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Background
The FGCU Communication program is part of the Department of Communication and
Philosophy in one of FGCU's six colleges, the College of Arts and Sciences. The communication
major was one of FGCU's first degrees when the school formally opened in 1997, and remains
one of FGCU's most popular programs of study of the 51 offered undergraduate majors. The
degree has a 21 credit hours of required courses, and then offers two concentration paths. The
first concentration path being communication studies, and the second being public relations.
With a specialized staff of 15, led by Program Chair Dr. Jon Braddy, the program offers classes
in varying fields of communication and public relations.
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Situational Analysis
The Florida Gulf Coast University Department of Communication and Philosophy is
currently looking to rebrand its image and create excitement among current and potential
communication students. The Communication Department has attempted in the past to
implement an orientation program that presents to current and potential communication students
basic information they will find resourceful while in the program, and also looks ahead to what
career options are available for students once they graduate from the University. The
Communication department is exploring options that more closely align with the learning styles
of today’s student, to find a consistent and effective way to integrate an orientation into its
program and is now looking for a way to successfully execute an orientation.
One of the strengths that the Communication Department has during this campaign is that
the department is one of the oldest at FGCU. With the Communication Department being such a
cornerstone of university academics, it is a priority for the program to maintain its image and
position. Another strength for the department is that the communication major is one of the most
popular majors at the university with 10 percent of students declaring communication as their
major.
The Communication Department possess some weaknesses during this campaign as
well. The first weakness that the department will face during the campaign is the changes
currently taking place throughout the Communication Department. There does not appear to be
a clear leader for the department as a whole and the staff is currently undergoing changes.
Another weakness for this campaign is the lack of budget. Creating a high quality campaign
with a low budget can present a challenge.
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The biggest opportunity that the department has during this campaign is that the
Communication major is still thriving among current and potential students. As mentioned
above, Communication is one of the most popular majors among students at FGCU and will
likely remain so regardless of organizational conflict.
The main threat the Communication Department is faced with is lack of student interest
in the orientation program. While the Communication major may be popular, students may not
be interested in participating in the orientation especially if they feel that it does not apply to
them and they do not need the information. Another threat is that there is no one to take
ownership of ushering in and sustaining the orientation.
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Research
We recommend both primary and secondary research to form this campaign. Primary
research would be conducted by interviewing professors from the Communication Department to
collect feedback, to gather some helpful ideas for the orientation, and to determine what
professor’s want presented and highlighted in the orientation program.
To gather secondary research we contacted the FGCU registrar’s office to see how many
of the total amount of students enrolled were in the communication major. As a whole there are
744 students enrolled at FGCU as Communication majors (data collected on March 30, 2014.)
Of these students, 222 of those have chosen to concentrate in Public Relations, and 230 have
chosen to concentrate in Communication Studies.
For additional research in the future, we propose that there is some kind of interview,
focus group, or feedback process aimed toward students who would have gone through the
communication orientation program during a Fall 2015 beta testing. This research would be
necessary not only in determining whether or not the program was helpful to students, but also in
determining if they offer any constructional feedback regarding information included the
orientation program.
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Audience
The targeted audiences for the FGCU Communication Orientation Program with include the
following:

Primary
o The 744 students registered communication majors that include the 222 with a
concentration in public relations and the 230 with a concentration in
communication studies.
o All of the students who are enrolled in Fundamentals of Communication and/or
Speech classes beginning the fall of 2015.

Secondary
o All professors in the Communication Department.
o Arts and Sciences advisors
o Prospective students accepted into the communication major
There are 13,846 students enrolled in FGCU and 744 students are communication majors.
Information was gathered through the Registrar Office (gathered March 30, 2015.)
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Goal
Have FGCU communication orientation complete and ready for pilot demonstration for
incoming students of Fall 2015.
Objectives

Have the “Road Map to Your Future” communication orientation presentation prepared
for implementation by Summer of 2015.

Raise awareness of communication orientation to all incoming communication students
by ending of Fall 2015.

Have one Fundamentals of Communication class commit to and complete pilot
demonstration of communication orientation presentation by September 18, 2015.

Have one Public Speaking class commit to and complete demonstration of
communication orientation presentation by September 18, 2015.
Strategies

Establish relationships with professors to pilot the communication program
orientation.

Launch an integrated public relations campaign to raise awareness about the mandatory
communication program orientation.

