Frostburg’s Time to Shine: One University. A World of Experiences

“When you leave this room, everything changes,” said Frostburg State University President Jonathan Gibralter at the end of his annual fall convocation speech on Friday, September 27. However, that was an understatement because everything changed the second he stepped away from the podium to make way for the debut of the new university marketing campaign and tagline, “One University. A World of Experiences.”

A new video showing students, alumni, faculty, and staff discussing the university’s strong points of experiential learning, sustainability, and affordability debuted and served as the official launch of the campaign. At its conclusion, the audience joyously applauded as Gibralter threw open the doors of the Alice R. Manicur Assembly hall to reveal a celebration in honor of the new campaign.

All of Lane University Center had been transformed into a festival that included workers dressed in fresh new shirts proudly displaying the new tagline along with games, cheerleaders, the mascot, the marching band, new promotional materials, and free food and prizes. During the celebration, members from all areas of the FSU community, both past and present, were around mingling and showing their Bobcat Pride.

“It’s hard to describe the energy, enthusiasm, and positive response to the roll out,” said Rosemary Thomas, Vice President of University Advancement, during the celebration. “It is definitely Frostburg State University’s time to shine.”

Energy was indeed high following convocation with the celebration going strong for nearly an hour and a half after the end of the speech. However, the enthusiasm for the campaign did not stop after the celebration. Banners, posters, signs, and much more proudly displaying the new tagline are visible all over campus stirring up discussions from everyone. The video has even gone viral amongst FSU students, faculty, staff, alumni, and prospective students.

While the video and new tagline are getting people talking, it is important to note that the new campaign runs much deeper than the face value of these new promotional ideas. The true value of the campaign is celebrating the FSU brand. As Gibralter stated, “a brand is not simply a logo or a slogan—it’s a connection, a feeling that resonates with everyone when they think about an institution.”

Connections to the university were very prominent during convocation. Twitter was buzzing throughout with attendees commenting on how much they love FSU, and the following celebration was consumed with discussions of just how amazing the university truly is. Students like sophomore Samantha Metz felt a renewed pride in FSU. “I’m really excited for my future years here, as well as for future students,” said Metz.

One overarching connection that seemed to be felt across the entire room was that FSU truly stands out as a leader amongst institutions in terms of the experiences provided here. “As I was sitting there listening, I thought it’s about time we kick Towson and Salisbury’s butt,” said Joe Lambert, FSU alumni class of 1979.

Ultimately, the new marketing campaign is not about changing FSU or doing something differently. It is about changing our attitude and showing pride in what the university is already doing well, but it goes further than that still. It is about everyone sharing their stories with world. “Ladies and gentlemen, you are our storytellers,” said Gibralter at the conclusion of convocation. “You are creating our story. You make it believable. As you have seen, we have many stories to tell, and unlike Vegas, what happens in Frostburg no longer stays in Frostburg.”