About University Communications and Marketing 

UCM managed communications for the announcement that Jonathan Holloway would become the 21st president of Rutgers by handling media queries and outreach, and online promotion. In preparing for President Holloway to begin his position, UCM built a new website for the Office of the President at president.rutgers.edu; photographed the new president for his formal portrait; and produced video content distributed to the university community and media on his first day in office.

In March 2020, UCM launched the newly redesigned Rutgers.edu website, which serves an estimated 4 million visitors annually. The new site’s approach is focused on our external audiences of prospective students and parents; visually engaging with photos, videos, and scannable facts and figures; streamlined with shorter and well-tested text; scalable for ease-of-use on any device; and designed to be accessible for visitors with disabilities and compliant with Web Content Accessibility Guidelines.

In honor of Rutgers’ role as the birthplace of college football, UCM recognized the 150th anniversary milestone of the first game on November 6 in several ways, including designing and producing a collection of themed merchandise, collaborating with Athletics at Rutgers–New Brunswick to profile and promote Rutgers alumni whose involvement in the football program helped shape their lives and fuel their success. 

UCM in collaboration with University Procurement Services unveiled a new user-friendly “swag portal,” a virtual platform that encourages the strategic sourcing of Rutgers-branded merchandise. The swag portal streamlines the purchasing and design process to secure promotional items.

With the coronavirus pandemic unfolding in early 2020, it was vital for the university to convey accurate and coordinated communications to the Rutgers community and media. With the focus on providing timely, multichannel outreach to all appropriate university audiences, UCM managed and disseminated coronavirus-related communications. The department continues to facilitate this work.

UCM successfully promoted Rutgers’ 254th Anniversary Commencement that was held online on Sunday, May 31, 2020. The virtual celebration, which was livestreamed on the UCM-developed and maintained commencement website, was watched by nearly 13,000 viewers. The event was also viewed by 20,000 users on Facebook and nearly 9,400 people on YouTube. In response to the celebration becoming virtual, UCM created a host of assets for students and families to use to celebrate virtually.

UCM produced a family of five brand videos—one for the university as a whole and one each for the chancellor-led units—that convey through imagery, music, and voiceover the unique personalities, attributes, and experiences of each area. This suite of videos is featured on Rutgers.edu and used on campus pages.

UCM produced a revised and expanded version of Great Things to Know About Rutgers. The brochure conveys what makes Rutgers a distinctive and highly respected institution and provides an at-a-glance view of our impressive university.