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2016 PRSSA Bateman Case Study

Competition

Samford University PRSSA Bateman Team

Created by: Emily Duval Allie HaywoodLauren HutchensKathleen SharpPaige Shelby

Faculty Advisor: Betsy Emmons, Ph.D., APR

TABLE OF CONTENTSA hero is valorous. A hero is loyal. A hero is brave. A hero is dedicated. A hero is fearless. A hero is selfless. A hero is strong. A hero is kind. A hero is humble. A hero is trustworthy. A hero is selfless. A hero is faithful. A hero is honorable. A hero is a veteran. A hero is a friend. A hero is sacrificial. A hero is valorous. A hero is loyal. A hero is brave. A hero is dedicated. A hero is fearless. A hero is selfless. A hero is strong. A hero is kind. A hero is humble. A hero is trustworthy. A hero is selfless. A hero is faithful. A hero is honorable. A hero is valorous. A hero is loyal. A hero is brave. A hero is dedicated. A hero is fearless. A hero is selfless. A hero is strong. A hero is kind. A hero is humble. A hero is trustworthy. A hero is selfless. A hero is faithful. A hero is honorable. A hero is a veteran. A hero is a friend. A hero is sacrificial. A hero is valorous. A hero is loyal. A hero is brave. A hero is dedicated. A hero is fearless. A hero is selfless. A hero is strong. A hero is kind. A hero is humble. A hero is trustworthy. A hero is selfless. A hero is faithful. A hero is honorable. A hero is valorous. A hero is loyal. A hero is brave. A hero is dedicated. A hero is fearless. A hero is selfless. A hero is strong. A hero is kind. A hero is humble. A hero

Executive Summary About SVA

Situation Analysis

Research

Target Audiences

Messages of Iron Heroes

The Campaign

Goal, Objectives, Strategies and Tactics

Earned Media Summary

Social Media Summary

Conclusion

Appendix

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A hero is someone who bravely enters the unknown, who looks beyond his or her individual needs to serve the community. A hero is strong.

Student veterans embody the definition of a hero “from the front lines to the front row.” Whether the unknown is a battlefield or a classroom, a student veteran has faced it with courage. Even after serving our nation through the military, a student veteran continues to strive for a better community by advancing his or her education. A student veteran displays strength physically, mentally and emotionally.

Iron has been used throughout history for its strength in order to make items ranging from weaponry to machinery. The world’s largest cast iron statue is the Vulcan, located in Birmingham, Ala. Birmingham was founded for its proximity to raw materials like iron. The statue of Vulcan highlights the area’s growing industrial abilities. Now, Vulcan symbolizes Birmingham’s strength and endless potential while standing high over the city. With this history and narrative in mind, the 2016 Samford University PRSSA Bateman team developed the concept of “Iron Heroes” to give a voice to the local strong and heroic student veteran population in Birmingham’s higher education community. The campaign encouraged and empowered student veterans in Birmingham both on a campus and community level.

Since Samford did not have an official Student Veterans of America (SVA) chapter, our team partnered with the existing veterans organization, the Campus Veterans Association. We were able to personally connect with student veterans and their dependents as well as inform them about additional resources and benefits provided by Student Veterans of America.

We also established relationships with five other institutions of higher education in Birmingham to build awareness of student veterans and SVA: University of Alabama Birmingham, Southeastern Bible College, University of Phoenix, Jefferson State Community College and Birmingham Southern College. These institutions of higher education are likely to have a higher veteran population as community colleges and public universities.

Throughout the month-long Iron Heroes campaign, our team successfully raised awareness of the SVA and the Post 9/11 GI Bill benefits to over five million people. In addition, we mobilized the Birmingham community to rethink their perception of student veterans.

Student Veterans of America was established in 2008 to assist service men and women returning from the military in reaching their goals of obtaining a college degree. The SVA’s mission to provide veterans with the resources they need is carried out by over 1,300 chapters on college campuses around the globe.

SVA works directly with student veterans and corporate partners to accomplish its mission. Programs that focus on student support, cultivating leadership and building a sustainable future for student veterans are the cornerstones of what SVA does. Additionally, SVA tells the story of student veterans and creates a network to keep members connected throughout their careers.

Executive Summary

About SVA

The Problem The transition back into civilian life has never been easy for veterans. In an effort to ease this transition, the Post 9/11 GI Bill was created in 2008 to provide financial support for veterans and their dependents. More than one million veterans have entered higher education since the bill’s enactment. However, many veterans and dependents are not fully aware of the benefits for which they qualify.

Additionally, numerous GI Bill recipients struggle to find a sense of community on college campuses. Veterans are different from the traditional student: many are older and face difficulties, including emotional or physical trauma or the pressure of supporting a family. These difficulties complicate efforts to pursue higher education and make it challenging for veterans to relate to other students.

In Birmingham, there are nearly 14,000 veterans. Many of these veterans have not finished college, and the unemployment rate of the veteran population in Birmingham is over double the national average. Although there are numerous veterans returning to school, less than 35 percent of college students in Birmingham knew any veterans at their school before our campaign.

During our research, we found that the Student Veterans of America has had inconsistent branding across the nation. Certain SVA chapters at various schools have different names for their organizations even though they are affliated with SVA. Specifically, at Samford there was no official SVA chapter to partner with but a local organization called Campus Veterans Association.

The Opportunity Because there was no official SVA chapter at Samford, we had the opportunity to start one. Our team partnered with the existing Campus Veterans Association, which had just been founded in 2014. Since this organization was in its beginning stages and not yet recognized on campus, we were able to encourage the CVA president to consider applying to become an official Student Veterans of America chapter.

Additionally, Iron Heroes launched at a pivotal moment on Samford’s campus. Beginning Summer 2016, Samford’s Ida V. Moffett School of Nursing will introduce a program designed to prepare veterans pursuing nursing careers, using a million-dollar grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The increased awareness among students and faculty as well as the foundation of camaraderie among veterans on campus resulting from our campaign has provided an inviting community for the influx of future student veterans.

Birmingham is an area full of diversity in higher education, which gave us the opportunity to reach a range of student veterans with a variety of institutional preferences and needs. Birmingham offers an array of institutions from trade schools to private universities, which gave us a broad platform in our community-wide campaign.

Situation Analysis

{ }“I think veterans are one of the most under represented populations in our country and I don’t think they get nearly the amount of respect they deserve when

they come home.”- Samford student

In order to understand the demographics and issues involving student veterans, we researched scholarly articles, reports, social media analyses and census data to provide us with comprehensive insight.

Veterans in BirminghamOf the nearly 14,000 veterans in Birmingham, over 28 percent have finished only high school and roughly 44 percent have finished some college or have an associate’s degree. Less than 20 percent have received a bachelor’s degree or higher.

Likely related to its education statistics, the veteran population also suffers from a high unemployment rate. Over 13 percent of veterans in Birmingham are unemployed, compared to only 5.8 percent of the general population in Alabama and the national unemployment rate of 4.9 percent.

Transition for Veterans Our research indicated that the most difficult aspect of being a student veteran is the transition from serving back into society. Many factors contribute to the difficulty of this transition: psychological symptoms, obtaining GI Bill benefits, support from the college community, connecting with the college community and making sure GI Bill benefits are used effectively.

Social Media PresenceSocial media is an excellent platform for raising awareness, especially on college campuses. Our communication audit of Samford’s Campus Veterans Association revealed that the organization did not have a presence on social media except for a private Facebook group. However, the national Student Veterans of America has active accounts on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to engage its audiences, raise awareness and share pertinent information about its services.

We conducted a opening survey and interviews at the beginning of our campaign, a focus group and an observational analysis study during our campaign. To gain more insight into the Birmingham community, we facilitated twenty in-depth interviews. We conducted a closing survey and interviews to determine campaign success.

Need for Student Veteran and Dependent Awareness of SVA and GI BillOur primary research indicated a strong need for student veteran and dependent awareness of SVA and the Post 9/11 GI Bill. Twenty percent of student veterans said they were aware of some of the benefits provided by the GI Bill, seven percent were not aware and 73 percent of student veterans said that they were aware.

Need for Birmingham Community Awareness of Student Veterans Our primary research also revealed that the Birmingham community did not fully understand the perspective of student veterans. An overwhelming majority, 80 percent, had not heard of SVA. While 61 percent of students have heard of the GI Bill, only 23 percent knew specifics of the bill. There was also a need to accurately establish the narrative of who a veteran is.

The primary target audiences for our campaign are Post 9/11 GI Bill recipients, veterans, service members and family members who have benefited from the Post 9/11 GI Bill. The secondary target audiences are employers, higher education institutions, veterans’ service agencies, legislation and the greater Birmingham community.

Secondary Research

Primary Research

Target Audiences

Educate Student Veterans The Post 9/11 GI Bill is a fundamental component to veteran education.

Educate Birmingham Iron Heroes seeks to educate area universities, employers and families.

Connect Iron Heroes works to break down the barrier between student veterans and their peers and build awareness in the Birmingham community.

Our research showed that the Birmingham area both within higher education institutions and the general community had a lack of knowledge of Student Veterans of America and the benefits available to veterans returning to school. In an attempt to raise awareness of the organization and facilitate the conversation, we partnered with Teams for Troops, United States Tennis Association (UTSA), Air Force Reserve Officer Training Course (AFROTC) Detachment 012, Samford Athletics, Samford’s Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA) chapter and other universities in the Birmingham area. These strategic partnerships allowed Iron Heroes to engage the community and Birmingham area universities and colleges with local student veterans and dependents as well as spread information about the benefits available to them.

