# Illinois Wesleyan University — The Writer's Field Guide

Source: https://iwufieldguide.brandhub.design
Brand promise: Do well. Do good. Become more. Brand platform: Become More.


## The Essentials
SECTION 01 · THE ESSENTIALS
The good stuff. One page.
Before you write anything, start here. This is the short version that fits in your head — and the language you can lift straight into a draft.
WHAT WE BELIEVE
Education should shape lives.
BRAND PROMISE
Do well. Do good. Become more.
BRAND PLATFORM
Become More.
STRATEGIC POSITIONING
Illinois Wesleyan helps students build an education that shapes their lives.
THE PROMISE, IN PLAIN LANGUAGE
Do well
Develop the knowledge, skills, and confidence to succeed.
Do good
Use those abilities to contribute to others and make a meaningful difference.
Become more
Keep discovering your strengths, expand your possibilities, and become the best version of yourself.
FOUR MESSAGE THEMES
01
Growth
Discover your strengths.
02
Humanity
Be known and supported.
03
Participation
Learn by getting involved.
04
Success With Purpose
Build a life that makes a difference.
PROOF
People, experiences, opportunities, and outcomes.
Personal faculty mentorship
Meaningful relationships and a supportive community
Hands-on learning and real-world experiences
Leadership opportunities
Career and graduate-school preparation
A broad, adaptable liberal arts education
Research, internships, athletics, arts, and service
Study-abroad opportunities
Five Centers of Excellence
More than 175 years of shaping lives
BRAND STORY
For more than 175 years, Illinois Wesleyan has helped students build an education that shapes their lives. Through meaningful relationships, hands-on experiences, and a culture of participation, students discover their strengths, expand their perspectives, and prepare for successful lives with purpose. Every student's journey is different. The opportunity is the same. Become More.

## Proof You Can Become More
SECTION 02 · PROOF YOU CAN BECOME MORE
Proof you can become more.
At Illinois Wesleyan, Become More is more than a promise. You can see it in what our students experience here and what they go on to accomplish.
READY TO DO WELL
An Illinois Wesleyan education prepares students not simply for their first job, but for wherever their lives and careers take them.
98.5%
of the Class of 2025 were employed or continuing their education within six months of graduation.
#7
nationally and #1 in Illinois on Zippia's list of Best Colleges for Getting a Job.
$70,871
average earnings ten years after attending, more than $30,000 above the national midpoint reported by the College Scorecard.
#1
among small colleges in Illinois for highest-earning graduates.
KNOWN, CHALLENGED AND SUPPORTED
At IWU, students aren't numbers in a lecture hall. They learn alongside professors who know them, challenge them and help them discover what they're capable of becoming.
17
students in the average class.
12:1
student-to-faculty ratio.
88%
of full-time faculty hold a Ph.D. or terminal degree in their field.
93%
of students who complete four years at IWU graduate on time, well above national averages.
Classes are taught by faculty, not graduate assistants.
MORE THAN ONE PATH
Illinois Wesleyan is a place for students who don't want to be defined by just one interest, talent or ambition. Across the liberal arts, business, nursing, sciences and fine arts, students are encouraged to connect disciplines, pursue different interests and create an education that's uniquely their own. That's what it means to be The AND University.
LEARNING BECOMES DOING
Students don't have to wait until after graduation to put what they're learning into practice. Here, ideas aren't meant to stay in the classroom. They're meant to become something.
73%
of IWU students participate in at least one internship, and more than 28% report completing multiple internships.
41%
of the Class of 2025 participated in undergraduate research.
Petrick Idea Center
brings students from every major together around creativity, entrepreneurship, collaboration and solving real-world challenges.
OPPORTUNITY THAT CHANGES WHAT'S POSSIBLE
An Illinois Wesleyan education can change the trajectory of a life.
Top 2.9%
of U.S. colleges and universities for promoting social mobility, ranking 62nd among 2,137 institutions in the Chetty college mobility study.
95%+
of incoming students qualify for scholarship or grant assistance.
50%+
on average, more than half of tuition is covered by scholarships and grants for incoming students.
A transformative private university education may be more within reach than families think.
A COMMUNITY WHERE YOU CAN BE MORE
Students come to Illinois Wesleyan from different backgrounds, places and perspectives, but become part of a close-knit community where they can belong, contribute and grow.
25
countries and communities across the United States represented by students.
100+
student organizations, creating opportunities to lead, serve, compete, create and connect.
185
Academic All-America honors earned by Titan student-athletes, ranking ninth among Division III institutions and 24th across all NCAA divisions.
DO WELL. DO GOOD. BECOME MORE.
The numbers matter because of what they represent. Students who are known. Interests that become possibilities. Ideas that become action. Education that becomes opportunity. And graduates prepared not only to do well, but to do good with what they know, who they are and who they are still becoming.
Illinois Wesleyan University
DO WELL. DO GOOD. BECOME MORE.

