BIOSYSTEMS ENGINEERING
The Biosystems Engineering Department at Auburn University sits at the intersection of agriculture and engineering. It is the only program at the university that offers students the opportunity to graduate with both degrees. Students in the program focus on solving real-world challenges related to natural resources, clean water, renewable energy, and sustainable agriculture. Despite the importance of the field, the department’s specialized focus made it difficult for prospective students to understand the major and its career paths quickly.
The Challenge
Recruitment materials relied heavily on long written packets that often overwhelmed high school students and failed to communicate the department’s work engagingly. At the same time, the department had limited marketing resources and relied on a single multimedia role to manage photography, video, design, print publications, social media, and web content. Additionally, the department operated several research initiatives—including URISE, GRACE, and AURPI—without a coordinated strategy to inform the public, promote their work, or highlight research activity to prospective students and partners.
The Solution
I developed and implemented a comprehensive communications strategy that included producing video content, managing social media, designing and publishing a departmental newsletter, and creating visual storytelling around research and student life. I also helped establish brand identities for URISE and GRACE by developing logo packages, color palettes, photography and video assets, dedicated social media pages (cross-promoted with the department and college accounts), and web content for their sites. These efforts led to over 200% annual growth in social media engagement and followers, secured $2,500 in alumni-sponsored advertising for the newsletter—fully covering printing and distribution—and earned two Medallion Awards from the Public Relations Council of Alabama for the department’s newsletter and video work.