The “wounded veteran” perception appeared prevalent. Therefore, we accurately portrayed veterans by filming and posting a video of student veterans and the fiancé of an AFROTC member who has committed to the Air Force after he graduates. The strategy of a correct portrayal of veterans was a priority of our campaign; however, addressing the struggles of veterans was also important. Our observational analysis study was conducted during the CVA’s monthly meeting in February on the topic of Veteran Treatment Courts.

The goal of Iron Heroes is to increase awareness of Student Veterans of America (SVA) and the benefits of the GI Bill available to veterans and their dependents. Iron Heroes also aims to gain campus wide awareness of the Samford University Campus Veterans Association (CVA) and increase awareness at other Birmingham higher education institutions.

Objective 1: Increase target audience’s awareness of Student Veterans of America and student veterans in the Birmingham area by 20 percent by March 15, 2016.

Strategy 1: Address perceptions by providing a platform for student veteran voices. Rationale: When interviewing the president of Samford’s CVA, we discovered that veterans often feel unsupported and misunderstood on college campuses. Several scholarly articles detailed the importance of supportive campus peers and institutional structures for student veteran success. One qualitative study found that veterans value representation in the student body. However, our survey results showed that less than 35 percent of college students in Birmingham knew any veterans at their schools. We see a clear need for a platform for student veterans to introduce themselves and address misconceptions.

Target AudiencesKey Messages of Iron Heroes

The Campaign

Goal, Objectives, Strategies & Tactics

Tactic 1: Spotlight stories from various student veterans and dependents on social media. Tactic 2: Bring in a guest speaker at the Iron Heroes Challenge event to address the importance of community engagement with student veterans and encourage support for student veterans. Tactic 3: Create a video featuring student veteran stories as well as highlighting student perceptions of what a hero is and what defines a veteran. Tactic 4: Hold a Twitter contest in conjunction with video promotion to further its impact. Tactic 5: Connect Samford’s CVA chapter with the SGA president in order for the chapter to become an officially recognized campus organization. This will broaden the scope of CVA’s platform and provide useful resources.Tactic 6: Partner with Samford’s Career Development Center to provide free headshots for student veterans at a Networking Expo. This event will help veterans communicate with potential employers in a professional setting.

Strategy 2: Engage the local community with student veterans.Rationale: Our primary research revealed that only 15 percent of the Birmingham community has heard of SVA. According to our secondary research, community collaboration can have an extremely positive impact on a veteran’s transition. However, among Post 9/11 veterans, 84 percent report that the public does not understand the problems they face, and 71 percent of the general public agrees. Therefore, there is an opportunity for us to bridge the gap between student veterans and Birmingham community members.

Tactic 1: Host a Yellow Ribbon Event to distribute yellow ribbons to students. This will be a tangible way to raise awareness for our campaign and encourage students to show their support.

Tactic 2: Honor student veterans at the SU vs. UNCG Men’s Basketball game.

Tactic 3: Provide informational materials at a table at the SU vs. UAB Baseball game.Tactic 4: Host a community field day event at Veterans Park to connect student veterans with local residents. Tactic 5: Host a March Madness event in partnership with Teams for Troops, a local nonprofit that sends care packages to deployed military personnel. This will also enable our campaign to reach additional community members.Tactic 6: Allow community members to “meet” GI Bill recipients through social media spot-lights in order to personify our campaign. Tactic 7: Share the video we create on social media so that Birmingham residents and students can see a more personal side of student veterans and dependents.Tactic 8: Distribute press releases about our events to local media event calendars in order to reach a wider audience in the community.Tactic 9: Create fliers and posters to display in local coffee shops, restaurants and universities. Tactic 10: Distribute fact sheet to faculty, staff and administration at Birmingham colleges and universities.

Strategy 3: Involve government officials in the education of student veteran issues.Rationale: Since government officials are influential and have the power to enact policy change, they are crucial stakeholders.

Tactic 1: Send letters to government officials with information about SVA to increase their awareness and encourage them to consider the veteran population in policy decisions.Tactic 2: Reach out to Alabama State Senator Phil Williams to see if he would be interested in speaking at an event since he is also a veteran himself.Tactic 3: Develop a relationship with Judge John Carroll, former dean and current law professor at Samford’s Cumberland School of Law, in order to partner for future events to integrate student veterans into the community. Judge Carroll previously served as a federal trial judge and also served in the military as a Marine Flight Officer during the Vietnam War. Now, he is the faculty advisor for Samford’s CVA and a beneficial resource for student veterans at Samford.

Objective 1 Evaluation: Exceeded! There was very little awareness of Student Veterans of America prior to the Iron Heroes campaign. Awareness of Student Veterans of America increased by 32 percent, which exceeded our objective by 12 percent. Objective 2: Increase knowledge of the GI Bill benefits among student veterans and dependents by 20 percent by March 15, 2016.

Strategy 1: Utilize online platforms to spread our key messages.Rationale: Of the veterans who took our survey, 7 percent said they were not aware of the GI Bill benefits and 20 percent said they were only aware of some of them. In our survey, veterans also expressed the difficulty of understanding the bill. The Internet is a tool that we could use to share the knowledge we have gained from our research and to direct student veterans and dependents to useful resources.

Tactic 1: Design graphics with facts to share on social media with the hashtag #MoreYouKnowMonday. This is a creative way to start off each week’s social media posts with educational insight. Tactic 2: Share helpful articles on social media that we found while conducting research. Also, retweet relevant and interesting links from influential Twitter accounts that we follow. Tactic 3: Connect student veterans to online resources through social media and informational materials.Tactic 4: Test student veterans’ knowledge of GI Bill statistics through Twitter polls. This will inform our primary audience through interactive content.

Strategy 2: Share information through face-to-face interaction.Rationale: While the internet has transformed the way we interact, the benefits of in-person communication should not be ignored. Our research noted that face-to-face correspondence adds a personal touch, setting a foundation for trust. Conveying our authenticity and genuine compassion for student veterans is important and can be done best in person.

Tactic 1: Make the handouts provided by SVA available to student veterans and dependents. Be approachable when distributing materials and answer any questions they may have.

Tactic 2: Attend February CVA meeting and connect with members. Tactic 3: Visit Birmingham area universities to personally distribute fact

sheets.Tactic 4: Develop a relationship with Samford’s AFROTC Detachment 012 by attending a meeting and inviting them to partner with Iron Heroes at an athletic event. Involving AFROTC is important since many of them may qualify for GI Bill benefits in the near future.

Objective 2 Evaluation: Exceeded!Before Iron Heroes launched, 73 percent of student veterans surveyed said that they were aware of the GI Bill benefits available to them. After the implementation of our campaign, 100 percent of student veterans surveyed were aware of the GI Bill benefits available to them. This demonstrates an increase of 27 percent, exceeding our objective by 7 percent. This was the maximum amount of increase possible. Throughout our campaign, student veterans expressed their gratitude to us for sharing useful information about the Post 9/11 GI Bill. Objective 3: Achieve 1,000,000 impressions through social media and earned media by March 15, 2016.

Strategy 1: Drive our primary and secondary audiences to our social media accounts.Rationale: Secondary research revealed how widely accessible our audiences are on social media: 95 percent of students have a Facebook account and over 70 percent also have accounts on Twitter and Instagram. This high percentage is not limited to students, either; nearly three-fourths of online adults use social networking sites.

Tactic 1: Follow social media accounts of student veterans, influential faculty members and students in Birmingham as well as government officials, veterans organizations and news sources in order to create a social media presence and encourage follow back.Tactic 2: Design and distribute informational materials with links to our social media channels

Campus: The Belltower, WVSU Radio, The Samford News Network, “The Monday Morning Memo,” Campus Connection and The Crimson featured Iron Heroes. The e-newsletters, public service announcements, articles and video shared through these outlets had the potential to reach 52,280 people.

Local: The press release announcing the Iron Heroes Challenge, our main community field day event, was published in local newspapers and online event calendars, including Birmingham365, BirmINgham, Weld for Birmingham, Eventful, The Hoover Sun, The Homewood Star and 280 Living. Among all outlets, our press release impression reach was 164,700 people.

Birmingham’s ABC 33/40 and WBRC Fox 6 networks ran features on Iron Heroes, highlighting the Iron Heroes Challenge. Several news sources published the online version of Fox 6’s story and video on their own websites, including the Sun Times Network in Birmingham, Ala., NBC-affiliate WSFA 12 in Montgomery, Ala., and WTVM ABC 9 in Columbus, Ga. These stories had an impression reach of 4,080,477 individuals.

National: The Fox 6 story was published on Veterans Today Jobs, an independent news and information service for U.S. veterans seeking jobs. This website has a national audience and functions as part of the Veterans Today Network, a confederation of independent websites serving over 800,000 visitors each month.Based on monthly site visits, circulation rates and social shares, overall, our campaign had the potential to reach over 5,097,457 people and earned $2,355 in public relations value from its television presence.

Tactic 3: Send emails to departments on campus with links to our accounts to further awareness.Tactic 4: Host social media contests to encourage Iron Heroes mentions across influential personal accounts.Tactic 5: Adopt the hashtag #IronHeroes in order to centralize engagement and interactions.