## Writing Frameworks

### The Growth Story (Message theme: Growth)
Show someone discovering a strength they didn't know they had. The most versatile IWU frame — it turns any program, class, or opportunity into a story about becoming more.
Use it when: Recruiting, academic program pages, student features, campaign copy — anywhere the reader is asking "Who will I become?"
How to build it:
- Open on the person before the change — a question they were sitting with, not a credential.
- Name the moment: the class, mentor, lab, stage, or trip that opened something up.
- Show the strength they discovered, in plain language.
- Close on what's now possible — forward-looking, never final.
- Land the platform: Become More.
Prove it:
- Which faculty mentor made this possible?
- Which hands-on experience, research, internship, or study-abroad moment anchors it?
- What outcome — a job, a grad program, a contribution — can you name honestly?
Say this, not that:
- Instead of "World-class academics" -> "Faculty who know your name and push your thinking"
- Instead of "Best-in-class outcomes" -> "Graduates prepared to do well and do good"
- Instead of "Unlock your potential" -> "Discover strengths you didn't know you had"
Web checklist:
- H1 leads with the person or the possibility, not the department name.
- First 40 words contain a concrete strength or discovery.
- One proof point above the fold (mentor, experience, or outcome).
- Body copy is Myriad Pro (Open Sans fallback), headlines are Barlow, labels are Roboto Mono.
- One clear next step (visit, apply, request info) — never three competing CTAs.
- Alt text describes the person and the moment, not "student in lab."
Email checklist:
- Subject line under 50 characters and reads like a person, not a brochure.
- Preheader adds new information — never repeats the subject.
- First sentence names the reader's real question.
- Exactly one proof point and one ask.
- Sign-off from a named human at IWU.
Social checklist:
- Hook in the first line — the platform truncates the rest.
- One person, one moment, one strength.
- No jargon, no stacked hashtags; #BecomeMore only when it earns its place.
- Caption works with the sound off and the image unseen.
- Tag the person or program if they've approved it.
Announcement checklist:
- Lead with what changed and who it helps — not who approved it.
- Tie the news to Growth in one sentence.
- Include one quote that sounds like a human being.
- Close with the boilerplate and a contact.
Template (Web) — Program page opener:
[STUDENT NAME] came to Illinois Wesleyan sure about [WHAT THEY THOUGHT THEY'D DO] — and curious about everything else.

In [COURSE / LAB / STUDIO], [FACULTY NAME] asked a question that didn't have a tidy answer. [STUDENT FIRST NAME] spent [TIMEFRAME] chasing it: [HANDS-ON EXPERIENCE].

Today [STUDENT FIRST NAME] is [CURRENT OUTCOME] — and still asking better questions.

That's what happens here. Become More.
Template (Email) — Prospective student email:
Subject: You don't have to have it figured out yet
Preheader: What one question can do at Illinois Wesleyan

Hi [FIRST NAME],

Most students arrive at Illinois Wesleyan with a plan and a few doubts. Both are welcome.

Here, [FACULTY / MENTOR ROLE] work with you closely enough to notice what you're good at before you do. [STUDENT NAME] found [STRENGTH] in [SPECIFIC EXPERIENCE] — and it changed what came next.

[ONE CLEAR NEXT STEP: Visit campus · Talk with an admissions counselor · Start your application]

— [YOUR NAME], [TITLE], Illinois Wesleyan University
Template (Social) — Student discovery post:
[STUDENT FIRST NAME] didn't plan on [UNEXPECTED THING].

