BYU

Mechanical Engineering
Communications Strategy

Austin Tenny, Kristi Hargriss, Erin Hemmelgarn, Kristian Gil, Micah Domingo
Communications 336, Section 001
12/14/15


EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Opportunity and Purpose
Brigham Young Universitys Mechanical Engineering (ME) program is a highly accredited
undergraduate program. ME faculty, staff, alumni and students have been recognized for their innovative
contributions to society and diligence in providing superior training in the field, and in roles of leadership.
Top universities and corporations for providing solutions to problems facing humanity seek after students
within the program. The overall purpose of this strategic campaign research is to analyze the current
standing of BYUs ME department, and provide recommendations for increasing program recognition and
its image globally.
Conclusions
An analysis of the BYU Mechanical Engineering departments publics and its overall recognition amongst
peers nationwide has led us to the following conclusions the department is currently facing:

Lack of awareness and education of what engineers contribute to society

Experts use too much technical jargon to explain daily, nitty-gritty responsibilities that take focus
away from the visionary aspect of the field
Lack of training in the use social and traditional media to promote ME educational program
successes hinders the school from generating awareness amongst their targeted market-base
A sustainable and strategic communications campaign can only be achieved with the dedication
and support of all ME faculty and staff

Recommendations
After a careful evaluation of the of mission statement of the BYU Mechanical Engineering department and
the current perceptions of society towards the industry, specific recommendations are given to help increase
understanding among publics of the school's objectives and goals.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

Within a year, secure 100 national, state and global stories that highlight BYUs Mechanical
Engineering department
Increase traffic to BYUs ME website and social media platforms by 50 percent within the first six
months, and another 20 percent by the end of 2016
Restructure and improve BYU ME departments overall communications efforts within the next 3
months
Reach out and build mutually beneficial relationships with the nations current top five mechanical
engineering schools within the first year
Improve the ME Departments public image on campus by 80 percent within the next 6 months
Generate sustainable media & social content to last 4 months after the first year of the campaign

Budget
This campaign costs a total of $8,776.80. However, due to our partners who are motivated and excited to
support us and university resources available for our use, as well as the addition of $2,000 from t-shirt sales
profits, our campaign will cost only $1,961.80-- which is $3,033.20 under our $5,000 budget. Our partners
are funding $4,815 of our campaigns expenses. Our goal is to increase overall reach and recognition of
BYUs Mechanical Engineering program and its students and faculty. Through partner donations, student
support and community outreach we will help draw more attention to the social contributions mechanical
engineers can make. This is the most inexpensive plan that will result in maximum positive publicity,
producing the results desired from the opportunity at hand.


External Environment
College graduates in the class of 2015 with
bachelors degrees in electrical engineering can
expect an average starting salary of $57,000.
Computer engineering graduates are close behind,
with average salaries of $56,600. Next come
mechanical engineering graduates with starting
salaries of $56,000 (Adams, 2014). This career
surpasses the entry level salary of even the
accounting program at BYU, which fames itself on
the ability to send young graduates into a job with
good salaries.
A reason many of the skill sets and career
opportunities are not as advertised or marketed as
they should be is because the industry has a hard time
communicating this to the public. According to a
Forbes article, the 10 things that are most important
for aspiring engineers to learn are communications, mathematics, information technologies, physics,
creativity, reading the manual, noticing things and accepting criticism constructively, in that order (Aaron,
2014).
According to a study done by the National Academy of Engineering, when engineers talk to their neighbors
or school children, they tend to imply that engineering is only for those who are great at mathematics and
science. Engineers dont focus on the visionary aspects of the profession, but rather on the nitty-gritty dry
details of their daily work. They also use technical jargon to explain their work, instead of in simple terms
that most people would understand (Pretz, 2013).
This inability to communicate has created a divide in this industry across the world. In many countries,
scientists and engineers are seen as societys leaders and innovators, rather than geeks and nerds, as they all
too often are in the U.S. (Augustine, 2011). In China, engineers hold eight of the top nine political posts. In
the U.S., however, almost no engineers or scientists are engaged in high-level politics, and there is a virtual
absence of engineers in our public policy debates (Augustine, 2011). In a global, knowledge-driven
economy, there is a direct correlation between engineering, education and innovation. Our success or
failure as a nation will be measured by how well we do with the innovation agenda and by how well we are
able to advance medical research, create game-changing devices and improve the world (Augustine, 2011).
Most of our larger companies, which are crucial for advancing and deploying technology-based products
and services, face a substantial wave of retiring engineers. Perhaps even more critical is the continuing
need for a new generation of bright engineers, who, like their predecessors, become innovators and
entrepreneurs who push the cutting edge of technology, develop new products and services and fuel the
enterprises of the 21st century. Indeed, Silicon Valley venture capitalist Floyd Kwamme has defined his
profession as the search for good engineers (Vest, 2011).
The need for young engineers is apparent when we compare the number of graduating engineers in the
United States with the numbers in other nations and regions. Across Asia, 21 percent of university
graduates earn engineering degrees. In Europe, the number is about 12.5 percent. The equivalent
percentage of U.S. university graduates who earn engineering degrees is just 4.5 percent (Vest, 2011).
Workers skilled in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) are in high demand. According to
a February report from Burning Glass, a labor market analytics firm, there were more than twice as many


