1. Strategic Branding Initiative update
AY – AY 16-17

2. STRATEGIC BRANDING INITIATIVE SCOPE FROM 2015 RFI [DIANE]
WHY DIVE DEEP?
Increasingly competitive and dynamic educational marketplace
Transition from a regional to a nationally recognized institution
Shift from traditional ‘academic’ thinking and its resulting approach to adopt a model that is more reflective of a business approach

3. Inform Infrastructure
THE STRATEGIC BRANDING INITIATIVE [DIANE]
NOW WHAT: Research & Insights Firm
Comprehensive analysis of current market dynamics & position
Initial thinking on where Unity College could go: “What if..?”
EPIC DECADE: Systems Thinking/Design Thinking Firm
“North Star” vision that will catapult Unity to national prominence
Compelling and dynamic brand story
Cultural and business frameworks that elevate Unity into a national brand
STAMATS: Higher Education Analytic Tools
What students want to learn
How students want to learn
Lay the Ground-work
Shape the VISION
Inform Infrastructure
NEXT ITERATION OF STRATEGIC PLAN

5. [JAMES]
JAMES: EXPLAIN THE PROCESS, BRAINSTORMING, AND NOTETAKING

6. [TEAM]
FULL TEAM: SHARE HIGHLIGHTS FROM RHODE ISLAND AND DISCUSS EXPERIENCE

7. [SARAH] [JAMES] [DIANE] [MELIK] [BETH] ORGANIZING FRAMEWORK - SARAH
CENTRAL PEDAGOGY - JAMES
NEW PRODUCTS AND SERVICES - DIANE
CAPITAL INFUSION - MELIK
MARKETS - BETH
[MELIK]
[BETH]

8. [JOHN]
JOHN: THESE THREE CONCEPTS WERE THE RESULT OF THE NOW WHAT RESEARCH AND PROCESS AND EPIC DECADE'S ANALYSIS
EXPLAIN THAT EACH CONCEPT OR ELEMENT WILL LIKELY BE INCLUDED IN THE FINAL PRODUCT, BUT THEY WILL BE PRIORITIZED IN CHRONOLOGY AND RESOURCE APPLICATION

9. [JOHN]
CAVEAT: VIDEOS ARE EXAMPLES FOR INSPIRATION – WE WILL NOT DO EXACTLY ANY OF THIS
Start Small: We have a history and daily practice of invention, such as Terra House and the community winterization project that we can build on today.
Go Big: Sponsored R+D in “The Garage,” (sustainability science labs, studio, and a maker space)
Sponsored labs in subjects such as sustainably ag, energy, and biodiversity.
NUGGETS OF INSPIRATION: NO FEAR OF FAILING | FAIL FAST, FAIL FORWARD | INVITE COMMUNITY TO SHOW FOR ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEM SOLVING | UNITY AS TOOLKIT | INVENT PROCESSES AS WELL | MAKER SPACE | LOW TECH, HIGH TOUCH

10. [JOHN]

11. [BETH]
[SARAH]
Start Small: Asking students, “what do you want to get done?” Codify key projects that mobilize students to go out in the world. Use this as a feedback loop to inform the ‘Unity Way’ that we then build modules, kits, and tools to disseminate. Students can then lead the deployment of this ‘way’ in the world. Gathering information to move to long term; launch could mean we write a book, make a film, produce a webinar, or other forms of putting thought leadership out into world.
Go Big: We have made our stand. People come to us for help getting things done and identifying problems around a thriving life. This generates fundraising excitement. We take it on the road, global, corporate, AARP, and bigger pathways. We want this to grow to people imparting the goods on people. Unity: where the work is done in livable chunks.
NUGGETS OF INSPIRATION: MORE HOPE, LESS DOOM | ADVOCACY FOR… | CHANGE IS THE CONSTANT | BUILDING RESILIENT COMMUNITIES | LEADING THROUGH ACTION | UNITY CONSULTANTS | TOOLKITS FOR AT-RISK COMMUNITIES | LEVERAGE SMALL WINS

12. [BETH]
[SARAH]

13. [JAMES]
[MELIK]
Start Small: Leverage our current assets like McKay Farm, UCCAA, Field of Dreams. Turn our existing Farm to Table dining hall into a restaurant. This is about looking at our current assets and elevating them beyond their current purpose.
Go Big: A self contained “eco-village” and community that will become a model for sustainable living and operating systems. Multiple micro businesses / operating businesses, financially self generating. Those systems would provide immersive experiences and function as a “Teaching Village.” We see Unity as Destination strongly connected to Unity as Invention and could be the place that creates a movement.
NUGGETS OF INSPIRATION: MODEL OF SUSTAINABLE HUMAN HABITAT | REPURPOSE ABANDONED PLACES AND SPACES | CROWD FUNDED / CROWD DESIGNED | TOWN-GOWN REIMAGINED | ECO-SYSTEMS SERVICES | LEARN/DO EXPERIENCES | SUSTAINABILITY SCIENCE MUSEUM | TRAVELLING UNITY | MICRO BUSINESSES | SATELLITES | CURATED ADVENTURE EDUCATION | INTENTIONAL VILLAGES

14. [JAMES]
[MELIK]

15. [JAMES]
[BETH]

16. [DIANE]
[THE NEXT STEPS]

17. [MELIK] [THE BIGGER PICTURE] BIGGER PICTURE CONTEXT AND TIMELINE
HERE'S HOW EVERYTHING FITS TOGETHER
WE DO NOT HAVE A SPECIFIC OUTCOME IN MIND. THAT’S WHAT THE PROCESS IS FOR!