Then [FACULTY NAME] handed them [OPPORTUNITY], and [ONE-SENTENCE RESULT].

You don't have to have everything figured out. You just need a place that helps you ask better questions.

#BecomeMore

### The Humanity Profile (Message theme: Humanity)
Write about a person as a person. Used for faculty, staff, and student features where the point is being known and supported.
Use it when: Faculty spotlights, staff features, community stories, parent communications that need to build trust.
How to build it:
- Start with a specific human detail — a habit, a phrase, an open door.
- Show the relationship: who they know, who they support, how.
- Give one line of evidence that this is the norm here, not the exception.
- Connect it to the belief: education should shape lives.
Prove it:
- What's the class size, advising ratio, or open-door detail you can state plainly?
- Who will say, on record, that this person changed something for them?
Say this, not that:
- Instead of "Student-centered" -> "Students are known by name"
- Instead of "Robust support services" -> "Someone notices when you're struggling"
- Instead of "Faculty excellence" -> "Faculty who mentor, not just lecture"
Web checklist:
- Headline uses the person's name or their words.
- A real quote appears in the first screen.
- Names are spelled and titled correctly; degrees verified.
- Photo shows the relationship, not a posed portrait, where possible.
- Link to the department or program at the end, not the beginning.
Email checklist:
- Subject names the person or their idea.
- Written in second person to the reader — warm, not institutional.
- One quote, one proof point, one ask.
- No more than 180 words before the CTA.
Social checklist:
- Lead with their words, in quotes.
- Credit and tag the person with their permission.
- Avoid superlatives — specifics carry more warmth.
- Keep it under 100 words.
Announcement checklist:
- State the appointment, award, or milestone in the first sentence.
- One sentence on what it means for students.
- Quote from the person, plus one from a leader — both human.
- Standard boilerplate and media contact.
Template (Web) — Faculty or staff feature:
[FACULTY NAME] keeps [SPECIFIC HUMAN DETAIL — the office door open, a whiteboard of half-finished questions].

"[DIRECT QUOTE ABOUT STUDENTS]," [LAST NAME] says.

In [DEPARTMENT], that looks like [CONCRETE PRACTICE: weekly one-on-ones, undergraduate research, a text thread that outlasts graduation].

[STUDENT NAME] '[CLASS YEAR] puts it this way: "[STUDENT QUOTE]."

Education should shape lives. This is how.
Template (Email) — Parent trust email:
Subject: Someone here will know your student by name
Preheader: How mentorship actually works at Illinois Wesleyan

Dear [PARENT NAME],

You want to know your student will be supported. Here's the honest answer: at Illinois Wesleyan, [SPECIFIC PROOF — class size, advising model, faculty ratio].

[FACULTY OR STAFF NAME] describes it simply: "[QUOTE]."

We prepare students to do well, do good, and keep becoming more — and we do it by knowing them.

[NEXT STEP: Schedule a visit · Meet your student's advisor · Read more]

— [YOUR NAME], [TITLE]
Template (Social) — Community moment:
"[SHORT QUOTE FROM THE PERSON]"

[NAME], [ROLE], on [WHAT THEY DO FOR STUDENTS].

Being known matters. #BecomeMore

### The Participation Invite (Message theme: Participation)
Get someone to say yes to something. Built for events, opportunities, and calls to get involved — learning by doing is the point.
Use it when: Event promotion, club and org recruitment, research or internship calls, athletics, arts, service.
How to build it:
- Name the opportunity in plain words, up front.
- Say who it's for — and make the bar feel crossable.
- Show what they'll actually do, not what they'll passively attend.
- Give the logistics without burying them.
- Close with a single, unmistakable action.
Prove it:
- Who did this last year, and what came of it?
- What leadership, research, internship, or service opportunity does this open next?
Say this, not that:
- Instead of "Engagement opportunities" -> "Things you can actually do"
- Instead of "Participants will gain exposure to" -> "You'll [verb] alongside [who]"
- Instead of "Don't miss out" -> "Here's what you'll walk away with"
Web checklist:
- What / when / where / who visible without scrolling.
- Action verb in the H1.
- Registration link appears at top and bottom.
- Accessibility and accommodation info included.
- Date format and time zone consistent across the page.
Email checklist:
- Subject states the opportunity and the deadline.
- Logistics in a scannable block, not a paragraph.
- One CTA button, repeated once at the end.
- Deadline stated twice — body and CTA.
- Reply-to goes to a monitored human inbox.
Social checklist:
- First line is the invitation itself.
- Date and deadline in the caption, not just the graphic.
- Link location stated plainly (bio, story, comment).
- Reads as an invitation, not an obligation.
Announcement checklist:
- Lead with the opportunity and who can take part.
- Include eligibility, deadline, and contact.
- One sentence on how it reflects learning by getting involved.
- Boilerplate and contact at the end.
Template (Web) — Event or opportunity page:
[VERB THE THING]: [OPPORTUNITY NAME]