entry-level job postings per new four-year graduates in STEM fields in 2013, in comparison with postings
for new Bachelor of Arts graduates in non-STEM fields. Companies advertise STEM positions in areas
such as computing and health-care more than twice as long as they advertise other job openings, according
to a July report from the Brookings Institution, a nonpartisan think tank (Feintzeig, 2014).
Top recruiting STEM high schools (U.S. News, N/A):
High Technology High School
Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology
BASIS Scottsdale
Middlesex County Academy for Science, Mathematics and Engineering Technologies
Whitney High School
To continue our leadership in the STEM community, it will be important for the school program to get
involved with local CTE departments and to interact with the engineering and mathematical high schools
around the nation. We want students to see our success and accolades and make BYU their top priority.
This could be one of the most effective ways to gain strong national visibility.
As mentioned previously there is a great demand for engineers. President Obama encourages young people
to pursue education in math and science when he said, I love young people who are doing science, and I
especially love seeing young women in sciences (Squires, 2015). He talked about the future generations of
student as the key to making the United States a leader in innovation and technological advancements. As
of 2013, the U.S. was ranked 27 in math and 20 in the sciences (Pew Research, 2015).
th

th

In addition, a new Pew Research Center report, only 29 percent of Americans rated their countrys K-12
education in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (known as STEM) as above average or the
best in the world. Scientists were even more critical. A companion survey of members of the American
Association for the Advancement of Science found that just 16 percent called U.S. K-12 STEM education
the best or above average; 46 percent, in contrast, said K-12 STEM in the U.S. was below average (Pew
Research, 2015).
Industry
Mechanical engineering is one of the broadest engineering disciplines. Those in the mechanical engineering
field design, develop, build and test mechanical and thermal devices as tools, engines and machines.
Mechanical engineers typically work in a professional office setting, but many also visit worksites to
inspect and service equipment according to their distinct skills. Mechanical engineers work mostly in
research and development, manufacturing industries, engineering services and at times for the federal
government.
The minimum requirement of education to become a mechanical engineer is a bachelors degree, but a
graduate degree is typically needed for advancement and promotion into managerial positions. The median
annual wage for mechanical engineers was $80,580 in May 2012, according to the Bureau of Labor
Statistics. Employment in the mechanical engineer occupation is expected to grow five percent from 2012
to 2022, with the best job outlook for those who stay up to date with the most recent technological
advances in the industry (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2015).
In 2012, mechanical engineers held about 258,100 jobs and mostly worked in manufacturing industries,
architectural and engineering services and research and development.

(Occupational Employment and Wages, 2015).

Industries with the highest level of employment in the mechanical engineering occupation and top paid
industries for this occupation are listed below.

(Occupational Employment and Wages, 2015).

Client


BYUs Ira A. Fulton College of Engineering and Technology enrolls approximately 3,080 undergraduate
students and 360 graduate students. The school has a total of 110 full time and 33 part-time faculty
members that help prepare students to meet the challenges of engineering and technology in the 21st
century. Of its 3,140 students, 70 percent speak a second language. Students learn in more than 140 stateof-the art laboratories with an emphasis placed on mentored research opportunities for undergraduate
students. Annually, 700 degrees are awarded in 11 degree programs. Overall, BYU is ranked 8th in the
United States for the number of students who earn a PhD in engineering (Facts, 2013). Many BYU M.E.
students have also moved on to work for companies like Ford, Boeing, Tesla, and NASA (Marcom, 2015).
From fall 2013-summer 2014, BYUs Mechanical Engineering department (ME) had approximately 876
undergraduate students enrolled in the program and awarded 122 degrees. In a personal interview, MEs
external relations manager, Kelly Marcum, reported that they turned away 40 percent of applicants to the
program this last application period (Marcum, 2015). According to the departments website, the mission of
the ME department is to:
1.
2.
3.

