedagogic tool that faculty members can apply into course

design so that students can better understand course materials from theory to

practice. It is also a method that can be well blended with the research process to

help create a vigorous academic culture on campus.

l Kent State engages students, faculty members, alumni, as well as local residents, and

cooperates with its local community partners to build a better community.

Goals

l To raise awareness of the OEECE programs among key publics including students,

faculty members, alumni, local residents, and community partners in Kent


l To educate publics, especially junior and senior students and faculty members, about

service-learning and create a lively study and research atmosphere around these

service opportunities

l To engage participants in dialogue, promote mutual understanding of the benefits of

volunteerism and community service, and improve relationship with the publics

l To boost the work that the OEECE has done and enhance its reputation in Kent so as

to obtain more financial support from the university, as well as the community

Objectives

1. To motivate publics to search information about the OEECE’s programs and increase

the number of inquires by 20% within one year

2. To increase the number of volunteering hours by 15% within one year

3. To increase the number of student volunteers by 20% within one year

4. To increase the number of alumni volunteers by 5% within one year

5. To increase the number of ELR-designated courses by 20% within one year

6. To increase the number of Plus-1 Credit applications by 10% within one year

7. To increase the number of researches that are done via service-learning by 10%

within one year

8. To attain 1000 likes (449 now) on “Volunteer KSU” Facebook page within one year

9. To earn 20 comments (and shares) for each post on Volunteer KSU Facebook page

10. To achieve 100 mentions related with the OEECE on Facebook within one year


11. To create a list of opinion leaders and have 20 accounts within one semester

12. To increase the funding by 5% within one semester

Strategies & Tactics

l Improve the usability and accessibility of the OEECE’s website and increase the

awareness of the OEECE and all its programs (Objective 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)

• The university and the OEECE have both redesigned their web pages. However,

visitors cannot click to the OEECE’s web page from the home page if they do

not type “OEECE” in the search box. The main website can only lead visitors

to the site of Community Service and Volunteering, leaving out other

learning-focused programs such as Experiential Learning Requirements and

Plus-1 Credit. The OEECE should fix the connection problem and create one

web page that introduces all its programs with links that can guide visitors to

specific sections. The picture below shows how IUPUI’s Office of Civic

Engagement introduces its programs on one web page with links.


l Visit First Year Experience (FYE) classes to introduce the OEECE’s programs and

increase the awareness of the OEECE among freshman through face-to-face

communication and marketing tools (Objective 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7)

• The OEECE once passively accepted invitations from FYE classes to introduce

service-learning to freshman. Instead, the department should take the initiative

to reach out to FYE section, offering brief about its programs at the beginning

of the classes, followed by the distribution of flyers and brochures.

l Partner with Kent State University Alumni Association (KSUAA) and increase the

awareness of the OEECE among alumni through text messages (Objective 2, 4)

• Alumni who would like to stay connected with Kent State sign up for text

messages and get recent events from KSUAA. The OEECE can share

volunteering opportunities with KSUAA and reach out alumni.

l Use controlled media to inform potential participants and influencers, especially

parents and local residents, of the OEECE’s programs (Objective 2, 3)

• Tree City Bulletin is a quarterly publication for the residents and businesses of

Kent. The OEECE can pitch service-learning stories to City’s Manager Office

and inform local residents of volunteering opportunities. On one hand, local

residents, as a part of the community, can get more involved. On the other hand,

residents, especially the parents of Kent State students, can be great influencers

to motivate their children to participate, reflect, and learn.


• The OEECE can also put its information on the electronic display in front of

Panini’s Bar and Grill in Downtown Kent.

l Inform the publics of Volunteer KSU Facebook account, encourage them to follow

the page, and increase the awareness of the OEECE (Objective 8)

• Students may neither check KSU website regularly nor click into weekly

listserv sent by the OEECE, but they can see the up-to-date information on

Facebook if they follow the OEECE. However, due to a lack of brand, it is hard

for the publics to find “Volunteer KSU” if they do not know the account. The

OEECE should firstly include Facebook icon on its web page.

• The OEECE should also add Facebook icon with call to action, “Follow us” to

all its marketing materials involving flyers, brochures, posters, and newsletters.

An icon with account name is more attractive, better than the word “Facebook.”

