A campaign created for the University of Florida by:

Nicole Berrio
Alison Allsup
Sierra Brown

Colin Hines
Hillary Hoffower
Amber Richards

Table of Contents
Executive Summary...........................................................................................1
Research.............................................................................................................3
Research on the Organization.......................................................................3
Research on the Situation............................................................................12
Research on the Publics..............................................................................21
Situation Analysis...........................................................................................47
Message Strategy..........................................................................................49
Strategy............................................................................................................53
Timeline.............................................................................................................75
Budget................................................................................................................81
Evaluation.........................................................................................................83
Stewardship......................................................................................................91
Appendices......................................................................................................95
Team Biographies.........................................................................................105
Works Cited....................................................................................................107

Executive Summary


The accreditation process under Southern Association of Colleges Schools Commission on
Colleges is an opportunity for a university to evaluate areas of its institution that need improvement.
With declining study abroad participation and international course enrollment, as well as a desire to
be a nationally recognized top-10 university, the University of Florida believes that
internationalization would be an important aspect of its identity to hone. Internationalization would
mean increasing study abroad options, changing and adding current and new internationally themed
courses, and cultivating a rich international campus life.

Primary research revealed that faculty had an overarching skepticism about the campaign.
They not only felt that campaigns of the same caliber never came to full fruition in the past, but that
they had little power to influence change when caught in the bureaucratic red tape. While many
consider UF to be an international institution, they thought there could be many improvements to
further internationalize the university. When faculty were asked about creating international courses,
many felt that it would not be in their field of expertise or that it was not a priority of their college.
Regarding students, primary research found that they did not study abroad because it was either
too expensive or because it would take them off track for graduation. Because all majors do not have
study abroad programs integrated into their curriculum, students believed that they would not be
able to complete their coursework in the time allotted. Primary research also found that students did
not participate in international clubs because they felt they would not be accepted in an organization
whose members were of a different ethnicity. Students were interested in the International Scholars
Program providing that it would boost their rsums.

In order to create a cohesive communication plan to promote and change attitudes regarding
internationalization at UF, the following goal has been set: Cultivate a global mindset in students and
faculty by ingraining internationalization into University of Florida culture. Because the two target
publics are so different, specific objectives have been set to address the largest issues regarding each
audience. Creation of international courses and an increase in study abroad programs are integral
to becoming an international university, thus the outcome for faculty is to increase their interest and
desire to change their behavior by 4 percent each year. In order to ingrain internationalization into the
student experience, participation in international programs is key. A marked increase in
participation in study abroad programs as well as in on-campus organizations and events is a
physical means of cultivating a global mindset among students. By creating an understanding of the
International Scholars Program, students will be able to integrate internationalization goals into their
coursework, thus creating a student body that is ready for the globalized world.

These objectives have been developed with a core message of open the door to a world of
opportunity. The University of Florida wants to communicate to students and faculty that
internationalization is an opportunity that could lead to success and one that they do not want to
miss out on. Each strategy and tactic is consistently incorporated with this message, creating a
cohesive campaign centered around the promise of opportunity and progress.

Because the faculty public is small, interconnected, and feels jaded, the most effective form of
communication is through interpersonal communication. Therefore, tactics for faculty include small
group meetings, speaking events, and social gatherings. In order to target the faculty with an online
presence and a need for constant communication, a social media campaign is also utilized. Tactics for
social media include creating a website, Facebook, and Twitter presence and a blog.

Conversely, students are a much larger group and are less interdependent, requiring
strategies with more engaging tactics to communicate the benefits of internationalization. Students

hold negative assumptions about the cost and time requirements dedicated to studying abroad. In
order to dispel these ideas, the chosen tactics focus on providing accurate information to students
through brochures and the creation of a guerilla marketing event. The map tactic is an example of
how to engage students and create a sense of unity among the public. Students are also living in a
world where constant communication is necessary. Therefore, a social media campaign would also be
utilized for students, including an official webpage and accounts for Facebook, Twitter, and
Instagram, and a blog. The International Scholars Program will give students internationally focused
credentials that will positively impact their future careers. This is the focus for strategies pertaining to
the program. Tactics include integrating international jobs into the already established career fairs, an
international passport, and posters featuring international career leaders. There is a
misconception that those not identifying ethnically with an international organization are unwelcome
at these events. In order to prove to students that this is false, events inclusive to all international
organizations have been created. The unity that will be created among students and group members
will increase participation and inclusion in all international on-campus activities.

The timeline created for the campaign begins in April 2014 and ends July 2015. Years two
through five do not have their own timelines. However, many of the tactics and tasks included in the
timeline for the first year will be repeated in years two through five. The final estimated budget for
the first year of the campaign is ~$60,000. However, the remaining allocated budget should be put
towards the tactic that involves partnering with Student Government Productions.

To best measure results, unique evaluation methods are allocated to each tactics specific
needs. Overall program evaluation mainly consists of sending a survey to the target publics. A Final
Internationalization Survey will be sent to faculty members. Should the survey not receive a high
response rate, alternative means of evaluation will be conducted through brief in-person surveys. A
survey will also be used for students to measure their opinions and participation in
internationalization efforts at the end of each year, to be included in the mandatory SERU survey.
Goals involving behavior changes can be measured by reviewing and comparing participation rates
in study abroad, on-campus events and organizations, and faculty involvement in the creation of
internationalization courses and study abroad programs.

Maintaining relationships through stewardship is important to ensure that
internationalization truly becomes part of the University of Floridas culture. The University of
Florida International Center must evoke the principles of relationship nurturing, reciprocity,
responsibility, and reporting in order to guarantee that the goal of internationalization is not cast
aside following this campaign. Constantly showing gratitude through postcards, social media posts;
keeping publics informed through monthly eblast newsletters, social media, and weekly opportunity
announcements for students; and providing unexpected gestures of appreciation, such as disposable
cameras for studying abroad students and the opportunity to buy a study abroad yearbook, will keep
students engaged in internationalization.

Through the effective and efficient implementation of these strategies and tactics,
internationalization can become successfully ingrained into the undergraduate experience for both
faculty and students at the university of Florida. By targeting all five of the QEPs campus initiatives,
this campaign can actively improve and increase the global awareness and intercultural competence
amongst UFs undergraduate student body. Together, we can open the door to internationalization.

Research on the Organization

For many years, the University of Florida (UF) has been dedicated to upholding its trifold
mission of teaching, research, and service (University of Florida Mission Statement). Teaching has
been essential at both the undergraduate and graduate levels, while research and service at UF have
been an intrinsic part of academia and the educational process through developing a better understanding of the natural world, the intellect, and the senses (University of Florida Mission
Statement).

These three integral aspects that comprise UFs mission include the universitys collegiate
disciplines and exhibit UFs pledge to lead and support the state of Florida. They represent the
universitys responsibility to contribute the rewards and knowledge from its research for the public
good. UF is called a land-grant institution, holding an additional responsibility to the state of Florida
to educate, research, and grow as a university, and is one of only 17 universities in America to share
the distinction of land-grant, sea-grant, and space-grant status (Land-Grant of Opportunity).

The following research examines UF based on its internal environment, external environment,
and public environment.

Internal Environment
Performance


By requiring faculty to meet certain
evaluation standards, UFs performance in
research, teaching, and service continues to
surpass many other universities in America.
For example, UF successfully reached its goal
of being a top research university. In 2011, it
placed 12th among public universities
nationally in research and development (Facts
and Rankings). Other rankings, detailed
below, indicate UFs excellence in teaching and
education. The large number of initiatives at
UF benefit not only the local community, but
the state and national communities as well
(Facts and Rankings). UF serves the interests
of society and has achieved its sevice mission
through its many contributions, such as
world-class artistic venues, nationally ranked
teaching hospitals and health centers, radio
and television stations, and the largest
information resource libraries in the state of
Florida (Facts and Rankings).

Over the years, UF has become one of
the top public universities in the nation, which
suggests that the university is performing at a
high level. In Forbes 2012 list of Americas Best
Colleges, UF was ranked the highest among

Florida universities (Shavell). UF has also

consistently ranked among the top universities
with a 96 percent retention rate of incoming
freshman, 67 percent of whom graduate in four
years and 85 percent of whom graduate in six
years (Facts and Rankings).

UF is steadily ranked among top
universities in the nation and is closer to
entering the list of the nations top 10
universities. In 2012, U.S. News and World
Report rated UF number 17 in the list of top
public universities, but a recent ranking by
four economists places UF as the number nine
public university (Denslow). Forbes ranked
UF as 15 on the list of best public universities
in the south, and U.S. News and World Report
ranked UF 49 on the list of best universities in
the nation (Facts and Rankings).
UF is also internationally known. It
was ranked 204 out of 737 institutions in the
word for its number of international students
(Facts and Rankings). According to the 2013
Academic Ranking of World Universities, UF
was ranked 71 on the academic list of the best
universities in the world. In 2012, close to nine
percent of UF students from other countries,
with 536 undergraduates, 3,582 graduates,
and 77 professionals, totaling 4,465
international students and professionals (UF

Statistics).

As far as UFs performance in
regards to current international initiatives,
the university offers study abroad programs,
a common reading program, an international
general education requirement, and various
international departments and clubs.
However, according to the UF SERU survey,
the number of students participating in
international efforts has declined from 20092013 (Miller, Villalon, and Brophy 12).
Therefore, international efforts at the
university do not appear to be as extensive as
they need to be in order for UF to be a global
player.

Niche

Established in 1853, UF is the state of
Floridas oldest university (About UF). Since
then, the university has been successful in its
education and extracurricular offerings. UFs
athletic program is nationally-acclaimed, has
won a total of 31 national titles, and stands
fourth all-time among the nations athletic
programs (Facts and Rankings). Current
evidence suggests that success in athletic
programs can obtain for the university benefits
of increased financial contributions and
increased applications for enrollment (Goff).
UF is also a leader in research and discoveries
and has received state, nation, and worldwide
acclaim in a variety of ways. With the creation
of Gatorade, the large number of start-up
companies and issued U.S. patents, and its
standing as a leader in alternative energy
research, UF is a university that has made its
name through research initiatives (Facts and
Rankings). In the near future, the university
is seeking to carve out new niches for itself:
becoming an internationalized university and
one of the nations top-10 public universities.
Through the implementation of this campaign,
UF aims to be soon be recognized as such.

Structure
4

The administrative structure at UF is

that of a hierarchy. The president of the

university, Bernie Machen, is selected by the
Board of Trustees and is the chief executive
officer of the university. The Board of Trustees
is technically the universitys legal owner and
ultimate authority. It is comprised of six
members selected by the governor and five
citizen members selected by the board of
governors. The second ranking officer of the
university is the Senior Vice President for
Academic Affairs, who is responsible for
appropriation of funds and resources for the
university and acting as the president in
Machens absence (University of Florida
Administration). The layers of bureaucracy at
UF could pose a challenge when it comes to the
implementation of the QEP. University
administrative staff has increased nationally by
4.7 percent each year, between 1997 and 2007
(Bennett). The large growth of administrative
staff has increased double the rate of
enrollment growth, making the outcome of
educational change harder to improve
(Bennett).

Specifically, it is important to look at the
structure of the department and the team who
play a role in internationalizing the university:
the UFIC and the ITF. With a staff number of
over 40 individuals, the UFIC is organized into
five major units: Exchange Visitor Services
(EVS), International Students Services (ISS),
Study Abroad Services (SAS), Program
Development (PD), and Finance and
Administration Services (FA). EVS at the UFIC
interprets federal regulations covering the
exchange visitor program and administers the
program for international visitors to UF in the
J-1 visa category, including short-term scholars,
research scholars, professors, student interns,
and students from exchange partner
institutions around the world (Thapa 8-9). The
UFIC financial unit provides finance and
human resource oversight and management
from the center for students, along with the
faculty and staff of Study Abroad Financial
services. The ISS unit assists in matters related
to F or J International Student Visa
status. PD supports the creation of new
innovative, internationally focused programs
and facilitates the engagement of faculty,

students, and staff to increase UFs global

presence. The SAS unit is responsible for all
aspects of a students study abroad
experience (Thapa 9).
The ITF was established in 2011,
consisting of faculty, administration, staff, and
students from across the university (Miller,
Villalon, and Brophy 4). It was responsible
for designing the Quality Enhancement Plan
(QEP) to increase student connection in
international learning experiences. The ITF
will actively engage allstakeholders within
the university in regards to the QEPs campus
initiatives, which will lead to desired learning
defined by the established Student Learning
Objectives (SLOs).

Internal Impediments

The challenges posed by the layered
bureaucracy and increase in administrative
staff create internal impediments that could
hinder internationalization efforts. With
various administrative levels that consist of an
overwhelming amount of staff, rate of approval
time for communications efforts may take too
long to be effective. This impediment is
deliberate so that the university bureaucracy
has adequate time to review the information
that a specific college wishes to disseminate.
While the slow approval time may hinder
communication efforts, it is necessary to make
sure information is correct and fits with the
universitys overall communication plans.
Specific rules regarding UFs
communication materials and branding are
also an impediment to public relations
activities. These rules, determined by
University Relations, could be problematic
when implementing this communications plan.
Communications rules include a list of
reminders, such as ensuring that the president
or provost reviews material for disemmination,
discussing alternative means of
communication, and frequently updating staff
and administrators on the status of messaging

strategies (Campus Communications

Professionals). The University of Florida
Brand Center provides the specific rules about
how the university logo can be used. For
example, athletic logos for the university
cannot be used in conjunction with academic
logos (Signature Usage). Making sure that
communications efforts are in compliance with
these rules may require additional time on the
ITFs behalf. If these specific
communication and branding rules of how UF
events and promotions can be marketed are not
followed correctly, the public relations efforts
can be impeded or even stopped based on the
severity of the broken rules.

An additional impediment deals with
email communications to students. University
Relations has a specific mass email policy that
requires the approval from multiple
individuals before the message can be sent to
students. According to University Relations
Mass Email Policy, approval must be gained
from the individuals supervisor, department
chair, dean and/or director before it can be
sent to the assistant vice president of Media
Relations and Public Affairs for final approval
and dissemination (Mass Email Policy). This
impediment is based on policy and is
deliberate to protect students and manage the
number of emails they receive.
Almost all of these impediments can be
overcome by planning ahead and
keeping time an important priority.
Additionally, these impediments can be
overcome by understanding the methods and
rules for communicating with students and
faculty at UF. Having a complete
understanding about the marketing, branding,
and communication guidelines from
University Relations can help reduce the issues
that can arise when engaging in public
relations activities.

External Environment
Supporters

UF is likely to have full support in its endeavors by those who wish to see the institution
succeed and who advocate internationalism. These likely include
The Florida Government

In 2013, Florida Governor Rick Scott
publicly announced his support for UF to
ascend into the top ten among public
universities (2013 Legislative Summary).
The Florida government holds the potential
to help publicize UFs internationalization
plan, which will inevitably improve the
universitys rankings, by demonstrating its
public support.

Alumni

With more than 367,000 alumni around the world, UF has
an extensive network that it can draw support from. Specifically,
this can be found in The University of Florida Alumni Association
(UFAA), one of the largest alumni associations in the nation. The
UFAA consists of affiliate groups and is responsible for a
network of nearly 100 Gator Clubs worldwide, providing even
more encompassing support (About Us: The University of
Florida Alumni Association). Not only does the association host
outreach programs, but is actively involved in the recruitment of
superior students and in gathering donations for the university.
The UFAAs strategic plan is titled Be the Best and focuses on
the goal of serving the needs of alumni while simultaneously
supporting the universitys quest for excellence. Its mission
states:

The mission of the University of Florida Alumni

Association (Association) is to support exclusively the

University of Floridas mission of teaching, research,

and service as determined by the University of Florida

Board of Trustees by fostering and enhancing the relation

ship between the University of Florida (University) and

its alumni, students, and friends. (About Us: The

University of Florida Alumni Association)

International faculty-based organizations

UF has three international groups for
faculty and staff members, which are also
likely to be of support. These include
International Working Groups, a venue for
sharing information and facilitating learning
and work done by UF faculty and grad students in the specific country; Intercultural
Communications Institute, which combines
the universitys resources to promote
research, education, and training to create
more appreciation for cultural differences;
and International Speakers Group, which
works to encourage discussion and debate
about international issues (Involvement
Activities).

Existing Curriculum

Other institutes at UF that
already employ an international
curriculum are highly likely to support
UFs efforts to strengthen international
programs. These include the Housing
and Residence Education department,
UF libraries, UF Performing Arts Center,
and the Samuel P. Harn Museum of Art
(Miller, Villalon, and Brophy 27).

International student-based organizations

There are currently 63 student organizations
at UF for international students or for those
promoting international interests (Miller, Villalon,
and Brophy 27). Organizations that may be most
supportive include the International Student
Speakers Bureau, a group of international and study
abroad students from UF who volunteer to teach
local school children about their home and host
countries; Gator Global Educators, which strives to
connect middle school students with the
international community at UF; NaviGators, a group
of students who assist incoming students and
exchange students with adjusting to life on campus;
and Volunteers for International Student Affairs,
which hosts more than 30 international clubs at UF,
manages some international activities across
campus, and works closely with the Student
Government (Involvement Activities).

Competitors

The University of Floridas external environment is competitive on several levels. Higher
education has created an increasingly competitive climate, as the university vies with other schools to
enroll an excellent incoming class. UF faces competition in this regard in two areas:
Other universities in Florida

With 95.8 percent of its freshman incoming class consisting of in-state students, UF competes
against other Florida universities to acquire the best and brightest talent of those wishing to attend
school in Florida (Common Data Set). With this competition, UF is under pressure to have the most
appealing programs, opportunities, and campus life. The primary competing universities are
University of Central Florida (UCF), University of South Florida (USF), Florida State University
(FSU), and University of Miami (UM). All of these institutions are considered major research
universities, and all the public universities (FSU, UCF, and USF) have an in-state tuition roughly
equivalent to UFs at a little over $6,000 per year (Colleges).

Of the four, UCF and USF provide less competition for UF, with a tied ranking at 170th among
national universities (Colleges: University of Central Florida; Colleges: University of South
Florida). They were both established in the mid-1900s, but their rankings indicate that they have not
earned the prestigious perception that UF has.

UFs biggest competitors are FSU and UM. FSU is ranked 91st among national universities and
ranks among the top 50 public universities nationally (Colleges: Florida State University). Although
these rankings are not higher than UFs, they are nonetheless notable, providing competition for
students seeking an education from a top public university in Florida. In FSUs mission statement, the
university prides itself for its pre-eminence in the sciences, arts, and humanities.

UM, however, is a private institution that continues to be the highest ranked school in Florida,
placing only two spots below UF at 47th among national universities (Colleges: University of
Miami). Its tuition is steeper than UFs, coming in at $42,852 per year, which has the potential to turn
away certain applicants. In its mission statement, UM emphasizes its individual research,
leadership, and outreach opportunities. Its location in South Florida provides students with direct
access to culture, something that UF does not. It also holds an appeal for those who wish to remain
in-state but want to attend a private university.
Public universities

UFs recent goal to establish itself as a top ten public university automatically places it in
competition with other universities currently in or around the top ten. This becomes a concern when
regarding students who are in search of prestigious public universities throughout the country. With a
more internationalized program, UF could be more likely to appeal to these students. The
following schools are primary competitors for UF in this regard: University of California (including
several of its schools), University of Virgina, University of Michigan, University of North Carolina,
College of William and Mary, Georgia Institute of Technology, Pennsylvania State University,
University of Illinois, and University of Wisconsin (Top Public Schools: National Universities).


The University of Florida faces additional competitors specifically when concerning its internationalization program:
Outside study abroad services

One of the core components of the QEP is to improve UFs study abroad programs.
However, non-affiliated study abroad services may present certain benefits, curriculum, or
opportunities that some students may find more enticing or a better fit for their needs. Three of the
top high-quality study abroad programs are International Education of Students (IES), Cultural
Experiences Abroad (CEA) and American Institute for Foreign Study (AIFs).

IES offers more than 100 programs in 36 cities and 21 countries with over 1,200 courses. It
enrolls more than 6,000 students a year and has $2 million available in scholarships and aid
(About Us). CEA considers itself to be a strong global brand in the education industry. It focuses
on the quality of its programs with active learning to enrich opportunities for students. With this
goal, CEA created a Program Learning Model to shape the purpose, content, and delivery of its
programs. It also offers $300-$5,000 in limited scholarships (Experiential Learning). AIFS has
been around for 45 years, providing the company with ample resources and experience. It positions
itself as the best value for the experience and offers $600,000 in scholarships annually. It consists of
roughly 60 programs a year with all-inclusive fees (The AIFS Value).

Not only can these programs be found online by the student interested in studying abroad,
but representatives frequent the study abroad fairs at UF, providing students with accessibility and
thereby increasing the competition.
Other campus-wide communications efforts

The internationalization plan is not the only effort UF
is in the process of initiating, and the univeristy consequently
faces competition against another campus-wide initiative, UF
Rising. UF Rising is a plan to establish UF as one of the best
public research universities. Backed by $1 billion from the
Florida state government and a university contribution, the
plan focuses on recruiting top faculty and implementing
initiatives toward research (UF Rising to National
Preeminence). This campaign may overshadow
internationalizing efforts.
Internationalizing universities

UF is not the only university implementing an internationalization program,
and those in closer proximity to UF present higher competition. UCF completed its
Internationalization Strategic Plan in 2012, which concentrated its action steps on
on-campus activities and opportunities (Miller, Villalon, and Brophy 22). Four
institutions in Florida have developed a QEP centered on internationalization:
UCFs International Strategic Plan, Florida International Universitys (FIU) Global
Learning for Global Citizenship, University of Tampas Building International
Competence: An Integrated Approach to International Education, and Rollins
Colleges Building International Competence: An Integrated Approach to
International Education. The University of North Carolina (UNC), which is among
the top public universities with UF, also includes internationalization as a
component in its QEP, Making Critical Connections. More regarding these plans
will be discussed later in the report.

Opponents

While UF has competition, it appears that it faces no real opponents. This demonstrates a
positive aspect of the university, signaling that it has fostered good relationships with others.

External Impediments

Research shows that the external environment in which UF is currently operating is
growing. The number of students enrolled in college is expected to increase until at least 2020, when
the number is likely to be around 23 million (OShaughnessy). The proportion of institutions offering
education abroad opportunities has increased by 26 percent (Mapping Internationalization on U.S.
Campuses). Additionally, more institutions are investing in international opportunities (Mapping
Internationalization on U.S. Campuses), and 70 percent of the public believes that study abroad
should be required of undergraduates (Mapping Internationalization on U.S. Campuses). These
statistics emphasize the importance of an international education.

