2026 Strategic Communications Seminar

Time: 10 a.m. to noon
Date: Thursday, January 29, 2026
Place: Rhatigan Student Center, Beggs Ballroom (third floor)

The 10th annual Strategic Communications marketing and communications seminar for WSU faculty and staff will be held from 10 a.m. to noon, Thursday, Jan. 29 in the Rhatigan Student Center. Attendees may choose to attend up to two sessions. Gain additional insights, tools and tips to help you improve your marketing and communication efforts.

Seminar Schedule

8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. — Vendor fair

9:45-10 a.m. — Networking

10-10:45 a.m. — Main Session

10:45-10:50 a.m. — Break

10:50-11:20 a.m. — Breakout Sessions • Round 1

11:20-11:25 a.m. — Break

11:25-11:55 a.m.. — Breakout Sessions • Round 2

Promotional Vendor Fair 

Participating vendors will have booths and representatives on hand beginning at 8:30 a.m. and ending at 12:30 p.m. in the Aster Lounge (RSC 300).

Valley Print Logistics

Spectrum Promotional

Midwest Single Source

4imprint

Promo Solutions

 

Lasting Impressions

 

Session Capsules

All breakout sessions other than the Opening Session will be offered twice. You'll be able to attend one session each round. 

Opening Session

(10-10:45 a.m.)

Join Dr. Shelly Coleman-Martins, vice president of Strategic Communications and Marketing, for a university-wide conversation on the Wichita State brand, the role of Strategic Communications and Marketing, and the importance of brand unity across campus. The session will include a guest presentation by James Roberts, strategic initiatives manager at the Public Policy and Management Center, highlighting key insights from the latest phase of WSU's three-year Brand Perception Study.

  • Shelly Coleman-Martins, vice president of Strategic Communications and Marketing

Breakout Sessions

(10:50 a.m.-11:20 a.m. and 11:25-11:55 a.m.)

CREATIVE: Brand Updates, Resources, and New Photo Booth Headshots

Discover recent campus branding projects. We'll cover brand resources, including new templates in Canva and annual report templates, best practices for AI usage, anniversary logos for colleges, and a new photo booth headshot collaboration with Admissions.

  • Amy Easum, director of creative services, Strategic Communications
  • Annelise Muret, art director, Strategic Communications
  • Jaci Ignudo, senior digital specialist, Strategic Communications

WEB

Trained Omni CMS users among you will be able to get their hands on some of the new snippets for the design refresh for the first time in this guided exercise. This will be the first of an upcoming slate of feedback sessions to help inform UX design and trainings. WSU Web collaboration team members will be on hand to guide the workshop and answer questions. NOTE: This session will require a laptop and Omni CMS user account to fully participate.
 
  • Tim Hart, director of web and digital strategy, Strategic Communications
  • Mike Marlett, director of media, Media Resources Center

VIDEO: Digital Storytelling and the Planning Process

Transform how you find and share student stories, whether you work in video, social media, communication or program marketing. We'll walk through our complete student story workflow, from concept to execution, and share what we learned creating our episode of "The College Tour." This systematic process is a practical tool any campus communicator can use. You'll see how the workflow ties to enrollment goals and adapts to your school, college or program. It helps you find compelling stories, identify authentic talent and create content across various platforms, including videos, articles and social posts.

  • Marcus Wright, director of videography, Strategic Communications

SOCIAL MEDIA: Tips and Tricks

Learn best practices for running a university social media account, including how to get the most out of each account's algorithm, tips for creating creative content, user sustainability and handling negative comments.

  • Lainie Mazzullo-Hart, director of strategic communication, Strategic Communications
  • Tate Penner, social media manager, Strategic Communications

BRAND PERCEPTION RESEARCH STUDY

Join Strategic Communications and the Public Policy and Management Center for a session that builds on insights shared during the keynote address. This session will provide a deeper examination of findings from the second year of WSU's statewide brand study, including themes emerging from interviews and regional focus groups across Kansas that speak to Wichita State's visibility, reputation and applied learning messages. Participants will have the opportunity to engage in discussion with the research team and preview the analytical focus areas that will shape year three of the research.

  • James Roberts, strategic initiatives manager, Public Policy and Management Center