[ONE SENTENCE ON WHAT YOU'LL ACTUALLY DO.]

Who it's for: [AUDIENCE — keep the bar crossable]
When: [DATE], [TIME]
Where: [LOCATION]
Deadline: [DATE]

Last year, [PAST PARTICIPANT NAME] [WHAT CAME OF IT].

[REGISTER / APPLY / SIGN UP →]

Questions or accommodations: [CONTACT NAME, EMAIL]
Template (Email) — Call-to-join email:
Subject: [OPPORTUNITY] — sign up by [DEADLINE]
Preheader: You don't need experience. You need to show up.

Hi [FIRST NAME],

[OPPORTUNITY NAME] is open, and it's built for [AUDIENCE].

You'll [CONCRETE ACTION 1], [CONCRETE ACTION 2], and [CONCRETE ACTION 3] alongside [WHO].

When: [DATE / TIME]
Where: [LOCATION]
Deadline: [DATE]

[SIGN UP →]

— [YOUR NAME], [TITLE]
Template (Social) — Invitation post:
[OPPORTUNITY] is open.

[ONE LINE ON WHAT YOU'LL DO.]
[DATE] · [LOCATION] · Sign up by [DEADLINE]

Learning happens when you get involved. [LINK LOCATION]

#BecomeMore

### Success With Purpose (Message theme: Success With Purpose)
Prove the outcome and the contribution together. Never one without the other — this is where do well and do good meet.
Use it when: Outcomes pages, alumni features, career and graduate-school messaging, trustee and community communications.
How to build it:
- Name the outcome specifically — role, organization, program, or impact.
- Trace it back to something that happened here.
- Show the contribution: who is better off because of this work.
- Keep the door open — becoming more doesn't stop at graduation.
Prove it:
- What's the verified outcome — job title, employer, grad program, or measurable impact?
- Which IWU experience directly enabled it?
- Who benefits from the work now?
Say this, not that:
- Instead of "High ROI degree" -> "Prepared for a career and a life"
- Instead of "Successful graduates" -> "Graduates who succeed and contribute"
- Instead of "Career readiness" -> "Ready for the first job and the ones no one has invented yet"
Web checklist:
- Outcome stated with a verifiable specific, not a percentage with no source.
- Contribution named — success alone is off-brand.
- At least one proof point from staff, alumni, experiences, opportunities, or outcomes.
- Data has a source and a date.
- Ends forward-looking, not with a trophy.
Email checklist:
- Subject names the outcome, not the abstraction.
- One alumni story, one line of contribution.
- Avoid stacked statistics — one number, well chosen.
- CTA matches the audience's stage (apply, give, connect).
Social checklist:
- Lead with the person and what they do now.
- One sentence connecting it back to campus.
- No stat dumps.
- Tag the alum and employer with permission.
Announcement checklist:
- Lead with the outcome or recognition and its significance.
- Attribute all data with source and date.
- Quote pairs achievement with contribution.
- Boilerplate and media contact included.
Template (Web) — Alumni outcome feature:
[ALUM NAME] '[CLASS YEAR] is [CURRENT ROLE] at [ORGANIZATION], where [WHAT THEY DO].

It started at Illinois Wesleyan with [SPECIFIC EXPERIENCE — research, internship, study abroad, a course, a mentor].