However, financial aspects hold the potential to hinder this campaign. As a public
institution funded through the state of Florida, UF may suffer from Floridas recent budget cuts
(Schweers).

Public Environment
Reputation

10

UF is a major, public,
comprehensive, land-grant university and
is the states flagship institution (University
of Florida Mission Statement). As the oldest
university in Florida, it prides itself in being
among the nations most academically
diverse public universities. Home to more
than 150 research centers and institutes, UF
is well known for its distinguished contributions to research. It is one of 17 public,
land-grant universities that belongs to the
Association of American Universities and
has steadily improved its rankings each year
(University of Florida Mission Statement).
Over time, these rankings have established
a positive reputation for UF based on the
perception that it is a more prestigious public
university. It is consistently ranked as the top
public university in Florida and as a top
public university nationally. UF is currently
trying to bolster this reputation with efforts

to ascend into the top ten among public

universities.

Current rankings are as follows: 14th
among top public universities (Top Public
Schools: National Universities); 24th among
national universities (2013 National
Universities Rankings); 8th in The Centers
top public research universities (Facts and
Rankings); 3rd in Kiplingers Best Values in
Public Colleges (Facts and Rankings); 21st
in the country based on yield rates (Hopkins);
and 71st among world universities (Academic Ranking of World Universities 2013).

UF is also known for its affordability,
with an average tuition of $6,263 for in-state
students a year. In 2013, it was rated as
number 1 for best bang for your buck.
(2013 Best Bang for the Buck Ratings)

Visibility

Such favorable rankings have made
UF highly visible, as they draw attention
toward the universitys excellence. UF has
also been frequently featured in the national
news, such as Forbes, the Huffington Post, and
the New York Times, for athletics, research
accomplishments, university improvements,
and more. With a total of 27,295 applicants
for the 2013-2014 school year, UF appears to
be visible on the agenda of many high school
students (Colleges: University of Florida).

UF also has a fairly strong social
media presence, benefitting the universitys
visibility levels. It administers 12 main
accounts and over 400 accounts among its

colleges and individual institutions (Official UF

Social Media Accounts). The main Twitter
account has 61,700 followers with multiple
updates daily, and the main Facebook account has
533,923 likes with an average of one to two posts a
day. In late Fall 2013, University Relations
implemented a social media campaign
encouraging students and alumni to post photos
on Instagram representing UF around the world
with the hashtag #GatorNationisEverywhere
(Showing that the #GatorNationIsEverywhere).
UF then reinstagrams these photos to its 18,000
plus followers. This phrase has been hashtagged
435 times, bringing slightly more visibility to UF
among Instagram users

SWOT Analysis
Strengths

Weaknesses

- Positive reputation as a high quality educational

- Lack of financial resources

institution

- Multi-branding of the university

- Diverse and strong network of support

- Structural constraints in regard to the universitys

- Notable faculty

bureaucracy

- Low tuition rates for in-state students

- Current performance of international initiatives

Opportunities
- Monetary support from UF alumni and donors
- 300,000 alumni throughout the world

- College-bound junior and senior high school

students

- Grant money from the government and

organizations that provide funding

Threats
- Lack of state government funding
- Other public universities in the state and across the
nation
- Negative publicity tied to the university

- An internationalized university

11

Research on the Situation

The following research aggregates and analyzes UFs internationalization opportunity as part
of the reaffirmation for accreditation process. This section will discuss the process of accreditation
with SACSCOC, the consequences of not being accredited, the QEP, and the factors working for and
against the university in the accreditation situation.

Situation Analysis
Accredidation: An Opportunity

In 2014, UF will be evaluated by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools
Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) to determine whether the universitys accreditation should
be reaffirmed. While the accreditation process is arduous and time-consuming, it remains a
continual opportunity for UF to reaffirm its value to all of its stakeholders, focus on areas of
improvement, and continue implementing its mission of academic excellence.

SACSCOC is the association that grants accreditation to degree granting higher education
institutions in the southern states (SACSCOC Homepage). Participation in the accreditation
process is voluntary, but it is important as it shows current and potential students, faculty, and
donors that an academic institution provides quality education and acts with integrity (SACSCOC
FAQS). According to UF President J. Bernard Machen, UFs accreditation was renewed in 2003
and was highly successful (Accreditation 2014). Machen emphasized the value of confidence
in the universitys success in the upcoming accreditation and how it is vital that everyone in the
university work together to ensure future success.

While the accreditation process is multi-faceted, UFs biggest task is planning,
implementing, continuing, and evaluating the QEP (2012 Principles of Accreditation 8). The
university chose to focus the QEP on internationalizing the campus and the curriculum for
students and faculty. While the plans Executive Summary notes that internationalization has
been on the universitys agenda for a long time, student engagement has declined in international
activities since 2009 (6). Because of this decline and UFs view that internationalization is part of
its identity (Internationalization Research Working Group Survey 3), the university decided that
internationalization would be an appropriate area for improvement and the focus of the 2014 QEP.

According to the UFIC, a global footprint for a university is now perceived as a necessity
for world class status (Internationalization research Working Group Survey 3). UF wants to
position itself as global leader in education and research. It realizes the importance of
internationalizing the university and has had a history of internationally focused initiatives. In
order to reach its goal, it wants to improve current international campus initiatives and add new
ones (3).

In addition to UFs interest in internationalization as a part of its identity and reputation, it
wants to focus on internationalization to enhance the education it offers students. The Association
of American Colleges and Universities says a global education prepares students for the global
world of work as well as to bring about a shared future marked by justice, security, equality,
human rights, and economic sustainability (Stromquist 81). With a global education, UF can
inspire students to be stewards of the world, as well as prepare them to work and thrive in an
increasingly global culture.

12

SACSCOC Accredidation Standards and Process

The 2012 Principles of Accreditation;
Foundations for Quality Enhancement
document by SACSCOC emphasizes the
importance of internal review and
evaluation (5) in the accreditation process and
that its formula for accreditation consists of
review by peers from other higher education
institutions, the university being evaluated,
and the opinions of the commissions Board
of Trustees (5), which has the final decision on
whether accreditation should be renewed.

The academic institution has to prepare
two documents before the commissions
review. The first is a Compliance Certification
document. The Compliance Certification must
be sent 15 months in advance of the scheduled
reaffirmation (7). The document discusses, in
the institutions opinion, how it met the core
requirements, the comprehensive standards,
and the federal requirements (7).

After completion of the Compliance
Certification, the document must be signed by
both the institutions chief executive
officer and an accreditation liaison, which
affirms that the document is honest and
complete.

In addition to the Compliance
Certification document, the institution must
develop and submit a QEP four to six weeks
before the on-site visit by the commission. The
QEP must contain a plan that would work
toward a goal formulated from the problems
assessed during the study of the institution, a
focus on the enhancement of student learning,
and an involvement of all institutional
constituencies in the implementation of the
plan. In addition, the plan must fall within
the means of initiation, implementation, and
completion by the institution with a plan for
evaluating effectiveness (7). The
implementation of UFs QEP will span five
years and will serve as the basis for its
reaffirmation status (7).

In addition to the institutions internal

review, the Commission of Colleges holds an

off-site review, an on-site review, and a review
by the commissions Board of Trustees (8-9). At
the off-site review, eight to 10 evaluators will
review a cluster of Compliance Certifications
and determine whether core requirements,
comprehensive standards, and federal
requirements were met (8). Based on this
evaluation, a report is created for the on-site
review. The on-site review focuses on the QEP
plan and determines the completeness,
correctness, and honesty of the Compliance
Certification. After both the on-site and off-site
evaluation, the evaluators forward reports to
the commissions Board of Trustees for the final
say on the reaffirmation process (8).

SACSCOC evaluates each institution
based on the core requirements, the
comprehensive standards, the federal
requirements, the Commission on Colleges
policies, and the principle of integrity. The core
requirements that SACSCOC uses to evaluate
academic institutions are basic standards that
the commission expects an institution to meet,
and all core requirements must be met in order
to qualify for reaffirmation of accreditation
(16). Examples of core requirements include
having students enrolled in the institution
and having the government granted authority
to grant degrees. Comprehensive standards
include requirements regarding institutional
mission, governance, and effectiveness;
programs; resources; and institutional
responsibility for Commission policies (24).
The United States Department of Education
recognizes the accreditation process of SACSCOC in determining the eligibility of academic institutions to provide degrees under Title IV
of the Higher Education Act (38). Important to
consider is the following quote:

As part of the review process,

institu tions are required to document

compliance with [criteria outlined in

the federal regulations developed

13

by the U.S. Department of Education]

and the Commission is obligated to
consider such compliance when the
institution is reviewed for initial
membership or continued accreditation.
(38)

This means that the commission has
federal backing and support. Also important
in every standard measured by SASCOC is the
principle of integrity. The commission expects
that each organization govern itself and the accreditation process with this principle, and any
indication otherwise will lead to a rejection of
reaffirmation (13).

Consequences

14

Accreditation is important for UF or
any higher education institution for various
reasons, and the consequences for not being
accredited are manifold. Accreditation proves
that the education provided by degree offering
higher education institutions has value for
students, future employers, and society at large
because it affirms the quality of the resources
provided and the integrity of the institution at
self. If UF were not accredited, it would not be
able to do many things.

First, it would not be able to participate
in inter-institutional exchange of credit:
currently, many academic institutions only
accept credits from institutions that have been
accredited. Courses and degrees would not
have perceived value among a consortium of
colleges and universities (Dickeson 2). Second,
there would be a loss of students and faculty.
If the university were no longer accredited, it
would lose prospective students and faculty.
Students want and need a degree that will be
valuable to them and their future careers.
Faculty would not seek positions at an
unaccredited institution because there would
be little funding for research, little value to
the students they teach, and little value of the
experiences at later employers in their careers
(The Value of Accreditation 1).

Additionally, there would be a loss
of both public and private funding. Donors
would decide not to donate to a university that
has not been accredited, because it would
indicate a lack of educational quality and a
possible lack of integrity because they had
been denied value by an evaluation from their
peers:

Institutions not only receive funds from

public sources, they benefit from

tax-exempt status and from the ability

to generate tax-deductible contributions.

The public has a need to know that the

return on its investment is sound,
and that the preferred status enjoyed by

institutions is justified. (Dickeson 3)

The loss financially for UF would be
astounding. UF would have to pay more taxes
and would lose money from anyone who did
decide to donate to the institution (The Value
of Accreditation 1). Students would lose
access to federal and state financial aid, as most
federal and state financial aid is only offered
for degrees at accredited institutions (The
Value of Accreditation 2).

Aside from the economic losses,
students would later suffer in their career.
According to The Value of Accreditation, In a
number of fields, especially the health
professions, graduation from an accredited
program is a requirement for receiving a
license to practice (1). A degree from an
unaccredited institution prevents educated
individuals the ability to work in their chosen
fields, and thus deprives them of both
fulfillment and success.

The Quality Enhancement Plan

The three-year development of the QEP Learning without Borders; Internationalizing the
Gator Nation has been a multi-disciplinary project involving students, faculty, and administrators
(University of Florida). The development of the plan has been led by the ITF, which consists of [30]
dean-nominated representatives from units across campus (Internationalization Task Force).

The QEP discusses the empirical evidence that supported the need for increased emphasis on
internationalization and why it should be the focus of the QEP. The empirical data concluded that
in 2011 only 3 percent of freshmen participated in study abroad, a small percentage of the 46 percent
who said they wanted to (Miller, Villalon, and Brophy 10). The percentage that participated increased
with each additional year in school, although it was still a low percentage. Of seniors,14 percent
participated of the 30 percent who said they wanted to.

There have been substantial decreases in student-reported enrollment in courses with an
international focus from 2009 to 2011 and 2013, shown in the table below (Miller, Villalon, and Brophy
11):
Enrollment in Courses with an International Focus

Source: Miller, M. David, Leonardo Villalon, and Timothy S. Brophy, Learning without Borders;
Internationalizing the Gator Nation, Quality Enhancement Plan, University of Florida, n.d., Web, table 2.1.

The plan reviews academic literature that discusses three possible reasons why
internationalization has become important for colleges, all of which had some weight on the
importance of internationalization for UF. It discusses the importance of internationalization for
institutional autonomy in an economic context, the importance of developing relationships across
cultures, and the importance of developing and maintaining relationships across contexts with an
emphasis on equity and social justice (Miller, Villalon, and Brophy 18).

The plan also discusses internationalization efforts at eleven other public universities with
large undergraduate populations. Seven of the eleven had strategic plans that were either
internationalization specific or contained goals and action plans related to internationalization
(Miller, Villalon, and Brophy 21). While most universities surveyed in the list focused their
internationalization efforts on study abroad programs, UCF also included on-campus activities
(Miller, Villalon, and Brophy 21). In addition, the QEP surveys other colleges or universities that have
QEP plans with an internationalization focus, which include Duke University and Wake Forest University, as well as three Florida institutions (FIU, University of Tampa, and Rollins College) (Miller,
Villalon, and Brophy 21-22).

15

Additional Internationalization Efforts

Additional research shows that USF has gained recognition by NAFSA: the Association of
International Educators1, which seeks to expand and progress international education and exchange
(Learn about NAFSA: FAQS) for its efforts in internationalization. After receiving the Senator Paul
Simon Award for Campus Internationalization, USF shared four powerful points regarding internationalization: (1) faculty and university leaders were incredibly important to its success; (2) branding
its internationalization helped gain recognition for the university from around the world; (3) students
are more willing to study abroad once they have been exposed to international content and when
scholarships are available to them; (4) and internationalization has to be at the forefront of every level
of the institution (Steiner 45). Internationalization must become part of the university culture.

New and Expanded: International Campus Initiatives

Much of the plans focus for
implementation is enhancing international
campus initiatives that already exist while
adding new initiatives and programs. The
current campus initiatives will be addressed
later. Campus initiatives will be improved or
added with study abroad, curriculum
enhancement, and campus life.

The QEP hopes to increase
study-abroad participation by five percent
each year (Miller, Villalon, and Brophy 27).
This goal will be realistically achievable
while having a substantial impact on the
student experience. The ITF proposes
bolstering current study-abroad programs
to better achieve student learning outcomes,
and plans to develop new and innovative
modes of delivering study abroad programs
beyond traditional classroom learning
(Miller, Villalon, and Brophy 27). To entice
more students to participate, the school will
offer additional scholarships, preferably to
those previously under-involved and
underrepresented, such as males and
members of various ethnic groups (Miller,
Villalon and Brophy 28). In addition to
giving students more financial support, the

16

university wants to increase course offerings to

include research abroad, internships, and
service learning, which combines academic
learning with relevant community service
(Miller, Villalon and Brophy 28). The university
has allocated resources to accomplish
additional offerings and has a plan for faculty
incentives. Primary research will determine
student receptivity to this offering and what
will incentivize faculty to participate
wholeheartedly.

In order to enhance the curriculum,
university staff will evaluate current courses to
see if they align with the QEP. The
development of new courses will align with
SLOs and qualify for the international
scholars program (Miller, Villalon, and Brophy
28). To better prepare faculty for new
curriculum, as well as to provide career
development, the ITF has created workshops
for faculty development in internationalization.

As part of the internationalization of the
UF campus, ITF hopes to facilitate the
beginning of meaningful relationships between
international and domestic students (Miller,
Villalon, and Brophy 29) to promote a vigorous
international campus life. Campus life is

1. The acronym NAFSA is just for familiarity purposes. It originally stood for National Association of Foreign Student Advisors, but is now called
NAFSA: the Association of International Educators. The name changed because of the growth of the organizations mission.

important for the success of the plan because it could help build a community focused on
international values. If students make internationalization a valuable part of their identity, they are
more likely to thrive in the global culture, and UF will have an easier time of reaching its goal. To
promote campus life and increase student participation in international events, the plan proposes
domestic and international mutual residence, which means students from different cultures living
together; an annual event entitled Gator Global Initiative, an event that will inspire students to find
their passion and create change locally, internationally and globally (Miller, Villalon, and Brophy 29);
the creation of an international calendar to navigate and compile the wealth of international events;
and an International Scholars Program - an award program that recognize[es] international
achievement (Miller, Villalon, and Brophy 29). Primary research will assess student interest in this
program.

Factors Working For and Against

Regarding the internationalization of UF, there are several factors working for and against the
institution. Factors working in the universitys favor include the existing curriculum on
internationalization, current campus initiatives on internationalization, and favorable nationwide
trends.

Current Campus Curriculum and

Initiatives

UF has existing curriculum and
co-curriculum that focuses on
internationalization. All students are required
to take three international credits as part of the
general education requirement. There are 384
courses that are labeled N for international
in the UF course catalog (Miller, Villalon, and
Brophy 25). While each student is exposed
to international topics through the general
education requirements, UFs study-abroad
programs provide opportunities for deeper,
first-hand international study and experience
(Miller, Villalon, and Brophy 25).

There are currently three types of study
abroad programs at UF: Exchange Programs
in which UF students travel to international
universities which then send a comparable
number of students to UF; UF sponsors
programs that UF faculty have developed and
usually teach at international locations; and an
International Center where students can work
to obtain credit for programs not affiliated with

UF (Miller, Villalon, and Brophy 25).

In addition to study abroad and general
education requirements there are departments
and colleges that offer international programs,
such as programs in the Warrington College of
Business, the Department of Agricultural
Communication and Education, and UFs
Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences
(Miller, Villalon, and Brophy 26). Co-curricular
activities are all activities that are not a part of
courses, which includes study abroad (Miller,
Villalon, and Brophy 26). Examples of
co-curricular activities at UF outside of study
abroad programs include the Common
Reading Program, which distributes a book
that explores global topics to all incoming
freshmen for them to read and discuss, as well
as internationally focused living arrangements
organized by the Housing and Residence
Education in Student Affairs (Miller, Villalon,
and Brophy 26).

The UF Performing Arts and the Harn
Museum of Art both promote

17

internationalism by presenting many

international artists each year or supporting
international teaching, exhibitions, and
activities (Miller, Villalon, and Brophy 27).

The UF Libraries also integrate
internationalization through multiple
programs and collections offered to students
online and at on-campus facilities. In addition,
they sponsor UFs yearly International
Education Week along with international
events throughout the semester (Miller,
Villalon, and Brophy 27).

The area studies programs through Title
VI Centers aim to promote appreciation for
other cultures through engagement. These
include the Center for African Studies, the
Center for Greek Studies, the Center for
Jewish Studies, the Center for European S
tudies, the Center for International Business
Education and Research (CIBER), the Center
for Latin American Studies, and The FranceFlorida Research Institute (Miller, Villalon, and
Brophy 26).

Additionally, UF offers international
minors that are available to students across
colleges, 24 global affairs majors and 10
language majors, a certificate program in
global studies, and a Global Education Lab for
students with a global focus (Miller, Villalon,
and Brophy 26). The universitys numerous
international student-based organizations are
also a driving force.

Nationwide Trends

18

As technological advances in
communication, transportation, and other
areas effectively shrink our world and our
economies become more competitive in the
global market, academic institutions are
challenged to keep up (Stromquist 1). At the
university level, this globalization is most
prevalent in the internationalization response
(1). This reaction not only affects academic
programs, faculty, and students, but also

requires new administrative structures and

programs.

Internationalization is a concept
mentioned in most US research universities
mission statements, and about half of these
institutions include it in their strategic plans
(Stromquist 80). The Association of American
Colleges and Universities (AACU) encourages
an internationally focused education to prepare
students for a globalized world as well as to
bring about a shared future marked by justice,
security, equality, human rights, and economic
sustainability (Stromquist 81-82).

Outside UF, internationalization has
resulted in certain trends that have shown that
internationalization is becoming
increasingly prevalent and important to
institutions. According to a study conducted by
American Council on Education that compared
data collected about internationalization in
2006 to data collected in 2001, the proportion
of institutions offering education abroad
opportunities has grown sharply to 91% in
2006 compared with 65% in 2001; more
institutions are investing in international
opportunities for faculty including
supporting faculty leading study abroad
programs (58%), providing funding for faculty
to travel to meetings or conferences abroad
(56%), and hosting international faculty (39%)
(Mapping Internationalization on U.S. Campuses). These findings in particular show a
recognition of problems with
internationalization and university attempts to
improve these problems. Because faculty and
study abroad are so important to the
internationalization process, it is encouraging
that the two areas are being given importance.

The importance of internationalization
extends beyond the undergraduate level.
According to Mapping Internationalization on
U.S. Campuses, doctorate-granting
universities showed clear commitments to
internationalization in mission statements,
strategic plans, and have full-time
personnel coordinating these efforts; a majority
of masters colleges and universities required

some form of internationally focused

learning through language study or
internationally focused course requirements;
baccalaureate colleges were most active in
study abroad in terms of student
participation; and associates colleges were the
most likely to invest in professional
opportunities for faculty by offering
workshops on internationalizing the
curriculum (Mapping Internationalization on
U.S. Campuses). Attention to
internationalization at all levels of academic
degrees indicates an overreaching support for
internationalization. If internationalization is as
important at the bachelor degree level as it is at
the doctorate, more internationalized students
will graduate with an understanding of the
importance of a globally focused world.

These national trends have created a
favorable climate in which the university can
implement ongoing efforts to continue to
internationalize its education.

Factors Working Against

While there are several factors working
for UFs internationalization, there are national
factors working against the
internationalization of all universities that also
apply to UF. Although national trends have
shown that universities are becoming more
interested in internationalizing education, it
also shows that students are not as invested in
this movement.

The gap between students desires to
study abroad and their actual participation
rates proves to be a challenge that universities
must seek to overcome (Hudzik 2). Only about
3 percent of U.S. college students in four-year
programs participate in study abroad annually,
although one-half to two-thirds of prospective
freshmen say they are interested or intend to
study abroad (Hudzik 2).

According to Hudzik, many
universities face inattention to the

international part of curricula, a failure to

allocate resources to the cause of
internationalization and degree requirements
that are too constrained to allow room for
international content and experiences (3). In
order for universities to change this epidemic,
faculty and advisors must first help students
identify the importance of developing an
international perspective in the early stages of
their college career.

