Bring out your latent artistic skills at the Forum Conference

I've been a terrible artist my entire life. I cannot render the most basic images. Put a pencil in my hand and watch catastrophe unfold.

So I am especially excited that we are bringing Debra Frasier to the conference. You probably know Debra's book On the Day You Were Born, which has been a mainstay of baby gifts for more than 20 years.


Debra will be joining us for two sessions where she'll be teaching us the art of paper cutting--and how anyone, even me, can express themselves artistically with paper, scissors and glue. I might not ever make a beautiful papercut for my day job, but the creativity it unleashes will definitely influence all the other things I do at work.

Here are a couple other paper cut images from On the Day You Were Born:

"Welcome to the spinning world," the people sang, as they washed your new, tiny hands. "Welcome to the green Earth,"....

These are from A Birthday Cake is No Ordinary Cake:




And Debra's new book, Spike: Ugliest Dog in the Universe, was illustrated with cut up old jeans. It comes out in fall 2013.

Now, REGISTER for the conference, today.

Year of the Communicator Conference | The Benefits

You already know the
advantages of attending the Year of the Communicator conference on June 25,
2013, but you may need some help convincing your supervisor.

Here are some tangible benefits of
attending this year's UMCF conference:

1. It is affordable!

With airfare consistently on the rise, attending the conference means you won't
only save on airfare, but hotel and food costs as well. Plus if you
register before May 30, you receive the early bird discount.

2. Expand your professional network.

Because the conference is for communicators at the University, you expand your
professional network across campuses. We rarely get a break to talk with our
fellow colleagues and this is an excellent opportunity.

3. Keep up with the trends in the communications field and be
inspired by inspiring people.
This year's conference has two
keynote speakers that are industry leaders. Krista Neher is an expert on social
media and will be addressing how higher education institutions can make social
media work for us. Debra Frasier, author and illustrator, will help guide you
on your path of creativity, something every communicator needs.

4. Attend together as a teambuilding activity.

Attending the conference as a team means you can talk about which sessions will
provide you with the most skills and choose your tracks together. Creating a report for your supervisor about
the sessions you attend also helps outline what you learned. Then you can discuss your day at the reception, surrounded by inspiring art at the Katherine E. Nash Gallery.

5. Gain topic-specific experience.

The strategies, tools, and skills that you learn can be taken back to your
department and applied immediately. The conference offers you two keynote
speakers and three breakout sessions geared to give you the tools that you
need to be the best at what you do.

Don't delay and register today!

5 steps to maximize your membership

The Communicators Forum board recently sent this email inviting members to make it your communications year and take advantage of membership benefits and value.

Here are five steps to maximize your membership.

STEP 1: Complete this brief member survey by Friday, November 16.

STEP 2:
Save the date for these signature events:

• 
  Member Appreciation Event - May 29, 2013, 4:30-6:30 p.m., Weisman Art Museum, Minneapolis
• Annual Conference - June 25, 2013, all day, Carlson School of Management, Minneapolis
  

STEP 3:
Plan to enter your best work in this year's Maroon and Gold Awards, entries due February or March 2013 for work done anytime in 2012.

STEP 4:
Attend a program. The next two are:

• November 15, 12-1:30 p.m., 100 Murphy Hall - Beginner's Circle: Working with University Relations (panel discussion)
  
• December 5, 12-1:30 p.m., 2-233 Carlson School of Management - Expert Insights with Dave Pyle, former bureau chief of the Minnesota/Wisconsin Associated Press
  
  

STEP 5:
Give yourself a creative reboot and try something new.

• Volunteer for a committee
• Visit a museum or see a performance on campus
• Explore UMCF communications resources, comment on Pinterest, tweet or retweet your UMCF colleagues
• Get creative sharing ideas in the comments on the member survey
• Comment on this blog

FULL EMAIL TO MEMBERS BELOW

Communicators Forum members,

As a Communicators Forum member you are part of a network of professional communicators who are smart, talented, inspiring, outspoken, strategic, reflective, candid, diplomatic, pragmatic, resourceful, thoughtful, pioneering ...

who execute social media campaigns, plan and write website content, design educational materials, set strategic direction, consult on best practices, create compelling videos, pitch stories that showcase the U's impact, manage creative teams, tell stories that matter ...

and the list goes on!

The volunteers working behind the scenes to make things happen have an exciting year planned for you (yes, YOU), with some programming and key dates below. We want you to make it = YOUR YEAR. It's the year of the communicator. Your year.

Some steps to maximize your membership:

STEP 1:

So we can shape activities to meet your interests, complete this brief member survey by Friday, November 16.

STEP 2:

Save the date for these signature events:

Member Appreciation Event - Year of the Communicator

May 29, 2013, 4:30-6:30 p.m., Weisman Art Museum, Minneapolis

This new event will celebrate members with appetizers and cocktails; inspiring display of awards entries, Mike (people's choice) judging, and awards ceremony (separated from the annual conference); group palm readings, and more surprises.