Educate mechanical engineering students to contribute and lead in society

Offer mentoring opportunities for faculty and students to discover, apply and disseminate new
knowledge of real consequence
Provide an educational atmosphere enlightened by the Gospel of Jesus Christ

The department also aims to educate and prepare students through technical excellence, innovation, global
awareness, leadership, character and ethics. The BS degree program in Mechanical Engineering at BYU
has been accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commision of ABET and has specific program
educational objectives and student outcomes that promote program competitiveness and professionalism
(About Us, 2014).
ME Envisioned Future
The strength of our undergraduate program will be fueled by opportunities for learning and
knowledge creation that flow out of a vibrant and vital graduate research program
Graduates of our program (both undergraduate and graduate) will be highly sought after by top
universities, corporations and engineering enterprises and will lead many such organizations
Our graduates will understand the influence of the Spirit and how it applies to their profession and
the creative process
Faculty, staff, students and alumni will be recognized as individuals of faith and integrity
Our faculty will be recognized nationally and internationally as experts in their fields
The technology created within our department will have significant economic and societal impacts
Our curriculum will be exemplary; our methods and materials will be widely respected and used
by others
We will have external partners that readily provide resources and other support necessary to fulfill
our core purpose
ME Core Values
Unwavering commitment to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Earnest desire to seek spiritual guidance in our professional and personal lives
Genuine concern for a devotion to our students that is reflected in our mentoring, teaching,
scholarship and policies
Desire to create useful products and information that improve the world and provide solutions to
problems facing humanity
Commitment to a high degree of collegiality and cooperation among the faculty, staff and students
ME Big Inspired Goal


Ultimately, the ME department wants to be recognized as the best undergraduate mechanical engineering
program in the world and the alma mater for the worlds most influential engineers.
Product, Service or Issue
All undergraduate programs at BYU have the same tuition cost. During the 2016-2017 school year, LDS
full-time tuition is $2,650 per semester, and $5,300 for non-members. Part-time tuition is $2,518 for
members and $5,036 for non-members. For students taking fewer than 8.5 credits, member tuition is $276
per credit and $552 per credit for non-members (Financial Services, 2015)
Compared to other schools, a mechanical engineering degree is coming at a steeply discounted price. In a
search of colleges with mechanical engineering programs, there were 339 results, with tuition starting at
$3,850 at Brigham Young University Idaho (for non-members) and going as high as $47,343 at George
Washington University (Niche College Search, 2015)
The top three ME programs in the country are listed as MIT ($37,579 annually) (Massachusetts Institute of
Technology Overview, 2013), Georgia Institute of Technology ($19,387 annual in-state) (College Factual
Georgia Institute of Technology, 2013), and Stevens Institute of Technology ($41,364 annually) (College
Factual Stevens Institute of Technology, 2013).
According to CollegeFactual, 78 percent of Brigham Young University students graduate within a
reasonable amount of time, three to six years depending on the degree (College Factual Brigham Young
University - Provo, 2013). In the fall 2013-summer 2014 school year, BYUs ME program had
approximately 876 undergraduate students enrolled in the program and awarded 122 degrees.
Current notable BYU ME projects include Electric Blue, the E1 streamliner electric car that set the new
land speed record (Hollingshead, 2014), solar panel designs based on origami from the Compliant
Mechanisms research team (Compliant Mechanisms, 2015), and the Design Exploration research team,
which works on redesigning current products to be more efficient or otherwise improved (Design
Exploration, 2013). Other research groups work on projects such as motion restoration and preservation
(College Factual Brigham Young University - Provo, 2013), vehicle design, robotics and other topics. The
two semester Capstone Program offered within the ME program gives students hands on experience with
real, industry-sponsored projects. Students have worked in the U.S. and in 12 foreign countries for the
Capstone Program. During the course of the program, students produce useful products that provide
solutions to real world problems (Overview | Capstone, 2012).
BYUs engineering programs are offered at a bachelor, master and doctoral levels and are currently ranked
94 in the nation and second in the state of Utah, with main competitors being the University of Utah and
Weber State University (Best Engineering Colleges, 2015).
th

In a study done by research group Universum, mechanical engineering graduates hope most to work for
NASA, Google and Boeing. Followed by other companies such as Apple, Microsoft and Disney (Smith,
2013). Working with companies such as these to recruit graduates and interns would be a valuable step to
take in drawing potential students to the university.
Promotions
When it comes to promotions, the ME department has expressed their lack of self-promotion. The
department does have a few accounts on various social media platforms. The following social media listed
on their main page: Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and YouTube.
Twitter
Their Twitter feed, BYUME, has been used to advertise various events that they have put on or that
students would be interested since August 2012. They also highlight exceptional projects or
accomplishments from students. The frequency of posting is random and inconsistent. Currently they are


