UIC Circles of Excellence launches

An exciting new initiative — UIC Circles of Excellence — will launch Nov. 19 to serve our nearly 200 marketing and communications partners across campus. Spearheaded by UIC Strategic Marketing and Communications, Circles of Excellence is an opportunity to delve deeper in curated sessions about communications, storytelling, brand, creative and digital marketing and engagement throughout the year with team experts. 

As a complement to and extension of Weekly Communicators Circle, where lead communicators and marketers across campus engage with Strategic Marketing and Communications every Wednesday afternoon, Circles of Excellence aims to align communications and equip every communicator with a toolbox of best practices, resources and support to inform, inspire and engage all audiences for the elevation of UIC. 

The first Circle of Excellence will take place this fall and will focus on a newly acquired platform for media relations: 

Media Relations Circle of Excellence: An Introduction to The Conversation 

What: An overview of The Conversation, a platform that connects academics with the public through articles written for a general audience. Participants will learn how to use The Conversation to increase research visibility, contribute to vital public discussions and more. As part of this presentation, a representative from The Conversation will join to discuss their processes, answer questions and give tailored advice.  

When: Nov. 19, 10-11:30 a.m.  

Where: Webinar registration

Who should attend: Campus communicators, faculty  

Please save the dates of these future sessions. Strategic Marketing and Communications will share registration and more information about these sessions early next year. 

• Feb. 20, 2025: Digital Platforms Circle of Excellence — From Search to Success: Leveraging AI to Revolutionize UIC’s Online Presence 

• April 9, 2025: Social Media Circle of Excellence — Social Strategy Simplified: Hands-On Goal Setting, Content Planning and Measurement Made Easy 

• Aug. 7, 2025: Digital Engagement Circle of Excellence — Maximizing Your Email Marketing 

Please encourage communicators and team members responsible for communications and marketing in your area to join Circles of Excellence. For questions or more information, please reach out to smcs@uic.edu.  

Together, let’s continue to elevate the transformational story of UIC, where access is broad and excellence thrives.