Telling Saint Mary’s Story

Telling Saint Mary’s story

Audience, Voice, and Tone

Each story we tell should have an authentic tone that feels distinctively Saint Mary’s College. The personality of SMC should serve as a touchstone for the story you’re telling. And the following guidelines can help shape that story—whether it’s told in digital or print, in images or words or sounds, or all of the above.

We Are Nurtured By Stories.

They help us make sense of the world and our place in it. They’re big and small, and they work alone or together to shape a sense of Saint Mary’s. They might answer big and simple questions, such as: “What happened? And why does it matter?” We have a powerful story to tell, notably through the people of Saint Mary’s, as well as this place—the campus, the Bay Area, and the wider world where Gaels live and work. There’s the big story of SMC’s founding and the educational mission that has carried across more than 150 years. Remember to see the humanity and beauty of our shared story. And that we’re not done yet.

Think Of Your Audience First.

At Saint Mary’s, we understand the importance of meeting students where they are. In shaping the stories about SMC, we need to meet audiences where they are, too. We find ways to connect with them—intellectually, emotionally, and spiritually—and inspire and engage them with those stories. How do you invite your reader or viewer or listener into your story and earn their trust and respect? In shaping your story, where are you trying to take them? Are they a current student at SMC or are they looking at colleges, a working professional exploring graduate programs, alumni or a thought leader, new faculty or veteran staff member? What’s the right platform and approach to make the connection? If they’re a prospective student, how do you make them feel welcome—and picture themselves as part of the SMC community?

Focus On Presences, Not Absences.

For Saint Mary’s, we focus on all the things we are and what we do—and how the size and scale of SMC create unique opportunities for Gaels to find their lives transformed. It’s tempting to make the world binary: more and less, big and small. Instead, recognize how boundless possibilities are woven into the fabric of the educational experience at SMC: that small class sizes and professors who know you by name open up new doors of opportunity.

Be Grounded; Be Brilliant.

If our goal is to reimagine education, then it’s important to explore what it means to learn, embracing the many things we can be at once. At Saint Mary’s, our education is practical and evergreen—but it’s also curious and imaginative, adaptive and smart. Our Gael genius goes beyond the classroom and into careers, so let’s embrace that duality.

Innovation Takes Many Forms.

It’s more than just world-class research: It’s social, cultural, and responsive to the changing needs of society and the planet. Our innovation stretches from technical know-how to justice-driven initiatives that work to make the world better on a very human level. Use language to reflect the vibrancy of innovation in every sphere, creating positive change within the college and community—close to home and across the globe.