Although research has shown that
universities are striving to internationalize
programs, additional research uncovers
external challenges that they face while
attempting to implement their plans. These are
highlighted in further studies by the American
Council on Education:
Economic Pressures Following the 2007-2009
recession, the impact of the world-wide
economic crisis has had a significant effect on
the internationalization of universities. In the
2010 IAU study, insufficient financial
resources was ranked as the most significant
internal obstacle to internationalization, and
limited public and/or private funding to
support internationalization efforts/to market
our higher education internationally ranked
as the most important external obstacle (Helms
and Hill 1).
Student Mobility The ability of students to
flow both outward to study abroad and inward
for international students has been a major
part of university internationalization plans.
However, it appears it is not enough to rely on
student mobility to facilitate international
competency. Despite universities focus on
sending and receiving students, only a small
percentage of students actually have an
international experience. Study abroad is
offered to less than 1 percent of
undergraduates in U.S. schools and
international students represent less than 5
percent of total students enrolled (Helms and
Hill 2). Students are also affected by the eco-

19

nomic situation in that the government has made major cuts to institutions, resulting in increased
tuition and little scholarship money made available to those interested in studying abroad (Helms
and Hill 2-3).
Curriculum and Co-Curriculum For universities, changing the curriculum to become
internationally focused is a slow process. ACEs Mapping Internationalization Survey found that
while more U.S. institutions are requiring undergraduates to take courses that feature global trends
and issues, the percentage that requires courses primarily featuring perspective, issues, or events
from countries outside the U.S. declined between 2006 and 2011 (Helms and Hill 3). Therefore, it is
stressed that universities should make use of the co-curriculum to promote engagement between
international and domestic students.
Faculty Engagement Because faculty is the key component of teaching and research, they are
extremely important to internationalization. However, faculty members need to develop their own
international competence in order to teach students effectively. Faculty working abroad can be
hindered by language issues, non-transferability of pension funds, and government policies (Helms
and Hill 4). Academic disciplines are different in international interests as well. While the sciences are
more active, humanities and social sciences are often less interested. Lack of funding can also
adversely affect faculty mobility and other professional development opportunities (Helms and Hill
4).

20

Research on the Publics

After researching and analyzing the overall organization and the current situation at hand,
UF clearly contains a variety of environmental linkages and stakeholder groups that help determine
its success. Through identifying, analyzing, and carefully examining the right groups, an effective
integrated communications campaign can be strategically created. Multiple key publics could play
a significant role in not only the existence of UF but also its reaccreditation. However, not all publics
will be vital to the development of this communications campaign.

The two main target publics to be focused on in the communications campaign are UF faculty
and UF undergraduate students, mainly incoming first- and second- year students. Employed by the
university, faculty are an extremely valuable asset to UF due to their expertise and power. As a
holistic group, they have the authority to create and alter student curricula, to influence student
perceptions, and to facilitate educational programs abroad. Their impact can make a difference in this
campaign, and it is for that reason they are the first out of the two primary publics.

UF undergraduate students are the second primary public due to the opportunity that
internationalization provides to their education as an undergraduate at UF. They are heavily involved
and will benefit tremendously from the implementation of the QEP. This campaigns student focus
will mainly address first- and second- year students, as their increased awareness of the situation at
hand will create a new university-wide change in perception for future classes of students.

Although efforts will be tailored to the two primary publics due to limited time and resources,
two secondary publics and two tertiary publics that are connected to both the organization and the
situation have also been identified. The secondary publics include freshman student advisors and
non-tenure faculty that teach lower-division courses. These courses are the ones that are typically
taken by first- and second- year students at UF, a primary target public. These two groups can help
campaign efforts by pushing internationalization early on in students time at UF. Although they will
not be directly targeted, both freshman student advisors and non-tenure faculty are a vital group to
distinguish due to the strong influence they have over the student public.

The tertiary publics are UF donors and prospective students, including transfer students and
rising junior and senior high school students. Donors grant the university with the opportunity to
flourish and provide students with a quality collegiate experience. Although they have a vested
interest in UFs reaccreditation, they are not intimately involved in the opportunity being presented.
Prospective students who plan on applying or attending UF, either coming straight out of high school
or another university, are also important to the internationalization of the university due to the time
frame stated in the QEP. Yet, due to a lack of urgency at this point in time, they are not a vital public
to focus on for this campaign and will be categorized as a tertiary public.

University of Florida Faculty

The faculty of UF are a major component of the campus environment, have a direct impact
on the education of all students, and are highly relevant to the success of both the organization and
the QEP. Based on Grunigs Situational Theory of Publics, they are classified as having high problem
recognition because they understand the gravity of the situation (Situational Theory of Publics).
They comprehend the need for a policy document like the QEP and realize the continuous growth of
internationalization across the country and its importance for both the university and its students.
They have a strong grasp of the institutions values and goals and use their influence on campus to
promote them in a positive fashion. Through the initiative, faculty are given the opportunity for

21

professional development by using their power to create and implement curriculum in the
international sphere, as well as the chance to lead and facilitate study abroad programs. This group
will be the first to spark the campus-wide change in the environment in order to emphasize
internationalization for undergraduate students.
Faculty are classified as having high constraint recognition since they have both the ability and
desire to help resolve the issue of internationalization. With both high problem and constraint
recognition, this key public demonstrates constrained behavior. However, as of now, faculty have a
low level of involvement in regards to the internationalization of the Gator Nation, making them a
latent/aware public. Grunig & Hunt characterize this public as one where the issue or opportunity
is there, but the public is not aware (Situational Theory of Publics). They have not been connected
to the issue at hand yet, but through a successful communications campaign can be switched from a
latent/aware public, to an aware/active public.
According to the Stakeholder Theory, the faculty of UF are categorized as functional linkages.
As functional linkages, they are essential to the function of the organization (Systems Theory
Linkages). They can further be classified as input functional linkages because they assist the
organization in providing their main product, education, to the community it serves in a variety of
ways.

Distinguishability

22

Faculty of the university are
distinguished from other publics in many
ways. First and foremost, they each hold
paid positions at the organization, making
them not just employed by UF but also a
major component of the universitys
allocated budget. The Chronicle of Higher
Education conducted an AAUP Faculty
Salary Survey in 2013 which found that
Full Professors at UF make an average of
$122,500 annually, Associate Professors make
an average of $81,100 annually, and Assistant
Professors make an average of $71,000 annually (Average Faculty Salaries). This survey included about 85 percent of the faculty
members at UF. As a group, they
create course curricula and have a say in
how classes are taught, managed, and
organized. They have significant power and
influence over the organization and can
make major decisions based on their
expertise, educational background, and
previous work experience. Faculty also have
the ability to generate study abroad plans
and facilitate the organization of
international programs.

Homogeneity

Individual members of this public
all share common traits and features. They
each hold a paid position at UF and work in
unison to provide students with a
quality education. Faculty work each
semester to fulfill the regulations and
responsibilities given to them by UF in terms
of teaching, research, and service
(Regulations of the University of Florida
2). They are expected to satisfy these
professional regulations in order to be
successfully evaluated by UF for
professional growth and development (1).
They believe in higher education and strive
to make learning a positive experience for all
students that they serve. Although all faculty
work at different levels in different colleges
and departments, they all serve a similar
purpose, making them a homogenous group.

Importance

This identifiable group is not only
important, but a vital part to the

organizations success in the

internationalization of the Gator Nation and
the implementation of the QEP. The faculty
must be on board and aware of both the
opportunities being presented for their
professional development and students higher
education. They will help affect the campaigns
ongoing progress and its final outcome.

Perception of Organization

It can be assumed that since the faculty
has made a conscious decision to work for UF,
they have a positive perception of the
institution and hold it to an extremely high
standard. Their interaction with the university
gives them the perfect opportunity to influence
the campus environment and shift it to a more
internationalized approach. Primary research
revealed that the majority of faculty members
at UF perceive the university as an
international institution. However, most have
reservations regarding the bureaucracy of the
university and the large amount of
responsibilities that UF requires of faculty.
Their many issues and concerns show that
facultys overall perception of the organization
is positive, but with underlying skepticism.

Size

The faculty make up a large part of the
population at UF. According to the University
of Florida Fact Book, there were 13,044
full-time employees at the University as of Fall
2012 (see appendix a, table 1). UF divides up
the regular faculty members into ten
categories, totaling 2,815 members. Professor is
the most common title with 1,012 members as
of Fall 2012.

Accessibility
The faculty are active in a variety of

ways throughout campus, making them an

accessible target public for the campaigns
purposes. Through faculty councils,
committees, and the Faculty Senate, some
members are participating in the creation and
implementation of policy. Listservs, college
faculty meetings and departmental
organizations provides outlets in order to reach
and interact with this key public.

Opinion Leaders

Intercessory individuals whose
influence and support could help advance the
campaigns case with faculty can be found
across campus as international advocates, as
well as the UF Faculty Senate. Those who
believe strongly in the international initiative
can play a role in getting other members on
board. The Faculty Senate is an organization
that aims to inform, educate and engage
faculty in conversation about issues of
importance to the UF community. (Heft).
Senate officers are elected faculty members that
preside at meetings and coordinate all actions
and proposals for committees and councils
(Heft). The three Senate officers act as opinion
leaders for the rest of the faculty, providing
them with insight and information on a regular
basis. Also, faculty members in each college
typically look up to the dean for information
regarding their specific college and university
issues.

Consumption Habits

The majority of the faculty members
at UF fall into the Baby Boomers generation,
whose consumption habits differ between
faculty under the age of 45 and faculty over the
age of 65. Baby Boomers aged 45 to 55 are just
as likely to be online as young adults (Cohn
and Taylor). The older Baby Boomers, aged 56
to 65, are much more likely to be online than
those in the Silent Generation (Cohn and
Taylor). Two-thirds of Boomers say they follow

23

the news on a regular basis, which is much less

than younger adults today (Rainie). About 43
percent of Baby Boomers use social networking
sites to gather information (Rainie). They also
actively engage in feedback and participation
on Internet sites, making new media a great
medium to reach this demographic.

A significant number of faculty
members also fall into Generation X, which
makes up 28 percent of the Internet
population (Fox and Jones). With 86 percent
of this group online, they have a heavy virtual
presence and continue to lead in shopping,
banking, and gathering health and financial
information online (Fox and Jones). Roughly
79 percent of Gen Xers get their news online,
62 percent use social networking sites, and 58
percent stream their music online (Zickuhr 9).
However on a typical day, 78 percent of Gen
Xers gather their news from local television
stations, and 71 percent use national television
(Zickuhr 23). This group is engaged on virtual
platforms slightly more than Baby Boomers,
but the Internet and new media can be used to
communicate with both generational groups.

Demographics
According to the Fall 2012 University

of Florida Fact Book, out of the 13,044 faculty

members, 30 identified as American Indian, 701
identified as Asian, 1,366 identified as African
American, 812 identified as Hispanic, 35
identified as multiple races, 355 identified as a
non-resident alien, 32 didnt report, 9 identified
as Pacific Islander/Hawaiian, and 9,291
identified as Caucasian. Of these faculty
members, 6,262 are female and 6,782 are male
(All Employees by Ethnicity, Rank and
Employment Status).

Psychographics
24

Due to the broad range of ages that
encompass this target public, the faculty could

fall into multiple groups. Depending on their

age, they could be classified as the Silent
Generation, those born between 1928 and 1945;
Baby Boomers, those born between 1946 and
1964; Generation X, those born between 1965
and 1980; and Millennials, those born after
1980 (Comparing Generations). Primary
research shows that two faculty members fall
into the Silent Generation, twenty are Baby
Boomers, ten are Generation X, and two are
Millennials. The remainder of the interviewees
declined to provide their age.

The bulk of this group falls into the
Baby Boomers generation, with ages
ranging from 68 to 50. According to Pew
Research Center, Baby Boomers are likely to
worry more than other generations that their
incomes will not keep up with inflation (Baby
Boomers). They have high levels of anxiety
about not only their finances but other things
as well and are much more downbeat about
their lives than their younger counterparts.
Baby Boomers seem to hold pessimistic views
politically, with 80 percent of this generation
saying they are dissatisfied with the direction
of the country today (Cohn and Taylor).
Regarding social change in America, this group
is more accepting of changes than older
generations but typically less open-minded
than the young (Cohn and Taylor).

Ten faculty members of this group are
Generation X, an age group that has been
regarded as the most dominant generation in
every aspect of online life, with 67 percent who
do their banking online, and 80 percent who do
their shopping online (Gen X: Online
Grown-Ups). Pew Research Center found that
55 percent of generation Xers believe that
Americas best days are ahead, making them
somewhat more positive than older adults
(Section 4: Views of the Generation). They
also see overall change for the better but are
not as liberal as Millennials.

University of Florida Undergraduate Students

While students at UF range in their academic levels from first-year students to graduate
students, the QEPs main focus is undergraduate first- and second-year students.

Based on Grunigs Situational Theory of Publics, students at UF have a low problem
recognition because they do not currently recognize the importance of internationalization
(Situational Theory of Publics). UF students can be classified as having a low constraint recognition
because they feel able to take advantage of the opportunity of incorporating internationalization into
their coursework and through study abroad programs. They are also classified as having a low level
of involvement in the opportunity of integrating internationalization into UF because, as students,
they do not have a lot of power and influence over the universtiy.

Students are considered to have what Grunig calls routine behavior, with a low problem
recognition and low constraint recognition, and are thus considered a latent public. Grunig describes
latent publics as recognizing that the issue/opportunity is there, but the public is not aware (Situational Theory of Publics).

According to the Stakeholder Theory, students are classified as a functional linkage (Systems
Theory Linkages). As functional linkages, students are necessary for the organization, UF, to
function. Students can be further classified as output functional linkages because they are members of
UF and consumers of its product (which, in this case, is education).

Distinguishability

Undergraduate students in their first
and second years at UF are distinguished from
their peers in a number of ways. First- and
second-year students have less than 60 to 89
credit hours at UF. Many of the courses that
they are enrolled in are what the university
calls general education courses that are
required by both the university and the state
of Florida to be satisfied before completing
coursework more focused on the students
major. Additionally, first- and second-year
undergraduate students are usually more
concerned with the college experience, as
college is something they have not yet fully
experienced, rather than focusing on how their
college experience will affect them in the
future.

Homogeneity

First- and second-year students at UF

share similar characteristics. According to the

Chronicle of Higher Educations A Profile of
Freshmen at 4-Year Colleges, Fall 2012, most
of the students are white (69.7 percent),
followed by those of African-American descent
(11.5 percent), and those of Asian/AsianAmerican descent (10.7 percent). About 80.5
percent of the students are not first-generation
college attendees. The best estimate for their
parents income is $50,000 to $74,999 (18.2
percent). Most students intend their major to
be business (14.4 percent), health
professions (14.0 percent), or biological science
(12.9 percent). Most of the students (92.8
percent) studied a foreign language in high
school for 2 years. More than half of the
students surveyed (50.6 percent) said that
attending college was very important
because it would make them a more cultured
person.

Students also evaluated themselves as
in the highest 10 percent or above average
on the following qualities: ability to see the
world from someone elses perspective (67.2
percent), tolerance of others with different

25

beliefs (73 percent), and ability to work cooperatively with diverse people (79.6 percent)
(A Profile of Freshmen).

According to UFs SERU survey, 37
percent of first-year students and 40 percent
of second-year students said they are enrolled
in a course with an international/global focus
(University of Florida). Additionally, according
to UFs SERU survey, three percent of firstyear students and five percent of second-year
students are attempting to obtain a certificate,
minor, or major with an international or global
theme (University of Florida).

First- and second-year students at UF
also occasionally interact with students from
outside the United States in class. According
to UFs SERU survey, 28 percent of first-year
students and 30 percent of second-year
students said they have interacted with
students from outside the United States
occasionally (University of Florida). A
slightly higher percentage of first- and secondyear students also said they have interacted
with a student from outside the United States
in a social setting. According to UFs SERU
survey,29 percent of first-year students and 32
percent of second-year students said they have
occasionally interacted with a student from
outside the United States in a social setting
(University of Florida).

Importance
First- and second-year students at UF

26

are uniquely important to the university. Not

only are they key stakeholders in the
university, but they also have the ability to
make a direct impact on the university because
they have just begun their collegiate years.
First- and second-year undergraduate
students have more time at the university for
their academic studies, thus allowing them to
have more time to make an impact on the
university in more areas than just academics.

This group is not only important, but a
vital part to the success in the

internationalization of the university and the

success of the QEP. First- and second-year
undergraduate students need to understand
why the internationalization of their education
is important. Without this understanding and
subsequent change in attitude and behavior,
internationalizing the university will be
difficult to accomplish.

Perception of Organization

It can be assumed that the majority of
first- and second-year undergraduate students
have a strong and positive perception of UF
because, if they did not, they could easily
attend another university that offers similar
courses and programs. They are also highly
connected to social media (see Accessibility
section for more information). It can be
assumed that of the high number of likes
on Facebook and high number of followers on
Twitter and Instagram UF has, many of these
come from students, especially first- and
second-year students who have just become a
part of the Gator Nation (see Public
Environment Visibility section for more
information).

Size

The combined total of first- and secondyear students at UF as of Fall 2012 was 12,988
(Enrollment). There were 6,289 first year
students and 6,699 second year students in Fall
of 2012.

Accessibility

First- and second-year undergraduate
students are accessible through a number of
channels. Most of these channels are electronic
and involve the Internet. However, because
they spent a lot of time on campus, they can
also be reached there through physical media,

such as posters.
Social media is one of the best
channels through which to reach first- and
second-year students. According to the Pew
Research Centers Millennials: A Portrait of
the Next Generation, 75 percent of
Millennials said they had a social
networking profile (Keeter and Taylor 29).
Communication through a mobile device is
also a channel through which first- and
second-year undergraduate students are
accessible. Eighty-three percent of
Millennials said they have their cell phone
next to them even when they are sleeping
(Keeter and Taylor 33). Because most of these
channels are easily accessible to students,
it can be inferred that students are not only
easily accessible, but can also be reached
quickly.

of this, Preview leaders and the Preview

program itself has the ability to influence firstyear undergraduate students.
First- and second- year students are
also influenced by their college advisor, a
faculty member they are assigned to in their
college or a staff member in their colleges
advising office. Advisors have the ability to
influence students because students look to
them to help choose and register for classes.
While the organizations and
individuals listed above are opinion leaders
within the university, opinion leaders outside
the university are unknown. It is necessary to
use primary research to determine who these
opinion leaders are.

Opinion Leaders

Because first- and second-year
undergraduate students at UF were born after
1980, they are considered by the Pew Research
Center to be a part of the Millennial generation.
According to the Pew Research Centers
Millennials: A Portrait of the Next
Generation, most Millennials believe that
their generation is distinct because of its use of
technology (Keeter and Taylor 63). Specifically,
the Millennial generation has the heaviest use
of technology among the generations. For
example, more than three-quarters of
Millennials have created social networking
profiles, making this a prime area where
Millennials consume information (Keeter and
Taylor 27).
The Pew Research Center also reports
that 90 percent of Millennials use the
Internet, also making it a prime consumption
area (Keeter and Taylor 27). Additionally, 62
percent of Millennials connect to the Internet
wirelessly using a laptop or hand-held device
(Keeter and Taylor 31). While television is still
the chief news source for Millennials, at 65
percent, the Internet is rivaling television, with
59 percent of Millennials reporting it as their
main source of news (Keeter and Taylor 35).

Intercessory individuals who have

the ability to influence the first-and secondyear undergraduate students are those
involved with student organizations on
campus. Specifically, Greek organizations,
professional development organizations,
college ambassador groups, and Florida
Cicerone and Preview leaders all have the
ability to influence first-and second-year
undergraduate students. These groups are
opinion leaders because many students get
involved with organizations on campus in
their first and second years. With over 800
student organizations on campus (Common
Data Set: Student Life), students have a
variety of organizations to get involved with
based on their interests.
Additionally, all first-year students
have to go through Preview, the universitys
freshman orientation program (Freshman
Preview Orientation). Each student is
assigned to a Preview leader for guidance in
registering for their first semester of classes
(Freshman Preview Orientation). Because

Consumption Habits

27

Demographics

According to the UF Factbook, of the
6,289 first-year students as of Fall 2012, 2,634
of those students were male and 3,655 were
female. Of the 2,634 first-year male students,
87 identified as Asian, 119 identified as African
American, 222 identified as Hispanic, and 795
identified as Caucasian. Of the 2,634 first-year
female students, 113 identified as Asian, 260
identified as African American, 391 identified
as Hispanic, and 1,107 identified as Caucasian
(Enrollment).

The UF Factbook also states that of the
6,699 second year students, 2,805 of those
students were male and 3,947 were female.
Of the 2,805 second year male students, 273
identified as Asian, 174 identified as African
American, 470 identified as Hispanic, and 1,712
identified as Caucasian. Of the 3,947 second
year female students, 324 identified as Asian,
357 identified as African-American, 724
identified as Hispanic, and 2,244 identified as
Caucasian (Enrollment).

Psychographics

28

First- and second-year undergraduate
students are considered to be a part of the
Millennial generation. The Pew Research Center describes Millennials as confident,
self-expressive, liberal, upbeat, and open to
change (Keeter and Taylor 1). The Pew Research Center has also determined that Millennials are on track to become the most educated generation in American history because of
the demand for a modern knowledge-based
economy (Keeter and Taylor 1). This
generation of highly educated individuals also
stems from the issues of not being able to find a
job after graduating from college.
Millennials enroll in graduate and professional
schools instead of joining the workforce due to
the lack of jobs (Keeter and Taylor 3).

Millennials are considered the first g

eneration in history to be always
connected with their mobile devices,
almost like a body part (Keeter and Taylor
26). They also have the most positive view on
media use, and 74 percent say that new
technology makes life easier (Keeter and
Taylor 26).

Millennials also consider family to
matter most, as 52 percent said that being
a good parent is one of the most important
things in their lives (Keeter and Taylor 17).
Twenty-one percent of Millennials said that
helping people that are in need is one of the
most important things in their lives (Keeter
and Taylor 18). Millennials are also the
greenest generation, as the Pew Research
Center states those with some college
education are more likely to recycle from
home. They are significantly more liberal
than other generations and are willing to
announce their acceptance of
homosexuality, interracial dating, and
expanded roles for women and immigrants
(Keeter and Taylor 59-63).
First- and second-year undergraduate
students also have a strong desire to study
abroad while in college. According to UFs
Student Experiences and Research
University (SERU) survey, 46 percent of firstyear students and 44 percent of second-year
students desired to study abroad (University
of Florida). While students have a strong
desire to study abroad, they are not as
interested in participating in plays, concerts,
lectures, and other cultural events on
campus. According to UFs SERU survey,
only 35 percent of first-year students and 34
percent of second-year students said it was
important for them to be able to attend
plays, concerts, lectures, and other cultural
events on campus (University of Florida).
Additionally, according to UFs SERU survey,
only 19 percent of first-year students and 21
percent of second-year students said they
have attended a performance with an
international/global focus (University of
Florida).

