Marketing and Integrated Communications

We're telling the university's story in print and online.
Meeting background Hammond Hall

Why Branding is Important

Recognition: Strong branding helps us stand out from the crowd, enabling Fitchburg State University to be easily recognized and remembered by students, faculty, and the community.

Reputation: Effective branding can enhance our reputation, helping to establish trust and credibility among prospective students, alumni, and partners.

Student Recruitment: A well-defined brand can attract and engage prospective students, helping to showcase the unique qualities and offerings of Fitchburg State.

Alumni Engagement: Strong branding fosters a sense of loyalty and connection among alumni, encouraging their active involvement in supporting the university's goals and initiatives.

Competitive Advantage: A distinct and well-executed brand can give Fitchburg State a competitive edge, helping it to differentiate itself from other institutions in a crowded educational landscape.

Check out our Branded Assets


From product and event marketing to photography, digital content management, and public relations, we provide guidance, policies and consulting services to faculty, staff, and student organizations who require marketing strategies and materials.

Our staff coordinates with all university departments to plan and execute integrated marketing campaigns. The team also coaches departmental web content managers on best practices for the website and social media channels.

Mission Statement and Functional Role

The mission of the Office of Marketing and Integrated Communications is to support university initiatives for recruitment and retention of undergraduate, graduate, and continuing education students, to build recognition, advocacy and awareness leading to the strengthening of the Fitchburg State University brand image and institutional equity.

We develop and implement effective marketing strategies and promotional campaigns, collaborating with faculty, staff, students, and external partners of the university to promote the consistent use of Fitchburg State’s brand across all communication channels. Our team manages various channels adhering to branding and style guidelines, including the university website, social media platforms, blogs, print and digital collateral, media relations, video, digital assets database, and advertising, to effectively reach and engage our target audiences on behalf of the university. We also provide guidance and support to university units regarding branding, graphic design, and event promotion. The primary focus will center upon the furtherance of the university’s recruitment and retention efforts and the workload will be prioritized based on the mission statement.

Need marketing assistance for an upcoming event? Have a new program you want prospective students to know about?

Use the forms on this page to connect with Marketing and Integrated Communications to spread the word about the things you do!

If you have a story about how Fitchburg State has made a difference, whether you're a student, faculty member, staff, or alumni, we want to hear from you.

Tell us your story!

How can we help you?

Select from the following internal Fitchburg State forms based on your need:

Marketing Request

Have social media or photography needs? Looking for assistance with a marketing effort? Complete this form for an advertising or promotions project.

Public Relations: Request for Publicity

Fitchburg State University works with local, state and national media to promote news and information about the university and its respective departments and organizations. Use this form to submit the details of your request.

Web Content Request

Need to make an update to the Fitchburg State University website? Use this form to let us know how we can help.

Guidelines

Social Media

These guidelines provide a way to promote the university in the best way possible on social media platforms. We invite you to send in content to us in Marketing and we are here to support you and your department the best way on social media.

Web Content

The resources on this page will help ensure that your web pages feature high-quality content while also meeting branding guidelines.

Visual Identity and Marketplace Storefronts

Presenting a strong visual identity is a critical part of our efforts to promote the university. This page lists our best practices and guidelines on how to accomplish that. You'll also find guidelines on how to establish a Marketplace storefront, including default images for storefronts. 

Resources

Watch the video below for instructions on how to use SmugMug, our photo storage platform.

Do you need a visual for a flyer, PowerPoint presentation, or for your web page? Go to our SmugMug account to view our latest photos and videos from around campus.

Our Disability Services Office has great resources for Creating Accessible Outreach for our students. 

When submitting PDFs for the website it is important that you make them accessible. IT has created a video and slides to help with this process. 

When requesting for Google files to be shared on the university website it is imperative that they be submitted with a department as the owner of the file and not an individual. This helps to eliminate potential broken links on the site. 

IT has created instructions to help with this process of transferring ownership of a file from an individual to a department account. 