following 719, 324 followers and 4 likes. Mostly photos are shared with a couple of videos in between
(@byumecheng, Twitter, 2015).
Facebook
The BYU mechanical engineering Facebook page is very similar to their Twitter feed. They always have an
image whenever they post, however, there are only have four videos uploaded. The frequency of posts are
inconsistent. The about section has little to offer except contact information and a map. With 1,593 likes,
their Facebook page could be utilized more to reach publics (BYU Mechanical Engineering, Facebook,
2015).
YouTube
The YouTube link found at the bottom of the mechanical engineering main page under Follow, leads to
the Brigham Young University channel instead of a channel dedicated to the department (BYU, YouTube,
2015).
LinkedIn
The LinkedIn group for the department has 1,136 members. This group is dedicated to alumni and students
who have graduated or will graduate in the program. There are pictures of various administrators found
there as well Kelly Marcum, Scott Greenhalgh and Jim Trent (BYU Mechanical Engineering, LinkedIn,
2015).
Main Website
As far as other coverage and promotion, the department has made available on their main page access to
various news releases. These releases are categorized by year and videos. News release content includes
highlight events, seminars and profiles ("News Releases," 2015). Other links found on the website include
BYU Capstone Program, BYU Racing Program, Internships and Jobs, ME Merchandise and Give to BYUMe, among others. Some of these links do a great job of showing off what the BYU ME Department can
offer (About Us, 2014).
BYU News
The BYU ME department has been featured in several articles found on BYU News in some way. From
students solving problems with NASAs Jet Propulsion Laboratory to creating smart-foam for football
helmets to prevent concussions, mechanical engineering students and professors have a lot to be proud of.
These articles also include a video that readers can watch to gain better insight into the story (BYU News,
2009).
Market share
Brigham Young University has a total of 26,674 undergraduate students, from that whole, 3,473 students
are studying in the College of Engineering and Technology. There were 876 students that enrolled for
mechanical engineering in the fall of 2013. That means that 13 percent of all students are studying a major
in the Engineering and Technology College and that 25.2 percent of the engineering students are enrolled
for the ME program (Enrollments, 2015). In all of the schools in the U.S., there were 471,730 students that
enrolled in a discipline within engineering. From all of these students, 101, 476 students enrolled in the
field of mechanical engineering (Yolder, 2015). That is equivalent to 21.5 percent of the total number
students who are enrolled in an engineering track.
BYU granted 6,213 bachelors degrees in 2013. On this same year, 148 students graduated from the ME
program. That means that 2.4 percent of the students that graduated from BYU earned a degree in
mechanical engineering (Enrollments, 2015). In 2011, there were 83,001 total engineer graduates in all the
schools in the U.S. 19,241 of these were from the mechanical engineering field (Yolder, 2015). BYUs ME
program had 0.8 percent of the total graduates in the United States.


BYUs undergraduate students are 55 percent male and 45 percent female. In the ME major, the gender of
the students is uneven, with 89.2 percent of male students and only 10.8 percent of women (Enrollments,
2015). In the U.S. in 2011, 11.7 percent of the students enrolled in a mechanical engineering program were
female (Yolder, 2015). Concluding that BYU follows the same trend as the rest of the colleges found in the
United States.
Competition
The BYU Mechanical Engineering program has two kinds of competition, internal and external. The
internal competition is with the other majors within BYU to attract the open major students. The external
competition is the other colleges in the nation that are also trying to attract the prospective students.
Internal competition
BYU has nearly 200 different majors, and 15 different colleges and departments. Many of the students that
come to BYU are either undecided on a major or are not set on the one that they are studying. Every year,
BYU publishes a ranking of their majors by enrollment. In 2013, mechanical engineering was in the fourth
position. The three majors above it were management, communications and exercise science (BYU, 2015).
The first two have great websites that are not only informational, but are engaging and well designed. Both
of them are also fairly active on their social media accounts, especially the BYU Marriott School, posting
on their Twitter account several times a day.
External competition
The best engineering colleges in the United States are considered to be the biggest competition to BYUs
ME program. According to College Factual, the top three engineering colleges in the U.S., in order from
bottom to top, are: Stevens Institute of Technology, Georgia Institute of Technology and, as number one,
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (CollegeFactual, 2015). In all of these schools, engineering is the
most popular field of study, having mechanical and civil engineering as the most popular majors in these
schools. All of these schools are highly selective on the students that they accept into their programs.
Taking into consideration the price of the tuition and the student outcomes, CollegeFactual.com ranks the
first three of these schools as high value schools. Their tuition prices range from $20,000 - $45,000. These
schools engineering graduates have high average salaries, ranging from $60,000 - $68,000 (Niche, 2015).
Other highly ranked schools are active and consistent in social media spheres. This places them in the
public's eye more often. MITs last post on Twitter was Dec. 11. (@mitmeche, Twitter, 2015). The College
of Engineering at Georgia Tech posted a picture of fall graduates and congratulated them on Dec. 14
(College of Engineering at Georgia Tech, Facebook, 2015). The Stevens Institute of Technology also
posted on Dec. 14 featuring a student who just received her early acceptance letter (@followstevens,
Instagram, 2015). These are all highly sought after universities for both students and recruiters.
Resources
Klos Travel Guitars (this is a potential prize option for one of our contests): These guitars are meant for
easy travel and are purposed for getting dinged and bumped around during heavy moves. The bodies of
these guitars are made with a carbon fiber body and the neck is made with mahogany and rosewood (Jolley,
2015). The founder of this company was a BYU mechanical engineering major and he could be a great
resource for strategy implementation. A donation of one guitar could be used as a prize in the campaign.
There is a variety of local media that can disseminate key messages throughout the campaign. The BYU
Daily Universe can provide weekly news coverage of technological innovation. Other outlets outside of the
school include the Daily Herald, KSL, FOX 13, The Salt Lake Tribune, Deseret News, ABC 4 News. As for
media at a more national level, there are several magazines and STEM-focused outlets that could pick up a
story. The Science Daily, Engineering-News-Record, The Engineer and the IEEE Spectrum could all
be potential outlets to pitch to. A strong media list for local, regional and national media can be created
internally and is primary research.