Primary Research
University of Florida Faculty

For primary research purposes, a convenience sample of faculty members at UF was taken.
Forty-one faculty members were interviewed from one of eight colleges at UF, including College of
Health and Human Performance (HHP), College of Journalism and Communications (CJC), College
of Engineering (COE), College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (CLAS), College of Design, Construction
and Planning (CDCP), College of Nursing (CON), College of Pharmacy (COP), and College of Public
Health and Health Professions (PHHP). The in-depth interviews with faculty across these colleges at
UF evaluated their awareness and perception of the QEP, current international efforts, the importance
of internationalization, and study abroad, as well as their issues and concerns regarding this
initiative.

The faculty members that were interviewed ranged from 28 to 69 years of age. There seems to
be no clear variation between the different age groups and their perceptions regarding
internationalization and its encompassing aspects. Of the faculty interviewed, 21 were female and
21 were male. There also seems to be no distinction between gender in regards to these perceptions
as well. An overwhelming amount of interviewees identify as Caucasian. Three were Asian, one was
African American, and one was Hispanic. Those of Asian and African American nationalities did not
have differing views from the others and seemed to perceive the internationalization efforts of UF
as a positive endeavor. The interviewee of Hispanic descent did not find internationalization as an
essential component to establishing UF as a top university. There were significant differences among
faculty members that teach in STEM fields - Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics
classes - and those who do not regarding perceptions and experiences of internationalization.

Due to time restraints, the faculty survey created was unable to be executed, resulting in the
inclusion in the primary section of this research report of two faculty surveys that were conducted by
the UFIC. Survey 1, titled Study Abroad Faculty Survey, does not contain any demographic
information regarding the 257 survey respondents. However, 14.4 percent work in the Warrington
College of Business Administration (WCBA), 12.5 percent work in HHP, and the rest of the colleges
had less than 10 percent representation (1). Of the respondents, 33.1 percent have worked at UF for
five years or less, 14.4 percent for six to 10 years, 16 percent for 11 to 15 years, 12.5 percent for 16 to 20
years, and 23.3 percent for more than 20 years (1).

Survey 2, titled Internationalization Research Working Group Survey, received a total of
619 responses, which consisted of 61 percent males and 39 percent females (3). The largest group of
respondents were as follows: 35 percent from College of Agricultural and Life Sciences (CALS), 19.5
percent from CLAS, 12.3 percent from College of Medicine (COM), and 9 percent from COE (3).
Survey results reported that 32.5 percent of respondents have worked at UF for 15 years or more and
20.4 percent of respondents have worked at UF between 10 and 15 years (3). The percentage of
respondents that were either tenured or tenure eligible was 78.1 percent (3).

Further information from the UFIC surveys and primary research findings from in-depth
interviews are detailed in the following four sections:

29

Awareness and Perception of

the QEP

General trends show that the majority
of the faculty members at UF are minimally
aware of the QEP and the movement that it is
bringing to the university. Those that are not
aware of the QEP know little to nothing about
the theme of this years reaccreditation process.
Those that are aware have limited information
on the initiative. Nevertheless, there are some
faculty members who seem to be well versed
in the initiative. Overall, faculty members have
expressed a need for more awareness across
the university of the QEP. Generally, faculty
perceived the theme of internationalization in
a positive light due to three main aspects: the
growing global economy, the recent efforts to
help UF reach a top ten status, and the benefits
for students in regards to exposure to other
cultures. As one CLAS faculty member said, I
think the idea of having internationalization as
a focus for the SASCs was a good idea because
it was something UF was positioned to do.
However, there are some faculty members who
believe that internationalization is not a
necessary goal and that there are other
priorities that need to be addressed at this
point in time. This trend varies among the
individual colleges at UF.

For example, only one faculty member
out of the five that were interviewed from CJC
was aware of UFs QEP efforts. However, all
believed that the pursuit of a more
internationalized university is a great effort to
further UFs success.

All five of the faculty members from
HHP that were interviewed were extremely
aware and well versed in the QEP and the
internationalization efforts it deals with. These
five members differed in the specific
department they worked in, yet still had
similar viewpoints on the issue at hand. All
believed that internationalization is vital for UF
to maintain its status.

30

The two faculty members interviewed
from CDCP were aware of the QEP and the
universitys internationalization efforts but had
not read the document itself. They both
believed that CDCP has always had an
international focus due to the nature of the
fields they are in. They each expressed that
maintaining and increasing international
efforts across campus is important and will be
extremely beneficial for UF in the future.

Only two out of seven faculty
members interviewed from COE knew about
the QEP. However, their knowledge is limited
to the QEPs goal of furthering
internationalization efforts, and they do not
know any further details. While some viewed
the QEP with more importance than others,
most found it to be beneficial in terms of
making a students education more valuable
and in helping UF achieve top status. However,
there was a general consensus that it may be of
more benefit to other departments, as most did
not find it possible to integrate the QEPs
objectives into the engineering department.

Since only two interviews were
conducted for PHHP, information regarding
the QEP is fairly limited. The findings from
these interviews indicate that both faculty
members have a rough idea of the purpose and
focus of the QEP. However, even though both
interviewees had brief knowledge of the QEP,
they had differing perceptions about it. One of
the faculty members suggested that the goals
and competencies of the plan are not going to
be as effective as they could be.

The two faculty members interviewed
from CON had never heard of the QEP, and
when asked about how they perceived the
document they voiced that they would have to
study it before assessing it.

The pair of faculty members
interviewed from COP was relatively familiar
with the QEP. Each believed that providing
students with opportunities to have a more
international education will make the
university more well-rounded.

Faculty members from CLAS were split
in their awareness of the QEP, with eight

members that have knowledge of it and nine

members that have not heard of it. A lot of
members seemed skeptical of the QEPs
efforts because they believed there were more
pressing issues at the university that need to be
addressed before internationalization. Specifics
will be expanded upon in the Issues and
Concerns with Internationalization section.

Awareness and Perception of

Internationalization Efforts at UF

The majority of faculty members viewed
UF as an international university. Nonetheless,
there was a decent number that did not
consider it to be as international as it could be.
Others felt they needed more information and
evidence to determine whether or not UF was
international compared to other
universities in the state or country. A
staggering number of faculty have noticed an
increase in current international initiatives in

the past 15 to 20 years. However, some have

not noticed a significant change in the past five
years or a recent push toward more
international developments. While most took
note of the current efforts, they believed there
was a lot of room for improvement in this area.
Most recognized internationalization as an
essential agenda for the university to address
in the near future and would also like to see
the advance and growth of it on campus.
According to Survey 2, 60 percent of
respondents strongly agreed regarding
international education as a critical component
of higher education (4). The separate colleges
at UF appear to hold slightly different
perceptions on this topic.

For example, an overwhelming amount
of faculty in CJC perceived UF as international,
but mostly at the graduate level. Findings
showed that almost all have witnessed more
international efforts in recent years and an
increase in current international programs,
such as study abroad. All believe that
internationalization and future initiatives are
incredibly important to UF and that many
aspects of current efforts could use
improvement as well. As one lecturer phrased
it, Internationalization is a critical part of
college education today.

In HHP, all faculty members viewed
UF overall as an internationalized institution.
Although one particular member believed that
UF is internationally focused, she also voiced
that there are some pockets because the
university has other obligations to the state of
Florida, such as its responsibility as a LandGrant Institution. Another believed that even
though UF is an international university, other
universities do a better job of it. Most faculty
members believed that UF currently provides a
substantial amount of international programs
and activities on campus, but that there is a
lack of communication to students that needs
to be improved in order to increase overall
awareness. All members believed that the
improvement of current initiatives and the increase of future international initiatives should

31

be a priority for UF. Said one

The faculty interviewed in PHHP
professor, Theres much more
believed that UF is moving more toward
encouragement, as well as realization now
becoming an internationally focused
that being involved in the international
university. One faculty member stated she
community in various different ways,
has seen an increase in graduate applicants
research, teaching, and service is very
from foreign countries over the last two
important to UF.
years. However, each believed that the

Findings from CDCP indicated that
efforts have been more tailored to getting
both faculty members viewed UF as an
undergraduates involved in international
international university. Due to the fact that
programs and services.
this college is fortunate enough to have

The two faculty members interviewed
international programs intertwined in their
from CON expressed that in recent years UF
degree offerings, they were both aware of
has clearly made efforts to become more
the programs that are offered and believed
internationalized. They believed the
that there are enough current international
diversity in student demographics proves
initiatives being offered at UF. Both believed
this, as well as the global projects the UFIC
that internationalization is an essential effort
has carried out. Both faculty members are in
for UF to focus on. However,
agreement that efforts
they thought that the plan
Being involved in the interna- towards internationalizaneeds to be two-fold. Not
tion are vital in a globalized
tional
communicaty
in
various
only does UF need to focus
world, especially one in
different
ways,
research,
teachon the creation of future inwhich health care is an
ternational efforts, but it also ing, service, is very important to international issue.
needs to improve upon cur
The majority of faculty
UF
rent programs and activities.
members interviewed from

Most of the faculty
COP had a slight awareness
members interviewed from COE seemed
of UFs progression to internationalization.
unsure whether UF is an international
Additionally, each expressed that in order
university because they felt they needed
for UF to effectively internationalize the
more information regarding international
university it will have to internationalize the
programs and courses to formulate an
researchers as well as the faculty, not just the
opinion. Those that did find the university to
undergraduate demographic.
be international think so because they found

In CLAS, the majority of faculty
there to be a large international
members considered UF to be international
student body at UF. The majority believed
and have noticed slightly more
that internalization would be important to
internationalization efforts over time, but all
the school, as it would provide
thought there needed to be a lot of growth in
advantageous educational opportunities for
this area. Two faculty members thought UF
students and make UF a better university.
should bring back the discontinued Asian
Almost every interviewee held a different
Studies program, two emphasized
perception of whether or not UF is more
expanding the foreign language program,
internationalized today than it was when
and three mentioned a lack of international
they started working here; a couple assumed
students. One faculty member thought there
it was, some thought international efforts
were a decent amount of international
have grown, and others considered internastudents, but noted that there was not much
tional aspects of the university to be
interaction among those of different
unchanged.
ethnicities. Overall, they viewed

32

internationalization positively and as an

important matter, as they thought it would help
students gain different perspectives and keep UF
competitive with other universities. Several
faculty members in the humanities and social
sciences area of the college felt that although
internationalization is important, it should not
come at the cost of other priorities and that
certain concerns needed to be addressed before
undertaking any international goals.

Survey 2 findings indicated that faculty
see a lack of institutional commitment in a
variety of ways when it comes to
internationalization. The pie chart below
indicates the different perspectives of faculty
regarding UFs commitment toward international
engagement (4).

Study Abroad and International

Courses

Findings from in-depth interviews
indicated no relationship among faculty members
who teach international courses and who have
participated in faculty-led study abroad
programs. As a whole, they were split in regards
to hosting study abroad trips during their time
as a faculty member at UF. Of those interviewed,
roughly 75 percent of them do not teach an

internationally focused course. The faculty

members who have either participated in study
abroad or teach a designated international course
have found it to be a rewarding experience for
both themselves and the students involved. A
good number of the interviewees incorporate
international aspects into their courses,
regardless of whether or not the courses are
designated as such. Of those who have not
hosted a trip abroad, the majority were interested
in participating in the future. Most were also
interested in teaching an international course, but
several felt that it did not apply to their particular
field or that other departmental courses were a
higher priority. Specifics can be found among the
different colleges interviewed.

For example, three out of the five
faculty members interviewed from CJC taught an
international course. The two that did not teach a
designated international course said they
included international examples into their course
curriculum on a regular basis. Only one faculty
member had not hosted a study abroad trip
during her time at UF. The remaining four taught
specifically on the colleges annual study abroad
trips.

Findings revealed that four out of the six
faculty members interviewed from HHP did not
teach a designated international course. Two out
of the four that did not teach an international
course included examples from other countries
to demonstrate domestic themes in their courses.
One in particular voiced that time played a factor
in her choice to not teach an international course.
This college is split in faculty members who have
hosted study abroad trips, with three that have
and three that have not traveled on trips with UF.

Out of the two faculty that were
interviewed from CDCP, only one taught
international courses and has also hosted a study
abroad trip through UF. The other did not teach
a designated international course and has not
hosted a study abroad trip at UF. However, this
individual has hosted a program at the university
he previously worked at and incorporates
international aspects into his courses.

Only one faculty member interviewed
from COE taught an international course. The

33

34

majority found it nearly impossible to integrate

pharmacy program conducting research abroad.
international courses into their curriculum
Although neither of the faculty members had exbecause they believed engineering to be a
perience studying abroad, both showed interest
culturally independent field. However, two
and expressed that the university should
faculty members integrate global examples or
encourage and incentivize study abroad
various international elements into their
programs to make it easier for faculty to
courses. Even though only two interviewees have
participate.
been on faculty study abroad programs, they all

The number of faculty members
expressed interest in participating in such
interviewed from CLAS who teach international
programs. However, one faculty member
courses was almost split down the middle, with
mentioned he was unsure how study abroad
nine who did not teach international courses and
programs could be successfully applied to the
seven who did. Those who currently teach an
engineering curriculum. He said, Our
international course viewed the experience
curriculum has a set flow and there is no way to
positively, and those who did not are not
fit anything international in it.
opposed to teaching one. However, some thought

Several faculty members from PHHP did
other departmental needs should be focused on
not teach internationally focused classes;
before implementing such courses. There are also
however, the general consensus among faculty
nine faculty members who have not participated
is to support international opportunities without
in a faculty study abroad trip and seven who
the expense of underminhave. There is no pattern between
ing current curriculum.
One problem with some of the these numbers and the numbers
Despite their standing on
study abroad offerings is that for faculty members who teach
internationally focused
international courses. A
they
are
focused
on
the
...social
classes, they thought it was
substantial number of
imperative to
sciences, with very limited op- interviewees said they would
combine internationaltions for the (hard) sciences be interested in participating in
based theories and aspects
faculty study abroad programs,
into lectures. The two
although several were not interfaculty members
ested because they felt it did not apply to their
interviewed have never had the opportunity to
curriculum or because of structural constraints,
participate in study abroad programs, but were
which are addressed in further detail in Issues/
very
Concerns with Internationalization section. It is
interested in it.
worth noting that none of the faculty

For CON, both faculty members had
members who teach STEM classes teach
experience in study abroad programs but were
international courses or have been on faculty
split in regards to teaching international courses.
study abroad trips - these initiatives are
Participating in study abroad programs is both
undertaken by faculty members who teach a
valued to the professors and the student,
humanities or social science course. One CLAS
according to the interviewees. However,
faculty member said, One problem with some
programs such as these are time consuming at
of the study abroad offerings is that they are
both ends. Findings suggested that there is a lack
focused on the languages, humanities, and social
of support from the facultys aspect because
sciences, with very limited options for the
participating in these programs consumes time
physical and biological sciences.
that is required for other responsibilities.

Findings from Survey 2 indicate that 73.5

Data from the interviews conducted
percent of respondents have not led a study
within COP show that neither of the faculty
abroad program (2). Of those who have, a little
members have partaken in study abroad.
under 20 percent have done so at UF. These
However, one of the interviewees teaches a Globfindings are represented in the following pie
al Health Pharmacy course, which he said has
chart (2):
proven to be highly beneficial to students in the

that across the board, faculty members held

similar issues and concerns with potential
internationalization efforts. There was an
overwhelming consensus that there is a lack of
resources when it comes to making
internationalization successful. This is most
significant in terms of financial constraints and
lack of faculty. Financial constraints was the
most common issue among faculty members.
Not only did they believe that an increase in
scholarships for students to study abroad was
imperative, they also believed that faculty
incentives to lead study abroad programs were
lacking. Most believed that a lack of funding
to students for current international programs

Survey 2 also revealed that for those
results in a shortage of student participation,
who have led study abroad programs at UF
particularly in study abroad trips. A CDCP
within the last three years, the top three
professor said, If UF wants to be heavy on
important factors in making their decision
internationalization, I think it has to dedicate a
were level of support from department (75
substantial amount of money for helping
percent), health and safety (70 percent), and
students in international programs. Many
adaptation to the language and culture of
faculty worried that the universitys recent
others (66 percent) (2). For those who have
budget cuts and current economic status will
led a study abroad program within the past 3
hinder efforts toward internationalization.
years, but not at UF, the most important
Findings showed that faculty are concerned
factors in their decision were level of
that there are not enough faculty members
support from department (83.3 percent),
currently working at the
research and teaching
I
think
(UF)
has
to
dedicate
a
university, especially in CLAS,
responsibilities at home
substantial amoung of money for to successfully implement the
institution (77.8
percent), and level of
helping students in international plan at hand. However, they
also recognized that the unicompensation (72.3 perprograms
versity is in need of sufficient
cent). For those who have
revenue to support new
not led a study abroad
faculty hires.
program, the most important decision-makers

There were also situational constraints
were research and teaching responsibilities at
that faculty noted. Since UF is classified as a
their home institution (71.5 percent), level of
research-1 university, faculty found that the
support from department (58.8 percent), and
demand for research pulls them away from
level of
international opportunities. Many voiced that
compensation (53.4 percent).
if more international research opportunities
were presented to them, it could combine these
two responsibilities. Some faculty members
expressed that the large amount of time
dedicated to study abroad programs is a
deterring factor, due to family responsibilities
and child care needs. Survey 1 also indicated

Regardless of college, findings showed
situational constraints to international
engagement, presented in the pie chart below

Issues/Concerns with
Internationalization

35

36

will come at the cost of other departmental

priorities. Survey 2 respondents voiced that for
faculty members, international teaching and
research needs to be recognized and given
credit (5).

Yet another structural constraint
pertains to the bureaucracy of the university.
There were several faculty members who
expressed dissent regarding this area due to
past plans that have been formulated and
not implemented. Respondents from survey
2 stated that institutional priority is lacking
because there is more talk than action (5). They
also found there to be unclear rules when it
comes to management at UF and a disconnect
between the state legislature and upper-level
administration at the university. Findings

Faculty also perceived structural
indicate that faculty are hesitant about taking
constraints as a challenge to UFs
on more responsibility than they already have.
internationalization efforts. They believed that

While many faculty considered the
there is a lack of support and encouragement
internationalization of UF to be crucial to the
from upper-level administration for them to
university, there seemed to always
pursue more
I think... encouraging students be underlying concerns regarding
international
orchestration of the plan and its
opportunities. Some
to understand how those types of the
necessary
resources. Respondents
expressed concern
programs
fit
back
into
their
mafrom Survey 2 indicated the top three
that the timeline for
students degrees and jor or path of study is our biggest activities that would increase their
international involvement (4). The
career paths acts as a
challenge.
findings are portrayed in the
severe limitation in
following bar graph:
regards to
internationalization efforts. The structure of
UFs major requirements holds several
impediments for students, in particular their
course credit limit, the amount of money per
credit hour, and the level of coursework
required. I think sometimes encouraging
students to understand how those types of
programs fit back into their major or path of
study is our biggest challenge, said a
professor from HHP.

Due to these aspects, faculty believed
students either find it difficult to incorporate
supplemental aspects into their educational
path or feel indifferent to integrate additional
courses because they want to finish the college
process as quickly as possible. On the faculty
level, some feared that internationalization

University of Florida Undergraduate Students

For primary research purposes, 64 UF undergraduate students were interviewed in order to
gain insight into their thoughts, feelings, beliefs, attitudes, and behaviors surrounding the situation
of internationalization. Thirty-nine of the students interviewed were female and 21 were male. Most
students identified as Caucasian. Seven were African American, nine were Hispanic, and two were
Asian. All of the students came from one of 10 colleges including HHP, CJC, COE, CLAS, CDCP,
CON, CALS, WCBA, the College of Fine Arts (CFA), and the College of Education (EDU).

The in-depth interviews with students across the 10 UF colleges assessed their awareness,
involvement, or interest in current international campus initiatives and gauged their receptivity for
new initiatives, such as new classes, more study abroad programs, and the International Scholars
Program (ISP). Despite the different experiences and commitments of students in various colleges,
student views regarding the perceptions of internationalization, study abroad experience, international
campus involvement, and perceived presence and importance of internationalization for the school
and the student remained widely the same. The following analysis breaks the information collected
into subheadings, where results are analyzed based on college, class year, gender, and ethnicity.

Insights from Student In-Depth

Interviews

Based on the information gained from
the student in-depth interview responses, there
were five main points that the overwhelming
majority of undergraduate students (regardless
of their gender, year in school, or college affiliation) mentioned in response to the questions.

First, most students understood that
internationalization would be beneficial to
their future careers, but were apathetic toward
incorporating internationalization into their
collegiate careers. Second, students said they
would be interested in the ISP to help boost
their rsums and help with their future
careers. Third, the main reasons students did
not want to study abroad were due to either
the high cost or the possibility that they would
get off track for graduation. Fourth, many
students did not attend international events
for one of two reasons: students either did not
know the event was happening or they were
apathetic about attending. Fifth, most students
did not remember what internationally focused
course they took to fulfill the international class

requirement.

Study Abroad Experience

Based on the student in-depth
interview responses, most of the students
had been abroad, but had not studied abroad.
Instead, most students had been abroad with
their families. Specifically, almost all of the
first-, second-, third-, and fourth-year students
had spent time abroad with either their
families or friends.

Almost all of the students from HHP,
EDU, COE, social sciences of the CLAS, CDCP,
CALS, and CFA reported going abroad
primarily on family vacations, but also on
mission trips. The CFA in particular had
several students that had gone with UF Gator
Band to the 2012 London Olympics. Students
have experienced other cultures, but not
necessarily in an academic setting.

While most students expressed interest
or admitted that they had considered studying
abroad, only seven of the 70 interviewed said
that they had already studied abroad. Some
said they wanted to study abroad later in their
degree, but major deterrents and concerns were

37

38

financial constraints, as well as a fear of falling

behind in their major.

In the interviews, a common
assumption about study abroad was that the
question focused on semester-long and yearlong commitments, though many programs are
short programs that occur over school breaks
and in the summer semester. Students also
believed that study abroad programs would set
them behind because courses offered for
specific colleges and departments were not
core classes.

Students interviewed in CDCP and CFA
both feared that study abroad programs would
put them behind in their major, though
students in CFA expressed an interest in the
study abroad program to Austria, and one
student from CDCP had attended a study
abroad program. She said, As a college
student youre kind of learning who you are,
and I think [Study Abroad] helps you figure
out who you are. She, along with the other
students interviewed who had studied abroad,
said that it was a positive experience that
helped her grow as a person.

