TEACHING

While the course focused a lot about user experience, research, and portfolios, Dick hopes that her students will take away empathy and the power to create an influence from her teachings and apply it to their future careers.

“I think people have this impression of advertising, that it's like covering things up,” Dick said. “But where the industry is going and what it's really about is communicating in such a way that it's helpful to people. Now it's like advertising and product design, product development; everything is kind of merging.”

Harrell said, “There's a lot of hands on work, it's not just lectures. It's actually us going in and doing it and getting a lot of peer reviews from people around us. So it helps us out too. I like that about the class, it's very different.”

“As “advertisers” we have an opportunity to impact the actual making of the product and be the voice of the consumer,” Dick said. “My biggest takeaway is that, that's where the industry is going, you really have power to create an influence beyond just what you typically think of a print ad or something.”

When asking Dick what she enjoyed most about teaching this course, she was full of praise about her students.

“I liked seeing all the things that they're passionate about. They just really care about their community, their environment, other people,” Dick said. “The students are just like all of their passion projects. They're all about being ethical, like saving clothing and helping people find potholes and nothing is selfish.”

Dick added, “I just think my favorite part is seeing all the causes that each of them cares about and how much they care about other people, which is kind of what this whole user experience thing is all about.”

Christina speaking in front of group of students

When you learn, teach. When you get, give.

-Maya Angelou

University of Richmond's Strategic Communications Institute for Nonprofits

Strong communication is vital to the success of nonprofit organizations. Having a thorough understanding of communications helps nonprofits make the most of limited resources. The Strategic Communications for Nonprofits program is designed to provide a comprehensive overview of marketing basics, effective communication and promotion.

The Strategic Communications Institute for Nonprofits is an intensive 24-hour, week-long certification program. During the week, you’ll create a comprehensive marketing plan for your organization. At the conclusion of the program, you’ll practice presenting your plan and earn a professional certificate from the University of Richmond.

Institute Outcomes
Build a comprehensive communications and marketing plan for your organization, integrated with fundraising
Identify your audiences and reach them with the appropriate messages
Learn to develop stories to share your mission and impact
Learn how to effectively integrate social media tools into your marketing plan
Formulate a direct marketing plan to make the most of your direct mail versus “e” dollars
Institute Modules
A certificate in Strategic Communications for Nonprofits from the University of Richmond Institute on Philanthropy will be awarded at the conclusion of the program.

The following modules are required in the certification institute.

Introduction to Marketing
Assessing Your Organization and Market
Developing Your Marketing Strategies
Identifying Your Audiences
Telling Your Story
Special Events
Public Relations & Promotion Tactics
Measuring and Communicating Results
Pulling Your Strategy into a Plan

Topics in the Creative Economy: Social Media Strategy
Introduces the process of analyzing and shaping content — text, image, video — to accurately communicate messages across a range of digital media channels. Students will learn the elements of constructing meaningful content, from identifying audience, structuring and wireframing content, developing content guidelines, and measuring the results of communication efforts.

User Experience
da Vinci Project (Faculty Mentor For Graduate Students)
Open only to students enrolled in the Master of Product Innovation program. Students will engage in an interdisciplinary product innovation project with a corporate sponsor under faculty supervision. Topics and activities will hone product innovation skills, including project management, team building, concept generation and testing, market analysis, visualization, and prototyping.

Content
The thinking and skills for content strategy and content creation. Content marketing is the planning, creating and online sharing of valuable free communications to attract and engage consumers. In short, this course is focused on the online branded stuff that we enjoy daily on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Youtube, etc.

Public Relations Campaigns
Application of public relations theory and methods in the preparation of a plan for a public relations campaign. Special attention to the planning process including issues analysis, and application of public relations and research methods.

Professionalism
Study of public relations careers, including in-depth examination of types of practice and industry choices for professionals. Includes development of job-seeking skills such as networking, resume and cover letter writing, interviewing, as well as professional skills such as impromptu and extemporaneous speaking, presentation development and effective meeting management. Focus on ethical practice and understanding of effective long-term professional development activities such as the Accredited in Public Relations and Accredited Business Communicator credentials.

Completeness
Lead a class of juniors and seniors through the full process of research, strategy, ideation, content creation, execution and analytics/reporting of an advertising campaign

Spring 2019
USER EXPERIENCE

Spring 2018
CONTENT

Fall 2017
PROFESSIONALISM IN PR

Spring 2017
PROFESSIONALISM IN PR
CONTENT

Fall 2016
COMPLETENESS
PROFESSIONALISM IN PR

Sum 2016
PUBLIC REL CAMPAIGNS

Spring 2016
COMPLETENESS

Fall 2015
COMPLETENESS

Fall 2014
COMPLETENESS

Course:
User Experience
Design brand communications that involve physical experiences for consumers. Learn to create experiences around ongoing brand strategies, and to create experiences based on research of website usage, store appearance, employee behavior, and the purchasing process.

da Vinci Project (Faculty Mentor For Graduate Students)
Open only to students enrolled in the Master of Product Innovation program. Students will engage in an interdisciplinary product innovation project with a corporate sponsor under faculty supervision. Topics and activities will hone product innovation skills, including project management, team building, concept generation and testing, market analysis, visualization, and prototyping.

Content
The thinking and skills for content strategy and content creation. Content marketing is the planning, creating and online sharing of valuable free communications to attract and engage consumers. In short, this course is focused on the online branded stuff that we enjoy daily on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Youtube, etc.

Public Relations Campaigns
Application of public relations theory and methods in the preparation of a plan for a public relations campaign. Special attention to the planning process including issues analysis, and application of public relations and research methods.

Professionalism
Study of public relations careers, including in-depth examination of types of practice and industry choices for professionals. Includes development of job-seeking skills such as networking, resume and cover letter writing, interviewing, as well as professional skills such as impromptu and extemporaneous speaking, presentation development and effective meeting management. Focus on ethical practice and understanding of effective long-term professional development activities such as the Accredited in Public Relations and Accredited Business Communicator credentials.

Completeness
Lead a class of juniors and seniors through the full process of research, strategy, ideation, content creation, execution and analytics/reporting of an advertising campaign.

Syllabi | Resources