It’s the flagship university of the 5th largest state in the nation and it found itself with a hill of challenges. Waning enrollment. A fractured identity. It was an institution speaking with many voices, but unified by none. And after over a century of being an affordable, accessible resource for the community, the principal problem solver, health provider and employer in the region, it was being taken for granted rather than valued and respected. No small obstacles, we had our work cut out—but we also had incredible support from all the right people, on and off campus, who knew it was time to mash the reset button. 400 interviews later, one thing became clear. The academic foundation of the university was strong, but campus communities were divided and apathy was rampant. We needed to unify audiences, jumpstart imaginations again and remind everyone that life-changing learning and world-class research happens here every single day. That it’s a place to proud of—where every single person ads to the story, owns what happens here and most importantly that…Each of us, defines all of us.

It’s the flagship university of the 5th largest state in the nation and it found itself with a hill of challenges. Waning enrollment. A fractured identity. It was an institution speaking with many voices, but unified by none. And after over a century of being an affordable, accessible resource for the community, the principal problem solver, health provider and employer in the region, it was being taken for granted rather than valued and respected. No small obstacles, we had our work cut out—but we also had incredible support from all the right people, on and off campus, who knew it was time to mash the reset button. 400 interviews later, one thing became clear. The academic foundation of the university was strong, but campus communities were divided and apathy was rampant. We needed to unify audiences, jumpstart imaginations again and remind everyone that life-changing learning and world-class research happens here every single day. That it’s a place to proud of—where every single person ads to the story, owns what happens here and most importantly that…Each of us, defines all of us.