As for individual opinion leaders we can reach out to, Norman Augustine is a member of the IEEE and a
strong advocate for changing the perception of the engineering industry (Forbes, 2011). He was the
Chairman and CEO of Lockheed Martin (Forbes, 2011).
Aside from outside resources, twice per year, BYU hosts the STEM Career Fair, one of the largest
technical career fairs in the Intermountain West, giving companies access to more than 2,000 well-prepared
students representing 24 STEM-related majors. The event begins on February 11 and runs from 9am to
3pm in the WSC Ballroom and Garden Court (BYU Recruiting, 2015). Many top recruiters will come to
event, so it provides BYU a great opportunity to positively brand themselves amongst company names in
the industry. MET internship opportunities are showcased on the website, but are frankly quite hidden
(MET Internships, 2015). There is a great opportunity to use their recruits as a resource to showcase their
successes and gain more traction from up-and-coming engineering students.
An important asset, which BYU should us for self-promotion, is their accomplishment in the mechanical
engineering industry. For example, they build an ultralight speed car, which broke the land record reaching
about 204 mph (Hays, 2014). In another capstone course, team of BYU students created inexpensive,
lightweight motorized wheelchair specifically for children with Spinal Muscular Atrophy (Oligschlaeger,
2013). The engineering department has also made great strides in sports technology with the development
of football helmet foam inserted with nano technology, which can measure the amount of force a football
athletes receive when they hit other players (Whitehurst, 2013). Finally, BYU M.E. has been working to
improve the lives of those living in third world countries. Charles and Amy Wood, both BYU mechanical
engineers put their knowledge together for humanitarian causes in India and,built affordable wooden carts
to help Peruvian farmers wheel their goods to market (Christiansen, 2014).
On Campus Image
BYU ME has a few opportunities for communicating their image on campus in the Clyde and Crabtree
building. According to the ME department, these attempts are anemic. It would be beneficial for our
communications team to analyze these images and identify a couple of ways the design can be changed to
better match the message of the department.
SWOT Analysis (from me.byu.edu)
Strengths

Award-winning
staff
Strong mission
statement
Accredited BS
program
Consistent
enrollment and
graduation
Ongoing projects
All faculty have
PhDs
Possess social
media platforms
Tuition is low
Low debt
Study Abroad/
Capstone Program

Weaknesses

Terrible
website
Text-heavy,
dont use
many
images
Hard to
locate
information
Don't cover
trendy/cool
innovation
117/1087
women to
men ratio
Not
consistent on
social media

Opportunities

Improve
website/social
media presence
Communicate
more effectively
with publics
Use more
pictures/videos
Attract/retain
more students
Recruit from
high schools
Humanitarian
Bradley
Lab/Intern
Explain what
mechanical
engineers

Threats

Other
programs
that are
better at
advertising
Teachers
leaving for
schools with
better
recognized
programs
Better job
placements
Lack of
diversity

