I had never had the chance to be a part of creating a new brand message until Lethbridge College went through the process in 2018 and launched its “Be Ready: What Happens Next Matters Most” campaign. It was fascinating to see the creativity and collaboration of the Marketing team and colleagues, who created messages that would resonate with everyone from future and current students and employees to alumni, retired colleagues, Kodiaks players and fans, research and industry partners, donors and more. It felt like a good fit from the start, raking in industry awards while finding its way into everything from speeches to socks. But little could the team have envisioned how well the new brand would work in a pandemic.
What happens next (in a pandemic) matters most? Yes, it does! Be ready (for wearing a mask, for doing things differently, for a crash course in science and statistics)? You betcha! And the brand story – the words that helped inspire the new brand – also hit home powerfully this past year. “Lethbridge College is more than bricks and mortar.” These days, our community can be found on a laptop or a small cohort lab, and our celebrations take place outdoors or on a livestream video available to anyone in the world. “Look around... we know something about digging deep and rising up.” Have you seen our students lately? Their fieldtrips in Environmental Sciences became solo outings. They have created one-of-a-kind practicum experiences. And they are getting hands-on, work-integrated learning experiences, all while juggling jobs, barking dogs, occasional internet woes and worries about their health and the well-being of their loved ones. “We know success is not by chance, but that it takes perseverance, determination and grit.” It sure does.
And we are thrilled to showcase some of those stories of resilience in this issue of Wider Horizons, from students, employees and alumni who have endured a host of challenges and come out the other side with wisdom worth sharing. “We are a community committed to one another. We know that what happens next matters most.” Yes, we are, and yes, it does – and we hope that what happens this fall is a safe return to campus for most of our students and staff. “We’re ready.”
If anything, this last year has taught us that we are capable of so much when we work together, that we can effect change and create community in countless ways. Here’s to all the ways you’ve risen up and shown your own resilience this past year. And we’d love to hear how you’ve managed to be ready for what happens next during the pandemic, so just drop us a note at [email protected].
As always, thanks for reading.
Lisa Kozleski, Editor
P.S. If you’re looking to see the “lies” from our Great Grads story SPOILER ALERT: Lina Castro did NOT jump into Henderson Lake for the Polar Plunge. Nichole Ham did NOT create an elaborate drawing of a crime scene for an assignment. And Amber Vanderkroft did NOT dress up and play a senior citizen for classmates to practise their skills – because of online learning and COVID restrictions. Thanks for playing!