In the social sciences of CLAS, many
students said they were considering study
abroad. One political science and religion
major who had been on three study abroad
trips during her time at UF and who also
works the study abroad fair said that she knew
a lot of people who were interested in
opportunities abroad, but that finding the right
program and concurrent financial support
takes a lot of time and effort. She believed that
faculty should be the messengers about study
abroad opportunities and should know the
available scholarships for each one. She said
otherwise, weary students must rely on the
testimonies of friends or a serendipitous find
on the Internet.

Students in WCBA were particularly
aware and informed about study abroad
programs. A majority had attended study
abroad information sessions provided by their
college. Nearly all of them believed that study
abroad would help with their careers.

Of the seven students that said they had
studied abroad with a UF program, five were
females and two were males. The QEP reported
a higher percentage of females studying abroad
than males, and though the interviews are not
a representative sample of the UF population,
they imply a similar trend.

In regards to ethnicity, of the 13 students
who had already studied abroad with UF or
had committed to studying abroad in the next
year, nine were white, three were Hispanic,
none were Asian, and one was African
American. The largest proportion of those who
had or were committed to studying abroad
were those of a Hispanic ethnicity, followed by
whites. Asians and African Americans had the
smallest proportion of those who had
studied or committed to studying abroad to
those who had not. However, because the
sample size is small, a larger scale survey, like
SERU, may have a better perspective on who
studies abroad based on race/ethnicity.

Student Interest in Study Abroad

When undergraduate students were
asked if they would like to study abroad, most
responded that they would like to do so during
their time at UF. Most first-year students said
they would like to study abroad, but the cost
was a deterring factor. However, a few firstyear students were already planning to study
abroad in the future, regardless of the cost.
Second-year student opinions about
studying abroad were similar to first-year
students opinions; while there was an
interest, cost was a major factor influencing
their decision. Third- and fourth-year students
also expressed interest in studying abroad, but
the cost and issues with staying on track for
graduation were their main deterrents for not
doing so.

Students from the HHP and CJC said
the main deterrent for not studying abroad
is the cost. On the other hand, students from
COE, EDU, and CDCP expressed interest in

studying abroad, but said the main deterrent

for not participating was that study abroad
would put them off track for graduation.
Students from COE also said another
factor that discouraged them from not
studying abroad was the possibility of a
language barrier. WCBA students were
proportionally more interested in studying
abroad than students in other colleges. While
some students in CFA expressed interest in the
study abroad program offered in Austria, all
expressed concerns about money and several
about falling behind in their major.

Student Understanding of
Internationalization

According to student responses from
the in-depth interviews, most students were
familiar with the terms internationalization,
globalization, and global economy.

First-year students were somewhat
familiar with the terms, while second-, third-,
and fourth- year students were all familiar
with the terms. Fourth-year students were the
most familiar with the terms, with 16 students
responding that they were familiar. Third- and
second-year students followed fourth-year
students with the most familiarity with the
terms, with 12 and 11 students responding
they were familiar with the terms, respectively.
Only five first-year students were familiar with
the terms, while eight first-year students were
somewhat familiar with the terms.

CLAS had the most students who were
familiar with the terms internationalization,
globalization, and global economy. CLAS
was followed by COE, HHP, and CJC with the
most students who said they were familiar
with the terms. Students in CDCP and CFA
were relatively familiar with terms, meaning there were often aspects of each term they
did not grasp,and responses were sometimes
vague. However, it is important to note that
all of the students interviewed from both COE

and HHP said that they were familiar with the

terms, while only 14 of the 22 students
interviewed from CLAS said they were
familiar with the terms. Younger students
within WCBA were less familiar with the terms
than their older counterparts.

Women were more familiar with these
terms then men were, with about 57.5 percent
of females familiar with the terms compared
to 39 percent of males. Findings indicate 32.5
percent of females interviewed were relatively
familiar with terms compared to 44 percent of
males, 7.5 percent of females not at all familiar
with terms compared to 17 percent of males
interviewed, and 2.5 percent of females did not
answer this question. When looking at these
numbers as a whole, it is important to
remember that more females were interviewed
than males, and that these interviews are not
representative of the population.

Regardless of race, the majority of
students interviewed were either familiar or
relatively familiar with the terms. Only four
students were not familiar with the terms, and
of those students, three were white and one
was African American. However, it is
important to note proportionately, each ethnic
group was similar to the others. It appears that
there is little pattern between race/ethnicity
and how familiar the students are with the
terms.

39

having a wholesome international identity or

felt ignorant of a greater international presence.

While students stated they believe UF
is an internationally focused university, their
reasons stating why UF is an internationally
focused university range. Some students
believed that UF is an internationally focused
university because UF offers many study

When asked if they thought UF was an
abroad opportunities, while other students
internationally focused university, most s
believed UF is an internationally focused
tudents said yes. Second-year students had the
university for other reasons. For example,
highest number of students (12) who said they
most fourth-year students believed that UF is
believed UF was an internationally focused
an internationally focused university because
university, followed by fourth (11), third (8),
there are many international students, faculty,
and first (6) year students.
organizations, and research projects on

Proportionally, Hispanic students were
campus. Second and third year students echo
the most split on whether UF was
the opinions of fourth year students. However,
internationally focused, with three students
most first-year students believed that UF is an
each saying that UF was, was not, or was
internationally focused university because UF
somewhat internationally focused. Sixty-nine
offers many study abroad opportunities. A CJC
percent of white students believed that UF was
student said, We think this campus is big, but
internationally focused, the largest
really when you think about it, the world is
ethnic group to hold this view, but 17 percent
huge and we have no idea what is available to
believed UF to not be internationally focused,
us, whether its professionally or personally.
and 14 percent believed it was only somewhat
Just because theres so many
internationally focused. All
other people out there that we
Asian respondents believed The world is huge and we have
can learn from.
UF was internationally
no idea what is available to us, While the highest
focused and all but one of
whether its professionally or per- percentage of people who said
the seven African American
sonally....Theres so many other that UF was
students believed similarly.
internationally focused were in

By gender, there was
people out there we can learn COE (100 percent), CLAS had
not much variation across the
from.
the most respondents to say
interviews about whether UF
that the university was
was internationally focused,
internationally focused, with nine out of 16
though males seemed to have more polarized
saying it was. These leaders were followed
opinions. Sixty percent of females said that the
by a four-way tie between HHP (5), CFA (5),
university was internationally focused,
EDU (5), and CJC (5). CDCP had very mixed
compared to 58 percent of males. Fifteen
responses about whether the university was
percent of females said that the university was
an international, possibly indicating the lack
not internationally focused, while 25 percent of
of international influence and presence in the
males said that it was not. Only eight percent
college.
of males said that the university was sort-of

Seven of the 64 students interviewed
international, compared to 23 percent of the
said they believed UF was not an i
females interviewed. Many of the males and
nternationally focused university, mainly befemales who said that the university was not
cause they found there to be too many students
internationally focused or sort-of
from Florida attending UF.
internationally focused voiced either UF not

Student Understanding of
Internationalization at the
University of Florida

40

Student Internationalization
Course Experience

Regardless of class standing, most
students could not remember what
international course they took to fulfill the
international course requirement. While most
first- and second-year students had not yet
taken an international course, if they had
already taken the course, they could not
remember what the course was. Also, while
most third- and fourth-year students had
already fulfilled the requirement, they could
not remember what course they took. The
college that had the most recollection of the
class that met the international requirement
was CFA. This trend did not vary widely across
gender either. Because many students had
either not yet taken the required international
course, or they could not remember which
course they had taken, students had no
comments on how they felt about the class.

Students were also asked if they would
take another international course beyond the
course credit UF requires them to take. Thirtysix students responded that they would like to
take more international courses, while 14 said
they would not. First-year students had the
highest amount of students (12) who said they
would be interested in taking more
international courses. Second (9), third (8), and
fourth (7) year students followed first-year
students in stating they would take more
international courses, respectively. The primary
reason students did not want to take any more
classes beyond those required was because
they did not have the time to fit the courses
into their schedules. However, many students
also felt that more international courses would
not benefit them in learning about international
subjects. Im not really interested [in taking
more international courses] because I dont
think you can learn globalization in a
classroom. And I feel like Ive had experience
with it already outside the classroom, said a

HHP student.

Students in COE and EDU said they
would like to take more international courses,
but they did not think it would be possible
due to their already tight schedules. Said one
COE student, I think it would help our careers
[to have international courses] and I think it
would help expose students so that they know
that theres something bigger out there and

that theres so much out there thatll pertain

to them in the work field. Additionally, many
students in CJC and HHP said they would like
to take more international courses as well, if
they were able to work them into their
schedules. Students within WCBA were very
interested in taking more international courses.
Students in CLAS that were majoring in hard
sciences were more interested in research
opportunities than actual classes, but found it
hard to coordinate with their schedules,
especially if they were on a pre-professional
track. Six of the students interviewed from
CLAS majoring in social sciences wanted to
take more international courses, though
several were already actively taking
internationally themed classes related to their
majors or minors. One CLAS student, a
political science and religion major who is
pursuing a minor in international relations

41

while being heavily involved with study

abroad, said that international specific classes
should focus less on international theory and
focus more on international issues, culture, and
history.

Students interviewed in the CFA were
enthusiastic about taking more internationally
based classes, and usually said that the class
that met their international requirement was
their History of Music class, a critical
tracking class that gave them the gen-ed credit.
In CDCP, three students said no because of not
having room in their schedule, while one said
yes if she wasnt graduating, and another said
yes if she found a class that was interesting.

Student Attendence at
International Events

When undergraduate students were
asked if they had attended any international
events at UF, the majority of students had not.
The main reasons students said they had not
attended any international events were that
they did not know that the events were being
held (students said there was a lack of advertising) or that they just did not care to attend the
events, even if they knew about them.

Of the few students who had been to
international events, most were first- or
second-year students who had attended an
event for the What is the Good Life? course
that first-year students are required to take as
of Summer B 2012 (HUM2305 Course Information). Of the third- and fourth-year
students who had attended international
events, most said they attended a study abroad
fair. Other third- and fourth-year students who
had been to an international event said that
they had gone with their friends.

In regards to race/ethnicity, the students
who had attended international events in the
highest proportion were African American
students. Hispanic and Asian students for

42

the most part had not attended international

events. Approximately two-thirds of white
students had not attended international events
while one third had. Most students who had
attended an international event had done so
because a friend encouraged them or for a class
requirement.

The difference in international event
attendance by gender was surprising. Of the
females interviewed, 27.5 percent had attended
an international event that was not the study
abroad fair. Of the men interviewed, 58 percent
had attended an international event that was
not the study abroad fair. The reason for this
difference is hard to judge. One thing to note
about these responses is that though students
had been to international events, many seemed
to have attended these events by happenstance
or for that occasion. Few seemed to express a
passion for seeking out international events
or that they went to these events on a regular
basis.

Students from COE said they had
attended an international event through the
What is the Good Life? course. Students
from EDU said they had not been to many, if
not any, international events because they did
not know they were happening. Most of the
EDU students said the location of their college
building, Norman Hall, isolates them from the
rest of campus because it is far from the center
of campus. Because of the building location,
EDU students feel they do not see
advertisements for international events.
However, EDU students said that they would
like to attend international events that were
based on their interests.

For example, one EDU student said
she would attend an international event if it
involved dance. Students from HHP and CJC
said they had never attended an international
event. Most students from the business college
had attended the Study Abroad Fair, but had
not attended any other international events.
This may be due to the emphasis that the
business school places on international
business.

said they were not involved in an international

organization. However, students from these
colleges said they were interested in joining
organizations that were associated with their
major. Students said that they would like to
interact with diverse people in organizations

Like student attendance at international
that were associated with their major or their
events, most students stated they were not
interests, rather than with their
members of an
international
It would be better to have a place ethnic background. Its great to
have those organizations to
organization. There
where
it
doesnt
matter
where
celebrate where you come from
seemed to be no
relationship between a youre from. We dont have to but it would be better to have a
students year in school make it about race, its about an place where it doesnt matter where
youre from. We dont have to make
and if they were a
interest.
it about race, its about an interest.
member of an internaa CJC student said.
tional organization. Of

Students in CFA said that they had little
the students who did say they were involved
time for both international events and
in international
organizations outside of their major because of
organizations, most were members of an orthe two to four hours a day they were expected
ganization that was related to their ethnicity.
to practice outside of regular curricular
For example, Hispanic students that said they
requirements, which they said leaves them
were part of an international organization were
little time for extracurricular activities.
members of the Hispanic Student Association

Various students from COE, HHP,
(HAS).
CLAS, and CJC also added that they were

Interestingly, compared to the results of
apprehensive to join an international
ethnicity playing a role in students
organization because they feared they would
attending international events, African Amerinot fit in because they were not of a similar
can students were overwhelmingly not a part
ethnic background. For example, one Hispanic
of an international organization. Hispanics,
student from CJC said she would like to join
conversely, were split 50/50 on whether they
the Black Student Union (BSU) because she
were involved with an international
loves learning about other cultures. She is
organization. The most notable finding,
hesitant to join because she felt that she would
however, was that all but two of the white
be questioned as to why she was attending
students in the study were not involved in any
BSU meetings and events when she is not
international organizations. These students
African American. I feel like its weird having
were either not aware of international
to explain yourself and say Im here because I
organizations or felt that they would not be
want to branch out. You should be able to join
welcome in an international organization.
because you want to, not to have to explain

Only 10 percent of the females
yourself, she said.
interviewed were a part of international

Students from CLAS had other reasons
organizations, while 21 percent of males
why they had not participated, including lack
interviewed were a part of international
of awareness and the belief that it would not
organizations. While there is an 11 percent
further their career. One student expressed
increase between the two, the difference is
interest in an event that taught the importance
small.
of internationalization and how to use it.

Most students from COE, HHP, EDU,
CJC, WCBA, CDCP, CFA, CLAS, and CALS

Student Participation in
International Organizations

43

Student Interest in the

International Scholars Program

44

Forty-nine out of 64 students said they
would be interested in the ISP when asked if
they would like to participate in an award
program that recognizes international
achievement among students by completing
approved international scholar courses and
going beyond the students college required
foreign language requirements. First- and
fourth-year students were the most interested
in ISP, with 13 from both groups saying they
would be interested in participating. Secondand third-year students followed, with 12 and
11 students saying they would participate,
respectively. There seemed to be no pattern
between race/ethnicity and whether the
student would be interested in participating in
the ISP.

Eighty-three percent of males and
eighty-three percent of females interviewed
said they would be interested in participating
in the ISP. Most professed a desire for the program to look good on their rsum and further

their career, while others expressed concerns

about how the program would affect their
current course schedule.

The COE, EDU, WCBA, CALS, the hard
sciences of CLAS, and the social sciences of
CLAS all had six students that said they would
participate, followed by CFA with five
students, and HHP and CJC with four
students. Two students in CDCP said the ISP
was interesting, and others said they would
have to research the matter further or said
it did not apply to them because they were
graduating. HHP was the only college with
students that said they would not be interested
in participating in the ISP.

Most students, when the ISP was explained to them, thought the ISP was a
scholarship program. Additionally, students
from all colleges said they would be interested
in participating in the ISP if scholarship money
was provided to them to either pay for classes
or a study abroad trip.

10

Existing Curriculum on Internationalization

Existing Co-Curriculum on Internationalization

Favorable Nationwide Trends

Organizational Groups for Faculty and Students

Committed Internationalization Task Force

Driving Forces

Faculty Concern of it Not Being a Wholistic

Process

Faculty Concern of Campaigns Budget

Monetary Concerns

Critical Tracking Requirements

Apathy of Students Toward Internationalization

No Reliable Communication Channels for

Distribution of Information

University Bureaucracy

Low Faculty Engagement

Lack of Resources

Colleges with Commitment to Promoting International Courses

5
Economic Factors

Force Field Analysis

Restraining Forces

A Successfully Internationalized University

45

46

Situation Analysis

After being accredited, UF must apply to be reaffirmed for accreditation every 10 years by
SACSCOC. As accreditation is a voluntary process where schools seek to address their faults and
improve as an academic institution, UF determined that it wanted to focus on internationalizing the
university, as study abroad participation and international enrollment has declined.
Internationalization has the potential to enrich student education, spread the scope of Gator pride,
and raise UF to a top-10 university nationally. Internationalizing UF would mean increasing study
abroad options, changing and adding current and new internationally themed courses, and
cultivating a rich international campus life.

Students and faculty are the publics that will be most affected by this opportunity. Primary
research indicated that students had an awareness of the importance of internationalization and its
relation to the university, but most were apathetic about getting involved in international initiatives
and its relevance to their immediate growth. Most students interviewed in UFs 12 colleges expressed
an interest in study abroad opportunities, but mentioned critical tracking requirements or monetary
concerns as a deterrent. Almost no students were involved in international organizations or attended
international events. Of the faculty interviewed, there was minimal awareness about the QEP. While
the faculty interviewed voiced the importance of internationalization for UF and its publics, all
expressed concern about the campaigns budget and the importance of the opportunity being a
cohesive and holistic process.

Factors working for UF with this opportunity include a strong international base to grow the
QEP with its current international campus initiatives. These initiatives include study abroad
programs, international courses, campus clubs and organizations, and colleges with a commitment to
promoting international events. There is also a growing perception of the importance of
internationalization nationwide as the economy becomes global and technology makes the world feel
smaller. While UF has a strong base and a fertile environment for growth, there are factors working
against the university, which UF will have to be aware of going forward. Pressures present from the
economy will mean both an internal struggle for funds and a struggle among students to participate.
There is also the difficulty of moving internal students outside of the country and international
students in, as well as the importance of faculty engagement in the opportunity.

With the QEP and administrative commitment to international leadership and growth, the
university is on the right track to fully take advantage of this opportunity and lead the university to
international excellence. By permeating the campus culture through faculty engagement and student
involvement, UF has the ability to achieve an internationalized campus within the next five years.

47

48

Message Strategy

Core Message: When internationalization knocks, open the door to a world of opportunity.

Target Public 1: Faculty

Key Message 1:

Imagine you are sitting in your office during your assigned office hours. No students have
visited yet today, and you have decided to use the time to grade midterm papers. As you begin to
focus on a paper from a student, a woman appears at the door of your office. She is not a student, you
have not seen her beforewho is it? The woman at the door is internationalization, and she has some
troubling things to say.

To utilize the Made to Stick principles, this message focuses on concreteness and
unexpectedness. By depicting a story in an environment that faculty are familiar with, this message
brings faculty into their schema of teaching and is able to communicate the importance of an abstract
idea like internationalization.

Key Message 2:

The International Center has found that student enrollment in international courses has
decreased with each class level on average by 24 percent. Only 14 percent of students at UF have
studied abroad by the time they graduate. The administration sees how this is a detriment to the
academic offerings of the university. In order to get students more involved, they need your help. By
starting your own study abroad program, communicating to students international opportunities on
campus, and actively incorporating international awareness and excitement into the classroom, you
can help UF become an international campus.

By incorporating statistics from the SERU student survey, this message has communicated the
issue in a credible way. After following the mystery with the shock of these low statistics provided
by UFs very own International Center, this message is able to help faculty feel as though they are the
heart of the solution. Here is a list of possible credible spokespeople that can deliver the message to
this public: high-level university officials (i.e. President Machen), ITF officials, Dean Villalon, UFIC
faculty, and other faculty who have incorporated internationalization into their careers.

Key Message 3:

Working with UF to internationalize the campus is an opportunity for professional
development. The university will help you pick internationally focused courses and develop them
yourself. With campus internationalization, the university will become more reputable. If the
university is more reputable, you will have the advantage of working at a more prestigious
institution. If you work to internationalize your curriculum and your experience at UF, you have the
potential of coming home every day and knowing that your teaching was something you could be

49

proud of, that the university you work with is serving you as well as its students, and that you are a
steward with global responsibility. If you do not do this, you run the risk of remaining stagnant, of
not progressing the field you have given your life to, and not walking across the Plaza of the Americas or into the Reitz Union with a feeling of satisfaction.

By appealing to self-interest as an emotion, this message explains the benefits and
consequences that will personally impact professors. Emphasizing this key message will answer the
question of Whats in it for me? and motivate faculty to act upon internationalization efforts.

Key Message 4:

To help UF become global, make a commitment to focus on internationalization in your
courses and consider leading study abroad programs that will offer valuable experiences for both
yourself and students. Consider a professor who began the study abroad program in the College of
Health and Human Performance. She felt that study abroad was not only extremely influential for
students, but that it also provided professors with the opportunities for international research
discovery. Another professor in the College of Journalism and Communications who has consistently
hosted study abroad programs said she has seen the direct influence she has made on her students
through hosting study abroad trips. She feels that it not only improves the educational value for
students, but that it also helps increase professors global competency.

By providing two testimonials of UF professors, faculty are given the opportunity to
understand how to perform the desired behavior of incorporating internationalization into their
careers. By reading about the experience of their peers, faculty members are able to rehearse what
their experience in creating or integrating international programs might entail and how to achieve
success in this particular endeavor.

Target Public 2: Students

Key Message 1:

In the not-too-distant future, you are sitting across the table from a potential employer.
Looking at your rsum, your interviewer notices a glaring difference from the other applicants.
While others opened the door to international experience, you ignored the knock. This scenario could
happen to you, unless you seize the international opportunities that UF provides.

The stickiness principles of concreteness and unexpectedness in Key Message 1 will allow this
message to appeal to the campaigns target public. Students envision their futures constantly and
attend college to prepare for their particular careers. However, they do not always envision
themselves being unsuccessful. By providing a concrete and unexpected scenario, this message
evokes a sense of what can be missing in their education.

50

Key Message 2:

According to a study provided by San Diego University, 82 percent of students who studied
abroad had an improved chance of getting a job after graduation and 58 percent of students stated
that their experience abroad increased their earning potential. In addition, 80 percent stated that their
internationally focused internship improved their overall chances of getting a job. Through the
International Scholars Program, study abroad opportunities, and on-campus international initiatives
that are offered at UF, you can become a more international student during your time here.

By providing a credible source1, this message portrays internationalization as a vital
component of students college experience and future career. Through the depiction of the actions
needed to take to become an international student, students can see that it is easily obtainable. A list
of possible credible spokespeople to relay the message to this target public includes students who
have studied abroad during their college career, students who have received job offers internationally
due to their study abroad experience, and International Scholar students.

