Tone & Voice
Our breadth of audiences includes students, faculty, businesses, non-profits, and donors, and we speak to each in their own language. Our tone is smart, sociable, and authentic. We use casual and conversational wordplay, but never at the expense of our overall message. When in doubt, keep it simple. Less is more.
Our values in copy
Credible Mentorship
We are inclusive and approachable. That's why we typically write in the first person collective (“we”, “us”, “our”).
Universal Satisfaction
Our students, faculty, and alumni are the best examples of what we do. We highlight their stories, their wins, and the challenges they face.
Professional Growth
Authenticity builds trust. Our credibility manifests when we speak with respectful authority from areas in which we lead.
Community Impact
We strive to help communities flourish. Our content should reflect this by inviting exploration and expressing empathy, inclusivity, and authenticity.
Continuous Improvement
We are both positive and assured, and focused and decisive. We are proud of our past achievements and look to the future with ambition.
Formative Autonomy
We pride ourselves in giving students the confidence to take steps today toward the tomorrow they make. This shapes our storytelling.
The Spectrum of Tone and Voice
We are flexible. Our tone changes based on the audience we are communicating with and what’s happening in their world.
Brand Rules
- We are always inclusive and write in the first person collective.
- We keep sentence structure clear and concise. Less is more.
- We avoid using technical or corporate jargon.
- We don't overpromise.
- We are both credible and authentic.
- We are approachable.