10

Communications
liaison

platforms

actually do

Market Research
High school students considering STEM college majors
Students from 9 -12 grade are beginning to consider different universities they might attend and programs
they may consider for study. Because of the cross-marketability, high pay and job availability of STEM
careers, they are prime choices. (Allan, 2015) Young students are concerned about having lucrative careers
that produce high income. They can be reached through social media channels, their parents and college
advisement figures such as teachers, tour guides and university administrators.
th

th

Current ME students
Since peers are a strong influence for both high school students and college students, current ME students
can promote their program to those who may be interested by sharing information about current ME
projects, research opportunities, job openings and more. These individuals can be reached through
university communications, their professors and peers.
Parents of children interested in STEM programs
Though high school students dont like to admit it, parents are a key influencer in the schools and careers
their children choose. Children are influenced by the expectations their parents have for them, the examples
that have been set for them, the values their families have and the opportunities for learning they are given.
Since parents want their children to succeed and typically have a have a better life than I did attitude,
many parents push for lucrative careers in the STEM fields since studies have shown that those fields are
less likely to face underemployment. Parents can be reached by high school administrators, college
communications through mail and email and other adult peers and colleagues (McFadden, 2015;
Qualifax.ie, 2015).
BYU ME alumni
BYU is known for having alumni that have gone on to accomplish great things. The BYU ME alumni page
currently has no information on what ME alumni are currently doing, but if prospective mechanical
engineering students see what types of futures they might have, they may be more interested in an ME
career, more recruiters will want to hire BYU ME graduates and MEs peers will recognize the great things
the BYU ME program is doing. ME Alumni also might be useful for promoting BYU as a school option to
interns at their workplaces or the children of their colleagues. Alumni can be reached personally or through
university alumni communications (BYU ME Alumni, 2015).
BYU administrators/faculty/advisors
Students are able to schedule meetings with university staff that can help them plan their schedules and
give advice about what majors might be best for them. By communicating with these advisors, we can
make sure that students are being told about the opportunities ME might hold for them. The ME faculty
also plays a crucial role in communicating what the ME department is all about (University Advisement
Center, 2015)
BYU tour guides
Campus tours are available for prospective BYU students, and are tailored to the programs that each visitor
is interested in. Some tour guides will offer suggestions for alternatives, and educating tour guides on what
ME has to offer would raise awareness for prospective students as a potential program (BYU Admissions,
2015).
BYU major fair coordinators

11


BYU Advisement holds a major fair each year, which are good opportunities for students to learn more
about other programs requirements, career options and contributions to society. Working with major fair
coordinators to demonstrate some of MEs ongoing projects is one possible way to draw more attention to
the department (Major Fair, 2015).
NSO coordinators
The goal of New Student Orientation is to familiarize new students with the campus and the resources
available to them as students. For any program, it is important that students have access to help for their
coursework, especially in a challenging major like mechanical engineering where a heavy course load may
cause students to leave for something less labor-intensive. Additionally, arranging for new students to visit
the Clyde building to see a demonstration of one of MEs ongoing projects could pique curiosity and urge
them to find out more about the major (BYU First-Year Mentoring, 2015).
BYU freshman mentors
In the same vain as NSO, freshman mentors can be available to help first-year students manage the
challenging prerequisites for the ME program so they do not get discouraged (BYU First-Year Mentoring,
2015).
BYU pre-professional ME students
These students are preparing to apply for the ME program, which has a very high acceptance rate.
Communicating with these students to make sure that they have the resources they need and know about
said resources is important so that they feel prepared for this application. These students can be reached
through social media, the ME website, their teachers, TAs and peers (BYU ME Pre-professional Program,
2015).
Followers of BYU social media
BYUs twitter account alone has 37.5 thousand followers, meaning that the universitys social media
activities reach a huge audience. Working with the communications team to optimize MEs social media
presence and increase exposure on BYUs social media channels would be beneficial to raise awareness of
the program (@byu, Twitter, 2015).

12


Situational Analysis
The BYU Mechanical Engineering Department (ME) is a highly accredited undergraduate program. It has
received accreditation from the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET, which provides
assurance that the university program meets the quality standards of the profession for which it prepares
graduates. ME faculty, staff and alumni are not only recognized for their innovative contributions to
society, but also for their diligence in providing superior training in the field, and in roles of leadership.
Students within the program are excelling and sought after by top universities, corporations and
engineering enterprises. They are creating useful products and information that improve the world and
provide solutions to problems facing humanity. Based on the research conducted by our communications
team, the current situation presents an opportunity for the ME department to make a strong effort to reach
out to ME peers, sponsors, renowned corporations and other potential publics to communicate the ME
program, its mission, goals, accomplishments, accolades and caliber of students. By so doing, the ME
department will gain greater reach and further their goals of becoming recognized and admired on a global
level.
Based on research, there is a lack of awareness and education in society of what engineers contribute to
society. The misperception is primarily the product of experts who use too much technical jargon to explain
daily, nitty-gritty responsibilities that take focus away from the visionary aspect of the field. In addition, the
lack of training in the use social and traditional media to promote ME educational program successes
hinders the school from generating awareness amongst their targeted market-base. This also requires all
those involved to produce frequent and relevant content for all media. Another concern is if the ME faculty,
staff and students are not behind this effort, success will be unsustainable. It is crucial to have the support
and dedication of all faculty and students.
Core Opportunity
If the ME department makes a strong effort to reach out to ME peers, sponsors, renowned corporations and
other potential publics to communicate the ME program, its mission, goals, accomplishments, accolades
and the caliber of its students, then the department will gain greater reach and further their goals of
becoming recognized and admired on a global level.
Goal
To increase overall reach and recognition of BYUs Mechanical Engineering program and its students and
faculty.
Objectives
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

