A MAJOR DONATION - AND A MAJOR OPPORTUNITY

Project Overview

When Milwaukee School of Engineering (MSOE) a private, non-profit university in Milwaukee, was gifted a record donation, leadership knew it was an opportunity to raise the profile of the university.

The Challenge

In the fall of 2017, the university received a record $34 million donation from alumnus and board regent, Dr. Dwight Diercks and his wife, Dian. The generous donation marked an inflection point for the university, who planned to use the funds to construct a new academic facility on campus, as well as launch an accompanying academic program in computational science and host one of the Midwest’s first supercomputers in an academic setting.

The Solution

Mueller Communications was engaged to work directly with MSOE’s communications team to develop and execute a public rollout plan to announce the donation and the plan to construct a new academic building.

The comprehensive plan included key message development, fact sheet and FAQ development, editorial board briefing guidance and oversight, dignitary and VIP list development and outreach, spokesperson training for MSOE President Dr. John Walz, comprehensive local and national media plan development and execution, development of a unique “brand” to commemorate the special event, individual audience research, messaging and outreach and onsite execution, inclusive of:

  • Development and dissemination of press packets
  • On-site coordination
  • Facilitating reporter participation and on-site interviews
  • Media follow up, story procurement and impact measurement

The Results

Mueller Communications efforts resulted in significant media coverage in regional print, digital and TV outlets – generating significant buzz on social media, and garnering more than 1.5 million article views online.

To this day, Mueller Communications continues to support MSOE’s efforts to be a thought leader in artificial intelligence and computer science through media relations, in addition to providing on-call support for major campus announcements, crisis response, spokesperson and leadership media trainings and more.

Mueller Communications was engaged to work directly with MSOE’s communications team to develop and execute a public rollout plan to announce the donation and the plan to construct a new academic building.

The comprehensive plan included key message development, fact sheet and FAQ development, editorial board briefing guidance and oversight, dignitary and VIP list development and outreach, spokesperson training for MSOE President Dr. John Walz, comprehensive local and national media plan development and execution, development of a unique “brand” to commemorate the special event, individual audience research, messaging and outreach and onsite execution, inclusive of:

  • Development and dissemination of press packets
  • On-site coordination
  • Facilitating reporter participation and on-site interviews
  • Media follow up, story procurement and impact measurement