Audiences

International Students

• Diverse communities, including a large number of international students, creates strong communities within the larger NOVA community.
• Brand pillars: Big School/Small School, Real-World Diversity.

Traditional High School Students

• Ability to stay in a diverse, familiar learning environment during their early years in higher education.
• A high-quality education at a fraction of the cost, flexible options for either pre-college or career skills preparation.
• Brand pillars: Outstanding Value, Real-World Diversity, Springboard to Opportunity, Big School/Small School.

Non-Traditional / Adult Students

• An affordable option to get back on track for a bachelor’s degree.
• An opportunity to re-tool and retrain for the fastest growing and most in-demand industries in the region like cybersecurity, healthcare, etc.
• A more accessible step back into the higher ed world for people who’ve been out of the classroom for a bit.
• Brand pillars: Outstanding Value, Springboard to Opportunity, Big School/Small School, Relevant, Experts.

Military / Veteran / Military Dependent Students

• Huge military and government services community in the service area.
• Advantageous option for remission benefits because of competitive tuition rates.
• Get a head start on a degree or post-separation career.
• Brand pillars: Outstanding Value, Springboard to Opportunity, Big School/Small School, Relevant, Experts.

Transient Students

• Cost savings on general ed courses.
• Smaller class sizes and more personalized attention in subjects where they may otherwise be in big auditoriums at a four-year institution.
• A chance to retake courses where they may have struggled but with more support this time around.
• Increased chance to graduate in four years, which has cost savings implications and gets them to the workforce and earning pay faster.
• Brand pillars: Outstanding Value, Springboard to Opportunity, Big School/Small School, Relevant, Experts.

Dual-Enrolled High School Students

• Increased chances for admission/scholarship to top-choice, four-year institutions.
• Cost savings because the coursework is highly affordable.
• Brand pillars: Outstanding Value, Springboard to Opportunity, Big School/Small School, Relevant, Experts.

Parents

• May have misperceptions about what a modern community college is.
• Looking to avoid debt and high costs.
• Want to set their child up for success, both academically and in life.
• Want institution to be more hands-on, if not hand-holding.
• Brand pillars: Outstanding Value, Springboard to Opportunity, Big School/Small School, Relevant.

Guidance Counselors

• Incentivized to focus on getting students to four-year institutions.
• Want to do what’s best for students, and to offer them their best options.
• Will face skepticism from students, parents and administrators.
• Brand pillars: Outstanding Value, Springboard to Opportunity, Big School/Small School, Relevant, Experts, Real-World Diversity.

Prospective Faculty

• Motivations range from a passion to serve and educate NOVA’s student population to wanting to be in a strong higher education environment.
• NOVA offers them an opportunity to work with a diverse student population.
• Teaching at NOVA also gives them the opportunity to have an immediate and direct impact on the lives of their students.
• Concerned/apprehensive that institution/region will be the “right” fit.
• May be from the surrounding region but also the rest of the country, world.
• Brand pillars: Real-World Diversity, Experts, Big School/Small School.

Prospective Staff

• Want to feel pride in the institution they work for.
• Share a commitment to making a difference in the lives of students.
• From the surrounding region, for the most part.
• Want to work in a high-achieving, high-impact institution.
• Brand pillars: Real-World Diversity, Experts, Big School/Small School.

Current Students

• Ability to stay in a diverse, familiar learning environment during early years of higher education.
• A high-quality education at a fraction of the cost, flexible options for either pre-college or career skills preparation.
• Diverse communities, including a large number of international students, creates strong communities within the larger NOVA community.
• Want to feel that they made a good choice that offers a good return on their investment of time and money.
• Motivated by what comes next — further education, a career, etc.
• Brand pillars: Outstanding Value, Real-World Diversity, Springboard to Opportunity, Experts, Relevant, Big School/Small School.

Current Faculty

• Motivations range from a passion to serve and educate NOVA’s student population to wanting to be in a strong higher education environment.
• Appreciate the opportunity to work with a diverse student population.
• Teaching at NOVA also gives them the opportunity to have an immediate and direct impact on the lives of their students.
• May be from the surrounding region but also the rest of the country, world.
• Brand pillars: Real-World Diversity, Experts, Big School/Small School.

Current Staff

• Want to feel pride in the institution they work for.
• Share a commitment to making a difference in the lives of students.
• From the surrounding region, for the most part.
• Want to work in a high-achieving, high-impact institution.
• Brand pillars: Real-World Diversity, Experts, Big School/Small School.

Alumni

• Want their degree to “mean something,” to have value in a professional and social context.
• Want to get on with their busy lives, but willing to have some connection.
• May need to return to NOVA, whether they know it or not.
• Brand pillars: Outstanding Value, Springboard to Opportunity, Experts, Big School/Small School.

Donors

• Want to build a legacy, to create something larger than themselves that will outlast them.
• Want to value-signal to key audiences of their own.
• See NOVA as something positive and of value to the community and want to help sustain it.
• Typically will want a sense of connection to the organization that goes beyond writing a check.
• May be motivated by a niche offering that is of particular value to them.
• Brand pillars: Outstanding Value, Real-World Diversity, Springboard to Opportunity, Experts, Relevant, Big School/Small School.

Legislators

• Want to be seen as “out front,” driving important issues to their constituents.
• Motivated by a desire to appear to be addressing their constituents’ concerns.
• Know that they will be held accountable for how public institutions perform.
• Need to ensure their constituents feel like they are getting a fair share of public resources.
• Don’t want to be contradicted or challenged, at least not publically, by public institutions.
• Brand pillars: Outstanding Value, Real-World Diversity, Springboard to Opportunity, Experts, Relevant, Big School/Small School.

Industry Partners

• Want to be included in the conversation, to feel that their perspectives are heard.
• Work on a different, faster time-scale than public institutions.
• Need places like NOVA for workforce and talent development.
• Solutions-oriented, with less interest in making sure political considerations are brought to bear.
• Brand pillars: Outstanding Value, Springboard to Opportunity, Experts, Relevant.

General Community

• Know that they are paying for NOVA indirectly.
• Want a strong community college system in principle, but vague on the details.
• Probably know someone who went to NOVA and had a great experience…and a not-so-great experience.
• May have connections to NOVA that they are either not aware of or don’t fully appreciate.
• Brand pillars: Outstanding Value, Real-World Diversity, Springboard to Opportunity, Relevant.