Key Message 3: :

By seizing international opportunities, you will have the tools to become a more competitive
candidate in the job market. Appreciation for different cultures and an understanding of globalization
will make you more well-rounded as an individual and provide you with a broader perspective of
the world. These characteristics can open doors to a world of opportunities, rich with prestigious and
fulfilling career possibilities. Not having international experience could result in your rsum being
tossed into the no pile.

The message strategy has emphasized the self-interest of the student to become a more
competitive candidate in the job market, as well as the students identity in becoming a more wellrounded person. This message specifically emphasizes this point. Students stand to lose a sense of
inadequacy in their experience level and gain both confidence and experience in international areas.

Key Message 4:

Open the door to internationalization. Register for courses with an international focus, study
abroad in a country that you have always wanted to visit, or become a member of an international
organization. One students study abroad experience in London led to a career opportunity that she
never would have found otherwise. She will be graduating a year early to permanently move to
London to pursue a job at a global company. Another student said that her experience studying
abroad in Florence, Italy made her a more self-sufficient and independent individual who can view
the world and other cultures in a new light.

By providing a testimonial from a student who participated in a study abroad trip that resulted
in an international career opportunity, students are able to mentally rehearse how international
opportunities at UF can impact their future endeavors. This vision will motivate students to take action and seek the international initiatives that UF offers.
1. http://www.aifsabroad.com/advisors/pdf/Impact_of_Education_AbroadI.pdf

51

52

Strategy
Goal:

Cultivate a global mindset in students and faculty by ingraining internationalization

into University of Florida culture.

Objective 1:

To inspire faculty at UF to create new internationally focused courses by

4% per year until the end of May 2019.

the importance of creating internationally focused courses to faculty

Strategy: Communicate
using interpersonal communication.
to primary research, faculty at UF regard the university as
Rationale: According
an international institution. However, some felt that creating international
coursework was either not in their field of expertise or not a priority in their
college. In order to impress upon faculty that international coursework is
essential to furthering the quality of an international university and to provide
faculty with the information and confidence needed to create these courses, this
strategy focuses on providing information at an interpersonal level. Because this
public is relatively small compared to the student public, this strategy will be
communicated exclusively through interpersonal communication. Public relations theory states that communication impact is highest through this method
and is most likely to accomplish behavior and attitudinal objectives.

Tactic 1:

Send out hand-written postcards to a sample of

faculty members who have shown interest in
international topics, as well as a sample of faculty
who voiced interest at the small group meetings.
This sample includes faculty who have hosted study
abroad programs, taught an international course,
created an international event on campus, etc. These
postcards would be sent out a week before the
International Faculty Professional Development
workshop application is due. They would encourage
faculty to create an international course for the
following semesters and to register for the workshop.
This source of interpersonal communication would
inspire faculty to get involved with
internationalization efforts by providing a
personalized recognition of their previous
achievements or expressed interests. Hand-written
communication would provide this target public with
a sense of honor and appreciation, motivating them to
change their behavior and put forth the effort to
create international courses.

Task 1: Create a sample list of

qualiied international faculty.
Task 2: Create postcards with
internaional landscapes.
Task 3: Assign a writer to handwrite
the postcards.
Task 4: Deliver postcards to
department chairs to put into
faculty mailboxes.

53

Tactic 2:

Hold small group meetings with faculty from each

undergraduate department to educate them on the
benefits of creating international courses and how
it will help the university and its students, and to
provide them with information on the International
Faculty Professional Development workshop. These
meetings would be held twice per semester, with only
the first of the two being mandatory for faculty to
attend. The first meeting of each semester would
address the most important information regarding
how to create an international course. Additional
meetings throughout the remaining semesters would
address any follow-up issues, questions, and
concerns, providing an opportunity for faculty
members to mentor each other. They would also
discuss any changes, improvements, and updates.
These meetings would be held by the department
chair and a representative from the ITF. Each
meeting would be 30 minutes. Afterward, faculty
would have the choice to stay for a question and
answer session and to mingle with other faculty
members. Through interpersonal communication,
these small group meetings provide an intimate, oneon-one setting for faculty members to look up to their
opinion leaders in their own department.
Interpersonal communication has a stronger impact
than controlled communication, so this method will
have a greater chance of influencing faculty members
in getting involved and creating international courses.

54

Task 1: Coordinate with department

chairs the best time and place to
hold the first mandatory meeting
of the semester.
Task 2: Create a print piece with
meeting highlights and website
information to direct faculty
members online.
Task 3: Work with the ITF and
department chairs to discuss
how to tailor messages for each
college.
Task 4: Notify faculty members of
the mandatory meeting through
the departments listserv.
Task 5: Purchase snacks and coffee to
provide for faculty.
Task 6: At the meeting, have every
one who is interested write their
name and email down.
Task 7: After the first meeting, send
out an email that directs faculty to
the website and covers some of the
meeting highlights.
Task 8: Schedule second meeting for
closer to the end of the semester.
Task 9: Notify faculty of the second
meeting.
Task 10: Purchase snacks and coffee
for the second meeting.
Task 11: Reiterate messages and talk
about various international topics.
Task 12: Send out meeting highlights
in an eblast.

Tactic 3:

Host an annual International Cocktail Hour, a wine

and cheese speech event, at an international art
exhibit displayed at the Harn Museum of Art. This
event would take place during the International
Centers International Education Week. The
International Cocktail Hour would be a social event in
which faculty would have a chance to celebrate
international education, hear speeches from their
peers about the benefits of internationalization, and
discuss with one another the impact of international
programs on both faculty and students. Speakers at
the event would include faculty members who have
created international courses and members of the
UFIC, including Dean Villalon. Faculty would be
more receptive to the messages being presented when
they are in a social setting and informal event such as
the International Cocktail Hour.

Task 1: Find faculty to speak at the

event.
Task 2: Decide potential dates for the
event.
Task 3: Reach out to potential
speakers and coordinate dates they
would be able to speak.
Task 4: Rent space at Harn Museum
of Art.
Task 5: Purchase wine and cheese
from Classic Fare Catering.

55

Objective 2:

To increase faculty desire to host study abroad programs at UF by 4%

per year until the end of May 2019.

faculty to host study abroad programs by showing them that they hold
Strategy 1: Empower
the key to open the door to internationalization.

Rationale:

Tactic 1:

Primary qualitative data revealed that faculty felt little power to influence
change while caught in the red tape of UF administration and bureaucracy.
While faculty will probably still encounter red tape and bureaucratic hold-ups
during the internationalization process, providing methods and support
systems will help eschew facultys apathy and show them that their
internationalization efforts can make a difference in their lives, the lives of their
students, and university culture. The Theory of Diffusion of Innovation, which
illustrates the bell curve of people receptive to different messages, influences
the first and second tactics. The high educational level of each faculty member
and the level of commitment and investment needed indicate that information
provided for faculty will have to focus on the central process of understanding.
Thus, both speeches and regular written communication would be important
efforts to influence a change in faculty behavior, according to the Elaboration
Likelihood Model. Finally, the third tactic is also a means of reporting, relationship building, and responsibility outlined in Kellys ROPES model.

Create an ongoing Study Abroad Mentorship

Program in which faculty experienced with study
abroad programs would be paired with a colleague
that has an interest in hosting a program in the
near future. Both mentors and mentees interested
in this program would be able to apply through an
application process on the new website discussed
in Objective 2, Strategy 2. This tactic is important
because it unites faculty members and allows them
to work with someone they can connect to, instead
of a member of university administration. Once the
mentee has worked with a more experienced faculty
member and planned and hosted a study abroad
program, he or she could choose to be a mentor for
future faculty that are interested in hosting a study
abroad program. Creating a vast network of faculty
and a community based on study abroad interest
and experience would serve as a tactic that could
span the five years of the QEP plan.

56

Task 1: Compile a list of all current

faculty who have participated in or
hosted a study abroad program.
Task 2: Ask department chairs to talk
to faculty at the next department
meeting about how the university
is expanding and improving study
abroad options. Department chairs
will then collect a list of the people
interested in study abroad
programs.
Task 3: Once there is a list of faculty
in each department that are
interested, partner them with
faculty who have already hosted
a study abroad program. It will
be up to these pairs to meet
throughout the semester and report
their meetings to the department
chair. At the end, each pair will
report whether they have planned
a program.
Task 4: Add the people who have
planned a program to the list of
mentors for future semesters.

Tactic 2:

Host an hour-long speaker series, called the Brown

Bag International Lunch Series, that would include
speeches by several faculty members and students
who have participated in a study abroad program
explaining their life-changing experience. The
series would help emphasize, from both faculty and
student perspectives, the benefits of study abroad
programs to faculty members and why they should
participate. The series would be held at a location
near the Plaza of the Americas, such as Smathers
Library East. Because the series would be held
during lunchtime, participants would have the
option to bring their lunch or purchase Krishna
Lunch. The speaker series would be held three times
per semester. Each event will focus on one type of
study abroad program, either a service, research, or
internship trip. The series would feature an
estimated six speakers, three faculty members, and
three students who have either created or
participated in one of these types of study abroad
programs. The speakers would present around five
to ten minutes each, discussing their experience and
how it helped them in their academic career. This
tactic is important because it helps faculty envision
themselves creating and participating in a study
abroad program. Faculty would also see the positive
impact of studying abroad on students and be
motivated to help bring this impact to future
studying abroad students. This tactic also helps
move faculty from having an awareness of study
abroad programs to changing their attitudes about
study abroad programs not only through mental
rehearsal, but also through storytelling. Hearing
about other faculty members study abroad experiences would ease any fears that faculty members
have about creating or participating in a study
abroad program.

Task 1: Find faculty and students

who have participated in a study
abroad program.
Task 2: Decide potential dates for
speaker events and which type
of program each event will focus
on (service, research, and intern
ship).
Task 3: Reach out to potential speak
ers and coordinate dates they
would be able to speak.
Task 4: Reserve space to hold the
event.
Task 5: Advertise speaker event
through social media, email, and
posters around campus.

57

Tactic 3:

Send out a monthly eblast international

newsletter to all faculty members at UF that details
events, testimonials, articles, research, and monthly
recaps. Essentially, the newsletter would serve as a
means to cover all that is occurring in the
international world of UFs faculty. This
newsletter would be sent to each department chair,
who would then send it out to his or her
corresponding faculty listserv. An email from the
department head as opposed to another email from
UF may hold more importance or urgency in
facultys minds, making them more likely to open
the email. This integrative print piece is crucial in
tying all other faculty tactics together. Because this
tactic takes a holistic approach and would be sent
out in tandem with the occurrence of other tactics,
it serves as a constant reminder to faculty of the role
they can have in internationalization. It also serves
as a means of stewardship, in that it keeps faculty
abreast of information. Even if they are not involved
with internationalization, they are being kept aware
every step of the way.

58

Task 1: Assign a writer.

Task 2: Assign a graphic designer.
Task 3: Proofread copy.
Task 4: Email to all department
chairs.

faculty through an effective social media and online campaign that will
Strategy 2: Unite
increase their interest in hosting a study abroad program.
research revealed that some faculty members have conflicting
Rationale: Primary
interest regarding the significance and benefits of hosting study abroad trips.

Tactic 1:

They felt that hosting a study abroad trip did not apply to their curriculum or
that there were structural constraints. This strategy is specifically designed to
address these constraints, by provoking faculty to become actively engaged in
UFs up-to-date international information and resources. Secondary research
suggested that many baby boomers gather their news from social media
platforms such as Facebook and Twitter. As many faculty members at UF fall
under this category, these outlets will be highly utilized for dissemination of
messages. The Social Judgment Theory dictates that people either accept or
discard messages based off their perception of a particular message and whether
that message coincides with their attitudes or beliefs, thus affecting their selfconcept. Using social media to reach faculty effectively conveys the messaging
and grants the courier with the responsibility to deliver the message in way that
explicitly impacts facultys self-concept. This not only ensures that the message
circulates throughout a large audience, but that the message also instills itself
within that group.

Create and utilize social media profiles for the

campaign. By having a presence on two major
social media platforms, Facebook and Twitter,
faculty would be able to have constant access to
information and resources on the initiative and
the opportunity to be actively engaged with
others that are also interested in international
offerings. These profiles would serve as a means
to integrate the other tactics in this strategy into
a constant stream of information. Engaging links
to new blog posts, a calendar update, and newly
added resources would be posted to social media
in order to generate awareness and drive traffic
to the webpage and its blog. Social media is an
easy, convenient, and free way to promote faculty
international opportunities at UF on a day-to-day
basis. With daily posts, faculty would be kept
apprised of all things involving study abroad.
This would maintain a constant interest and
reiterate the scope of international programs,
keeping the idea of study abroad afresh in
facultys mind and leading to a change in their
overall attitude toward hosting study abroad
programs.

Task 1: Create a social media plan

that incorporates campaign
message strategy, audience
interests, objectives, and probable
themes for each social media sites
content.
Task 2: Bring a social media plan and
mock social media pages to
University Relations to have
them approved.
Task 2: Create Facebook page for the
campaign that incorporates the
international color scheme and
images.
Task 3: Post links from the blog and
website to the Facebook Page. Use
posts that encourage interaction,
such as questions, pictures, and
shout-outs.
Task 4: Create Twitter profile using
campaign images and color
scheme. Create hashtags and
follow people related to the
international issue.
Task 5: Put social media on all
printed and emailed materials
distributed to faculty.

59

Tactic 2:

Create a webpage that would act as a central hub

of international information for faculty to refer
to, and that would help UF establish credibility
amongst skeptical faculty by demonstrating its
investment in the initiative. This credibility
would remove a restraining force and would give
faculty the push it needs to turn their interest in
hosting a study abroad program into action. This
webpage would be added to UFs website, linked
through a tab on the home page. This tab would
be a primary tab right next to Services and
would say Global. Currently, it is difficult to
find any international information on UFs
website. Creating a main international tab not
only makes information more accessible, but
establishes in the viewers mind that
internationalization is a priority at UF. It also
communicates that there are many international
opportunities at UF. Under this Global tab,
the user would have the option of choosing one
of three subheadings: Faculty, Student, and
Open the Door Campaign (which would
include all relevant information regarding this
specific campaign and the QEP). Using these
subheadings, faculty and students would have
the ability to access the newly created
internationalization pages.

60

Faculty would have access to international

teaching and development resources, information
about how to integrate international courses into
their departments, and links to the newly created
social media pages through the faculty page. In
regards to study abroad, the webpage would also
provide faculty with access to information about
creating and hosting study abroad programs, as
well as an informational listing of already
approved faculty-led study abroad programs.
This information would add to faculty awareness
of study abroad programs and spark their interest
in them. A calendar of international events
created by faculty members would be accessible
through this page, as well as the faculty blog that
is discussed further below in Tactic 3. Already
existing international pages would be aggregated
onto the Global tab.

Task 1: Talk to University Relations

and UFs IT department about
creating a website for UFs
International Open the Door Cam
paign.
Task 2: Once approved, gather
content creators and website
managers for the site.
Task 3: Create a media plan that
would plan posts and content, and
gather other events and initiatives
to be included on the website.
Task 4: Work on the sites design and
integrate planned content.
Task 5: Stay abreast of all of UFs
international initiatives, plans, and
messages to put on the site.

Tactic 3:

Create an international blog specifically for

faculty that would be put as a scrolling document
on the international website (see Tactic 1) and that
would be linked on social media profiles for the
campaign. This tactic would help motivate
faculty because it engages both central and
peripheral systems to understanding messages,
according to the Elaboration Likelihood Model.
Thus, the blog would be the perfect blend of both
detailed information and more emotional
accounts to help make this message more sticky.
For example, every month the blog would
highlight a faculty members study abroad
experience and provide a link to that faculty
members own personal study abroad blog if he
or she has one. It is useful because as it uses both
of these systems of understanding, it will help
change facultys attitude about UFs commitment
to internationalization by establishing credibility
and helping faculty get excited by exposing them
to positive experiences and possibilities.

Task 1: Add blog feature to the Tactic

1 webpage.
Task 2: Design blog to connect with
calendar and social media.
Task 3: Compile a list and chronology
of blog posts and connected writers
relevant to faculty that would in
clude: how-tos for
internationalizing curriculum; dos
and donts; studies about
internationalization; teacher
experiences about the
good, bad, and funny of various
international commitments;
student advice for international
curriculum; and the plans of
administration, as well as photos,
videos, and event coverage.
Task 4: Write and schedule weekly
blog posts in advance.

61

Objective 3:

To increase undergraduate student participation in study abroad

programs at UF by 6% of the current 14% participation rate per year
until the end of May 2019.

students to participate in study abroad programs by helping them see the

Strategy 1: Inspire
benefits of opening the door to internationalization by dispelling common
concerns about studying abroad.

to secondary and primary research, the rate of student participation

Rationale: According
in studying abroad is low. While many have been abroad with their families,

they have not done so in an academic setting. This fact indicates a potential
interest in experiencing different cultures firsthand that can be heightened after
introducing the academic and career benefits of studying abroad to students.
Research also revealed that students main concerns with studying abroad are
the cost of the program and fear of falling behind in their respective majors. In
regards to Charles Osgod and Percy Tannenbaums Congruity Theory, students
change in attitude can be stimulated by information that causes them to
realize their current concerns are in conflict with the realities of the situation.
Thus, these constraints need to be addressed by highlighting the myths
associated with studying abroad and by showing students that studying abroad
strongly contributes to an internationalized college experience that will generate
future career benefits that will outweigh any present obstacles. Presenting
students with this realistic information will evoke a change in attitude in regards
to participating in study abroad programs.

Tactic 1:

Display a large map near the UFIC in the Hub that

would allow students who have studied abroad to
be recognized as international students at UF. Each
student would write his or her name on a small tag
attached to a string tied to a pin. By featuring pins
of the places students have visited, the map would
show how pervasive study abroad is at UF. This
tactic would make the idea of studying abroad one
that is central to the UF student identity by
highlighting how extensive study abroad is among
students and how participating in a study abroad
program makes students a part of the greater UF
community. This idea is unprecedented because UF
has never had a map that has portrayed all of the
locations that Gators have touched down upon,
making it a great visual tactic that would draw in
the interest of students and encourage them to study
abroad.

62

Task 1: Print a large map.

Task 2: Buy pins, paper, and strings.
Task 3: Hang the map near UFIC in
the Hub.
Task 4: Provide directions for
students on how to mark the map.

Tactic 2:

Create an engaging brochure that would be

distributed at Preview and given to first-year
students. This brochure would be double-sided
and would fold out to a map of the world for
students to mark their study abroad destinations.
The front of the brochure would feature a picture
of an old vintage door, symbolizing how students
can open the door to the world of opportunity
provided to them at UF. One side of the brochure
would feature the map, and the other side would
provide truths to myths about studying abroad.
Essentially, this tactic provides students with a
compelling print piece that would inspire them
to study abroad. The map is intended not only
for information, but as a visualization of what it
means to study abroad. Students could post the
map side of the brochure in their dorm room,
where it will serve as a constant reminder of what
they want to get from their time at UF. Handing
out this brochure to students at Preview
establishes an expectation for them to participate
in international programs as opposed to
presenting the programs as solely an option. It
would also immediately ease common concerns
students have about studying abroad before they
have a chance to fully formulate and ingrain such
concerns in their minds. The brochure essentially
allows incoming students to enter UF with a
pre-conceived and positive perception of
studying abroad.

Task 1: Design the brochure.

Task 2: Print the brochure.
Task 3: Distribute the brochure to
Preview students at every Preview
for the next five years.

63

Tactic 3:

Design a week-long guerilla marketing

installation that would be put on annually by
placing eight doors in the Plaza of the Americas.
These doors would be interactive and would
represent eight of the most popular study abroad
regions for students: South America, Central
America, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, the
Middle East, Australia, Asia, and Africa. Each
door would have the name of the region it
represents printed on the top of the door frame.
When the door is opened, there would be a
transparent photo of a city in that particular area
(i.e. South America can have a photo of Christ
the Redeemer on Corcovado). Printed on each of
the eight photos in a dark text will be a myth (i.e.
Myth: You cannot afford to study abroad.) With
this design, students would be given the
opportunity to actually open the door to
internationalization, inspiring their desire to
study abroad during their time at UF. UFIC ambassadors would be present at the installation to
address any questions students have
regarding the myths and to hand out the map
brochure. Each year, the location of the exhibit
would change in order to make the campaign
more visible and to expand its reach. This unique
and interactive tactic will be more likely to e
ngage students and generate word of mouth
advertising and news coverage across campus.

64

Task 1: Build display, including door

frames and doors with knobs on
them.
Task 2: Print transparent
backgrounds with myth statements
on each.
Task 3: Install the display in an even
distribution across the Plaza of the
Americas.
Task 4: Assign student ambassadors
to be present at the installation.

student motivation to study abroad through a vibrant online presence

Strategy 2: Increase
that allows them to visualize their future study abroad experience through story
telling and viral messaging.

research revealed that although student participation in studying abroad

Rationale: Primary
was low, most students expressed interest in studying abroad or had considered

Tactic 1:

doing so. Major deterrents to actually acting upon this desire are cost and fear of
not staying on track for ones major. Secondary research showed that the target
audience for this campaign is part of the Millennial generation, a group that has
the heaviest use of technology among all generations and that uses social
networking profiles as a prime information source. Creating a strong online
presence is therefore a primary and vital way to reach out to students, which
would serve as a highly accessible and organized medium that provides
instant and up-to-date information. This would reduce the time and effort it
takes for students to research study abroad programs and make them more
aware of these opportunities, essentially bringing their latent desires to surface.
An online presence also utilizes nonverbal communication through images and
videos. According to R.D. Smiths Strategic Planning for Public Relations,
images and ambience create the most powerful and enduring aspects of
communication. The tactics for this strategy would integrate into a holistic
vision in students minds of the ultimate study abroad experience. This would
visually ingrain the idea of studying abroad in their heads, leading to an increase
in participation.

Create a student section of the webpage discussed

in Objective 2, Strategy 2, Tactic 1 in order to create a
central hub for students to gather all relevant
international information. The webpage would have
links to all of the campaigns social media profiles,
contain video testimonials (YouTube) of other
students who have studied abroad, a list of
possible programs with links to the official UFIC
study abroad program webpage, information on
scholarship opportunities, tips for guidance through
the application process, and an international
calendar which includes all on-campus events and
organization meetings. Because students are
constantly connected, providing them with a virtual
home to seek all international information allows
them easy access to the vital resources they need to
take action. The creation of a website lends
credibility to the campaign, causing students to trust
the initiative and provoking them to take interest in
signing up to participate in a study abroad program.

Task 1: Gather content creators and

website managers for the creation
of the site.
Task 2: Create a media strategy that
will plan posts and content, and
gather other events and initiatives
to be included on the website.
Task 3: Work on the sites design and
integrate planned content.
Task 4: Stay updated on all UF
international initiatives, plans, and
messages to put on the site.

