The Student Life Department of Marketing and Strategic Communications (Student Life MarCom) tells the story of the Division of Student Life and its multiple departments to the University of Florida community and beyond. The Student Life MarCom team works to align the student’s academic journey with the signature student experience that sets the University of Florida apart from all others. The department seeks to answer the University of Florida’s President Fuchs’ call to leverage each other to reach hearts and emotions to show the care for the people of UF.

The beginnings of a centralized marketing and communications department started in the summer of 2017 to improve the advertising of events, programs, and services offered by the division. The goal was to provide equity amongst the many different departments and provide services to those units that may have had no to few marketing resources available to connect students. Over several months of intentional conversations with departments, Student Life Marketing and Strategic Communications was born. The newly formed department was able to add additional full-time staff, combine student support members, create new operating procedures and move into a renovated suite in Riker Hall known as South & Riker.

The Student Life MarCom department specializes in graphic design, photography, videography, social media, web support, and marketing through its innovative approach of a shared divisional vision while maintaining the unit’s independent approach. This new centralized model is unique as it takes the best of a shared-services model and combines it with the unique ability for units to maintain independence. Additionally, each year Student Life MarCom works with dozens of student designers, multimedia specialists, and writers to create award-winning projects. It is through the blend of professional staff and student staff that our department continues to lead in providing real-world and meaningful opportunities to better reach its intended audience (i.e. students).

As our department continues to grow we pride ourselves in continuing to keep a pulse on our ever-changing student body. We continue to push new thresholds of design and communication to continue to showcase why the student experience at the University of Florida is the best in the nation.