Strategy 2: Engage the community on campus and local levels through earned media.Rationale: Media outlets have a large audience reach. Earned media also carries inherent credibility.

Tactic 1: Write press releases for the announcement of our campaign and for all major events.Tactic 2: Pitch press releases to campus and local media outlets after researching which journalists would be interested in covering Iron Heroes.

Tactic 3: Pitch press releases to local media’s online event calendars.Tactic 4: Pitch press releases of major events to television stations on the morning of the event.

Objective 3 Evaluation: Exceeded!Throughout our campaign our impression was an estimated 5,325,742 people through a combination of social and earned media, exceeding our objective by 432 percent. Local media coverage of our Iron Heroes Challenge field day event added significantly to this. Journalists told us they appreciated that we sent the press release again the morning of the event and that we followed up by calling the newsroom. One journalist also said she found our information on one of the online event calendars.

Earned Media Summary

{ }“We have a lot to offer and there are many veterans issues that need to be addressed, but thanks to the Iron Heroes campaign, everyday citizens are able to acknowledge

our affairs and achievements.”- Jordan Thompson, President of Samford CVA

Our campaign specifically chose to utilize Facebook, Instagram and Twitter to strategically communicate with our target audiences.

Twitter is a great way to reach community members as well as journalists. Facebook is the most widely used social media based on its user size and is able to attract higher awareness levels. Instagram is one of the most popular forms of social media among college students, which is a large part of our target demographic.

Iron Heroes hosted two social media contests during the duration of the campaign in order to spread awareness and facilitate conversations. The Iron Heroes Facebook page gained 133 likes and a reach of 10,819, with 3,399 resulting in active engagements. The Iron Heroes Twitter had 83 followers with 53 tweets and originated 4,399 impressions, and retweets increased that number to 228,285 impressions. The Iron Heroes Instagram account gained 371 followers over the course of the month-long campaign. With 23 posts totaling 537 likes, Iron Heroes had an average of 24 likes per picture.

The Campus Veterans Association had a private Facebook group already established. After meeting with the CVA president, Jordan Thompson, we created Instagram and Twitter handles for present and future use and changed the Facebook page to a public account for ease of interaction. Our team provided materials to post and worked in conjunction with their leadership team to connect members with the community through social media. In addition to providing starter posts to the CVA leadership, our team further explained how to effectively use social media to distribute its message effectively to their members and potential members.

The Iron Heroes campaign provided broad awareness to the Birmingham community through messages about Student Veterans of America (SVA), the Post 9/11 GI Bill and opportunities for our target audiences to get involved with student veteran affairs. Our various events and partnerships encouraged community members to share and support the mission of Iron Heroes and start a dialogue about the importance of student veterans and the contributions they make to our Iron City.

Impact Iron Heroes localized a national issue and made it relatable and relevant to our community. Iron Heroes provided resources and opportunities for the community to take action towards proper portrayal of student veterans, supporting student veterans during their transition and independently increasing awareness after the campaign ended. Iron Heroes encouraged the Birmingham community to put their student veterans first, “from the front lines to the front row.”

Sustainability Samford’s CVA chapter has been encouraged by Iron Heroes and is currently in the process of making improvements to its chapter by taking steps toward becoming an SVA chapter. The chapter is also pushing early registration for student veterans in order to meet the unique needs of student veterans through receiving the classes they need in order to take full advantage of their GI Bill benefits.

Students in the Birmingham area have also expressed interest in continuing the conversation of what a hero is and the importance of supporting student veterans. Through our “A Hero Is…” video, students have become more aware of student veterans in the Birmingham area and have taken steps to make intentional relationships with those student veterans.

Social Media Summary

Conclusion

A hero is valorous. A hero is loyal. A hero is brave. A hero is dedicated. A hero is fearless. A hero is selfless. A hero is strong. A hero is kind. A hero is humble. A hero is trustworthy. A hero is selfless. A hero is faithful. A hero is honorable. A hero is a veteran. A hero is a friend. A hero is sacrificial. A hero is valorous. A hero is loyal. A hero is brave. A hero is dedicated. A hero is fearless. A hero is selfless. A hero is strong. A hero is kind. A hero is humble. A hero is trustworthy. A hero is selfless. A hero is faithful. A hero is honorable. A hero is valorous. A hero is loyal. A hero is brave. A hero is dedicated. A hero is fearless. A hero is selfless. A hero is strong. A hero is kind. A hero is humble. A hero is trustworthy. A hero is selfless. A hero is faithful. A hero is honorable. A hero is a veteran. A hero is a friend. A hero is sacrificial. A hero is valorous. A hero is loyal. A hero is brave. A hero is dedicated. A hero is fearless. A hero is selfless. A hero is strong. A hero is kind. A hero is humble. A hero is trustworthy. A hero is selfless. A hero is faithful. A hero is honorable. A hero is valorous. A hero is loyal. A hero is brave. A hero is dedicated. A hero is fearless. A hero is selfless. A hero is strong. A hero is kind. A hero is humble. A hero

Timeline

Budget Breakdown

Secondary Research

Primary Research

Media Reach

Earned Media

Map of Events

Events

Communication

Our Relationship with SVA and CVA

Recommendations for the Future

Meet the Team

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APPENDIX TABLE OF CONTENTS

November December

February

March April

Conducted secondary research

17 Met with Jordan Thompson, president of Samford University CVA

3 SVA and PRSSA conference call 8 Presented research to Samford JMC department

14 Logo and campaign name brainstorming session 17 Rough draft of survey sent for edits

26 Met with Jordan Thompson to discuss the process of Samford CVA becoming an SVA chapter. Also discussed partnering with his nonprofit, Teams for Troops, for our March Madness event

1 Visited Birmingham universities and colleges to pass out informational handouts about Iron Heroes, SVA, the Post 9/11 GI Bill and how to start an SVA chapter and partnered with the Samford Baseball game vs. UAB for a game honoring veterans

5 Iron Heroes Challenge event

1 Sent plan book copy for edits

4-5 Made final edits to the plan book 6 Sent campaign plan book to New York

28 Sent opening survey out

29 Contacted Samford Athletics Marketing Director Benson Orcutt and Marketing Coordinator Jordan Johnson

8 Four complete copies of plan book due

Conducted secondary research

13 March Madness event 14 Released “A Hero Is...” video 15 Last day of campaign16 Sent closing survey out 17-31 Created copy and design for plan book

January11 Attended Samford CVA Febraury meeting on Veterans Treatment Courts 15 Campaign kickoff and social media launch 16 Yellow Ribbon Event18 Partnered with Samford Men’s Basketball and AFROTC to honor veterans at the basketball game 22 Sent faculty and staff fact sheet to all area universities24 Partnered with Samford’s PRSSA chapter at the Samford Networking Expo

Timeline

In-Kind Donations Allocated = $1,000Spent = $995.98Saved = $4.02

In-Kind Donation Expenses

Item Ribbon

Walmart run Safety pins (200 ct) Safety pins (80 ct) Yellow balloons Red table cloths Ribbon for balloons

Safety pins

Pizza

Printing

Printing SGA posters

Chipotle Gift Cards

Stamps

Envelopes

Steel City Pops (3)

Boosting “A Hero Is...” video on Facebook

Amount $10.70

$13.71

$2.67

$117.51

$19.09

$5.99

$30.00

$5.39

$0.40

$9.00

$30.00

Cash Expenditures

Item “Iron Heroes” logo and graphic package, created by Samford University alum: Scott Simpson

Yellowhammer Creative donations Heart of Dixie tote Birmingham poster

Original Bham donations Original Bham tote Original Bham tshirt Koozies (8) Stickers (10)

St. Paul and the Broken Bones Signed record CD Signed poster

Sodexo Cookies

Baseball tickets (10)

Men’s Basketball tickets (12)

Music license for Video, Horizons by Justin Amundrud, music producer

STYLE Advertising Metro Monitor

Printing plan books

Shipping plan books

Amount$200.00

$20.00

$96.00

$72.98

$25.00

$40.00

$96.00

$96.00

$100.00

$200.00

$50.00

SummaryCash Expenditures Allocated = $300.00Spent = $244.46Saved = $55.54

81.5% of $300 used

99.6% of $1,000 used

Cash Expenditures

In-Kind Donations

Budget Breakdown

Insight and FindingsAccording to recent census data and research, the breakdown of race among the 13,453 veterans in Birmingham, Ala., is: 24.8 percent Caucasian, 73.9 percent African American, 0.6 percent American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7 percent Hispanic or Latino, 0.4 percent mixed race and 0.4 percent other race. Along with the racial breakdown, 92.7 percent are male and 7.7 percent are female, and the primary age breakdown comes to: 7 percent 18 to 34 years old, 28.8 percent 35 to 54 years old, 30 percent 55 to 64 years old, 16.6 percent 65 to 74 years old and 17.6 percent 75 years old and over.

Amid Birmingham veterans, 8.8 percent are Gulf War (9/2001 or later) veterans and thus in the demographic for receiving Post 9/11 GI Bill benefits. Specifically at Samford, there are about one hundred GI Bill recipients, comprising roughly three percent of the student population.

Birmingham is an area full of diversity in higher education. Outside of Samford, other Birmingham colleges and universities collectively have a larger veteran population, which is why we chose to include other universities in our target demographic. Birmingham offers an array of institutions from trade schools to private universities.