65

Tactic 2:

Create a social media network for study abroad

using Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Each
page would incorporate the same hashtags,
pictures, and general content, but how the
content is communicated would be specific for
each medium. For example, Instagram would
incorporate pictures that show students studying
abroad, planning for study abroad, and
participating in events that promote study abroad
trips. The Twitter would include links to study
abroad trips, deadlines for trips, scholarship
resources, links to student pictures and
experiences, and study abroad myths and facts.
The Facebook would include a lot of photos and
videos related to study abroad experiences, and
will be linked to Instagram so it features the same
photos. Facebook posts would also ask
questions, monitor student study abroad
experiences, and relentlessly push the value of
study abroad for personal fulfillment and success
in a career. Every single strategy would
encourage student participation. Hashtags used
on these mediums would include #openthedoor,
#gatornationiseverywhere, and #globalgator. This
is an effective tactic because it would
encourage community building around the goal
of internationalization and studying abroad, assure the constant visibility and connection of UFs
messages, and engage on the periphery mode of
understanding, according to the Elaboration Likelihood Model. The goal for the online presence is
to capture the interest of students with peripheral
content so that students will be more receptive to
the central understanding of messages.

66

Task 1: Hire a social media person

specifically for this campaign that
will control social media posts.
Task 2: Create Instagram account
with the username @UFOpenthe
Door.
Task 3: Create Twitter account with
the handle @UFOpentheDoor.
Task 4: Revamp the existing Study
Abroad Services Facebook and
rename it UF Open the Door
International Campaign.
Task 5: Make sure everyone involved
with the campaign is aware of the
social media strategy and is
constantly compiling pictures and
searching for stories.
Task 6: Use a social media aggregator
like HootSuite to coordinate
Face book and Twitter Posts.
Task 7: Post on Twitter six to 10 times
a day between both faculty and
student posts.
Task 8: Post on Facebook between
one and three times a day, never
more or less. Facebook is about
balancing staying relevant and not
posting too much to run the risk of
being unliked.
Task 9: Post photos on Instagram
only when relevant. Instagram is
about finding the best picture and
posting it.

Tactic 3:

Produce a YouTube video in hopes of it gaining

enough momentum to go viral. The video would
have a strong emphasis on the Open The Door
motif and would contain shots of students who
are traveling across the globe and opening doors
to new countries and cities. Inspiring music and
quotes about the benefits of traveling (i.e. Who
lives sees, but who travels sees more.) would
appear at intervals throughout the video. This
video would be effective in inspiring students to
pursue their dreams, to travel the world, and to
seek the opportunities that are being presented to
them at UF.

Task 1: Hire a video producer to

create the video.
Task 2: Get footage.
Task 3: Produce video.

67

Objective 4:

To generate understanding among undergraduate students at UF of the

benefits of the International Scholars Program by 10% per year until the
end of May 2019.

to students the professional benefits of international education in a

Strategy 1: Communicate
compelling way by providing real-world examples and international
opportunities.

research showed that most students are interested in the ISP to help
Rationale: Primary
boost their rsums and to help with their future careers. However, they

expressed concern regarding how the program would affect their current course
schedule. Communicating to students the professional benefits that this
specific program could provide and showing them how it can fit easily into their
schedule would entice students to participate and to include the requirements
into their current course load. According to the Framing Theory developed by
Erving Goffman, the presentation and organization of a story using narrative
elements can influence how the audience views a certain issue. By using
storytelling, metaphor, and other persuasive narrative elements in messaging to
students, they would be able to vividly see the benefits of an international
education and thus take action toward participating in the ISP during their
college career.

Tactic 1:
Integrate an international component into the
already established Career Fair that is hosted by the
Career Resource Center once per semester. There are
Technical and Non-Technical days in which students
from all fields have the opportunity to meet with
potential employers. By inviting international
employers and domestic companies with offices
abroad to this event, this tactic would plant the seed
of the potential for international employment into
students minds. Through this exposure, students
would then have the motivation to pursue an international academic career while at UF. Near every
international booth, UFIC ambassadors would be on
site to speak to students regarding the requirements
of the ISP, the benefits of being a scholar, and ways
to become internationally involved on campus. This
will in turn increase participation in the ISP as
students would want this certificate to make them
more competitive in the international job market and
to expand their professional opportunities.

68

Task 1: Contact international

employers and domestic employers
with offices abroad to send a
representative to attend the Career
Fair.
Task 2: Find UFIC ambassadors to be
student representatives for the ISP.
Task 3: Set up booths and an
ambassador schedule for the days
of the fair.

Tactic 2:

Create an international passport to distribute to

all students at Preview or during the suggested
one-credit mandatory internationalization class
for programming (see Appendix F). Currently, the
QEP says that International Scholars must attend
six approved international events over the course
of their college career. A passport is an already
recognized symbol of travel and international
involvement and thus would be easily
accessible for students. Every international event
that a student attended would give them a stamp
for their passport, and the passport would be
required during the submission for program
completion. This is an important tactic because it
is an easily understood method to track
international event participation that wiould
excite students in the pursuit of getting as many
stamps as possible, and probably more stamps
than required.

Task 1: Create Passports for all

students
Task 2: Brief all international
organizations and departments of
this plan and that it will be the way
the university tracks event atten
dance.
Task 3: Work with internationally
themed student organizations and
departments that host international
events to create ink-stamps, and
distribute stamps to all qualified
groups.

69

Tactic 3:

Design engaging posters to communicate facts

regarding international employment and the
importance of participating in international
educational opportunities while at UF. These
posters would each have the face of a major
opinion leader (i.e. Bill Gates, Sheryl Sandberg)
and a quote from them regarding the need for
students to internationalize their college careers
in order to succeed in the job market. Each
posters quote would be in a different bright color
that would then match smaller 3x5 fliers. These
fliers would each be a corresponding color to one
of the posters and contain a fact that correlates
directly to the quote of that poster. The fact would
be placed on the front of the flier, and all social
media links and icons and the campaigns logo
would be placed on the back of the flier. Student
ambassadors would hand out these fliers
during student registration time every semester,
and they would be available for students to pick
up year-round at the International Center, the Reitz Union, and every college advising office. The
posters would be hung in display cases,
official bulletin boards, and on walls across
campus (especially in advising offices) during
class registration time each semester. These print
pieces are a great way to evoke emotion and draw
on personal desire for self-achievement. They are
visually powerful in establishing an
internationally goal-oriented mentality. They
would serve as a constant reminder to register for
the required courses in the ISP and to become an
International Scholar, therefore increasing student
participation in the program.

70

Task 1: Contact opinion leaders

man agement to get approval and
a quote to be featured on the
post er.
Task 2: Assign a designer to create the
posters and fliers.
Task 3: Print all pieces.
Task 4: Distribute pieces across
campus.

Objective 5:

To inspire undergraduate student participation in international

on-campus events, programs, or organizations by 3% per year until the
end of May 2019.

student belief that international events are for specific ethnic groups or
Strategy 1: Dispel
interests and are not for everyone.
from UFs SERU survey suggested that many students did
Rationale: Research
not attend international events on campus. Primary qualitative research

revealed this was because students did not know about the event or because
they did not feel comfortable attending an event that was hosted by an
international student group not of that students ethnicity, as they felt they
would not be accepted into that group. Creating on-campus events that all
international student groups can participate in would allow students to feel
more comfortable attending them, as the events would be open to and celebrate
all ethnicities. Because the events would integrate international groups, there
would be more advertising done by these groups to help spread the word,
solving the lack of awareness issue. According to Framing Theory, the sender of
a message has the opportunity to frame the message being sent to a receiver.
Framing the idea that international student groups are not just for one
particular ethnic group would increase student participation in on-campus
events because students would feel comfortable attending an event that is open
to all ethnic groups, not just the one they belong to.

Tactic 1:
Partner with TEDxUF to host an international
speaker series. Working with TEDxUF would be
an effective and progressive way to communicate
international ideas and ideas related to international
groups on campus. A TED talk would not only count
as an international event that people could be a part
of, but would be short and easily transferred across
different platforms. TED speakers would be students
chosen because of their involvement with the
international arts, international organizations,
international events, and international careers. These
talks will bring a personal aspect to
internationalization and global issues, helping
people connect to the issues and feel more motivated
to participate in campus festivities.

Task 1: Compile a list of student

speakers.
Task 2: Work with the speakers to
come up with topics that will help
promote the student message
strat egy.
Task 3: Devise a schedule for the
talks.
Task 4: Create a Vimeo Channel to
host the talks.
Task 5: Advertise the talk across
social media platforms, on campus,
and through teachers so that
people will attend the talks.
Task 6: Host and film the talks.

71

Tactic 2:

Create a photo exhibit titled We Are the Faces of

Internationalization, which would feature portraits of people from different student
organizations and different ethnic groups across
campus. UF would hire a photographer and
search for people willing to have themselves
photographed. The goal of this project and
exhibition is to give a personal face to
internationalization at UF, to highlight similarities
instead of differences across ethnic groups, and to
encourage a sense of community across the
student body. Showing portraits of these faces
would also give voices to genders and minorities.
This exhibit would be hung in a gallery in the
Reitz Union, where it would attract a high
volume of students. These photographs,
especially when accompanied by a gallery
program and social media description of the
project, would encourage people to embrace
involvement with groups that fall outside their
demographic and would help to communicate an
inclusive instead of exclusive view of
international organizations and events. This tactic
would combat the assumptions discovered
during student qualitative research that students
did not feel welcome participating in groups they
had no historical or cultural connection to.

72

Task 1: Hire a professional portrait

photographer.
Task 2: Compile a list of UF student
organizations and talk to them
about finding members who would
like to be photographed.
Task 3: Solicit on campus, in the
Alligator, and on social media
to find people who would like
to be photographed and included
in the exhibit.
Task 4: Gather information from
everyone chosen related to their
ethnic and cultural background.
Task 5: Develop pictures for use in
the exhibit.
Task 6: Advertise the exhibit across
Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and
on-campus posters with a message
of what the exhibit is trying to
communicate.

Tactic 3:

Host an annual international music festival on

Flavet Field by partnering with UF Student Government Productions (SGP), on-campus international student groups, and UFs international
centers to create a celebration of global music for
students to attend. Partnering with SGP would
help provide additional funding and resources to
be able to hire a headliner and help organize all
day of show operations, making it an affordable
event. In addition to a popular international
performer who would headline the show, local
student-run bands would open for the headliner.
Each artist would have the opportunity to
perform their own music, as well as one cover of
their favorite international song. The Center for
World Arts World Ensembles groups would also
perform as opening acts. The on-campus
international student organizations would each
set up a booth on Flavet Field and serve their
representative ethnic food to those attending.
International center departments would also be
able to set up booths of their choice on the field.
Tickets would cost $10 each, with half going back
to SGP and the other half going back to student
organizations. The ticket would include both
show and food costs. An international music
festival is an entertaining and fun way to promote
the idea of internationalization to students.
Students would have an interest and desire to
attend on an annual basis, giving them something
to look forward to. The free food would create an
inclusive environment, promoting the student
organizations and their individual cultures in
hopes of attracting student participation to their
particular organization. In an effort to attract an
increase of student participation in other
international on-campus events and programs,
this festival would tie all elements of
international campus life together in an engaging
way.

Task 1: Contact SGP about partnering

with them on an annual basis to
fund and promote the show.
Task 2: Contact local bands about
performing.
Task 3: Talk to student organizations
about setting up booths and having
food to provide to students.
Task 4: Ensure smooth operation of
the overall festival.

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Exported on April 23, 2014 2:37:29 PM PDT

Internationalization Take 2

Page 1 of 5

Timeline

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76

77

78

79

80

Budget

81

Gratiuity

Total Campaign Cost: ~$60,000

1. May not apply for first year.

2. Will be sold for profit.

82

2822.45

Evaluation
Objective 1:

To inspire faculty at UF to create new internationally focused courses by

4% per year until the end of May 2019.

Tactic 1: Small Group Meetings

Collaborate with department chairs on

whether the messaging of this tactic is
appropriate for their faculty members. Speak
with department chairs after each small group
meeting to determine the effectiveness of the
messages. If department chairs feel as if the
message is not resonating well with their
faculty members, alterations to the message
may be necessary. Conduct a focus group with
one faculty representative from each
department toward the end of the Spring 2015
semester to determine the overall effectiveness
of the meetings and changes for improvement
in the upcoming years.

Tactic 2: Handwritten Postcards

Prior to distributing the postcards to faculty

members, create sample messages and test
their effectiveness on three faculty members
that have expressed interest in
internationalization. Testing this tactic will
ensure that it can cause the sought after change
in behavior. After testing the sample messages
for the postcard, discuss with the three faculty
members what messages they felt were most
effective. Following distribution, test the
exposure of key messages that the postcards
created and their effectiveness in persuading
faculty members to take action.

Tactic 3: International Cocktail Hour Overall Process Evaluation

When choosing speakers, test which topics
would be most effective for showing faculty the
benefits of internationalization. Through a short
survey distributed via email and displayed on
the internationalization faculty website, faculty
can choose what topics they would be most
interested in hearing about at any speaker
series. This short survey can be used to gauge
any initial interest in speaker series across the
various tactics. Distribute the survey at the
beginning of each school year in order to
compare interest levels from year to year. Create
a guest book for faculty members to sign in and
to write their email addresses down in order to
keep track of attendees. The data gained from
this document can help measure the amount of
people interested and can serve as a benchmark
for upcoming years. On each high top table in
the room, there will be comment cards for
faculty members to leave their opinions of the
event and their suggestions for future years.

Distribute a Final Internationalization Survey

(FIS)* to faculty members at the end of every
year until the end of the five years to determine
which medium was most effective in
motivating them to create an internationally
focused course. This survey would be used to
measure the success of the three tactics and the
amount of message exposure gained over the
entirety of the campaign. The amount of
internationally focused courses created
during each year then needs to be counted and
compared to previous years. However, while a
survey is an efficient way to assess the impact
of the campaign, this may not be completely
effective due to low survey response rates.
Alternatively, allocate time at the end of the
year to visit a random sample of faculty during
their office hours for a five minute in-person
survey.

*This survey will serve as a yearly means of assessing the overall impact of this campaigns faculty objectives for evaluative research purposes. It can
help the ITF in determining the changes and improvements from year to year.

83

Objective 2:

To increase faculty desire to host study abroad programs at UF by 4%

per year until the end of May 2019.

Tactic 1: Mentorship Program

Tactic 2: Brown Bag Lunch Series

Tactic 3: Monthly E-Newsletter

Tactic 4: Faculty Website

Prior to implementing this tactic, determine

faculty interest in participating in an
international mentorship program by using
the application process described in Strategy 2:
Objective 2, Tactic 1. These applications would
also determine which facets of creating a study
abroad program are most interesting to
inexperienced faculty and pair the
appropriate members together. The program
must be evaluated every year in a large group
meeting to work out any kinks or issues in
pairing faculty, the programs specificities, and
any other problems that might arise.

Conduct pre-testing of both the design and

message of the newsletter to a sample of
faculty members in order to determine the
newsletters effectiveness. Measure the breadth
of awareness by evaluating the click-through
rate of the newsletter. Include a small
questionnaire at the bottom of the newsletter to
determine throughout the process what
messaging should change, whether anything
needs to be included, and how the newsletter
is being received.

84

Before implementation, measure faculty

interest in attending the series by including
this event in the survey conducted at the
beginning of the year mentioned in Evaluation:
Objective 1, Tactic 3. Similar to the cocktail
hour, attendees would be required to sign in at
the event in order to compare interest and
attendance rates in the lunch series.

Test usability and easy navigation on a small

random sample of faculty members prior to
making the site live. Once the site is up and
running, keep track of the number of unique
web visitors who have visited the site and
determine peak hours with the most visitors.
Use analytic software (i.e. Google Analytics)
to determine how traffic is directed to the site.
Place a sidebar on the site that allows users
to submit feedback on the content in order to
evaluate during the process of this tactic.

Tactic 5: Faculty Social Media

Pretest the content of all potential social

media posts by getting them approved by the
UF University Relations department,
specifically by Bruce Floyd. During
implementation, as with the other online
tactics, the most effective tool in evaluating the
success and breadth of reach is analytic
software, such as HootSuite or Facebook
Insights.

Tactic 6: Faculty Blog

Approve content of user-generated blogs

submitted by faculty to guarantee that
messaging is engaging and interesting. Because
faculty writes the blogs, the messages should
already hold an appeal to readers. Throughout
implementation, evaluate the blog by
measuring the amount of unique visitors the
site received overall, as well as the specific
amount of people who read each post. The
platform utilized to host the blog would
provide the necessary analytics for evaluation.

Overall Process Evaluation

Following each year, distribute the FIS to ask

faculty members whether they have a desire to
host a study abroad program. Gather
statistics from records regarding faculty that
have hosted study abroad programs and how
many were hosted each year. Compile
statistics each year for comparison purposes.
The FIS would also include questions
regarding the perception of the effectiveness
for the tactics implemented. Again, should the
survey not produce an adequate response rate,
allocate time to visit faculty during office hours
at the end of the year to assess the effectiveness
of the tactics on faculty decisions to host study
abroad programs.

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Objective 3:

To increase undergraduate student participation in study abroad

programs at UF by 6% of the current 14% participation rate per year
until the end of May 2019.

Tactic 1: Map Brochure

Tactic 2: Large Map at UFIC

Tactic 3: Guerilla Door Instalation

Tactic 4: Student Website

As a means of pre-testing for all student-based

tactics, conduct a focus group at the beginning
of the first year of the campaign. This focus
group would be used to evaluate the content
and messaging on all print pieces, as well as
its visual components. Evaluate a pretest of
the brochure during the focus group to ensure
that it is engaging and appealing to the student
public. Include a question regarding student
perspectives of the map brochure in the FIS to
help evaluate if the brochure played a role in
changing students decision to study abroad
during their career.

During the preliminary student focus group,

present students with a concept drawing of the
doors in the plaza. Ask students their
opinion on this tactics impressions and
whether it would affect their decision to study
abroad. During implementation, UFIC
ambassadors would gauge the reactions of
students being exposed to the doors and take
note of how many students were interested
enough to ask questions. Measure media
coverage of the tactic by determining how
many stories were written, which newspapers
covered the story, and the reach of the
stories. Measure social media coverage through
the amount of mentions the story received on
all social media platforms.

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At the preliminary student focus group to be

conducted at the beginning of the school
year, ask students their opinions of this tactic. During implementation, staff at the UFIC
would monitor interest in this tactic by
counting the amount of pins on the map by the
midway point of the school year. Through this
number, staff can determine its success thus
far and find ways to improve the tactic if need
be. Ask wuestions about the overall program
in the student FIS toward the end of the school
year. Suggestions given by students would be
used to alter the tactic for future years to come.

Test usability and easy navigation on focus

group students prior to making the site live.
Once the site is up and running, keep track of
the number of unique web visitors who have
visited the site and determine peak hours with
the most visitors. Use analytic software (i.e.
Google Analytics) to determine how traffic is
directed to the site. Place a sidebar on the site
that allows users to submit feedback on the
content in order to evaluate during the process
of this tactic.

Tactic 5: Student Social Media

Pretest the content of all potential social media

posts by presenting them to focus group
students for their opinions. Once messaging
has been tested, send the potential posts to the
UF University Relations department,
specifically Bruce Floyd, for approval.
During implementation, as with the other
online tactics, the most effective tool in
evaluating the success and breadth of reach is
analytic software, such as HootSuite or
Facebook Insights.

Tactic 6: Campaign Video

Pretest the video by presenting it to students

at the focus group to assess their reactions and
opinions. Once published on YouTube,
monitor YouTube analytics to determine the
videos success, virality, and scope of reach.
Sharing the video on the campaigns social
media platforms can determine how many
shares and mentions the video received
through these mediums.

Overall Process Evaluation

To evaluate whether these methods were

successful, determine the increase in students
who participated in study abroad during each
of the five years. According to the set goal,
students should have increased their participation by 6 percent of each years current
participation rate. Incorporate FIS questions
for students in the mandatory SERU survey
that is sent out on an annual basis. Questions
for students would include their opinions on
the effectiveness of each tactic. Provide a list
in the survey for students to rank the tactics
from most persuasive to their decision to study
abroad to least persuasive.

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Objective 4:

To generate understanding among undergraduate students at UF of the

benefits of the International Scholars Program by 10% per year until the
end of May 2019.

Tactic 1: Career Showcase

Conduct pre-testing during the Fall Career

Showcase on a smaller scale to judge the
success of this tactic. UFIC ambassadors would
gather student opinions to be evaluated by
the ITF so that tweaks to the program can be
made before full implementation during the
spring semester. This tactics success would be
determined based on how many people attend
the showcase and sign up to interview with
internationally based employers.

Present the International Passport to students

in the preliminary focus group to assess
opinions and ideas for improvement of design
or content if necessary. To evaluate the tactic
throughout the process, international clubs
would report to the UFIC regarding how many
students have received a stamp for their
passport. Include a question in the FIS every
year asking students whether this tactic was
useful to them for the purposes of the ISP.

Tactic 3: Posters and Fliers

Overall Process Evaluation

Show the content, messages, and design of the

posters and fliers to students in the
preliminary focus group. Suggestions given
during this time would be used to alter the
content before production. Following the first
year of implementation, the FIS would determine whether this tactic should be continued
throughout the campaign.

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Tactic 2: International Passport

Each year, measure an understanding of the

ISP through a series of questions in the student
FIS. According to the objective, understanding
of the program should increase by 10 percent
each year, resulting in an increase of 50 percent by the end of the five year period. The FIS
would also determine how effective each tactic
was in generating understanding and interest
in the program.

Objective 5:

To inspire undergraduate student participation in international

on-campus events, programs, or organizations by 3% per year until the
end of May 2019.

Tactic 1: TEDxUF Speaker Series

Tactic 2: Photo Exhibit

Evaluate otential speaker topics during the

student focus group. Measure the amount of
students who attended the event, number of
hits the online video received, and shares and
mentions on social media platforms to determine the success of the series. Certain topics
can be compared with one another; those that
received more virtual exposure and engagement would serve as a platform for future
speaker series in the following years of the
campaign.

Before the photo exhibit, test the interest and

content in the preliminary focus group for
students. Present sample photos and an idea of
how the photos would be taken would to the
students to give them an idea of how the
exhibit would work. Gauging student
organizations interest before implementation
wouldprovide some insight regarding how
many of them would be interested in
participating. Social media logistics would
determine how popular the photo exhibit has
become during the process of the tactic.

