The W’s Brand Platform

Our brand is who we are - the values and ideals that make The W unlike any other place in the world. It is what makes us The W.

Core values

Respect.
Integrity.
Diversity.
Honesty.
Community. 
Quality.
Love of learning. 
Leadership.

 

Core strengths

Culture
--The W is known for its intimate setting; history and traditions; and “like family” attitude.

Physical Environment
--Unique in the marketplace, The W provides a walkable, open campus; a large number of buildings on The National Register of Historic Places; and a geographic location in easy distance of its host community, Columbus.

Social/Psychological Environment
--A campus known for its Southern hospitality, The W has a commitment to each student that closely aligns with its mission; a strong sense of service; a familiar tradition; and a closeness with faculty that allows building relationships that last.

Quality of Instruction and Academic Excellence
--An experienced faculty; an institutional reputation for strong academics and program offerings; strong peer interaction; and a favorable faculty/student ratio.

Tuition Value and Access
--The W provides affordability and access, as well as multiple scholarship opportunities for its students.

Leadership and Community Service Opportunities
--Through a focus on leadership and service, as well as other student programming, The W provides many opportunities for personal growth.

 

Brand promise

“Individuals are celebrated, yet together become The One Long Blue Line.”

 

Brand narrative

Since our 1884 founding, The W has been an original.  A special place where we believe that being different is good. . .for us and for our state.  We have charted our own unique course by responding to the needs of the times, staying grounded in our values, and always looking ahead.  Our past, present, and future have a common thread:  sometimes it’s necessary to embrace daring ideas to achieve a worthy mission.

Classy, but not a flash in the pan, we have grown stronger through many seasons of change.  The historic charm of our campus may suggest a genteel southern spirit, but make no mistake:  our history is proof that The W has the determination to persevere and prevail.

While our mission continues to evolve, we maintain the core values of our founders:  we believe every individual has unique gifts to share with the world.  We believe every individual can grow and flourish in the personal, learning-centered environment of The W.

As we turn the page on the next chapter of The W story, we forge a path forward that builds on the rich history and core strengths that have always defined us.  The future is ours to create.  The W will make its way as a distinguished, vibrant institution that provides a globally relevant and regionally competitive educational experience for those seeking a different public university experience.

We also will build a name for ourselves as an agile university, firmly rooted in tradition but ready to respond—as we have throughout our history—to the changing world and opportunities around us.

We will strengthen our focus on developing leaders who will set the pace for the future, providing unique programs and learning opportunities that define a graduate of The W.

We proudly stand on the shoulders of our forebears, celebrating our rich and textured past.  We look with great anticipation to our vision of the future—a community—defined by our traditions.

We are proud of the many contributions of this wonderful institution—its tenacity in the face of challenges and its creativity in meeting them.  It is an institution that will continue to be grounded in tradition, and it will continue to be big enough to embrace the generations of women and men that make up The One Long Blue Line.

As we always have, The W will continue to celebrate the promise of each individual.  We will continue to dare, to question, and to challenge.  Inspired by the words of Eudora Welty, we will subscribe to the radical idea that all serious daring starts from within each of us.