Veterans are often older than traditional students and can feel unsupported and misunderstood on college campuses. Several studies detailed the importance of supportive campus peers and institutional structures. There is a need for professionals and offices that understand student veterans’ unique concerns as well as specific campus policies that address the issues student veterans face. Community collaboration can also help facilitate a smooth transition for veterans. However, among Post 9/11 veterans, 84 percent report that the public does not understand the problems they face, and 71 percent of the general public agrees.

An excellent method of communicating these issues to a large audience is social media. About 95 percent of students have a Facebook account and over 70 percent also have accounts on Twitter and Instagram. This high percentage is not limited to students, either; nearly three-fourths of online adults use social networking sites. Earning media is also important, because it holds more weight and credibility among the public, since the media outlet acts as a filter. However, there is still considerable value in face-to-face communication. It adds a personal touch, setting a foundation for trust.

Sources for Secondary Researchhttp://factfinder.census.gov/faces/tableservices/jsf/pages/productview.xhtml?src=CF

http://www.collegefactual.com/colleges/samford-university/student-life/veterans/

http://vets.syr.edu/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/Griffin-2015-Research-Brief1.pdf

http://chronicle.com/weekly/v54/i46/46a00101.htm

http://alx.sagepub.com/content/early/2015/04/24/1045159515583813.full.pdf

https://www.units.miamioh.edu/celt/resources/strategies_documents/veterans_suicide.pdf

http://www.pewinternet.org/fact-sheets/social-networking-fact-sheet/

http://studybreakscollegemedia.com/2014/social-media-statistics-how-college-students-are-using-social-networking/

http://www.trafficsafetymarketing.gov/TOOLS/Media/Earned/Why+Earned+Media+is+Important

http://www.ashtoncollege.ca/the-importance-of-face-to-face-communication/

Secondary Research

Opening Survey JustificationDemographic questions included:

· Do you currently reside, attend school or work in the Birmingham area?· Gender · Age · Ethnicity · Region · Relationship Status · Choose the answer that describes you. Student Veteran, Veteran, Student, Faculty or Employee,

Community member, if none of the above apply To see if target audiences are being represented.

How do you determine if a person is a veteran? What is your definition of a veteran in the terms of some-one who has committed to serving the United States. To analyze current perceptions among target audiences.

Student veterans -- How many years did you serve for the United States?To analyze characteristics of the primary target audience.

Student veterans -- Have you ever heard of the organization Student Veterans of America, SVA? To measure the primary target audience’s awareness.

Student veterans -- What has been the hardest part of transitioning from serving to being a student veter-an?To see if the challenges faced by local student veterans are consistent with those studied in secondary research.

Student veterans -- Are you aware of the GI Bill Benefits available to you as a student veteran? To measure the primary target audience’s awareness.

Student veterans -- What aspect of the GI Bill benefits are the most helpful to you as a student veteran? To gauge the primary target audience’s opinion of the GI Bill.

Student veterans -- Are you aware of the Yellow Ribbon Program? To measure the primary target audience’s awareness.

Student veterans -- Have you made use of the additional scholarship that is offered by the Yellow Ribbon Program?To see whether the primary target audience is taking full advantage of the benefits available to them.

Student veterans -- Do you feel support from faculty, employees and students in the classroom and at school? To determine whether local student veterans feel included on their college campuses.

Student veterans -- Please add anything that you think would be beneficial and successful when trying to reach out. To give student veterans an open question so that we can ensure we are acknowledging all of their needs.

Students -- Are there student veterans at your school? Please answer to the best of your ability. To measure the secondary target audience’s awareness.

Primary Research

Have you met any student veterans at your school? To measure the secondary target audience’s awareness.

Have you heard of the organization Student Veterans of America? To measure the secondary target audience’s awareness.

Have you heard of the Post 9/11 GI Bill?To measure the secondary target audience’s awareness.

Do you know specifics about the Post 9/11 GI Bill?To test the secondary target audience’s knowledge.

Please select one option that best describes your opinion on the following statements. Student veterans face different challenges than other students Student veterans face different challenges than other veterans There is a strong student veteran presence on my campus Student veterans are just as capable as other students Student’s at my school don’t have a strong sense of what a student veteran isTo analyze the secondary target audience’s perception of student veterans.

Faculty -- Are you made aware if you have a student veteran in one of your classes?To measure the secondary target audience’s awareness.

Faculty -- Are you aware of the benefits available to student veterans through the GI Bill? To measure the secondary target audience’s awareness.

Faculty -- Is there a strong student veteran population where you work? To measure the secondary target audience’s awareness.

Please select one option that best describes your opinion on the following statements. It would be beneficial to be trained on how to handle student veteran specific situations that could occur in the classroom or on campus

I am aware of the unique needs of student veterans I believe student veterans are just as capable as other students I believe student veterans are just as smart as other students

If I have a student veteran in class or encounter one on campus I go above and beyond to make sure their needs are metThere are significant advantages to having student veterans in class due to their maturity, work ethic and respectfulness.

To gauge the secondary target audience’s perception and measure the opportunity to increase awareness and knowledge.Opening Survey Quantitative Results

Closing Survey Justification

Do you currently reside, attend school or work in the Birmingham area?To ensure we are reaching the correct demographic.

What is your definition of a veteran and who would you classify as a veteran?To determine the effectiveness of communication.

Have you heard of Student Veterans of America, or SVA?To see if awareness has increased.

Student veterans -- are you aware of the GI Bill Benefits available to you as a student veteran? To see if awareness has increased.

Student veterans -- are you aware of the Yellow Ribbon Program?To see if awareness has increased.

All -- Finish this sentence: “A Hero Is…”To evaluate perceptions after our campaign’s influence.

Closing Survey Quantitative Results

Results Comparison

Opening Survey Closing Survey

No: 74 responses, 80% Maybe: 5 responses, 5%Yes: 14 responses, 15%

No: 53 responses, 53% Yes: 47 responses, 47%

No: 1 response, 7% Some: 3 responses, 20%Yes: 11 responses, 73%

No: 0 responses, 0% Yes: 6 responses, 100%

Observational Analysis StudyThe Samford University Campus Veterans Association invited the campaign team to its February meeting on the topic of Veteran Treatment Courts.

We were able to more fully understand that student veterans, and veterans in general, have different needs than other civilians. Student veterans’ transition back into civilian life is impacted by the previous, or continuous, service for the United States, which calls for a different approach to situations. In the case of Veteran Treatment Courts, it is important to understand veterans’ situations of essentially adapting from one extreme culture and lifestyle back into civilization. We learned that 25 to 45 percent of veterans deployed out of Iraq or Afghanistan have developed post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or traumatic brain injury (TBI). That is roughly one million people! Locally, 10 to 18 thousand veterans are experiencing PTSD or TBI in Alabama. Veteran Treatment Courts allow veterans to seek help through a mentor who can provide guidance.

The most disturbing take-away from this study was when one of the speakers, a veteran, said, “It was very difficult to get the benefits owed to me.”

This study allowed us to further explore the impact our messages could potentially have.

Survey Confidence and LimitationsWith 273 completed opening responses, our survey had a 5.93 percent margin of error and a confidence level of 95 percent.

Using Birmingham’s estimated population of 212,113, the recommended sample size was 384. However, since our main target audiences were specific to college campuses, a sample size of 273 was more than sufficient to represent this portion of Birmingham’s population.

While there is significant difference in sample size between the opening and closing surveys as a result of time limitation, the overall discovery of an increase of awareness and support of the Student Veterans of America is indisputable. Although results may have changed slightly with a larger sample size for the closing survey, we feel the general response would have remained the same.

Insight and FindingsSurveys:There was virtually no awareness of the Student Veterans of America within the Birmingham community prior to the Iron Heroes campaign.

Students and faculty in Birmingham value student veterans and would therefore be open to supporting SVA and encouraging veterans in their transition.

Awareness of SVA among the Birmingham community and awareness of GI Bill benefits among student veterans was increased.

Interviews:“Civilians have a very different mindset from the Armed Forces. It can be hard to find a sense of purpose outside of the military.” - A student veteran

“I am still active with the Reserves. The hardest part is working with military to give you enough room and freedom from duties to concentrate on your studies.” - A student veteran

“Student veterans have a lot to offer, yet there are a lot of stereotypes perpetuated by the media regarding student veterans. We aren’t all injured, we aren’t all intimidating or have PTSD. Though service is important, a lot of veterans should be recognized for their accomplishments outside of the military world.” - President of Samford’s Campus Veterans Association

“At a community college I taught at, veterans banded together as they studied. Here at Samford, I don’t notice veterans hanging out together, but maybe that is because the school is much larger.” - A Samford University employee

“I know there probably must be veterans at my school, but I have never met one personally.” - A Samford University student

Take-aways:Student veterans in the Birmingham area feel disconnected from the community during their transition back into civilian life. They also do not feel they are being perceived accurately.

Student veterans face different challenges than the traditional college student.

Student veterans do not have a strong visible presence at Samford University.

Social MediaOur campaign specifically chose to utilize Facebook, Instagram and Twitter to strategically communicate with our target audiences. Iron Heroes hosted two social media contests during the duration of the campaign in order to spread awareness and facilitate conversations. The Iron Heroes Facebook page gained 133 likes and a reach of 10,819, with 3,399 resulting in active engagements. The Iron Heroes Twitter had 83 followers with 53 tweets. The Twitter account originated 4,399 impressions and retweets increased that number to 228,285 impressions. The Iron Heroes Instagram account gained 371 followers over the course of the month-long campaign. With 23 posts totaling 537 likes, Iron Heroes had an average of 24 likes per picture.