Tactic 3: Music Festival

Overall Process Evaluation

Prior to implementation, determine interest in

the International Music Festival using the
preliminary focus group. Through initial SGP
social media polls, both organizations can
assess which artist would draw in the most
participation. Student organizations also need
to be pretested in regards to interest and what
kinds of activities and cultural foods they
would consider providing for the festival.
During the festival, measure its by recording
how many individuals attend and which clubs
agreed to be involved.

Have organizations and events submit

participation rates to the UFIC. Measure event
participation through participation in the International Passport program. During the FIS,
students would have the opportunity to
discuss whether they thought each tactic
contributed to whether or not they participated
in international groups and events.

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Campaign Program Evaluation

By the end of the five year period, determine whether objectives have been statistically met. Using the
methods mentioned above, campaign evaluation would compare previous attitudes and behaviors to
the ones observed after its completion. Conduct a focus group with students graduating in the fourth
year and fifth year of the campaign to evaluate how their perceptions of internationalization have
changed over the four years they have been involved in the campaign. Conduct a similar focus group
with the faculty at the end of the five years.

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Stewardship
Reciprocity
Faculty:

Students:

Distribute handwritten internationally
themed postcards to faculty members who
have taken the time out of their schedule to
attend and participate in events dedicated
toward this campaign. UFIC student
ambassadors would put them in each of
their mailboxes after events. This is an easy
and inexpensive way to give back to faculty
members and thank them for their time.A
personalized postcard would make them
feel as if they made an impact on the overall
campaign. Through this act of appreciation
and recognition, they would be empowered
to continue supporting this five-year effort
and remain interested in the progression of
this initiative.

Show recognition to the international
student organization with the largest amount
of new attendees by providing them with the
title of Official International Club. At the
end of each semester, the ITF would
determine which organization should be
chosen as that semesters winner. This act of
appreciation would provide an incentive for
organizations to draw in new attendees and
new members from outside the
organizations particular niche. The active
competition of this tactic would keep
organizations interested and engaged in the
expansion of international groups.

Reward students who complete the
ISP with an automatic recommendation
letter from Dean Villalon. This letter would
benefit students by providing them with the
prestige of having a letter of
recommendation from an esteemed member
of the university. This act of reciprocation
would serve as a way to give the student a
tangible perk to carry with them throughout
their career or future academic endeavors.
Through word-of-mouth, this incentive
would increase awareness, participation, and
interest in the ISP.

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Responsibility

92

Faculty:

Students:

Send out monthly newsletters as an
eblast for faculty to provide them with the
reassurance that the campaign is in
successful progression. These e-newsletters,
mentioned in Objective 2, recap all
occurrences in the faculty international
world including events, research, testimonials, and articles. Thus, it keeps faculty
constantly aware of information and updates regardless of whether they are actively
involved in internationalization. Showing
faculty that the campaign is progressing will
reassure faculty that the UFIC is remaining
responsible for advancing
internationalization at UF and keeping its
promises. This reassurance would ease
faculty skepticism, making faculty more
likely to regard the campaign positively.

Provide all students who go on a UF
sponsored study abroad trip with a
disposable camera at the beginning of the
program. During the trip, students could
take pictures with the camera and turn them
into faculty members by the end of the trip.
These faculty members would then give
them to the UFIC, who would develop the
photos. They would then mail the developed
photos to each student within a month or
two of their arrival back in the states.
Students would be surprised and delighted
to receive photos that they never got the
chance to see the outcome of or forgot about
taking all together. This is a
wonderful chance for UF to show its
appreciation of students participation in a
study abroad program and to thank them for
their dedication to the universitys
internationalization efforts. This small,
yet meaningful token of UFs appreciation
would be spread through word-of-mouth
and social media, exposing more students to
the overall initiative.

Reporting
Faculty:

Students:

Post on social media sites for faculty
thanking them for participating in events
related to the campaign. The posts would
also reinforce positive attitudes by including
pictures and text that engages with faculty
about their role in the campaign. The posts
would include not only thank you
messages, but also messages with images
about specific events that have happened or
other ways that faculty have been involved
with the campaign. Social media is a great
way to provide updates to faculty members
and to reinforce that their help with the
campaign is actually creating change. It is
also a way for faculty to be interactive with
the campaign, so if they have any concerns
or questions about how they can help
forward internationalization at UF, they can
easily do so with social media. Posting on
social media keeps faculty updated on the
internationalization effort if they are directly
involved with the campaign or not.

Create a study abroad yearbook

that includes pictures from all UF study
abroad programs during that semester.
Photos would be taken by faculty or students
and submitted to the UFIC for production.
Following creation of the yearbook,
students would be able to purchase the book
with proceeds going toward scholarships for
future study abroad participants.
Making this yearbook and incorporating it
into a fundraising tactic would maintain
communication between the campaign
and those who have participated in study
abroad. Selling the yearbook and not merely
providing it would make the tactic
cost-effective, and having profits go to a
scholarship would build a relationship
between those who have studied abroad
and those who have not. With this tacttic,
students who have studied abroad would be
able provide a means for others to have the
same opportunity they did. This
reinforces the positive view of studying
abroad through the collection of memories
created and a sense of paying it forward
with their experiences.

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Relationship Nurturing
Faculty:

Students:

Recognize faculty who have remained
at the forefront of internationalization with a
placard that symbolizes his or her devotion
to the internationalization of UF. This is a
relatively inexpensive way to show the
schools appreciation for faculty that
demonstrate dedication and diligence to the
universitys objective of a more
internationally based institution. By doing
so, this identifies a select few of faculty
members and warrants them to remain
steadfast in future international endeavors.

Ask ISP alumni to appear at events to
help set an example for current ISP students.
While internationalization is an important
part of the universitys future, graduated
students should never be viewed as
relationships of the past. The health and
integrity of the university depends on
proving to alumni that they will always be
valued as Gators through encouraging them
to lead current university students by
example. This should be an important part of
the ISP. Alumni who have been awarded the
medallion would be asked to return to speak
at events. They would also be
commemorated at these events and serve as
ambassadors for the benefits of an
international education.

Create a listserv specifically for
students who participate in the ISP. This
listserv would consist of weekly
announcements about potential jobs,
internships, or any additional relevant
information. By keeping students in the loop
and constantly providing them with related
opportunities, these announcements will
cultivate students already present interest in
international experiences. These announcements essentially provide students with
achievable benefits, indicating to them that
their international endeavors are worthwhile
and thus maintaining their engagement with
the program.

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Appendix A: Table 1

Source: University of Florida Factbook, All Employees by Gender, Rank and

Employment Status, University of Florida, 2012, Web, table III-1.

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Appendix B: Primary
Research Methodology

Groups of five to six students from two public relations campaigns courses at UF were
assigned colleges where each group member conducted an in-depth interview with a faculty
member and student from that college. Before the interview process had started, each team had
created a student and faculty interview guide, which would guide the questions asked at each
interview. Research directors for each group then met to decide on the suggested final guide.
Professors Wilson and Kochara then had to approve the interview guides, which then had to be
approved by the ITF. After conducting interviews with faculty and students of 10 colleges, groups
would analyze the in-depth interviews from all groups. There were a total of 42 faculty interviews
and 64 student interviews.

Umbrella PR divided its group of 6 into two groups of three: one group which analyzed faculty
interviews and another which analyzed student interviews. Both groups used a combination of
notating transcripts and organizing excel spreadsheets to analyze the interviews, though the group
analyzing students primarily used excel. The excel spreadsheets had columns designating the each
question asked, and each row was assigned to a student. This format made it easy to aggregate
gender, class, ethnicity, and college in a visual way. Faculty are a more heterogeneous public, and
while reading the interviews, group members found less trends and decided highlighting interviews
would be a more effective way to get the most out of qualitative research.

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Appendix C: Interview
Guide - Faculty
Name of Interviewer:

Date:

Subjects Age:
Subjects Position:

Subjects Gender:

Subjects Race/Ethnicity:

Subjects College:

INTRODUCTION:

Introduce yourself. Explain: This interview is being conducted by a group of students in the
Public Relations Campaigns course. We are developing a campaign to promote internationalization
at the University of Florida. Your participation in this interview will allow us to put together the best
campaign possible.

With your consent, I would like to make an audio recording our conversation. Although I will
be taking notes while we are speaking, I would like to listen to the conversation again at a later date
for data analysis purposes. I will destroy the audio file when I am finished with this project.
INTERVIEW QUESTIONS:
1. When did you start working at UF? Is UF more international today than it was when you started
teaching and/or doing research here? If yes ask: in what ways? Can you please give some examples
or anecdotes? If no ask: what would it take to make the university have a more international focus?
(Note to interviewer: please make sure that this is more than just a yes or no answer).
UF is currently undergoing reaffirmation for accreditation by the Southern Association of Colleges
and Schools - Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC). A primary component of this process is
implementation of the universitys Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP), a five-year campaign focused
on further internationalizing undergraduate offerings.
2. What do you know about the QEP? (Note to interviewer: if the faculty member does not know
about the QEP, give them a brief explanation).What do you think about the QEP? Do you think the
QEP can help the university accomplish its goal of internationalization? Why or why not? (Note to
interviewer: please make sure that this is more than just a yes or no answer).
3. One of the initiatives of the QEP is to have new internationally focused courses. Do you already
teach a course with an international focus? If yes ask: What course(s) were they? How was your
experience teaching the class? If no ask: Have you ever thought about creating and teaching a new
international course? Why or why not? (Note to interviewer: please make sure that this is more than
just a yes or no answer).
4. Have you ever been on a study abroad trip as faculty at UF? If yes ask: where and when did you
go? Tell me about your experience? Would you consider participating in another study abroad
program? Why or why not? If no ask: would you be interested in participating in a study abroad

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program in the future. Why or why not? (Note to interviewer: please make sure that this is more than
just a yes or no answer).
5. Do you think of the University of Florida as an internationally focused university? Why or why
not? Do you believe that the school offers enough programs, courses and supports organizations that
are internationally focused? (Note to interviewer: please make sure that this is more than just a yes
or no answer).
6. In your opinion, how important is it for the University of Florida to become more
internationalized? Should a research-1 university make internationalization a priority? Why or why
not? (Note to interviewer: please make sure that this is more than just a yes or no answer)

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Appendix D: Interview
Guide - Student
Name of Interviewer:

Date:

Subjects Age:

Subjects Gender:

Subjects Year in School:

Subjects Major:

Subjects Race/Ethnicity:

Subjects Country/State of Origin:

INTRODUCTION:
Introduce yourself. Explain: This interview is being conducted by a group of students in the Public
Relations Campaigns course. We are developing a campaign to promote internationalization at the
University of Florida. Your participation in this interview will allow us to put together the best
campaign possible.
With your consent, I would like to make an audio recording our conversation. Although I will be
taking notes while we are speaking, I would like to listen to the conversation again at a later date for
data analysis purposes. I will destroy the audio file when I am finished with this project.
INTERVIEW QUESTIONS:
1. Have you ever spent time abroad? If yes ask: what was the reason? What countries have you
visited? How long were you there? What did you learn from your experience? If no ask: do you have
a desire to spend time abroad? Why or why not? What would you hope to get out of the experience?
(Note to interviewer: please make sure that this is more than just a yes or no answer).
2. When someone says internationalization, globalization or a global economy, what do you
think of? How do you feel internationalization affects you personally? How do you think
internationalization will affect your future career?
3. Do you think of the University of Florida as an internationally focused university? Why or why
not? How important do think it is for UF to have an international focus? Please explain.
4. Regardless of major, all students must take three credits that fulfill the international requirement.
(The classes have an N in the course catalog). What class did you take to fulfill that requirement?
How was your experience in that class? Are you interested in taking more classes with an
international focus? Why or why not?
5. Are you interested in studying abroad during your time at UF? Why or Why not? What are the
major factors influencing your decision about studying abroad? If the person has already completed a
study abroad, ask: how was the experience beneficial to you academically? Professionally?
Personally?
6. What internationally focused events have you attended at UF? Why did you attend these events?

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How would you describe your experience? If the person has not attended an international event, ask:
Why havent you attend these types of events? What types of events would you be interested in?
7. Do you belong to any international student organizations? If so, how many and which ones? Why
do you belong to these organizations? Why dont you belong to any?
8. UF is planning to start an International Scholars Program, an award program that recognizes
international achievement among students by completing approved international scholar courses and
going beyond a students college required foreign language requirements. What would motivate you
to participate in the International Scholars Program?

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Appendix E: Tactic
Prototypes
Umbrella PR has produced eight tactic protoypes as a supplementary visualization to the ideas of
this campaign. These prototypes can be found in the pocket of the back of this book, and information
regarding each canbe found below.

Handwritten Faculty Postcard:

This handwritten postcard was designed to recognize faculty members who have demonstrated interest in internationalization at UF. The handwritten postcard will let faculty know of UFs
appreciation for their dedication to the scholastic advancement of the university. These postcards will
be sent out a week prior to the International Faculty Professional Development workshop application
is due, and ultimately encourage faculty to create their own course. This protoype is ready for implementation.

Faculty Eblast Newsletter:

This newsletter was created in print to provide a tangible example of what the faculty eblast
newsletter would look like. In reality, this newsletter would be sent through email. Thus, the read
more at the end of blurbs would be linked to the faculty website to drive traffic to the site and to
create an interactive component. For similar purposes, the social media icons would also be linked to
its respective social media sites.

Faculty Social Media Posts:

The social media posts on Facebook and Twitter should be an engaging two-way
communication tactic with faculty. Posting relative pictures, videos, blog posts, articles, research, and
questions should be utilized in order to engage with faculty. Always include tags and hashtags that
are relevant to the post. Be consistent with the hashtags used in the posts.

Student Social Media Posts:

In the strategy, Umbrella PR suggested that the social media posts should be focused on study
abroad. However, it would also be best to incorporate all aspects of the internationalization of UF,
such as including posts about international courses, the ISP, and international events on campus. Like
faculty social media posts, these posts should be diverse, consistent, relative, and engaging.

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ISP Opinion Leader Poster and Flier:

This is an 8x11 letter-sized prototype of a larger poster that would need to be created for this
tactic. The photo on the poster came from Google in order to create this prototype, and the quote was
written by UmbrellaPR as an example. However, if this tactic were to implemented, the ITF would
need to contact the management company of each opinion leader in order to gather approval and an
official photo and quote from them for this campaign.

Student Map Brochure:

This brochure was created as a prototype of the product that would be distributed to students
at Preview. It is a spiral brochure featuring a door on the front, images from across the world, and
myths about studying abroad. All of the photos may be used for implementation, as they were taken
from a free platform of high-resolution photos called Unsplash.com. The map was available from
Creative Commons, with a license to be used for any purpose. You can locate the image here: http://
commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Map_of_the_World_(1914).PNG

Passport:

ISP.

This passport was modeled after a real passport and is ready for full implementation for the

Evaluation International Cocktail Hour Comment Card:

This comment card was created as a prototype and questions can be modified as needed.
However, it is ready for full implementation if this event does in fact take place.

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Appendix F:
Suggestions
Umbrella PR recommends a few suggestions to consider to truly round out this campaign.

Bus Wraps:

If there is extra funding in the budget to utilize, UmbrellaPR highly recommends wrapping
one of the most popular RTS buses that drives onto campus at peak hours throughout the day with
the Open the Door logo and social media icons. This is a great way to promote the campaign, raise
awareness across campus, and get students and faculty talking about the initiative.

Miniature Light Post Banners:

Similar to UF Rising, UF Open the Door can create visually creative posters catered
specifically toward this campaign on light posts across campus. Including a logo and a brief message
about the campaign would create buzz across campus and keep the initiative fresh in the minds of
both students and faculty. Examples of messages to include with logo include:

A world of opportunity.

The world is knocking.

Have you opened the door?

Mandatory Class for Freshman and Transfer Students:

While this suggestion is more of a programming suggestion than a communications
suggestion, it would ensure incoming student awareness of all matters related to
internationalization. The class would be a mandatory class for one credit that students had to take
their first year attending UF. The class would stress the importance of international issues and an
international education, require attendance to UF internationally focused events, and educate students about the myths and facts of study abroad.

Catering to Males and Minorities:

Incorporating events that attract males as extracurricular events in study abroad trips would
be a good place to start building the percentage of males involved in study abroad. Events like sports
trips, hiking, white-water rafting, bull-fighting, kayaking, and so forth would be interesting to males
and could be shown to both males and females.

One of the biggest reasons that male participants do not study abroad is that high density male
majors, such as majors in COE, CDCP, the hard sciences of CLAS, and sports management in HHP,

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are not colleges that have already incorporated study abroad programs and values.

When working with faculty to construct study abroad programs, extra emphasis should be
placed on internationalizing these majors by creating programs that appeal to both genders, that do
not take students off of their critical tracking requirements, and that postion studying abroad as a fun
and educational opportunity.

A proposal that could result in a school-wide change is creating a video that emphasizes the
adventurous risk-taking attributed to traveling combined with the professionalism that can allow
students to lead successful careers. This video should represent both people of minorities and show
men having fun. While women should not be underrepresented in these videos, the content should
focus on traditionally male values. Additionally, the UFIC should work with the Women Studies and
Sociology departments to create a video that integrates minorities and gender in a fair and
unproblematic way.

International Course Enrollment:

Umbrella PR has three suggestions for targeting international courses toward students. The
first suggestion is meeting strategically with all freshman Preview advisers and educating each
adviser on the international courses relevant to each major. More importantly, this meeting would
encourage advisors to push a higher quantity of international courses. The next suggestion is to post
all international courses on the student section of the websites global tab, a tab proposed earlier in
the Strategy section of this campaign. If UFIC put the list of courses on the website, then students
could explore international courses on the website when driven to it by other tactics on our
campaign. Students would also avoid the hassle of trying to find the international courses they
wanted, as all barriers to entry would be eliminated. Lastly, the biggest proposal for targeting
international courses to students is having international course advisors that could help students
internationalize their college experience throughout their college careers, not just at preview. UFIC
could place these advisers within already existing advising centers, or house them within the UFIC.
Promoting awareness to these advisers would entail telling faculty to discuss with students the
benefits of working with an advisor, and putting their purpose, location, and contact information on
all relevant promotional materials.

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Appendix F: Photo Credits

Photos used throughout this campaign book provided by:
Alison Allsup
Sasha Copenko
Caroline Josey
Ryan Sasse
Amy Siberio
Carmela Zabala

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Nicole Berrio
Account Executive
Nicole Berrio is a 21-year-old, fourth-year public relations student from Fort
Lauderdale, Florida. As the leader of the team, she was expected to chair meetings, be
the primary liaison with the client, ensure that all project components were
completed, and monitor work progress and the overall quality of the work. Prior
to her role on this campaign, she worked for a variety of agencies, boutique firms,
and in-house public relations departments including Dan Klores Communications,
CyberPR, UF Student Government Productions, and UF Hillel. She has an immense
passion for the music, travel, and entertainment industries. Nicole will be graduating
from UF with high honors this May and will be moving to New York City to pursue a
career in the entertainment department at a full-service public relations agency. She
is extremely honored to have had the opportunity to work with such talented team
members on this campaign to enhance the UF campus.
Allison Alsup
Reseach Director
Allison Alsup is a 22-year-old, fourth-year public relations major and art history
minor from Keystone Heights, Florida. Allison was responsible for the secondary
and primary research plan and the evaluation plan. Prior to her work with this
campaign, Allison worked for many arts related organizations in public relations
and marketing, including the University of Florida Harn Museum of Art, the
University of Florida College of Fine Arts, and the Hippodrome State Theatre. After
graduation, Allison will be attending the University of Floridas Hough Graduate
School of Business to pursue a Master of Science in Management. Upon graduation
fromgraduate school, Allison hopes to work in development or public relations for
an arts organization. Allison is thankful for the wonderful opportunity this
campaign has provided her and for the amazingly talented group members she was
lucky enough to complete the campaign with.
Sierra Brown
Media Director
Sierra Brown is a 21-year old, third-year public relations and English major from St.
Petersburg, Florida. Sierra was responsible for the message strategy, the Gantt chart,
and the timeline. Sierra has had a wide range of internships, including a marketing
internship with jewelry company Something About Silver and public relations
internships at Catholic Charities Gainesville and the University Press of Florida. After
graduation, Sierra hopes to work either in publishing or social change
communication, and she plans to apply for graduate programs in poetry. The talent
and work ethic of Sierras group members astounds her daily, and more than strategy,
budgeting, and research, this campaign has taught her the value of teamwork and the
beauty of working together.

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Colin Hines
Director of Creative Services
Colin Hines is a 23-year-old, fourth year public relations student from Winter Park,
Florida. As a member of this team, Colin was responsible for the creation of images,
various project components, and the layout of the campaign book. Before his work
on this campaign, Colin worked for various businesses and public relation
organizations, including the Hype Group in St. Petersburg, Florida and Chase Bank.
After graduation, Colin plans to move to Spain for six months, where he will work
and travel Europe. He is privileged he got the chance to work with such versatile
and amazing group members and to have had the experience of orchestrating such a
detailed campaign for UF.

Hillary Hoffower
Cheif Copywriter
Hillary Hoffower is a 22-year-old, fourth-year public relations student with a
minor in English and concentration in psychology from Punta Gorda, Florida. As
the chief copywriter, Hillary ensured the message strategy was designed to
accomplish campaign objectives and oversaw the quality of writing and production
of all campaign materials. Hillary has worked in the marketing, public relations, and
journalism fields in order to build a diverse and holistic experience, with internships
at the University of Florida College of Fine Arts, David Greenberg
Communications, Colin Cowie Enterprises, the University Press of Florida, and
peerFit. After graduation, Hillary plans to pursue a career in in-house public
relations where she can work intimately with brand cultivation. She can often be
found doing yoga, daydreaming about traveling the world, and burrowing her nose
in the latest novel or art history book. Hillary is grateful to have had the chance to
produce a campaign with her creative team members for such a wonderful
institution.
Amber Richards
Director of Creative Services
Amber Richards is a 21-year-old, fourth-year student double majoring in public
relations and political science from Lakeland, Florida. Amber was responsible for
the graphic interpretation of all messages, collateral materials and templates, the
campaign book, and presentation aids. Prior to her work on this campaign, she
worked at local marketing companies and produced materials for the on-campus
organization Pi Sigma Alpha. Following graduation, Amber hopes to move to
Washington, D.C to work on political campaigns while attending graduate school.
Amber loved having the opportunity to work with such talented team members
trained by UFs public relations program.

106

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