Annual Conference - Year of the Communicator

June 25, 2013, all day, Carlson School of Management, Minneapolis

The annual conference will be one to remember with a new location and exciting lineup in the works. Be sure to share any speaker/topic ideas on the member survey!

STEP 3:

Plan to enter your best work in this year's Maroon and Gold Awards. Submissions will be due sometime in February or March 2013, for work done anytime in 2012. All entries will be displayed and awards given at the member appreciation event in May. Share ideas for new awards categories on the member survey.

STEP 4:

Attend a program. Thanks to everyone who was at Wednesday's tour of the For the Common Good exhibit at Andersen Library, and congrats to raffle winner Allison Gahlon (Learning Abroad Center)!

• November 15, 12-1:30 p.m., 100 Murphy Hall - Beginner's Circle: Working with University Relations (panel discussion)


• December 5, 12-1:30 p.m., 2-233 Carlson School of Management - Expert Insights with Dave Pyle, former bureau chief of the Minnesota/Wisconsin Associated Press

Learn more and register >

STEP 5:

Give yourself a creative reboot. Take a walk. Go to a museum on campus. Visit the Forum website, comment on the blog, (check out these past poll results, very fun--many introverts and English majors!). Volunteer for a committee by contacting one of the chairs listed below. Forward this email and spread the word to colleagues who aren't members--that $40 goes a long way for value.

Whatever steps you take (whatever moves you make), we hope you dare to make it your communications year.

Sincerely,

your Communicators Forum Board of Directors, 2012-13

Kate Sophia, chair / Academic Support Resources

Rebecca Noran, vice chair / Academic Health Center

Kelly O'Brien, chair emerita / College of Liberal Arts

Sarah Hollerich, at-large director / Academic Support Resources

Melissa Wray, recorder / Northrop Concerts and Lectures

Didi Nguyen, treasurer / Academic Support Resources

Lani Payette, chair, technology committee / Training Services

Katie Covey, co-chair, marketing and promotions committee / Weisman Art Museum

Erin Kober, co-chair, marketing and promotions committee / Student Unions and Activities

Cullean Colby, co-chair, program committee / Carlson School of Management

Jen Thissen, co-chair, program committee / College of Liberal Arts

Kris Junker, co-chair, awards committee / College of Veterinary Medicine

Ann Nordby, co-chair, awards committee / University of Minnesota Extension

Erin Lauderman, co-chair, conference committee / Weisman Art Museum

OPEN: co-chair, conference committee (contact Erin at elauderm@umn.edu if interested)

Conference Early Bird Deadline Extended to May 18!

Go for the Maroon and Gold

Communicators Forum 2012 Conference

Thursday, July 26, 2012

7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

St. Paul Continuing Education and Conference Center

Parking Map and Directions

The early bird deadline has been extended! Register by May 18 »

Session topics and speakers are now available online »

Go for the Maroon and Gold: Training Tip

Screen
printing. This is quite possibly one of the coolest forms of visual
communication. Conveying a message or brand through images is compelling
and, if you're an art enthusiast like me, more engaging than other
forms of communication (when done well).

A
great example is Twin Cities illustrator and print maker Adam Turman
who tells the story of biking in the Twin Cities through his collection of cycling prints.

Check out how to create the final product in this screen printing tutorial written by Turman.

And,
plan to attend Turman's UMCF conference session "Let's Print" where
he'll talk about the process of screen printing, but more
importantly, he'll be teaching how to pull some actual prints that
attendees can take with home.

Register by April 23 for the discounted rate.

Annual Conference with NPR's Michele Norris

"Go for the Maroon and Gold"

Thursday, July 26, 7:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m., St. Paul Continuing Education and Conference Center

• Register for the conference »

This year's keynote is Michele Norris host of NPR's
"All Things Considered." To us communicators, she is an Olympian. She
has done so much to advance the field and reach her goals that she is an
inspiration, much like a traditional Olympian, to communications
professionals.

• Read Michele Norris' biography »

Tune in on the UMCF Facebook page and Twitter feed for weekly training tips--the tips will preview the conference and provide helpful tricks of our trade along the way!

Robert Sevier's Presentation at "Making Our Case"

For those of you who wish to revisit Robert Sevier's breakout session on "Developing an Experience Marketing Strategy," please download this attachment.

2011 - Experience Marketing - Final SG.pdf

Last day for Early Bird Registration!

Save some money and register right now (this very second) for "Making Our Case," the 2011 Communicators Forum conference. I am most looking forward to the keynote speech by Mr. John Moe, host of "Marketplace Tech Report" and the "Wits" series going on throughout the spring at the Fitzgerald Theater. Also on my agenda for the day is Wing Young Huie's session on the University Avenue Project, the Burlesque guys' session on how they became so awesome, and of course, the reception at the Campus Club. Hope you all join us at Coffman Union on Thursday, May 12!

Who should be our keynote speaker?

Planning is under way for 21st annual Communicators Forum conference! Last year, we thoroughly enjoyed our keynote speaker, Dennis Cass. We found Dennis because of you, our wonderful members! So, who do you want to see at this year's conference? Post a comment with your recommendations.