"[QUOTE CONNECTING IWU TO THE WORK]," [LAST NAME] says.

Because of that work, [WHO IS BETTER OFF AND HOW].

Do well. Do good. Become more.
Template (Email) — Outcomes email:
Subject: What [ALUM FIRST NAME] '[CLASS YEAR] is doing now
Preheader: From [IWU EXPERIENCE] to [CURRENT WORK]

Hi [FIRST NAME],

[ALUM NAME] graduated in [YEAR] and now [CURRENT ROLE AND ORGANIZATION].

The through-line: [IWU EXPERIENCE THAT MADE IT POSSIBLE].

The part that matters most to us: [THE CONTRIBUTION — who benefits].

[NEXT STEP FOR THIS AUDIENCE]

— [YOUR NAME], [TITLE]
Template (Social) — Alumni post:
[ALUM NAME] '[CLASS YEAR] → [CURRENT ROLE] at [ORGANIZATION].

The work: [ONE LINE ON WHAT IT MAKES POSSIBLE FOR OTHERS].
The start: [IWU EXPERIENCE].

Success matters. Contribution matters more. #BecomeMore

### The Announcement (Message theme: Proof)
News that reads like it came from a university that knows why the news matters. Facts first, meaning second, boilerplate last.
Use it when: Press releases, campus notices, gifts and grants, appointments, rankings, building and program news.
How to build it:
- Sentence one: what happened, who it affects, when it takes effect.
- Sentence two: why it matters to students.
- One quote that a human would actually say out loud.
- The proof: the experience, opportunity, or outcome this creates.
- Boilerplate and contact.
Prove it:
- What does this create for students — an experience, an opportunity, an outcome?
- Is every number sourced and dated?
Say this, not that:
- Instead of "Is pleased to announce" -> "announced"
- Instead of "Leverage synergies" -> "work together"
- Instead of "Transformational gift" -> "A gift that funds [SPECIFIC THING]"
Web checklist:
- Headline is factual and under 12 words.
- Dateline and publish date present.
- Names, titles, and dollar figures verified.
- Links to the program, person, or fund referenced.
- Boilerplate paragraph included verbatim.
Email checklist:
- Subject states the news plainly — no teasers.
- Full news in the first 60 words for people who read no further.
- Link to the full release.
- Contact for questions.
Social checklist:
- News in the first line; context in the second.
- Link to the full story.
- No hype adjectives.
- Tag partners and people involved.
Announcement checklist:
- Approved by the relevant office before distribution.
- Quotes approved by their speakers.
- Embargo date, if any, stated clearly at the top.
- Media contact name, email, and phone.
- Boilerplate closes the release.
Template (Announcement) — News release:
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
[DATE] · BLOOMINGTON, Ill.

[HEADLINE: WHAT HAPPENED, UNDER 12 WORDS]

Illinois Wesleyan University [WHAT HAPPENED], effective [DATE]. The [GIFT / PROGRAM / APPOINTMENT] will [WHAT IT CREATES FOR STUDENTS].

"[QUOTE FROM THE MOST RELEVANT PERSON — plain spoken]," said [NAME], [TITLE].

[PARAGRAPH OF PROOF: the experience, opportunity, or outcome this makes possible, with sourced numbers.]

"[SECOND QUOTE, IDEALLY A STUDENT OR FACULTY VOICE]," said [NAME], [TITLE].

About Illinois Wesleyan University
Illinois Wesleyan University is a residential liberal arts university in Bloomington, Illinois, that has helped students build an education that shapes their lives for more than 175 years. Through meaningful relationships, hands-on experiences, and a culture of participation, students discover their strengths and prepare for successful lives with purpose. Do well. Do good. Become more.

Media contact: [NAME], [TITLE], [EMAIL], [PHONE]
Template (Email) — Campus notice email:
Subject: [WHAT HAPPENED], effective [DATE]

[AUDIENCE],

[WHAT HAPPENED, IN ONE SENTENCE.] [WHO IT AFFECTS AND WHEN.]

What this means for you: [ONE OR TWO PLAIN SENTENCES.]

What to do next: [ACTION, IF ANY.]