Facebook133 Likes

10,819 Impressions

3,399Active

Engagments

19earned media spots

Twitter220,000 + impressions 83 followers 100+ link clicks

Instagram371 followers

537 total likes

Average of 24likes per picture

240,000 Social Media Impressions

@abc3340 116K followers @stacyhyatt 12.4K followers @studentvetvets 11K followers @mikesmith8026 5,265 followers @senphilwilliams 2,638 followers

} influential retweeters

Media Reach

Alternative MarketingDuring our campaign Iron Heroes held two social media contests to promote our accounts and our “A Hero Is…” video. The first contest worked in conjunction with the tangible yellow ribbons, which were distributed at our yellow ribbon event at the start of the campaign. People were encouraged to follow our accounts and post a photo showing how they wear their yellow ribbon using #IronHeroes.

Our second social media contest promoted our “A Hero Is...” video. This video featured eight students and faculty sharing their opinions on what makes a hero. Three student veterans from our college campus also shared their experiences and stories of the difficulties they have faced transitioning back to school.

Iron Heroes partnered with various organizations throughout the campaign in order to reach all target demographics and increase overall awareness. This was accomplished by partnering with Samford Athletics, Teams for Troops, USTA, Samford’s PRSSA and AFROTC Detachment 012 for various events.

Iron Heroes set up display tables in a variety of locations throughout the campaign. These included tables in the student union area at Samford as well as at Samford Athletic events.

Social Media Calendar Overview

Our social media calendar reflects original posts by our account manager. This calendar does not include replies, retweets of other accounts, comments, shares or tags. However, all of these were a part of our strategy to engage our audience and resulted in high engagement.

Social Media Calendar

Copy ResponsePhoto/LinkMonday (2/15)

Tuesday (2/16)

Wednesday (2/17)

Thursday (2/18)

TWITTER“Hey Birmingham! We exist to support local veterans…” None 5 RT, 9 Likes

TWITTER“Helpful information about the GI Bill. “ http://ow.ly/Y2Zqv 1 RT, 8 Likes“Come see us in Ben Brown until 1! Get a yellow ribbon…” Yellow Ribbon Day table 8 RT, 10 Likes“Thanks to all who came out today. We love seeing…” None 8 Likes

FACEBOOK“Thanks to everyone who came out to our yellow…” Interacting students 8 LikesINSTAGRAM “Hey Birmingham! Iron Heroes exists to support…” Vulcan, Iron Heroes Logo 13 Likes“Bateman Team posing at Yellow Ribbon table…” Bateman Team posing at table 31 Likes

TWITTER“Did you know veterans are more likely than the average…” None 3 RT, 7 Likes“Congrats to @heyymaggiemay and @Iamlavis for being…” giveaway goodies 9 Likes“Iron Heroes is excited to support @studentvets through…” None 1 RT, 9 Likes“Here’s some great information about education benefits!...” www.armytimes.com 8 Likes

FACEBOOK“Great information about education benefits!” http://www.armytimes.com/ 4 LikesINSTAGRAM “Thanks to everyone who came out to our yellow…” Students at event table 30 Likes“Congratulations to @emily_spradling @mollyec24…” Giveaway goodies 24 Likes

TWITTER“#GIBillNinja Iron Heroes added, @BarrettBogue…” http://ow.ly/YkYID 8 Likes“We’re excited to partner with AFROTC at Samford’s…” ROTC meeting 2 RT, 8 Likes“Come support #IronHeroes and @det012 at the men’s…” SU mascot Spike 2 RT, 8 Likes

FACEBOOKAdded 3 new photo albums Photo Albums from recent events 40 Likes

INSTAGRAM “We are excited to partner with AFROTC Detachment 012…” ROTC meeting 37 Likes“We loved getting to support Samford Men’s basketball…” SU mascot Spike 28 Likes

ResponsePhoto/LinkFriday (2/19)

Saturday (2/20)

Sunday (2/21)

Monday (2/22)

Tuesday (2/23)

Wednesday (2/24)

Copy

TWITTER“Student veterans you can use this tool to find out how to…” GI Bill Comparison Tool 1 RT, 7 LikesINSTAGRAM “Iron Heroes loved getting to share information about the…” Students at SU basketball 41 Likes

FACEBOOK“Iron Heroes is partnering with Samford’s PRSSA Chapter on…” Networking Expo Invitation 7 Likes

TWITTER“We’re excited to be partnering with @SamfordCVA…” None 1 RT, 8 Likes

INSTAGRAM “We hope to see everyone at our professional development…” Networking Expo Invitation 12 Likes

TWITTER“62% of student veterans are first-generation students…” None 7 LikesFACEBOOK”#MoreYouKnowMonday” More You Know infographic 4 Likes INSTAGRAM ”#MoreYouKnowMonday” More You Know infographic 16 Likes

TWITTER“Have questions about the GI Bill? Here are some FAQs…” FAQs about the GI Bill 6 LikesFACEBOOK“Student Veterans of America was formed in 2008 to provide…” The Foundation timeline 3 LikesINSTAGRAM “Have you ever wondered how Iron Heroes got started?...” The Foundation timeline 17 Likes

TWITTER “In need of a professional headshot? Come to Pete Hanna…” None 8 LikesFACEBOOK“In need of a professional headshot? Come to Pete Hanna for...” None 3 Likes



ResponsePhoto/LinkCopyThursday (2/25)

Friday (2/26)

Saturday (2/27)

Monday (2/29)

Tuesday (3/01)

Wednesday (3/02)

Thursday (3/03)

TWITTER“Pros and cons of graduate school from a veteran’s…” http://www.militarytimes.com/ 1 RT, 8 LikesINSTAGRAM “Samford University is beginning a member spotlight…” CVA Member Jason Bruner 29 Likes

INSTAGRAM “We hope to see everyone supporting Samford baseball…” Samford vs UAB flyer 16 Likes

INSTAGRAM “ONE WEEK FROM TODAY! Tennis, ultimate Frisbee, volleyball…” Challenge event flyer 21 Likes

INSTAGRAM “#MoreYouKnowMonday” student vets ages graphic 17 Likes

INSTAGRAM “We loved getting to spread the word about Student…” Teams during National Anthem 31 Likes

INSTAGRAM “Here’s another member spotlight! Jordan...” Studen Veteran Jordan Thompson 23 Likes

TWITTER“What percentage of student veterans are between the…” Twitter poll 1 RT, 7 Likes

TWITTER“Visiting universities in BHM today to share how they can help…” None 8 Likes“”Hey @UABStudents! We left 10 FREE tickets for today’s…” None 7 Likes

TWITTER“Check out this cool graphic that explains veterans…” Military Edu Graphic 7 Likes

TWITTER“Thanks to all who came out to be a part…” Behind the scenes interviews 7 Likes

FACEBOOK“You’ve been waiting all week. It’s time for … MORE YOU…” student vets ages graphic 6 Likes“Tomorrow Samford baseball and UAB baseball are going…” None 3 Likes

FACEBOOKAdded new photo album SU vs UAB game photos 5 Likes“We had such a great time at the baseball game today…”

ResponsePhoto/LinkCopyFriday (3/04)

Saturday (3/05)

Sunday (3/06)

Monday (3/07)

Tuesday (3/08)

Wednesday (3/09)

Saturday (3/12)

INSTAGRAM “Today we are filming a special video exploring this…” Video teaser graphic 16 Likes

INSTAGRAM “We had a wonderful time at our Iron Heroes…” Team and senator at event 29 Likes

INSTAGRAM “#MoreYouKnowMonday #FromTheFrontLinesToThe...” SVA Scholarship graphic 16 Likes

INSTAGRAM “Samford University is beginning a member spotlight…” CVA Member Jason Bruner 29 Likes

INSTAGRAM “Did you know you may be eligible for scholarships…” Lindsay hugging Dad in uniform 28 Likes

TWITTER“Visiting universities in BHM today to share how they…” None 8 Likes“”Hey @UABStudents! We left 10 FREE tickets for…” None 7 Likes“A big thanks to @SenPhilWilliams for kicking off…” Senator Williams speaking 1 RT, 7 Likes

TWITTER“Student Veterans of America has awarded $700,000…” None 9 Likes

TWITTER“Happy #InternationalWomensDay! We’re so thankful…” None 2 RT, 9 Likes

TWITTER“Looking for a place to watch the SEC...” None 7 Likes

FACEBOOK “Don’t forget about coming out to the Iron…” None 5 LikesAdded a new photo album Iron Heroes Challenge photos 4 Likes

FACEBOOK”#MoreYouKnowMonday” SVA Scholarship graphic 3 Likes

FACEBOOKAdded new photo album SU vs UAB game photos 5 Likes

FACEBOOK“Did you know you may be eligible for scholarships…” Lindsay hugging Dad in uniform 16 Likes



ResponsePhoto/LinkCopySunday (3/13)

Monday (3/14)

Tuesday (3/15)

TWITTER“Come out to PT’s in SOHO for drink deals and a nacho bar…” None 7 Likes“Basketball, nacho bar, drink/appetizer specials and a chance to…” Kickoff flyer 1 RT, 7 Likes“Our A Hero is...” video releases tonight! We’ll be giving away…” Signed merch 2 RT, 10 Likes

TWITTER“Don’t forget to tweet what you think a hero is for a…” https://youtu.be/ 4 RT, 8 Likes“Finish this sentence “A hero is...” and you could win…” None 6 RT, 7 Likes

TWITTER“Visiting universities in BHM today to share how they…” None 8 Likes

FACEBOOK“For the past month our campaign has focused…” https://youtu.be/ 24 Likes“Want to win a signed record from St. Paul and…” St. Paul merch 4 Likes

FACEBOOK“IT’S SELECTION SUNDAY and we are so excited to be…” 3 photos of event 6 LikesINSTAGRAM “Come out this afternoon for the SEC Championship…” Kickoff flyer 17 Likes“Our “A Hero is...” video releases tonight! Tomorrow…” Signed merch 17 Likes

FACEBOOK“If you want to win a signed St. Paul and The Broken…” None 4 Likes

Social Media Screenshots

Social Media Analytics

The Belltower, WVSU Radio, The Samford News Network, “The Monday Morning Memo,” Campus Connection and The Crimson featured Iron Heroes.

