AG J Capstone Presentation

1. AG J Capstone Presentation Jessica Petzel, Kyle Spradley, Drew Stewart, Jena Thompson

2. Purpose • Class composed of four Agricultural Journalism students • Aid from instructor Sharon Wood-Turley • Survey the current status of communication within the college and with alumni • Find solutions on improving communication • All students passed the IRB test to be certified to work on research projects by the University of Missouri

3. Outline • Faculty Interviews • Focus Group • Survey Results • Newsletter • CAFNR Alumni Web Site • New Media Tools • New Class • Ties to Recruitment

4. Faculty Interviews • Each student was given the task to interview at least four CAFNR faculty members • Purpose: • Find out what they are currently doing as means of communication • Their opinion on what problems exist • Find solutions to these problems

5. Kyle Spradley George Jesse Mark Ryan Bryan Garton Ingolf Gruen Jessica Petzel: Mike Monson Ken Schneeberger Stephanie Chipman Anna Ball Leon Schumacher Drew Stewart Bruce Cutter Roy Robinson James Groves David Vaught Jena Thompson CeCe Leslie Mary Ann Gowdy Tony Lupo Dana Brown-Hayes Faculty Interviews

6. Faculty Interview summary • Each department has been handling its own forms of communication in-house and with alumni • Problem with varied approaches to communication, no uniformity • No centralized groups or information pieces out to alumni and hardly to faculty • Want to see some sort of newsletter out to alumni • Some discrepancies between SNR and CAFNR alumni

7. Focus Groups • Five CAFNR alums from the area • They felt positive about their CAFNR experience • Would like better ways to keep in contact with fellow alums • All agreed they would like to see more information coming out of the college, specifically out of their department • Interested in info about research, current students, activity of old classmates • Want something like MoMentum to come back in which the students create the content

8. Focus Group - New Media • Most were on Facebook • Mainly preferred to receive electronic media and get news online • Not really aware of all the new multimedia tools made available

9. Focus Group Summary • Don’t feel really connected to college • Occasionally check in with departments or college • Would like to see some communication not related to financial donations • All agreed they would rather donate to CAFNR than specifically to their department or to all of MU

10. Survey • Electronic survey sent out to 472 CAFNR alums from 1990-Present • 122 replied (had 15 undeliverable addresses) • Topics investigated: • Experiences at CAFNR • If they are connected to CAFNR at all • Communication • How they receive news

11. Survey Results • Almost all alums agreed they had a good experience while at school in CAFNR • Seeing problems with event attendance within the college • The Web site is rarely visited by alumni • Alumni would like to have increased communication from the college

12. I feel satisfied with my experience at CAFNR

13. Current Situation • People enjoyed their time here, but we don’t have alums coming to events • Just over 3% said the CAFNR homecoming tailgate is important to them • Around 16% said they had attended a CAFNR event in the past year

14. Possible Solution • Use Facebook to advertise and invite alums • Over 60% said they believe Facebook is a positive way to connect to people • 70% said RSVP lists to events could possibly prompt more attendance at events • With Facebook events you now have an RSVP list

15. Facebook • Let’s encourage our alums to get on Facebook and connect with all different generations of alums • Need to have a managed Alumni group • Fan pages could also be made • Can easily upload photos and post recent happenings in people’s lives

16. I enjoy receiving info from the University

17. I look forward to receiving Mizzou Magazine

18. I have no interest in receiving a newsletter from CAFNR

19. eNewsletter • From our research and findings from the survey, it is apparent people want news and stories from us • People subscribe to several eNewsletters, so why not one from CAFNR? • eNewsletters are fairly cheap and can draw more traffic to site with links • Archive all old issues along with all old stories on Web site

21. Content of eNewsletter • Stories linked to the CAFNR Web site • Reader gets top bar story based on what department they belong to or graduated from • HTML based document sent to email so you can click stories to lead into web address of story • Decided to use MoMentum as the name due to recognition by other alumni of the now dead print newsletter • Sent out three times a semester

22. Research - 70% CAFNR events - 68% Students - 67% Classmate Updates - 65% Career Opportunities - 62% Faculty - 61% Club Activities - 30% Study Abroad - 23% Content Preferences

23. I get most of my news online

24. Email is my primary means of communication

25. I subscribe to an eNewsletter

26. CAFNR Alumni Web Site • The connector of all the “big ideas.” • eNewsletter, blog, social media tools. • Create more traffic to the Web site. • Need to find specific ways (and reasons) for alums to come to the site. • Links from the eNewsletter to site. • Regular updates of useful information. • Greater emphasis on career development and reconnecting with classmates.

27. CAFNR Alumni Web Site • Transform “The Connecting Point” into Class Notes section. • Alums can quickly submit announcements they would like included in the site, blog or Momentum. • Alumni in the Spotlight Addition • Highlight alums with major accomplishments. • More user-friendly layout with emphasis placed on important information. • Suggestion: create a front door to both Ag Alumni and SNR Alumni sites

28. Redesign of CAFNR Web site

29. CAFNR Community Blog • More of an online bulletin of content • Blog managed by students • Content can be uploaded by students, faculty, alumni

30. MizzouNet • The MU Alumni Association already has an online directory so no need to duplicate one for CAFNR • Need to encourage our alums to get on • Would like to create a CAFNR sub-group • Advertise MizzouNet on our CAFNR Alumni Web site

31. I would feel comfortable sharing my contact information through an online alumni directory

32. Class • Essentially the PR Team • Create eNewsletter content and design • Moderate the blog • Manage the social networking sites • Help Genevieve with the Web site • Liaison with Career Services

33. Class: who • Staff members • Sophomore standing • Instructor approval • J2100 or writing sample • Seniors as managing editors • Perhaps a year-long Ag J capstone • Co-facilitator from communications office • Sharon Wood-Turley as a possible professor

34. Class: who • 2009-10: hire at least three interns • 2010-11: trial class • Evaluate effectiveness • 2011-12: class in full swing

35. Class: challenges • Timing • Overwhelmed faculty • Student awareness/interest in class • Grunt work versus valuable experience

36. Partnership with Recruitment • Use positive CAFNR alumni stories to recruit new students. • Organize an alumni directory would help us see where are alums are located, and allow us to use them for recruitment in that area. • Create ways for alumni to connect with prospective students. • More emphasis on the CAFNR Connections mentorship program to students. Expand to include prospective students? • Facilitate online connections via email, Facebook or the recruitment blog.

37. THE ENDQUESTIONS? Thanks for coming!