Questions: [CONTACT NAME, EMAIL]

— [YOUR NAME], [TITLE]
Template (Social) — News post:
[WHAT HAPPENED, IN ONE LINE.]

[WHAT IT CREATES FOR STUDENTS.]

Full story: [LINK]

### Boilerplate & Standard Language (Message theme: Platform)
The approved short, medium, and long descriptions of Illinois Wesleyan — plus how to sign off. Copy these rather than writing new ones.
Use it when: Anywhere you need an approved description of the university: releases, grant applications, partner materials, event programs, email signatures.
How to build it:
- Pick the length the space allows.
- Paste verbatim — do not paraphrase approved language.
- Only fill bracketed placeholders; leave the rest untouched.
- If you need a variant, ask the brand owner rather than editing here.
Prove it:
- Does the surrounding copy already make one of the four message themes clear?
- Is "Become More." used as a close, not a headline crutch?
Say this, not that:
- Instead of "IWU (first reference)" -> "Illinois Wesleyan University"
- Instead of "The University of Illinois Wesleyan" -> "Illinois Wesleyan University"
- Instead of "Become more!" -> "Become More."
Web checklist:
- Full name on first reference; Illinois Wesleyan thereafter.
- Boilerplate appears once per page, at the end.
- Platform line punctuated exactly: Become More.
Email checklist:
- Signature includes name, title, Illinois Wesleyan University.
- One-line descriptor only if the recipient is external.
Social checklist:
- Bio uses the short description.
- Handle and display name consistent across platforms.
Announcement checklist:
- Long boilerplate closes every release, verbatim.
- Media contact follows the boilerplate.
Template (Web) — Short (25 words):
Illinois Wesleyan University is a residential liberal arts university in Bloomington, Illinois, where students discover their strengths and prepare for lives of purpose. Become More.
Template (Web) — Medium (55 words):
Illinois Wesleyan University is a residential liberal arts university in Bloomington, Illinois. Through personal faculty mentorship, hands-on learning, and a culture of participation, students discover their strengths, expand their perspectives, and prepare for successful lives with purpose. Do well. Do good. Become more.
Template (Announcement) — Long boilerplate:
About Illinois Wesleyan University
Illinois Wesleyan University is a residential liberal arts university in Bloomington, Illinois, that has helped students build an education that shapes their lives for more than 175 years. Through meaningful relationships, hands-on experiences, leadership opportunities, and five Centers of Excellence, students discover their strengths, expand their perspectives, and prepare for careers, graduate study, and lives of contribution. Every student's journey is different. The opportunity is the same. Become More.

Media contact: [NAME], [TITLE], [EMAIL], [PHONE]
Template (Email) — Email signature:
[YOUR NAME]
[TITLE]
Illinois Wesleyan University
[EMAIL] · [PHONE]
iwu.edu · Become More.

## Find Your Lens — Audiences

### Prospective Students
THEY'RE ASKING
Who will I become?
EMPHASIZE
Growth, exploration, belonging, confidence.
CORE MESSAGE
Illinois Wesleyan helps you discover your strengths, explore new possibilities, and become more fully yourself.
READY-TO-USE EXAMPLE
"You don't have to have everything figured out. You just need a place that helps you ask better questions. #BecomeMore"

### Current Students
THEY'RE ASKING
Am I making the most of this? Who am I becoming here?
EMPHASIZE
Belonging, ownership, participation, growth in progress.
CORE MESSAGE
You're not waiting to become more — you're becoming more right now, in every class, conversation, and opportunity you say yes to.
READY-TO-USE EXAMPLE
"The opportunity is already in front of you. Lead a project. Join the research. Start the thing. This is where you become more."

### Parents & Families
THEY'RE ASKING
Will my student be successful?
EMPHASIZE
Outcomes, support, mentorship, preparation.
CORE MESSAGE
Illinois Wesleyan prepares students to succeed in their lives and careers, contribute meaningfully to others, and continue growing throughout their lives.
READY-TO-USE EXAMPLE
"We help students graduate prepared not only for a job, but for life — with the judgment, resilience, and confidence to adapt and lead."