The Belltower, Samford’s weekly e-newsletter with a reach of 29,000, featured our campaign in a 250-word story on March 2. Our public service announcement aired a total of eight times on March 11, 14 and 15 on WVSU Radio, the campus station that also serves as Birmingham’s smooth jazz radio. WVSU has a weekly reach of 15,000. The Samford News Network, an hour-long newscast broadcast on campus each month with a reach of 2,194, produced a 1:30 package about the Iron Heroes campaign on March 14.

Along with general information about the campaign, campus media outlets also highlighted our events. Our yellow ribbon event was the main feature on Feb. 22’s edition of “The Monday Morning Memo,” a weekly email blast sent to 750 journalism students, faculty and alumni. Another weekly email blast that highlighted our campaign was Campus Connection, which shares information about upcoming events with the 5,206 undergraduate and graduate students at Samford. March 4’s edition featured our Iron Heroes Challenge event flier. The Crimson, Samford’s weekly newspaper, published an online article on March 9 about this Iron Heroes Challenge event. This specific article was the most-viewed of the week with 130 views.

Campus

Earned Media

Local The press release announcing the Iron Heroes Challenge, our main community field day event, was published on local newspapers and online event calendars, including Birmingham365, BirmINgham, Weld for Birmingham, Eventful, The Hoover Sun, The Homewood Star and 280 Living. Among all seven outlets, our press release had the potential to reach 164,700 people.

Moreover, Birmingham’s ABC 33/40 and WBRC Fox 6 ran features on Iron Heroes, highlighting the Iron Heroes Challenge. Several news sources also published the online version of Fox 6’s story and video on their own websites, including the Sun Times Network in Birmingham, Ala., NBC-affiliate WSFA 12 in Montgomery, Ala. and WTVM ABC 9 in Columbus, Ga.

ABC 33/40 interviewed one of our team members at the Iron Heroes Challenge field day and produced a :56 package that aired on the 6 and 10 p.m. newscasts on March 5. These two segments resulted in a total of 77,455 impressions and $1,100 in public relations value. This story was also published on the station’s website, which receives 884,600 views per month.

WBRC Fox 6 was also at the Iron Heroes Challenge and interviewed one of our team members and the president of Samford’s student veteran organization. Fox 6 produced a 1:38 package highlighting the event and the goals of Iron Heroes. The full segment aired on March 5 at 9 p.m. and March 6 at 5, 6 and 7 a.m. One :18 segment of it also aired at 10 p.m. on March 5. The five segments in total resulted in 181,422 impressions and $1,255 in public relations value. The story was also posted on the station’s website which receives 1,100,000 views each month.

This same Fox 6 story was also published on The Sun Times Network in Birmingham, Ala. This network’s website reaches 16,000 per month. The Fox 6 segment also had the potential to reach 1,100,000 in Montgomery, Ala., on WSFA’s website and 721,000 in Columbus, Ga., on WTVM’s website.

National

Additionally, the Fox 6 story was published on Veterans Today Jobs, an independent news and information service for U.S. veterans seeking jobs. This website has a national audience and functions as part of the Veterans Today Network, a confederation of independent websites serving over 800,000 visitors each month.

Based on monthly site visits, circulation rates and social shares, overall our campaign had the potential to reach over 5,097,457 people and earned $2,355 in public relations value from its television presence.

1 BSC2 UAB3 PT’s 4 Samford University

5 University of Phoenix 6 Veterans Park 7 Jefferson State 8 Southeastern Bible

Map of Events

Feb. 16 - Yellow Ribbon Event Iron Heroes set up a display table in Ben Brown Plaza on Samford University’s campus on Feb. 16. At this event, we handed out yellow ribbons to Samford students to pin on their backpacks and also handed out information about Iron Heroes and SVA. This event promoted Iron Heroes’ social media accounts and began to inform students of student veterans on their campus.

This event launched our campaign and also started the first social media contest, which was a photo-sharing contest to see how Samford students wear their yellow ribbons. Prizes donated by Yellowhammer Creative and Original Bham were given to students who shared their photos on Twitter or Instagram using the hashtag #IronHeroes and tagging us.

During this event we reached 1,000 people and engaged with 250. This event targeted not only students at Samford University, but also faculty, staff and student veterans.

Events

Feb. 18 - SU vs. UNCG MBB @ 7 p.m.Iron Heroes partnered with Samford Athletics and AFROTC Detachment 012 for the men’s basketball game on Feb. 18. Before the basketball game, Iron Heroes provided pizza for Detachment 012 and also provided tickets for non-Samford students attending the game who are a part of the detachment. During the game, Iron Heroes set up a display table with AFROTC in the Pete Hanna Center. This table had yellow ribbons and informational materials encouraging the faculty, staff, students and community in attendance to become informed about student veterans in their community.

A public announcement (PA) was played during the 1st period, directing people to the table and informing them of Iron Heroes and AFROTC’s attendance at the game.

At this event we reached 450 people and engaged with 90 during the event.

Feb. 24 - PRSSA headshot and resume reviewIron Heroes partnered with Samford’s PRSSA chapter to participate in its professional development event at the university-wide career fair. Free headshots and resume reviews were offered to veterans and allowed them to establish themselves as young professionals.

At this event Iron Heroes reached 124 people.

March 1 - Visit Birmingham area colleges and universities On March 1, Iron Heroes visited Birmingham area universities and colleges to distribute promotional materials as well as information regarding the SVA and GI Bill. Our team visited Samford University, Birmingham-Southern College, Jefferson State Community College, University of Phoenix, Southeastern Bible College and University of Alabama at Birmingham. These visits targeted the portion of our target audience that attends other Birmingham area universities and colleges.

At this event, we potentially reached 33,113 people and actively engaged with 68 people. In addition informational packets were left in the student unions at each campus to encourage students to attend future events and follow our social media accounts.

{ }“I feel more comfortable fast ripping off a black hawk into a hot landing zone than I do

walking into a classroom.”- Student veteran

{ }“The American public, in general, has no clue what defines a veteran and what veterans of different eras

may have gone through to wear that title.”- Student veteran

{ }“It was such an honor to be with a dynamic group of college students who have taken on the call to empower veterans to engage and impact their communities. As a veteran myself it was personally moving. This is a clall

we should all take up.”-Alabama State Senator, Phil Williams

March 5 - Iron Heroes Challenge at Veterans Park from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.Iron Heroes partnered with the local sector of USTA to host a family and community event at Veterans Park on March 5. At the event there was a portable tennis court with activities for kids and families, food trucks and ultimate Frisbee games. Alabama State Senator Phil Williams was in attendance to open the event to speak about the importance of support for student veterans and talk about his personal experiences as a veteran.

During this event, we reached 330 people and engaged with 15 people. This event raised awareness and community engagement with a different section of the target audience.

March 13 - March Madness Kickoff at PT’s of SoHo from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m.Iron Heroes partnered with Teams for Troops, a nonprofit that sends care packages filled with professional and college sports paraphernalia to soldiers overseas. In conjunction with Teams for Troops, Iron Heroes hosted a March Madness Kickoff event on March 13. This event was hosted at PT’s of SoHo, there were drink deals and appetizer specials available to guests. March Madness brackets were available for guests to fill out, as it was “Selection Sunday” on the day on the event.

During this event we reached 50 people and engaged with 35 people.

March 1 - SU vs. UAB Baseball @ 4 p.m. Iron Heroes partnered with Samford Athletics for the Samford vs. UAB baseball game on March 1 at Samford. Samford Athletics donated tickets, which were given to UAB veterans to use. At the game Iron Heroes set up a display table near concessions with informational materials. This event engaged the community members in attendance as well as UAB and Samford students.

A PA announcement was played during the 3rd inning, directing people to the table.

During this event Iron Heroes reached 85 people and engaged with 25 people.

SU 13 UAB 2

In order to clearly disseminate the messages of Iron Heroes, we understood the importance of utilizing multiple communication platforms. A few of our platforms included posters/fliers, emails, press releases, PA announcements and formal letters. Below are all of the documents that were made to effectively implement our campaign.

SVA

SVA provides military veterans with the resources, support and advocacy needed to succeed in

higher education.

What is Student Veterans of America?

