Backers Beneficiaries Backers Believers Contributors Influencers

Who They Are

  • Prospective students
  • Alumni
  • Key donors
  • Beaver fans
  • Guidance counselors
  • Independent counselors
  • Parents of current students
  • Parents of prospective students
  • Extension participants

Believers are critical to the future success of Oregon State. They fall into two disparate areas of potential support for the university: those who are already our strongest ambassadors and advocates for our work (such as alumni, donors and fans) and those who we can rally into action through a deeper understanding of the university (such as prospective students and their families). 

With the power to be some of the strongest brand ambassadors, they render a heavy influence in the decision-making process, and therefore, they warrant frequent and thoughtful communication. It’s critical that the brand and message meet the needs of Believers, as they’re in a position to consider Oregon State as their university and become future Contributors or offer a credible recommendation in its favor. With a personal relationship and more at stake than most other segments, they’ll expect Oregon State to deliver everything it promises regarding equal opportunity, student accessibility and outcomes, and the overall college experience.

Current Mindset

  • Alumni and fans have a love for the campus — the vibe and spirit
  • Tremendous pride in their degree and loyalty to their college
  • Caring about other Beavers and future Beavers
  • Prospects and parents may have a narrow view, primarily knowing Oregon State for engineering and science or other specific strengths they've encountered
  • Pride or interest in Oregon State's global reach and presence
  • Excitedly waiting for Oregon State to heighten its presence and visibility

What They Care About Most

  • Accountability to students
  • Values and culture 
  • Reputation
  • Sustainability and conservation
  • Civic engagement
  • ROI (broadly defined)
  • Access and opportunity
  • Campus life and community

What We Need Them To Do

Take action in a way that deepens their relationship with the university.

Points to Emphasize

We need Believers to take action — which could be something as complex as applying and enrolling for classes or as simple as recommending Oregon State to a potential student. For alumni and donors, we need them to further support Oregon State financially or engage with the university at a deeper level. We want Oregon State to be top of mind for the right reasons and at the right times. It’s important that we appeal to this group both emotionally and logically, so they’ll understand what’s in it for them. Though messaging to this group will be comprehensive, we’ll want to lean heavily on the benefits, with a slant toward collaboration.