### Faculty & Staff
THEY'RE ASKING
How do we shape lives?
EMPHASIZE
Mentorship, relationships, participation, transformation.
CORE MESSAGE
Education is most powerful when relationships and learning work together — and you are the people who make that real.
FELT LINE
"Every day, you help students discover strengths they didn't know they had. That work doesn't just teach — it shapes who they become. You are the brand."
READY-TO-USE EXAMPLE
"That's what happens when students are known, supported, and challenged."

### Alumni
THEY'RE ASKING
Why does IWU still matter?
EMPHASIZE
Lifelong impact, pride, connection, legacy.
CORE MESSAGE
Illinois Wesleyan helped shape who I became — and who I am still becoming.
READY-TO-USE EXAMPLE
"The story doesn't end at graduation. Every graduate carries it forward through the lives they lead and the impact they make."

### Donors & Friends
THEY'RE ASKING
Does my support make a difference?
EMPHASIZE
Opportunity, access, student transformation.
CORE MESSAGE
Every gift helps create the experiences, relationships, and opportunities that shape a student's life.
READY-TO-USE EXAMPLE
"Behind every scholarship, mentorship, and life-changing experience is someone who chose to invest in a student's future."

### Trustees & Community Partners
THEY'RE ASKING
Why is IWU important?
EMPHASIZE
Leadership, relevance, stewardship, community impact.
CORE MESSAGE
Illinois Wesleyan develops thoughtful people who succeed, contribute, and keep growing — strengthening communities, professions, and society.
READY-TO-USE EXAMPLE
"Consistency creates trust. Trust creates reputation. That's the long-term value of this brand."

### Student-Athletes
THEY'RE ASKING
Can I compete and still grow?
EMPHASIZE
Balance, excellence, leadership, participation.
CORE MESSAGE
At Illinois Wesleyan, you don't have to choose between competing and becoming.
READY-TO-USE EXAMPLE
"Success beyond the game matters as much as success within it."

### Marketing & Communications
THEY'RE ASKING
How do I make something that sounds like IWU?
EMPHASIZE
Consistency of promise, one of the four themes, real proof.
CORE MESSAGE
Every piece should ladder up to "Do well. Do good. Become more." — lean into one of the four themes, and back it with real proof.
READY-TO-USE EXAMPLE
"Start with the theme (Growth · Humanity · Participation · Success With Purpose). Ground it in a person, experience, opportunity, or outcome. Close with 'Become More.'"

## How We Talk
SECTION 05 · HOW WE TALK
From idea to inbox.
Two working references for drafting: the hierarchy of what we say, and how the writing shifts by channel.
MESSAGE HIERARCHY
STORY → CHANNEL
LEVEL
PURPOSE
EXAMPLE
What We Believe
The belief underneath everything
Education should shape lives.
Strategic Positioning
The strategic claim we make
Illinois Wesleyan helps students build an education that shapes their lives.
Brand Promise
What people should consistently experience
Illinois Wesleyan prepares students to do well, do good, and become more.
Brand Platform
The simplest public expression
Become More.
Message Themes
The four Message Themes for any message
Growth · Humanity · Participation · Success With Purpose.
Proof
Why people should believe it
People, experiences, opportunities, and outcomes.
Website
Admissions
Parent Communications
Advancement
Alumni Relations
Social Media
Athletics
Presidential Communications
GOAL
Inspire exploration
FOCUS
Growth, possibility, future, belonging

## Resources
SECTION 06 · RESOURCES
Where the assets live.
The full brand guide, plus the files and links you reach for while you write.
LIVE LINK
Brand Guide Hub
The full brand guide — fonts, colors, logos, and more.
LIVE LINK
PDF Brand Messaging guide
Download the official IWU brand messaging guide (PDF).
LIVE LINK
Official Website
iwu.edu — the public-facing university site.
LIVE LINKS
Social Media
Follow IWU across every platform.
FACEBOOK ↗
INSTAGRAM ↗
X (TWITTER) ↗
LINKEDIN ↗
YOUTUBE ↗
TIKTOK ↗
COMING SOON
Templates
Documents, decks, letterhead, and email.
COMING SOON
Videos
Brand and campaign video assets.
COMING SOON
Photography
Approved campus, student, and academic imagery.
COMING SOON
Presentations
Branded slide decks for talks and pitches.