Twitter: @IronHeroesBHMInstagram: @IronHeroesBHM

Facebook: Iron Heroes

#IronHeroes

• Student veterans are growing in number on college campuses. In 2009, there were approx-imately 500,000 Student Veterans receiving education benefits. In 2013, over 1,000,000 student veterans used their GI benefits to pursue advanced educational opportunities, and this number is estimated to increase by 20% in the next few years.

• Student veterans tend to be older, have families to support and juggle employment and school.

• Many may delay their enrollment or interrupt their progress in higher education due to mili-tary obligations, and may have service-connected disabilities.

• By some estimates, individuals who served in Iraq and Afghanistan had as much as a 40 percent chance of acquiring a cognitive injury such as traumatic brain injury (TBI) or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) by the time they had completed their service.

• Services are available through the Student Veterans of America (SVA) and the Campus Veterans Association (CVA). SVA is a 501(c)(3) coalition of student veterans groups on college campuses across the globe. These member chapters are the “boots on the ground” that help veterans reintegrate into campus life and succeed academically. CVA provides a support network for veterans, dependents, and survivors; a social experience that builds on the bonds forged during service; and a voice that advocates for the military community.

To learn more about both the SVA and CVA follow Iron Heroes on social media:

Facebook: Iron Heroes Twitter: @IronHeroesBHM

Instagram: @IronHeroesBHM

Facts and statistics via SVA’s Million Records Project and the American Council on Education

Did you know?

PRSSA provided this SVA postcard

SVA PSA poster Faculty ‘Did You Know’ flier

Communication

Iron Heroes

IRON HEROESFrom the front lines to the front row

linkedin/IronHeroesBHM

@IronHeroesBHM

@IronHeroesBHM

facebook/IronHeroesBHM


Iron Heroes Birmingham Group

@IronHeroesBHM

@IronHeroesBHM




@IronHeroesBHM

@IronHeroesBHM




@IronHeroesBHM

@IronHeroesBHM


Social media and event cards - front and back

We advocate for student veterans and the benefits available to them, aiming to educate and connect the

Birmingham community to local veterans.

What is Iron Heroes?

Twitter: @IronHeroesBHMInstagram: @IronHeroesBHM

Facebook: Iron Heroes

#IronHeroes

PSA poster

Paige Shelby [email protected]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELESE

STUDENT CAMPAIGN, IRON HEROES, RAISES AWARENESS OF STUDENT VETERANS IN THE BIRMINGHAM COMMUNITY

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (Feb. 16, 2016) - A Samford University student team partnered with Student Veterans of

America (SVA) to launch a month-long awareness campaign called Iron Heroes. The campaign aims to bring

awareness of student veterans and the benefits provided to them through the post 9/11 GI Bill.

The campaign kicked off with a yellow ribbon event at Samford University in Ben Brown Plaza where students,

faculty and staff picked up yellow ribbons to raise awareness of student veterans on campus. There was also

available information about the GI Bill, student veterans, Iron Heroes social media and upcoming events.

The Birmingham wide campaign’s upcoming events include:

· Iron Heroes is partnering with Samford’s PRSSA chapter at the Networking Expo in Pete Hanna on

February 24 from 2:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. Free headshots and resume reviews will be available for student

veterans and ROTC Detachment 012.

· Samford vs. UAB baseball game on Tuesday, March 1 at Samford University at 4:00 p.m.

· The Rally the Family and Iron Heroes Challenge field day is on Saturday, March 5 at Veterans Park from

2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.

· Iron Heroes and Teams for Troops will be hosting a March Madness Kick-off party on Selection Sunday,

March 13 from 12:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. ###

Iron Heroes is a public relations campaign for the Student Veterans of America aiming to connect student veterans and the Birmingham community. SVA is a 501(c)(3) coalition of student veterans groups on college campuses across the globe. These member chapters are the “boots on the ground” that help veterans reintegrate into campus life and succeed academically. Each chapter must be an officially recognized student group by their university or college and provide a peer-to-peer network for veterans who are attending the school. Additionally, chapters often coordinate campus activities, provide pre- professional networking, and generally provide a touchstone for student veterans in higher education.

Iron Heroes Launch press release

Partnerships

Email to Original Bham

Email to Yellowhammer

Email to Sodexo

Iron Heroes800 Lakeshore Drive

P.O. Box 293723Birmingham, AL 35229

March 15, 2016Governor Robert Bentley600 Dexter AvenueMontgomery, AL 36130

Dear Governor Bentley,

We are writing to inform you of Student Veterans of America (SVA), an organization committed to providing military veterans with the resources, support, and advocacy to succeed in higher education and following graduation. SVA is a 501(c)(3) coalition of student groups on college campuses across the globe. There are member chapters throughout the state of Alabama that serve as the “boots on the ground” to help veterans reintegrate into campus life and succeed academically.

Iron Heroes, is the title of the campaign to raise public awareness for the SVA and student veteran issues. In a recent interview with a student veteran he told us, “I feel more comfortable fast ripping off a black hawk into a hot landing zone than I do walking into a classroom.” Our goal is to help veterans adjust from the front lines to the front row through listening to each of their stories and engaging the community in a healthy conversation.

We also aim to help veterans find resources to navigate the Post 9/11 GI Bill benefits they have earned during service. Student veterans are growing in number on college campuses. In 2009, there were approximately 500,000 student veterans receiving education benefits. In 2013, over 1,000,000 student veterans used their GI benefits to pursue advanced educational opportunities, and this number is estimated to increase by 20% in the next few years.

Enclosed you will find a yellow ribbon that represents support for those who serve our country in the military and the yellow ribbon scholarship of its namesake. If you are looking for a small way to continue backing veterans as they transition back into the life they fought to protect, we encourage that you wear this ribbon to represent your support of student veterans and the yellow ribbon scholarship program.

Sincerely, The Iron Heroes Team

President Barack Obama

Alabama Governor Robert Bentley

Alabama Lt. Governor Kay Ivey

Wiliam Bell, Mayor of Birmingham

Gary Ivey, Mayor of Hoover

Example of formal letters we sent to government officials

Thomas Battle, Mayor of Huntsville

Sandy Stimpson, Mayor of Mobile

Scott McBrayer, Mayor of Homewood

Todd Strange, Mayor of Montgomery

Terry Oden, Mayor of Mountain Brook

Alberto Zaragoza, Mayor of Vestavia Hills

}Formal letterrecipients

Email to Senator Phil Williams

Email to Birmingham Veterans Affairs Medical Center

Events Example of email pitch

PA Announcements

Below is the full PA announcement that was played at the men’s basketball game vs. UNCG:

“Iron Heroes aims to support student veterans and connect them to their college community. Iron Heroes would like to thank ROTC Detachment 012 for their partnership and dedication to both our campus and our country. Come visit our table to learn more about Iron Heroes as well as Detachment 012.”

Below is the full PA announcement that was played at the Samford vs. UAB baseball game:

“Today we have a student-run public relations campaign that has partnered with Student Veterans of America called Iron Heroes. Iron Heroes aims to raise awareness of student veterans in the Birming-ham area, the benefits available to them through the post 9/11 GI Bill and connecting them to their universities. Stop by their table for more information, upcoming events and yellow ribbons to support student veterans.”

Kathleen Sharp 561-843-4643 [email protected] @IronHeroesBHM

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

STUDENT VETERANS OF AMERICA PARTNERS WITH UNITED STATES TENNIS ASSOCIATION FOR BIRMINGHAM COMMUNITY FIELD DAY

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (Feb. 23, 2016) – As part of its Iron Heroes campaign in

Birmingham, Ala., Student Veterans of America (SVA) has partnered with the United

States Tennis Association (USTA) to host a community field day event called “Rally the

Family and Iron Heroes Challenge” on Saturday, March 5 from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. at

Veterans Park. The event will be free and open to the public.

Community members will be able to compete in tennis, volleyball and ultimate Frisbee

tournaments located on the sand volleyball courts and the field, where there will also be a

Sport Court, a portable tennis court provided by the USTA, for the event. Additionally,

there will be Steel City Pops and other local food trucks.

Alabama State Senator Phil Williams will be at the event and speak about how the

Birmingham community can support veterans during their transition.

For more information, contact [email protected]. ###

Iron Heroes is a public relations campaign for the Student Veterans of America aiming to connect student veterans and the Birmingham community. SVA is a 501(c)(3) coalition of student veterans groups on college campuses across the globe. These member chapters are the "boots on the ground” that help veterans reintegrate into campus life and succeed academically. Each chapter must be an officially recognized student group by their university or college and provide a peer-to-peer network for veterans who are attending the school. Additionally, chapters often coordinate campus activities, provide pre-professional networking, and generally provide a touchstone for student veterans in higher education.

facebook.com/ IronHeroesBHM twitter.com/@IronHeroesBHM

Press release for Iron Heroes Challenge event

Kathleen Sharp 561-843-4643 [email protected] @IronHeroesBHM

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE IRON HEROES CAMPAIGN HOSTS A MARCH MADNESS KICKOFF TO RAISE

COMMUNITY AWARENESS OF STUDENT VETERANS

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (March 9, 2016) – On Sunday, March 13 from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. the Student Veterans

of America (SVA) will be hosting its final event of the Iron Heroes campaign: a March Madness kickoff event

at PT’s of SoHo. The local sports bar is partnering to offer happy hour on drinks and appetizer specials.

Additionally, the nonprofit organization Teams for Troops will be holding a raffle. The event will be free and

open to the public.