Create a deadline driven timetable to complete all virtual aspects of the communication
program orientation.
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Key Messages
“The Road Map to Your Future” Communication Program Orientation
Big Idea
The big idea is creating an interactive, video based orientation presentation to present to
potential and perspective Communication students what the Communication program has to
offer, and how it can lead students toward a successful future by using the “Road Map to Your
Future” message.
Tactics

Feature News Release

Poster

Web/Email Blast

Interactive Informational Video for Presentation

Logo

Social Media Posts for Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram

Alumni Profiles (Recommended)
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Communication Department Aims to Help Students Prepare For the Road Ahead
Orientation Program Launches to Prepare Students for FGCU Career and Beyond
(Fort Myers, FLA.) June 10, 2015 -- Are you currently pursuing a degree in
Communication? Are you interested in declaring or switching your major to Communication but
would like to know what to expect? The Department of Communication & Philosophy is
introducing an exciting new online orientation program geared to help answer commonly asked
questions that current and potential Communication students may have right from their
computer.
The new orientation for the Communication major will be available on Canvas to current
Fundamentals of Communication students this Fall and to all Communication students beginning
in Spring of 2016. The orientation will serve as a guide to the Communication major and will
include short introduction videos from professors, course information for the Communication
and Public Relations tracks as well as career options and encouragement from Communication
alum. The orientation will be mandatory for all Communication students to complete before they
graduate.
###
Contact Information:
Emily Hunter
Media Coordinator
ehunter8467@eagle.fgcu.edu
863-673-3395
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Web Blast
A Web E-blast will be designed and distributed through a program called Constant
Contact. The e-blast can be designed, updated and scheduled for distribution in advance. The eblast will be used as a social media tool to not only remind students that they must complete the
online Communication Orientation Program, but it will have a direct link to the online program.
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Interactive Videos
Developed prototype videos for the interactive aspect of the FGCU online orientation.
Videos are examples to portray the proposed layout and flow of the orientation. It will also help
to supplement the student and professor connectivity that is lost with the digitally based
orientation.
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Logo
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Social Media
For social media we have decided to use the three main platforms of: Twitter, Facebook,
and Instagram. We thought as a group that instead of creating separate accounts for the
Communication Orientation, which we would just piggy back off of the many accounts that are
run by FGCU.
Twitter- FGCU has many twitter accounts that are followed by a great number of
students. The accounts we would use to help promote and remind students when the orientation
is and when you have to be done with it are: @fgcu, @FGCURegistrar, and
@FGCUAdmissions.
Facebook- Facebook is still pretty popular with our age group so using it as a platform
would benefit us greatly. The accounts we would use to promote the orientation on Facebook
are: The main Florida Gulf Coast University account, Fgcu Eagles, and Florida Gulf Coast
University- Office of the Registrar.
Instagram- We would use Instagram as a platform to just share our flier and posters about
the orientation and then post reminders of when to complete it. The main accounts we would use
for this are: @fgcu, and @wearefgcu.
Post Examples:
“Students, there is a brand new Communication orientation with many cool features, on what
classes are mandatory, and who the teachers are. Be sure to keep a lookout on when it starts!”
“Get excited for the “Road Map to Your Future” communication orientation presentation”
A picture post of the flier we created
More posts with reminders of how much time students have left until the deadline of October
15th.
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Evaluation
To measure the success of this campaign surveys will be implemented to gain
understanding as to whether or not students were aware of the communication orientation,
whether they partook in the orientation, and whether or not they found it to be useful and
resourceful. Focus groups should also be held among students to gain further understanding of
what information in the orientation presentation they felt was useful, and what information they
felt didn't need to be included. Steps should be taken via focus group and perhaps interview, to
evaluate the professors opinions on how successful they felt the orientation was, and how it
could be made better.
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Budget
Press Release
-Two hours @ $50
$100
Video Production
-Six hours @ $75
$450
Interactive Orientation Development/Testing/Launch
-Ten hours @ $100
$1000
Graphic Design
(Logo and background for Poster, E-Blast, Facebook, website)
-Four Hours @ $75
$300
Poster Printing
$50
50@ $1.00
Staff- Poster distribution – Two hours @ $15 per hour
$30
Set up and Schedule: E-Blast, Twitter and Facebook posts
-Three Hours @ $50
$150
Staff – One hour per week @$15 per hour 12 weeks
$180
Service Fee
$500
Project Total
$2760.00
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Timeline