2010 Maroon & Gold Award Recipients

The entries for the Maroon & Gold Awards this year were
inventive, innovative, and impressive. When the awards committee got done
spreading them out, they were struck with how INCREDIBLE we are as a group of professional communicators. It was an amazing array of examples of how, in the face of
budget cuts, layoffs, and the discouragement those realities have brought to us
all in the past year, we have not only persevered, we have exceeded ourselves.

Congratulations! And the winners are...

CATEGORY: CAMPAIGN SERIES

• GOLD
  Ampersand Campaign - Student Unions & Activities
• MAROON - INSTRUCTIONAL
  Minnesota Medical Foundation Corridor Newsletters - Minnesota Medical Foundation
• MAROON - PROMOTIONAL
  Game Day Party Promotional Materials - McNamara Alumni Center
  

CATEGORY: MULTIMEDIA

• GOLD
  Super Ball Drop on Facebook, Twitter... - Student Unions & Activities
  
• MAROON - WEBSITE
  Office of Admissions Website Redesign - Office of Admissions
• MAROON - VIDEO/DVD
  Big Question: Feast or Famine? - Institute On the Environment

CATEGORY: PRINT

• GOLD
  Momentum Magazine Fall 09 - Institute On the Environment
• MAROON - MULTI SHEET
  Make it Super! 2009 UMCF Conference - System Academic Administration
• MAROON - SINGLE SHEET
  Personalized University Calendar - Printing Services
• MAROON - CARD
  OIT Google Postcard - Office of Information Technology
  
• MAROON - POSTER
  Stravinsky in Paris - School of Music
• MAROON - MAGAZINE
  Medical Bulletin Spring 2009 - Minnesota Medical Foundation
  

CATEGORY: WRITING

• GOLD
  Voracious Vegitation Article - Minnesota Sea Grant
• MAROON - INSTRUCTIONAL
  Late Harvest Resources - CFANS Extension
• MAROON - SHORT FEATURE
  Maxine Hong Kingston Article - National Center on Educational Outcomes
  
• MAROON - LONG FEATURE
  Long-distance Learning - CFANS
• MAROON - PROMOTIONAL
  TCF Bank Stadium Donor Thank you Brochure - University of Minnesota Foundation
• MAROON - SCRIPT
  2009 Casey/Minnesota Awards Speech - School of Journalism & Mass Communication

CATEGORY: GREEN

Should I buy a hybrid car? - CFANS Extension

CATEGORY: MARGO

Renewable Energy Banner - CFANS Extension

CATEGORY: MIKE

Big Question: Feast or Famine? - Institute On the Environment

Conference preview: Dennis Cass

The 2010 Communicators Forum conference, Back to Our Roots, is coming up on May 13. We asked some session presenters about their favorite Twin Cities features.

Dennis Cass is our keynote speaker.

Your claim to fame: Someday I will come to you and tell you that you must drop whatever it is you're doing because I have done something truly astounding. Today is not that day.

Favorite local outdoor activity: Walking the Lakes with my wife or playing at the "green park" with my son.

Favorite local indoor activity: Books, television, and video games are all viable options.

Favorite local hangout: Sea Salt in the summer time, CC Club in the winter.

Favorite local band: Not so much a band as a performance group but PowderKeg Live! makes me smile.

Briefly, what will attendees learn at your session? You will learn a variety of metacognitive strategies for overcoming creative block. But try not to worry about it too much.

Conference preview: Tom Masterman

The 2010 Communicators Forum conference, Back to Our Roots, is coming up on May 13. We asked some session presenters about their favorite Twin Cities features.

Tom Masterman will be presenting Dialogue Earth: Mining Social Media.

Claim to fame: Largest collection of never-worn Boston sports team championship tee shirts in Minnesota (thanks to his mother, who continually mails them to him)

Favorite local outdoor activity: Walking the charming streets of St. Paul. I love my neighborhood.

Favorite local indoor activity: Visiting the Cities' many unique local coffee shops

Favorite local hangout: Common Roots on Lyndale

Favorite local blog: MinnPost.com

What will attendees learn at your session? I'm going to show you some of the tools you can use to better understand how people are talking about your brand, and the topics related to your industry, in the social media.

Follow UMCF conference presenters on Twitter

I'm getting very excited for this year's Communicators Forum conference, Back to our Roots. Those of you on Twitter may wish to follow the conference presenters. Here are the ones I found; if you see any I missed, let me know.

• Dennis Cass :: @denniscass


• Julio Ojeda-Zapata :: @jojeda


• Kim Doberstein :: @kimdobie


• Elizabeth Giorgi :: @elizacomm


• Colin McFadden :: @cmcfadden


• Susan Tade :: @stade08


• Anthony Ticknor of The Nerdery :: @the_nerdery


• Tom Masterman :: @tommasterman


• Fred Haberman :: @fredhaberman

Check out conference break-out session descriptions, and don't forget to follow @umcf on Twitter as well.