What we built, why it worked, and how others can adapt it.

At many large institutions, communication challenges don’t stem from a lack of talent or effort—but from the absence of integrated systems to support them.

Messaging lives in inboxes. Storytelling is reactive. Visibility depends on where you sit, not what’s happening. And while digital tools exist, they’re often disconnected from strategic goals.

That’s where we started—and what we set out to change.

Where We Began

In the fall of 2024, our small Strategy Team was created within our college’s communication office to launch a strategic communications plan for our liberal arts college amidst a digital transformation effort across our university. The aim wasn’t just better content—it was building the systems behind the content, the strategy behind the messaging, and the tools that made it all usable.

We combined:

• Systems thinking (structure, scale, sustainability)
• Design thinking (real-world usability and empathy)

This mindset shaped everything we created—from toolkits and templates to internal platforms and brand storytelling.

Seven Strategic Gaps

Before building anything, we identified the biggest institutional pain points:

• Internal communication lacked consistency and structure
• Faculty visibility was limited and uneven
• Research storytelling was episodic, not strategic
• Student recruitment efforts were fragmented across departments
• Community outreach content lacked a system for sharing impact
• Branding was inconsistent across platforms
• No baseline metrics or shared communication goals

How We Responded: Systems + Design

Rather than producing more content, we built infrastructure that supported scalable, intentional communication.

Every solution was shaped by two lenses:

– Could it scale?
– Would it work for real users?

Here’s what that looked like in practice:

• Set clear content goals—and aligned them with usable tools
• Created a centralized internal communication hub (1,200+ users, 11K+ views in Year 1)
• Launched toolkits for recruitment, storytelling, and event promotion
• Streamlined forms and collaboration workflows
• Introduced content tracking to identify story frequency and gaps
• Saw a drop in redundant communication requests across departments

What We Learned

You can’t transform communication with templates alone. You need structure and empathy.

Key Takeaways:

• Strategy must be built into infrastructure—not just your editorial calendar
• Tools must be easy, adaptable, and made with users in mind
• Branding needs guardrails and flexibility
• Metrics don’t need to be complex—but they must be intentional
• Culture change begins with shared language and aligned expectations
  

Institutional Context

The College of Arts and Sciences is the oldest and most academically diverse college at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville—a flagship, land-grant institution serving thousands of students and hundreds of faculty across 24 departments, 15 interdisciplinary programs, 15 research centers, and pre-professional programs.

We serve faculty, students, administrators, alumni, and community partners—each with distinct communication needs.

Read the full porfolio report.

---