Within a year, secure 100 national, state and global stories that highlight BYUs Mechanical
Engineering Department.
Increase traffic to BYUs ME website and social media platforms by 50 percent within the first six
months, and another 20 percent by the end of 2016.
Restructure and improve BYU ME departments overall communications efforts within three
months,
Reach out and build mutually beneficial relationships with the nations current top five mechanical
engineering schools within the first year.
Improve the ME Departments public image on campus by 80 percent within the next six months.
Generate sustainable media & social content to last four months after the first year of the
campaign.

Big Idea

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Big Idea Strategy: Increase the programs proficiency in public outreach. This can be done through
creating shareable, relevant and engaging content with the help of faculty, students, staff and
outside sources.
Message: BYU Mechanical Engineering: making your future possible since 1953.
Visual Representation:

Slogan: Build the future with the future.

Key Public #1: BYU ME faculty

Self Interests: Job stability, opportunities for advancement, the programs welfare and progression and
gaining better recognition for their work and their great students, among others.
Key Public #2: Highly ranked ME schools and professionals in the ME industry
Self Interests: Desire to create opportunities for their students, keep their ranking, have employees that
create value for their company/school, build larger networks and profitability.
Key Public #3: BYU population
Self Interests: They want to be part of a great cause and have school pride.
Key Public #4: Top company recruiters/sponsors
Self Interests: Attract the best college graduates, get recognition, feel good about who they are investing in
and give back to society.
Messages
Key Public: BYU ME faculty
Primary Message: Good media relations, connections with other professionals and professors and
strong communication on social media platforms will improve the overall perception of the
program
o Secondary Messages
Constructing a thorough media list with a local, regional and national outreach
will enable us to communicate our successes beyond
The engineering faculty needs to be aware of newsworthy endeavors of their
counterparts and in their own department
By maintaining and engaging with current connections in the profession and
creating new ones, it provides an opportunity to showcase the program's many
strengths and create mutually beneficial partnerships

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o
o

o
o

An effective way to sustain a healthy social media campaign is to create a

calendar of content and events
Strategy One: Educate the BYU ME faculty through a media/communications workshop
that building connections both in the digital world and real world will positively impact
the departments image and reach.
Tactics One:
Hold a communications/media workshop once a month/30 min - one hour
Construct a thorough media list with a local, regional and national outreach
Create bi-weekly new releases, which report on current project undertakings
Editorial calendar
Include categories such as: Original content, share content from other
universities, share content from other peers, videos, memes, cool facts,
infographics, events and articles/blog posts relevant to engineering
Create three design templates for infographic and promotional purposes
Monthly newsletter
Post three times a week on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. (This means we
need to create an Instagram account)
Create a YouTube Channel and upload current videos and future videos
Hire an intern as social media manager
Strategy Two: Engage the faculty in organizing an engineering/charity events to build
mutually beneficial relationships
Tactics Two
Hold a design competition for high school students to work hands on with ME
faculty in executing their plans to create a useful product (this can be done in
2017 if needed)
Email invites to local CTE programs - include our slogan of Build the
future with the future
Secure location for competition
Promo posts through social media and posters in the community
Secure 1st, 2nd and 3rd place prizes
Recruit volunteers from ME department
Put together media kit and release & pitch stories to local and state
media on the competition for high school students
Donate an origami Christmas tree annually for the Festival of Trees event
Pitch feature story idea on students who design Christmas tree

Key Public: Highly ranked ME schools and professionals in the ME industry

Primary Message: By collaborating with each other, we can create better opportunities and
recognition for both programs
o Secondary Messages
We have a strong network with top companies and professionals in the ME
industry
Building a larger network together will strengthen the mechanical engineering
industry
BYU ME students are highly sought after by top companies
Our findings are relevant and are changing the industry
Our programs students are just as competent as the students in the high ranked
programs
We are building the future with the future
o Strategy One: Engage highly ranked universities through social media to build a mutually
beneficial relationship that will create new ways to get recognition by building stronger
networks