• Ask student service leaders to inform volunteers after each service.

l Introduce ELR and Plus-1 Credit programs to faculty members and advisors through

face-to-face communication, and encourage them to promote service-learning in

classes to students (Objective 2, 3, 5, 6, 7)

• The OEECE staffers visit academic departments to promote ELR and Plus-1

Credit programs as needed rather than on a regular basis, making it difficult to

measure the effectiveness of the strategy. In the future, the OEECE should

make a regular schedule and keep track of feedbacks.


• The OEECE should particularly introduce Plus-1 Credit to faculty who teach

students from junior to senior level because they tend to understand social

issues more profoundly and are more capable of conducting in-depth analysis.

l Showcase research that has been done through service-learning to motivate more

students and faculty members to learn about the benefits of service-learning and

further participate in the programs (Objective 5, 6, 7)

• Create a web page under the OEECE, highlighting all the research that has been

done through service-learning, how researchers study through service-learning,

and how the projects can influence the community

• Pitch stories to local newspapers such as Record-Courier and the Akron Beacon

Journal if a researcher has done some work that has an impact on the

community

l Call for the publics to share volunteering, service-learning, and researching stories

with the OEECE, increase the publics’ awareness and interest in searching the

information about the OEECE (Objective 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)

• Add a call-to-action link on the OEECE’s web page. For example, “Share your

volunteering pictures and stories in this week’s e-newsletter.” On one hand, the

OEECE can have more resources to promote its programs. On the other hand,

people may pay more attention to weekly listserv and Facebook if they have an

expectation to see their own stories there.


• Ask student service leaders to tell volunteers that they can share photos and

articles with the OEECE through email, or on its website and Facebook.

• It is an opportunity to identify opinion leaders. Create a list of people who send

stories, keep in touch with them, and encourage them to give more feedbacks.

l Use paid Facebook messages with high quality content, advertisements, and

geo-tagging to engage the publics in interactions and conversations (Objective 1, 2,

3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)

• The OEECE may want to pay for important messages to make sure the content

will actually show up in the News Feed and be seen by its publics. By using a

mix of organic and paid Facebook strategy, the OEECE can better reach its

audience and further motivate them to read, comment on, share the posts, and

take real action, instead of simply clicking a “like” button.

l Create Facebook campaigns to increase the awareness of the OEECE, as well as

social issues, to promote the values of service-learning, and to establish an online

service-learning culture (Objective 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)

• Post alumni’s serving stories and how such experiences benefit their career in

the public or nonprofit field on Homecoming, using hashtag #AlumniSpotlight.

As it is difficult to measure how service-learning can benefit students’

intellectual and professional development without data. Alumni’s stories are

great testimonies that can convince the publics of the values of serving.


• Post students’ reflections during Alternative Spring Break trips with hashtag

#ASBRock and show how a serving experience can change one’s mind. Many

students regard volunteering only as an activity to help others. Often, they fail

to realize serving is also a learning experience. Through reflection, they may

better understand the meaning of stereotype, privilege, and community.

Participants’ reflective posts can not only increase the awareness of the

OEECE’s community service programs, but also educate their friends about

service-learning and help create online community.

l Call for the publics to donate to support the OEECE’s programs (Objective 12)

• By showing the success that the OEECE has achieved and the difference that

the OEECE has made, it will be easier for the department to convince the

publics to donate. Add a “Donation” link on its web page to provide an access

for people who want to help. Calls to action should also be included in all the

marketing tools.

• For special events, the OEECE can also call for the publics to donate by posting

on Facebook.

Evaluations

l Keep a sign-in sheet of people coming to the OEECE for advising and count the

number of total hours every year

l Count the number of volunteers every year


l Count the number of volunteering hours every year

l Count the number of ELR-designated courses every year

l Count the number of applications of Plus-1 Credit every year

l Count the number of researches done through service-learning every year

l Count the number of volunteering pictures and stories received from the publics

l Monitor Facebook analytics including likes, shares, and comments for every post

l Monitor opinion leaders’ Facebook accounts and count the number of likes, shares,

and comments of statuses that have mentioned the OEECE and its programs

l Improve evaluation forms by including questions about how participants learn about

the OEECE programs and why they participate and measure the effectiveness of

strategies and tactics above

l Calculate donations


Recommendations

l Find a person to implement the Action Plan

Considering the limited budget, the OEECE cannot expand its team at this moment.