This community event will be centered around the NCAA Selection Sunday Tournament Challenge and

the viewing of the SEC Men’s Basketball Tournament Championship game. Alongside the drink deals

and viewing party, there will be brackets available to fill out and activities like cornhole.

Members of the Iron Heroes campaign and volunteer student veterans will be at the event to hand out

more information about veterans’ opportunities to receive scholarship for higher education through the

Student Veterans of America.

For more information, contact [email protected].

###

About Iron Heroes Iron Heroes is a public relations campaign for the Student Veterans of America aiming to connect student veterans and the Birmingham community. SVA is a 501(c)(3) coalition of student veterans groups on college campuses across the globe. These member chapters are the "boots on the ground” that help veterans reintegrate into campus life and succeed academically. Each chapter must be an officially recognized student group by their university or college and provide a peer-to-peer network for veterans who are attending the school. Additionally, chapters often coordinate campus activities, provide pre-professional networking, and generally provide a touchstone for student veterans in higher education. About Teams for Troops Established in 2015 by veterans Jordan Thompson, Josh Pagonis and Michael Krause, Teams for Troops is 501(c)(3) sending pro and college sports team care packages to deployed military personnel. Teams for Troops also funds research concerning traumatic brain injuries. For more information visit http://www.teamsfortroops.org/.

Press release for March Madness event


Yellow Ribbon ProgramThe Yellow Ribbon Program was established by the Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Act of

2008. This program allows institutions of higher learning (such as colleges, universities, and other degree-granting schools) in the United States to voluntarily enter into an agreement with VA to fund

tuition and fee expenses that exceed the tuition and fee amounts payable under the Post-9/11 GI Bill.

The Post-9/11 GI Bill pays all in-state tuition and fee charges at public schools and tuition and fees not to exceed a national cap at private schools. Out-of-state students and those attending private schools may receive additional funds to help cover unmet costs under the Yellow Ribbon Program. To see the

current national cap, please visit http://www.benefits.va.gov/gibill/.

Student VeteransStudent Veterans are growing in number on college campuses. In 2009, there were approximately

500,000 Student Veterans receiving education benefits. In 2013, over 1,000,000 student Veterans are using their GI benefits to pursue advanced educational opportunities, and this number is estimated to

increase by 20% in the next few years.

Samford CVAThe Campus Veterans Association will provide a support network for veterans,

dependents, and survivors; a social experience that builds on the bonds

forged during service; and a voice that advocates for the military community.

For more information about Samford CVA, contact Jordan Thompson.

[email protected]

Post-9/11 GI Bill Fast FactsAt a minimum, you must have served at least 30 days of continuous active

duty service after September 10, 2001 and be discharged due to a

service-connected disability, or served an aggregate of 90 days of active duty service after September 10, 2001 and

received an honorable discharge.

Student Veterans of AmericaToday’s veterans face numerous

obstacles in their path of attaining a college degree. These challenges

range from a missing sense of camaraderie to feeling like an outsider

amongst 18 year old traditional students to a lack of understanding by university faculty. When coupled with

the visible and invisible wounds of war, a college degree can be an elusive goal for men and women returning

from military service. Student Veterans of America (SVA) makes that goal a

reality.

Iron Heroes

Facebook: Iron Hereos Twitter: @IronHeroes

Instagram: @IronHeroes

For questions or more information, email us at

[email protected]

Yellow Ribbon fact sheet

EST . 187 1

Rally the Family& Iron Heroes

ChallengeVETERANS PARK, HOOVERMARCH 5, 2PM to 4PM

FREE COMMUNITY FIELD DAY EVENT!tennis, volleyball and ultimate Frisbee

local food trucksmore info: [email protected]

March Madness bracket

Iron Heroes Challenge flier March Madness flier

SurveyExample of email we sent to Birmingham area higher education institutions regarding our survey

We chose to partner with Campus Veterans Association, Samford University’s student veteran organization. We worked closely with Jordan Thompson, the president of CVA and a Cumberland School of Law student. Our interaction and involvement with Jordan was extremely beneficial; Jordan’s experiences helped us gain insight into the perspective of a student veteran as we began our campaign. Meeting with Jordan also ensured that our campaign aligned with CVA’s mission and goals on our campus while paralleling SVA’s.

Partnering with CVA and working with Jordan helped create connections with Birmingham’s veteran community in the early stages of our campaign. As we developed our “Iron Heroes” campaign, we shared our ideas and materials with Jordan Thompson. We were able to attend a Veterans Treatment Court seminar hosted by Samford University’s Campus Veterans Association and Cumberland’s Military Justice Society. We were also able to partner with Jordan and his nonprofit organization, Teams for Troops, for our March Madness Kickoff. This partnership helped to increase the reach of our campaign, while bringing awareness to Jordan’s existing organization.

We believe that partnering with Jordan Thompson and CVA allowed us to better understand the perspective of student veterans, while reaching a greater audience than we would have without this relationship.

Become an official Student Veterans of America chapterAs a national organization, SVA has numerous resources and networking opportunities to offer student vet-erans. Towards the end of our campaign, CVA President Jordan Thompson began the process of becoming a recognized organization on Samford’s campus by filling out the paperwork, establishing a governing document and meeting with the Student Government Association and Board of Advisors. Once this process is complete, we strongly recommend the CVA applying to become an official SVA chapter.

Develop a relationship with Samford’s Student Government AssociationSGA is a vital resource for every organization on Samford’s campus. Once the CVA is recognized as an official organization, it will have access to SGA’s funds. SGA is also a powerful entity in terms of campus legislation. We connected Jordan with the SGA president and several of the senators. They were able to draft an amend-ment that, if passed, will allow student veterans to have priority class registration. In our research, we discov-ered that many veteran scholarships have time limitations and conditions. This legislation would ensure that stu-dent veterans are able to enroll in the classes they need each semester in order to graduate in a timely manner. By maintaining a relationship with SGA, the CVA can expedite the voting process for this amendment and any future legislation it may need.

Partner with the Ida V. Moffett School of NursingNow that the CVA has more of a presence at Samford, student veterans entering Samford’s new nursing pro-gram this summer and fall, as a result of the above-mentioned grant, will have an inviting community. We recom-mend coordinating with the nursing department to make an appearance at the student orientations to welcome these new student veterans and provide information and support.

Partner with the Counseling Services at Samford Student Veterans transitioning back to civilian life can be difficult emotionally. Moreover, many faculty members are not sure how to properly address these issues. Samford’s Counseling Services has two counselors on staff as well as access to an abundance of resources. By partnering with the Counseling Services, CVA could host workshops to train faculty members and to uplift struggling student veterans.

Our Relationship with SVA & CVA

Recommendations for the Future

Improve social media presenceBefore our campaign’s instigation, Samford’s CVA only had a private Facebook group. We created a logo for them and started public Facebook, Instagram and Twitter accounts. Samford’s CVA has great potential to interact with students, faculty, employers and the community on social media. We recommend continuing to post new and engaging material to both involve external audiences and improve internal communication.

Upon the end of our month long campaign, our team made the decision to leave the CVA social media ac-counts under the handle @SamfordCVA active. Both the Instagram and Twitter are successful ways for the organization to reach their target audience and potential members. Through various meetings and discussions with Samford CVA’s leadership committee we believe we have given them the tools to successfully and ef-fectively use these social media platforms. With the chapter growing in size and expanding to include more undergraduate students we hope these social media accounts will provide a way for CVA to continue the dialogue that has been started on Samford’s campus.

Maintain relationship with the Career Development Center at SamfordIn our research we found that the veteran population in Birmingham has a very high unemployment rate. In an effort to shift this statistic, we connected Samford’s CVA with the Career Development Center (CDC) through our Networking Expo event. The CDC is a valuable resource for job advice, interview preparation and net-working. In the future, CVA could work with the CDC to schedule employer guest speakers and have student veterans’ resumes reviewed.

Host more events with student veterans at other Birmingham area universities Now that information about SVA has been dispersed at other local universities, too, Samford’s CVA can con-nect with student veterans throughout the Birmingham region for a larger community of likeminded individuals. We recommend having a meeting at least once each semester to share stories and encourage one another.

Partner with the Birmingham Veterans Affairs Medical Center This January, a new VA clinic opened in Birmingham. This provides not only a convenient source of treatment but also an excellent opportunity for medically minded student veterans in the area, especially since Sam-ford’s new nursing program will be in effect soon. Through a partnership, student veterans pursuing nursing degrees could have access to clinical experiences that will prepare them for their careers while also allowing them to help their fellow veterans. A partnership with the VA clinic could also help CVA reach Birmingham vet-erans who may not have considered going back to school yet or who may be on the fence because they were not aware of the GI Bill benefits before.

2016 Samford Bateman Team

Emily Duval is a senior journalism and mass communication major with a concentration in public relations and a minor in

sports marketing from Franklin, TN.

Lauren Hutchens is a senior journalism and mass communication major with a double concentration in public relations and advertising and a minor in marketing and media from Boca Raton, FL. Lauren is also the president of

Samford’s PRSSA chapter.

Paige Shelby is a senior journalism and mass communication major with a concentration in public relations and a minor in

film production from Franklin, TN.

Allie Haywood is a senior journalism and mass communication major with a double concentration in public relations and advertising and a minor in marketing from Birmingham, AL.

Kathleen Sharp is a senior journalism and mass communication major with a double concentration in public relations and

broadcast and a minor in business from Boca Raton, FL.

Meet the Team

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