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Agency Biography
Thomas Monks (Project Manager)
Thomas is a Communication major with a focus in Public Relations at
Florida Gulf Coast University graduating in December 2015. Post
baccalaureate Thomas wishes to seek employment in the entertainment or
fashion public relations industry.
Mary Larkin (Timeline and Budget Coordinator)
Mary is currently the Vice President of Sales and Marketing at the
Southwest Florida Symphony. She will be graduating from Florida Gulf
Coast University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Communication with a
concentration in public relations in 2015.
Odessa Sabado (Technology Specialist)
Odessa is a Communication major with a concentration in public
relations from Florida Gulf Coast University. Previously attended Palm
Beach Atlantic University and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in
biology with a minor in chemistry.
Deborah Wyckoff (Research Specialist)
Deborah Wyckoff is a senior Communication student with a
concentration in Public Relations. After graduating in May, Deborah
aims to seek employment in the public affairs sector. Her interests
include politics, being on the water, and travel, and her career goal is to
someday work for the United Nations.
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Nick Deckert (Social Media Coordinator)
Nick is also graduating in May of 2015 with a Bachelor’s
Degree in Communication and a concentration in public relations. He
pitches for the FGCU Baseball team, and plans to incorporate his
public relations skills into a future in the baseball..
Emily Hunter (Media Coordinator)
Emily Hunter is a senior Communication student with a
concentration in Public Relations. After graduation, Emily is looking
forward to working in the public relations field in either the sports
industry or public affairs. Emily enjoys being outdoors, reading,
spending time with friends and family, and traveling.
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Appendix
Professor Recommendations
Dean Davis:
1.
We need orientation so that students
- can get a sense of what it is to be a Communication major.
- can get information important to “tracking” his/her major (what to take in what
order in which semester, ideally).
- learn that our major is not a Communications major and what the difference is.
- can get a sense of what different classes are about.
- can meet the faculty and delineate each faculty member’s academic focus in the
discipline.
- can get information about the multitude of careers (unlimited) that a
Communication B.A. lends itself to.
- can learn that the Communication B.A. is very desirable to hiring agents in all
different industries.
- can learn of successes of past FGCU Communication graduates thru testimonials.
2.
What Would You Like to See included in the program? Profiles of faculty, profiles of
graduates, and presentations that answer all of the above.
3.
When do you suggest students take the online orientation? Preferably in Theories class, as
it’s required for all, ideally sophomore year.
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Miles Mancini:
1) Why do we need the orientation? The orientation is something the Communication program
faculty devised as a way for students to familiarize themselves with aspects of the program,
effective strategies as a student in the program, an opportunity to meet the faculty, and a chance
to ask questions before embarking on their program.
2) What would you like to see included in the program? There are a lot of things that could go
into this but I want to see student success stories. I want our Comm students to know what others
are doing in graduate school, their professional careers, etc. Essentially, what can you do with a
communication degree?
3) When do you suggest students take the online orientation? (as far as the semester goes) I
would suggest early though this could be flexible. I think it helps having it completed in the first
quarter of the semester.
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Sam Walch
1) Why do we need the orientation?
We need the orientation to move people from being random individuals who happen to be in the
same major to part of a community with some shared understanding of our diverse field. Just as
an orientation helps incoming freshman and transfers become part of FGCU, the communication
orientation should help provide them a sense of the long history and spectacular range of
communication as a field.
We really care for our students, and as the university grows, we don't want them to feel disoriented or disconnected from their professors and each other. The orientation can provide
students with useful resources that let them know who to contact about a variety of
concerns. Whether it is schedules, choosing classes, ways of becoming involved with the larger
academic field of communication (joining NCA or SSCA) or finding out more about areas of
specialty within the field (such as public relations, intercultural/interracial communication,
environmental communication, etc.), students can see this as a useful resource.
2) What would you like to see in the online orientation?
A clear sense of expectations (of both faculty and students)
A road map of the courses students need to complete their degree
Opportunities that will help students make the most of their time at FGCU (internships,
mentoring opportunities, involvement in campus organizations, etc.)
Information about the value of communication skills (interpersonal, group, presentational, etc.)
Professionalism as how we perform in our everyday interactions
3) When do you suggest students take the online orientation? (As far as semester year goes.)
Freshmen (second semester) or sophomore.