It is not possible to provide a paid position for a communication expert. One solution is to

include “excellent communication skills” as a requirement when the OEECE hires future

graduate assistants. Likewise, the OEECE should also look for talents with specialties

such as writing and photography when recruiting student service leaders. Another

solution is to cooperate with School of Journalism and Mass Communication and see if

there are students who have passion for community service, or who have interest in

working in nonprofit sectors in the future, willing to get professional experiences.

An additional suggestion is that the OEECE can replace one graduate supervisor

each year instead of both every other year. The trained graduate assistant can always pass

on experiences to the new assistant to help shorten the learning curve and keep the

communications running smoothly.

l Create a database

The OEECE has partnership with more than 300 local community agencies.

Besides, the department also works with campus ministries and faculty members and

supervises several student organizations that engage in community service. The network

is complex, but the database is not systematic, which creates a great challenge for the

OEECE to evaluate the effectiveness of its communication strategies.


l Identify niche audiences

The OEECE provides a variety of projects to different kinds of publics. Students

may choose different projects that fit their particular motivations. Some are related to

their major areas of study, but some choose projects that fit into their schedules or

support causes they care about. For example, students in nutrition major are more willing

to take part in the Campus Kitchen project to gain more professional experiences while

serving. Moreover, students who live on campus have to move out of dorms during

holidays such as spring break. International students who cannot go back home and want

to explore American culture may be targeted group for Alternative Spring Break projects.

The OEECE should identify specific audience for each program and tailor its messages to

better reach niche audiences.

l Adopt strategic communication tactics

Use different communication tools such as e-mail blasts, e-newsletters, and

periodic face-to-face meetings to reach out and regularly keep in touch with different

publics. Keep tracing communication progress, measure success, and improve tactics.

l Develop and implement a strategic social media plan

This project offers suggestions on the OEECE’s communication strategies in

general. More practices can be discussed in term of social media that is becoming the

main media channel for people to search information. As few on-campus departments

focus on this area, let alone know how to make use of this tool, there is great potential.


Conclusion

The project aims to raise the awareness of the OEECE in Kent community by

reaching out to its target audiences, as well as potential publics, and presenting what it

does through online and offline media channels. By implementing the plan, not only will

the audiences better understand the values of service-learning and may get involved more

actively, but the OEECE can obtain more support to achieve its vision that is to “create a

culture of learning that uses campus and community collaborations to transform students,

faculty, staff, and the world beyond the university.”


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Appendix

Following are some stories, reflections, and quotes collected during the interviews,

which can be considered Facebook posting examples.

Jasmine Reggins, a Pre-medical Biology junior

On the Alternative Spring Break trip in Buffalo, I met a young 6th grader by the

name of Francis who went through a lot as a child. She was a premature baby. She has a

permanent scar around her nose where they stuck in breathing tubes because she couldn’t

breathe on her own. Her mom didn’t have the best resources to care for her. She would

wear the same clothes days at a time. Now her toes naturally curl up from constantly

wearing shoes that were too small. She was malnourished and unfed on a regular basis.

After many years of abuse, she finally got to go live with her aunt and uncle. She had

never met her dad and those are the only two family members that could take her in.

Despite her hard childhood, Francis is very bright and smart. She loves science and art

and has many ideas on what she would like to do when she is older. Her family goes out

dumpster diving every once in a while and she calls the things she finds treasures. It’s

funny how I never thought of the value of the things that I throw away or think of the

trash I see on the street as possible treasures. But she can see the beauty in the little things.

Now Francis is well taken care of and this coming summer she will be attending a college

program for young achievers. She is living with a purpose despite her situation, which

inspires me to live with a purpose as well.


Brian Boucherle, a Health Communication senior

I believe compassion is the essence in every person that serves others. Serving

people helps break down barriers and stereotypes that many people are accustomed to.

You begin to understand that each human being has the same needs and desires, and that

we are all alike.

Lauren Gombas, a Fashion Design freshman

Most of the time, people assume that volunteering is about an individual giving

time, skills, and efforts. What they don't realize is that they are being given something in

return. They are gaining knowledge in many different forms and growing as a person.

Jordyn Austin, a Speech Pathology freshman

This Alternative Spring Break trip reminded me of one of my favorite quotes, "It

takes a whole village to raise a child." Serving on this trip made me realize that in some

way, shape, or form, we ALL need each other to survive in this world. Everyone needs

help and no ONE person can do it alone. It takes a whole village.

running head: a strategic pr plan for the oeece 1 master’s … · 2019. 11. 11. · master’s...

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