Need to use a university logo? This page contains guidelines as well as files you can download for use with your project. 

Meet our Staff

Kelly Norris, Director of Marketing
Director of Marketing and Integrated Communications

Kelly Norris, MBA '87, '09

Responsible for coordinating and directing the marketing of the University and its programs to prospective students, including overseeing the Office of Marketing and Integrated Communications. This includes managing staff that’s responsible for our website, social media, and video/photography, along with our on-campus graphic designers. knorris@fitchburgstate.edu, 978.665.3842
Kim McCoy-Blauser, web content specialist marketing
Web Content Specialist

Kim McCoy-Blauser '92

I can help you make updates to your webpages. Whether it's a complete page overhaul or a quick and easy edit, I can make it happen. If you need an update, please submit a website content request and it will go to me and the rest of the marketing team. kmccoybl@fitchburgstate.edu, 978.665.3781
Caroline Lanni, New Media Marketing
New Media

Caroline Lanni

I manage all social media for the university, promoting the Fitchburg State community across all social media platforms, including the School of Graduate, Online and Continuing Education accounts. I create content, promote events, and showcase the university. Need social media help? Fill out our Marketing Request Form. Interested in being a student social media ambassador? Let's chat! clanni1@fitchburgstate.edu, 978.665.3033
Andy Cunningham
Visual Elements

Andy Cunningham

With an eye towards authenticity, I can help you tell your stories visually with photography and video. Requests are reviewed on a case by case basis considering availability, and Marketing and Integrated Communications’ overall mission. Andy's LinkedInacunnin3@fitchburgstate.edu, 978.665.4128
Portrait of Pamela Boudreau Graphic Designer
Senior Graphics Designer

Pamela Boudreau

I manage graphic design, overseeing and producing creative graphic designs for both print and digital media that enhance and promote the image and mission of the university. Send a request to design@fitchburgstate.edu for your design needs. psboudreau@fitchburgstate.edu
Portrait of Bonnie McCullough
Graphic Arts Technician II

Bonnie McCullough '88, '94, '19

I design print, electronic files, and large-format media for the university and its departments. I am also on the forms team and create dynamic online forms. Send a request to design@fitchburgstate.edu to request help from the other designer Pam and I, or forms@fitchburgstate.edu if you have a new form project.

Public Relations

The Public Relations Office is a source of news and information about Fitchburg State University. Executive Director of Communications and Public Affairs Matthew Bruun is the media contact for Fitchburg State and produces press releases on university events as well as articles for the University's publications. He is available to faculty and staff as a resource for writing and proofreading department publications.

Matt Bruun Public Relations

Contact Matthew Bruun at mbruun@fitchburgstate.edu or 978.665.4694, or send mail to:

Marketing and Integrated Communications
Fitchburg State University
167 Klondike Ave.
Fitchburg, MA 01420

Public Records Requests

Requests for public records are handled in accordance with the Massachusetts Public Records Law. This law broadly defines "public records" to include "all books, papers, maps, photographs, recorded tapes, financial statements, statistical tabulations, or other documentary materials or data, regardless of physical form or characteristics, made or received by any officer or employee" of the state of Massachusetts. The information will be processed upon receipt, and the report will be emailed to the address provided in the request.

Fitchburg State University's designated Records Access Officer is Matthew Bruun, Executive Director of Communications and Public Affairs. 

Public Records Access Officer
Matthew Bruun
Fitchburg State University
978.665.4694 (Office)
mbruun@fitchburgstate.edu

More information about the law can be found in the Guide to the Massachusetts Public Records Law (PDF).

To request a copy of a University Police report, please use the Public Record Request form (PDF) or visit the University Police page for access to their forms.

Campus Publications

Here are some of the ways we're talking about all the great things our students and faculty are doing:

Fitchburg State Magazine

Fitchburg State Magazine is our digital alumni magazine.

Fitchburg State University Today

An archive of our bi-weekly newsletter, Fitchburg State University Today. 

Have questions? Get in touch!

Let us know how we can help!