Area residents invited to Wednesday discussion on NWC rebranding

Posted 10/12/21

As part of Northwest College’s institutional transformation process, area residents are invited to attend a Wednesday discussion about rebranding and renaming — and its use in business …

This item is available in full to subscribers.

Please log in to continue

E-mail
Password
Log in

Area residents invited to Wednesday discussion on NWC rebranding

Posted

As part of Northwest College’s institutional transformation process, area residents are invited to attend a Wednesday discussion about rebranding and renaming — and its use in business and higher education. The Learning & Discovery Panel begins at 6 p.m. in the Yellowstone Building, with the meeting also available live via Zoom.

The NWC Board of Trustees will be present but no action will be taken. Instead, the meeting will be a discussion, led by expert panelists, for campus and community members to learn about the pros and cons of rebranding and/or renaming Northwest College.

“Whether you like the idea of rebranding or renaming, have reservations, or lie somewhere in between, this event is for you,” NWC Interim President Lisa Watson said. “Your thoughts are critical to NWC’s progress, and this panel discussion is a great opportunity to learn more and have all your questions answered by experts.” 

During the event, panelists will take questions from those who attend in-person and online. The public will have the opportunity to comment and ask questions at the event, and will be able to do so online afterwards. 

The meeting will be moderated by Amber Simon-Power, owner and consultant of Power Business Strategies.

Panelists include Jim Owston, assistant provost for extended learning and professor of mass communication at Alderson Broaddus University and Dana Pulis, owner and principal of Kinetic Marketing & Creative in Billings. Watson will also be available to address questions specific to the college.

Formerly an award-winning broadcaster, Owston’s 2007 dissertation on higher educational rebranding was the winner of AAUA’s 2008 Leo and Margaret Goodman-Malamuth Award and CASE’s 2009 Alice L. Beeman Award. Owston joined Alderson Broaddus’s faculty in 2014 and since 2016, he and his students have won 51 PR awards. 

Pulis is a nationally known marketing expert, award-winning writer, accomplished public speaker and respected business leader. Since launching Kinetic in 2007, she has focused on moving businesses forward through creative marketing communications. Pulis said she’s produced results for local, regional and national clients alike. Her company has doubled in size since 2016.

After the session, NWC’s transformation webpage at nwc.edu/transformation will be updated to allow anyone to watch the panel recording, answer a short survey and submit additional comments until Friday, Oct. 22.

The Learning & Discovery Panel is part of NWC’s third phase of transformation work. Thus far, the three phases have included: gathering ideas and receiving feedback on ways the college can better reposition itself (July to October 2020); scanning the external and internal environment to test core idea options and ways to position NWC (December 2020 to April 2021); and assemble collective learning into an actionable and implementable roadmap (fall 2021). Learn more about each phase and the timeline at nwc.edu/transformation.

“While we continue to explore the pros and cons of a college-wide rebrand/rename, no decisions have been made yet,” Watson said. “I encourage you to come with an open mind and share your questions, listen with intent to learn, and then provide your thoughts on the value of rebranding or renaming for Northwest College.”

There will be limited seating in the Yellowstone Building due to social distancing for the ongoing pandemic, so those who plan to attend in-person are encouraged to arrive early. Those who wish to attend the meeting via Zoom can find the link at nwc.edu/events. 

This event is free and open to the public. Face coverings are encouraged but not required. 

Comments