UM-Flint University Relations

It wasn’t long ago that I recounted the often discouraging, if not confusing, work that had been done toward branding UM-Flint’s presence on Foursquare. Between August and December 2010, a UM-Flint Foursquare account was created, 18 UM-Flint venues were claimed, and a campus waiting-list form was submitted to Foursquare (twice). At the start of 2011, […]

With all new years come new resolutions, new hopes, new dreams. Most people decide to get organized, which is why you see an over-abundance of storage containers at your favorite stores. Well, that’s happening for us too, but 2011 for UR is the year for new beginnings, new campaigns, and new and exciting endeavors. One […]

In nearly every meeting I attend at UM-Flint, the topic of the “student experience” is discussed.  This is a good thing–clearly it is a concern and perspective that is considered at every level of the university.  Lots of time and energy is devoted to this issue. But, there is a huge chasm between the talk […]

First day back to work in 2011 and, of course, I’m thinking about a new year’s resolution–one that doesn’t involve abstaining from dessert. First, a bit of background: When I shop, I am a brand loyalist. For laundry, it’s Tide.  For shampoo, it’s the pretentious-sounding Systeme Biolage.  Skincare is Clinique and Origins. I only buy […]

Melissa Brown’s personal “to do” and improvement list for the upcoming year, based on lessons from 2010.

It’s been a long road, and we haven’t yet reached the end. But the University of Michigan-Flint is finally on its way to having a branded presence on Foursquare. It wasn’t long ago that Foursquare began partnering with colleges and universities by offering a way for students to connect through the location-based application. A small group of […]

For the five of you who are regular readers of this blog and not related to me by blood, I want to extend my sincerest apologies to you. We have failed.

I was at a meeting recently where someone accused a group of not engaging in “Thought Leadership.” My first reaction was, “What the heck does that even mean?” I have never been a proponent of business jargon.  I don’t advocate for synergy, I detest the notion of thinking outside the box, and I shudder at […]

Where do we get our inspiration from in University Relations? It turns out we all have different resources that help us to think creatively, strategically, or just make us laugh out loud.  Here’s our list of things we find useful, and they are categorized for your convenience.  Happy clicking!

As fall semester began, bringing with it our largest-ever population of enrolled students, we decided it was time to test the social media waters at UM-Flint. The vehicle: the Welcome Back Picnic on September 16. We’ve been putting a lot of careful thought into our social media initiatives this year. Have our efforts been paying off? Would […]