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o
o

Tactics
Create and share content of collaborations between our program and their
program on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram
Share, tag and attribute various projects, findings and successes from other
universities on Twitter, Facebook, linkedIn and Instagram
Strategy Two: Create personal interaction and collaboration with the top faculty and
members of their ME departments
Tactics
Work with other mechanical engineering programs from Utah State University,
Utah University and Weber State to solve a social issue in the world or state
Work with the Design & Exploration team to identify social issues to
work on
Create pitch to send out to local universities inquiring to collaborate on
social projects

Key Public: BYU Population

Primary Message: BYU Mechanical Engineers set no boundaries, explore like heroes and push
humanity forward
o Secondary Messages
ME are more than just nuts and bolts
There are products all around you that were created by mechanical engineers
ME produced the worlds lightest, least expensive motorized wheelchair
ME professors created a super waterproof surface
ME students and faculty have created a new land speed record with their E1
Streamliner
We build the future with the future
o Strategy: Demonstrate to the BYU Population through the use of visual aids and
promotional events that the BYU ME department and students are leaders and innovators
and bring value to the university
o Tactics
Stickers/plaques on normal items and things that were engineered
Put sticker/plaque on water fountains with history on how engineers
played a role in the item.
o My engineer made that - BYU ME
o An engineer made this - BYU ME
o I was engineered by BYU ME
o I was made by an engineer -BYU ME

Break a Guinness world record event (done by the capstone class(es))

Showcase a cool invention or product produced by the ME department at
halftime show at a football and basketball game

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Create digital and physical calendars that alert the BYU population of upcoming
ME events and project showcases
Drive the E1 Streamliner around campus to showcase it
Hold a wheelchair race competition for students to see and experience the
invention, invite those children who are already are using the wheelchairs to
participate
Secure a location to hold the wheelchair race and provide treats for
spectators and participants
Put together media kit and
release & pitch a story on the
wheelchair race and how the
wheelchairs are blessing the
lives of those in need
Create customizable t-shirts that say,
Im a [insert word] and Im an
engineer or Pick me to build your
future or Build the future with the
future or Im with ME - Back- BYU
Mechanical Engineering

Key Public: Top company recruiters/sponsors

Primary Message #1: Recruiting and hiring BYU ME
program graduates will enrich and add value to your
company and/or graduate program
o Secondary Messages
We are building the future with the future
BYU ME students have a strong technical
background in their field and understand
technology at interface between
traditional fields
BYU ME students keep the pace and stay
ahead of the rapid development and
implementation of new science and
technology in the 21st century
BYU ME students are globally aware and
understand people, cultures and work
effectively within context
BYU ME students have an increased
leadership capacity
BYU ME students are responsible, have
integrity and are examples of impeccable character
o Strategy: Communicate to top company recruiters and sponsors through promotional
content that by hiring or sponsoring BYU ME students they will enrich their companies,
programs and the mechanical engineering industry as a whole.
o Tactics:
Promotional videos that highlight BYU ME students latest innovations and
their highly innovative capstone program - build the future with the future
Promotional videos highlighting recent BYU ME program graduates and their
impact on the industry (Example: Student that went on to MIT and is working
for Tesla)

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Videos highlighting BYU ME students using their second languages in the

industry. (Highlight how a large percent of BYU students are proficient in more
than one language. Demonstrates global awareness as well as the international
opportunities and advantages to specifically hiring BYU ME graduates)
Posts videos to all social media platforms and tag and share content with
influencers, top companies and sponsors
Create write-ups that provide additional information to support the videos
Send ME merchandise, brochures and secure tickets to specified BYU events for
those recruiters and sponsors who invest
Send digital media inquiry kits for each video

Primary Message #2: A donation to the BYU Mechanical Engineering department is not only tax
deductible, but a necessary contribution which enables us to take the impossible, and make it
possible.
o Secondary Messages (these messages are not limited to the ones mentioned on paper)
Charles and Amy Wood, both BYU mechanical engineers put their knowledge
together for humanitarian causes in India, and built affordable wooden carts to
help Peruvian farmers wheel their goods to market
Jake Merrell, has created a football helmet foam embedded with
nanotechnology, which has the capability of measuring the force of impact a
football player suffers when they take a hit to their head
BYU ME department broke the world record last year by over 50 using a
completely electric car called the E1 Streamliner
BYU ME capstone class created the world's lightest, least expensive motorized
wheelchair and gave it to Tanner and Skyler Jensen, two children suffering from
Spinal Muscular Atrophy.
We are building the future with the future
o Tactics:
Guinness world record event (Mention sponsors)
Put together media kit and release & pitch a story on Guinness World
Record story
Create a digital donation plea/inquiry to send to donors
Create a newsletter to send to donors
Create an events calendar that can be used to send out to donors to notify them
of project developments

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