## Who to Ask — Brand Contacts
Overall brand & messaging — Mark Gibson (mgibson3@iwu.edu)
Logo & visual identity, photography & video, templates, social media — Autum Kopp (aconley2@iwu.edu)
Web — Gaeyln Rose (grose@iwu.edu)

## The Full Story
SECTION 08 · THE FULL STORY
Want the whole framework?
Background, context, and the deeper reading behind the language you’re using — for when a draft needs more than the essentials.
The Brand Story
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For more than 175 years, Illinois Wesleyan has helped students build an education that shapes their lives. Through meaningful relationships, hands-on experiences, and a culture of participation, students discover their strengths, expand their perspectives, and prepare for successful lives with purpose. Every student's journey is different. The opportunity is the same. Become More.
Where “Do Well. Do Good.” comes from
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“Go into the world and do well. But more importantly, go into the world and do good.”
PRESIDENT MINOR MYERS JR.
The modern invitation that brings that philosophy to life: Become More.
The Long Story
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Illinois Wesleyan was founded in 1850 on a deceptively simple idea: that an education should shape a life, not just a résumé. A century and three-quarters later, that idea has only grown more urgent.
We are a residential liberal arts university where students don't just learn subjects — they learn how to think, how to choose, and how to lead. The classroom is small. The mentorship is real. The expectations are high. And the result is something more durable than a credential: people who can hold complexity, act with integrity, and build a life that matters.
The world has changed. Information is instant. Skills get automated. The half-life of any one job is shrinking. What endures is judgment, character, curiosity, participation, and the capacity to grow.
That's why our promise is simple, and why it's the same for everyone: Do well. Do good. Become more.
Extra background — Positioning, Scientia et Sapientia, Foundation
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Background only. Not part of the official brand model above — kept here for context and continuity.
HISTORICAL POSITIONING IDEA
An earlier strategic articulation described IWU as connecting knowledge with wisdom, achievement with contribution, and possibility with purpose. The official brand now expresses this more simply through the promise "Do well. Do good. Become more."
SCIENTIA ET SAPIENTIA
The university's longstanding motto — "knowledge and wisdom." It remains part of IWU's heritage. It is not one of the four message themes, but it sits comfortably behind the belief that education should shape lives.
175 YEARS OF FOUNDATION
The enduring beliefs IWU has stood on since 1850 — liberal arts, human connection, curiosity, leadership, character. Lead here when credibility and permanence matter (trustees, major gifts, anniversary moments). In the current brand model this shows up as part of Proof.
Mission · Vision · Values
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MISSION · WHY ILLINOIS WESLEYAN EXISTS
To develop thoughtful, curious, capable, and compassionate people prepared to contribute meaningfully to a changing world.
Through a deeply personal liberal arts education, students are challenged to think critically, communicate clearly, explore courageously, collaborate generously, and lead responsibly.
Illinois Wesleyan believes education should shape both achievement and humanity.
Students are prepared not only for careers, but for lives marked by purpose, adaptability, creativity, leadership, and lifelong growth.
VISION · THE FUTURE ILLINOIS WESLEYAN IS BUILDING
To become the nation's leading human-centered liberal arts university for the modern world.
A university where:
Curiosity drives innovation
Entrepreneurship and liberal arts strengthen one another
Creativity and critical thinking coexist
Students are known personally
Leadership grows through participation
Education becomes a catalyst for meaningful contribution
VALUES
Curiosity
Growth begins with a question.
Humanity
Education is ultimately about people.
Contribution
Success matters. Contribution matters more.
Creativity
Creativity is not limited to the arts.
Courage
Growth requires the willingness to step into the unknown.
Collaboration
Meaningful progress happens together.
The Role of Brand
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A brand isn't a logo, a tagline, or a campaign. It's the consistent experience people have with us — over years, across audiences, in every email, classroom, game, gift, story, and conversation. Our job is to make sure that experience is true to who we are, and worthy of who our students are becoming.
The Story Continues
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The story of Illinois Wesleyan isn't finished. It continues every time a student asks a better question, every time a faculty member changes a life, every time an alum carries this place into the world. Our brand is not something we create. It is something we live.
Become More.