Metro State is promoting itself as the top choice for Colorado’s Latino students, committing nearly $117,000 in the past year to marketing and communication efforts aimed specifically at this demographic.

Based on recommendations made by the Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) Task Force’s marketing subcommittee last year, the Office of College Communications implemented an integrated marketing and advertising campaign that included direct-mail postcards, billboards along Federal Boulevard, bus boards on Denver Public Schools’ buses, and print, radio and television ads targeting the Latino market. The $117,000 was derived from a combination of one-time monies allocated for the HSI initiative and College Communications’ base-funded advertising budget.

Additionally, the communications team, under the leadership of Associate Vice President for Communications and Advancement Cathy Lucas, worked with the Latino and general news media to position Metro State as a leader in educating Latino students. “It's hard to believe it's been a year since this report was submitted and implemented,” says Lucas. “We have many proud successes and achievements to celebrate.”

As an example, the College’s faculty and staff shared their expertise on current issues with media outlets such as Univision and KBDI’s Latin View. Lucas and her team also proactively pitched stories about the College’s commitment to diversity and secured placement of a number of guest columns written by President Stephen Jordan. One piece in particular, “The Demographic Imperative,” which ran in the April issue of Trusteeship magazine, discussed best practices for institutions seeking HSI designation.

“The piece that ran in Trusteeship really showcases President Jordan’s vision for leading Metro State to preeminence as a Hispanic Serving Institution,” says Lucas. “With Colorado’s rapidly shifting demographics, it is critical that Metro State incorporate best practices as we continue our efforts to impact the Denver community and meet the needs of the diverse student populations that we serve.”

Finally, Metro State teamed up with Colorado State University-Pueblo, Junior Achievement and CollegeInvest to develop and distribute a bilingual "Road to College" poster that Junior Achievement distributed to DPS and Pueblo County middle school students.

“I want to extend my heartfelt thanks for all the effort that Cathy and her staff have engaged in to promote the HSI initiative,” says Deputy Provost Luis Torres, who also co-chairs the HSI Task Force. “I am confident that this robust communications campaign was at least partly responsible for the significant increase in Latino student enrollment this semester.”

Examples from the HSI marketing and advertising campaign are available at the links below. (Note: Materials are in English unless otherwise noted.) Comments and suggestions are welcome to lucascat@mscd.edu.

Postcards
To Latina mothers: http://www.mscd.edu/brandcentral/HSI_ads.shtml#1

To Latino students: http://www.mscd.edu/brandcentral/HSI_ads.shtml#2

To parents of prospective Latino students (in Spanish and English): http://www.mscd.edu/brandcentral/HSI_ads.shtml#3

Advertising in Spanish
Television: http://www.mscd.edu/brandcentral/multimedia.shtml

Radio: http://www.mscd.edu/brandcentral/assets/multimedia/mscd_audio_spanish.mp3

Web: kcectv.com, http://www.mscd.edu/brandcentral/HSI_ads.shtml#4

Radio
English-speaking Latino audience advertising - KS107.5, Kool 105, KUVO http://www.mscd.edu/brandcentral/assets/multimedia/mscd_audio_english.mp3

Billboards - Speer and Federal, Evans and Federal http://www.mscd.edu/brandcentral/HSI_ads.shtml#5

DPS Bus Advertising
http://www.mscd.edu/brandcentral/HSI_ads.shtml#6

Print Ads
Hispanic Outlook on Higher Education: Vale la Pena program, LAEF 60th Anniversary Gala program: http://www.mscd.edu/brandcentral/HSI_ads.shtml#7

Hobson's Guide for College-Bound Hispanic Students: http://www.mscd.edu/brandcentral/HSI_ads.shtml#8

Latina Chamber of Commerce: http://www.mscd.edu/brandcentral/HSI_ads.shtml#9