West Point Plan

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West Point Plan

J453 Strategic Public Relations Cases &

PlanningFall 2012

Casey LiuTaylor WetzelDeborah SloanSaori Kamitani

Ranyu Chen


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Table of Contents

3. Background Information

4. Situation Analysis

5. Core Problem and Opportunity / Goal and Objectives

6. Key Public 1: Prospective Female Students

8. Key Public 2: Current Military Members

11. Key Public 3: Parents/Guardians of Current & Prospective Cadets

13. Strategies and Tactics

19. Evaluation

20. Sources


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Background

The United States Military Academy (USMA) at West Point was founded on March 16,

1802. The USMA is located on the west bank of the Hudson River in West Point, New York.

West Point is one of the oldest and most famous four-year coeducational federal service

academies in the world.

West Points purpose is to produce leaders of character to provide selfless service to our

Army and the country.(USMA) In order to accomplish its mission, West Point provides cadet

life steeped in academic rigor, military discipline, and complex and uncertain challenges. The

Academy produces great leaders in the military and the nation. Esteemed graduates include U.S.

President Dwight D. Eisenhower, General Robert E. Lee, Congressman Tom Rooney and more.

These soldiers and politicians have made great contributions to the development and success of

the United States of America.

In 1802, USMA intended that the institution would prepare graduates for professions in

civil as well as military careers. The Superintendency of Sylvanus Thayer from 1817 to 1833 is

generally accepted as the most important period of academic standards for the Academy. [In]

the early 19th century, USMA produced graduates who gained recognition for engineering the

bulk of the nations initial railway lines, bridges, harbors and roads, During this time, West

Point first proved its value to the country and influenced many American engineering schools.

Today, West Point offers more than 40 academic majors. West Point has continuously

broadened its academic curriculum. The Academy emphasizes small classes that hold each

student actively responsible for his/her own learning and development of critical thinking and

creative problem-solving skills. In order to provide cadets with the knowledge, confidence and

abilities necessary for their future careers, West Point also has rigorous physical, military and


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ethical training development programs. USMA Cadets tuition, room and board are fully funded

by the U.S. Government. They also receive free medical and dental care and an annual salary. In

addition, graduates serve on active duty for a minimum of five years with a commission.

Situation Analysis

Despite providing a wide range of benefits for cadets, both academically and financially,

West Point wishes to receive more qualified applications and raise branding awareness. In recent

years, there were low admission rates because fewer students were interested in applying to the

Academy. Parents also failed to understand the benefits of the Academy for their children.

The attacks on 9/11 and the U.S. economic recession had a deep impact on West Point and led to

a decrease in applications. During 2001 to 2005, the total number of applicants shifted from

12,443 to 9,896. Economic recession around 2001 became one of the best explanations. The War

on Terror brought a negative opinion of the Army to West Points key publics. Times of war

often negatively affected application rates as potential cadets feared for their own safety. Parents

and their children had confusion regarding the difference between the Academy and the Army.

Therefore, USMA needs to distance itself from the Army brand in public image and promote

itself as an academic institution.

On the other hand, a decrease in applications for West Point stem from competition with

other academies and ROTC programs at non-military universities. West Point encourages active-

duty soldiers attend to the Academy. It offers many financial and medical supports, and honors.

For current soldiers, being a graduate of West Point opens up a lot of opportunities because of

his/her own experience and abilities as a soldier and as a cadet. Often these graduates become

high-level officers in the military and make a greater impact during their careers.


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Additionally, West Point experiences a low rate of female applicants. In 2009, the total

number of applicants was 10,778. Of those applicants, just 2,351 were female. Addressing

negative opinions, sexism and racism may increase female awareness of West Point.

Emphasizing the advantages of attendance, increasing positive awareness and changing the

publics image of the Army brand for West Point will help attract more applicants.

Core problem and Opportunity

West Point faces a low admission rate. West Point needs to target female and active-duty

soldier audiences to help increase the number of qualified applicants. And the Academy also

needs to build a unique brand and expand parental awareness of the school in order to draw more

qualified applicants.

Goal and Objectives

Goal: Through a branding initiative, receive more female and current military member

applicants at West Point by June 2013.

Objectives:

1. To increase female applicants from 16 percent to 20 percent by June 2013.

2. To increase applicants from current military members by 10 percent by June 2013.

3.To increase parental/guardian support 10 percent by June 2013.


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Key Publics

Key Public 1: Prospective Female Students

West Points prospective female students are over 17 years old but must also be under 23

years old. According to the US census, the total female population between 18 to 24 years old is

30,672,088. The National Center for Education Statistics shows about 3.4 million students are

expected to graduate from high school in 201213, including 3.1 million students from public

high schools and 283,000 students from private high schools. Female applicants are also

expected to have an SAT score of at least 1100 in addition to being in good physical condition.

2012 SAT data shows 90 percent of females score 1100 or higher, but according to the past West

Point admission, prospective students who score 1800 or higher would more likely to be

accepted. These female students can continue their education at West Point without paying

tuition, which is another way West Point offers a great opportunity attract female students

because according to Future Track, men were less worried than women about the prospect of

having to repay student debt.

Current Relationship:The current relationship between West Point and women is not strong

enough to attract more female cadets and online searches show that many people are still

unaware that West Point accepts female students. Additionally, because females are still a

minority in both the military academy and the Army, many women may be afraid that they will

be treated unfairly.Self-Interest:This group can benefit from a great education and free tuition.


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Influential and Opinion Leaders:Current and graduated female cadets, high school professors

and advisors, family, peers.

Primary Message:

West Point provides a tuition-free Ivy League level education and leadership experience

you can use to be successful in any aspect of your life.

Secondary Message:

Forbes.com selected West Point as Americas best college in 2009. It graduates many successful students, such as Bob McDonald, CEO of Procter &

Gamble, Alex Gorsky, CEO Elect of Johnson & Johnson and Kristin Baker, the first

woman Brigade Commander, U.S. Corps of Cadets.

The female cadet, Elizabeth Betterbed, said, "We are giving up what may be thequintessential college experience. But we're getting a job where we're immediately in a

leadership position, not a back-room job where who knows what your chances of

promotion are."


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Key Public 2: Current Military Members

Both male and female active-duty soldiers between 18 to 23 years old, who are without

dependents, and are sponsored by their commanders. They must be U.S. citizens. This audience

mostly has their family member in the military. Their income range is low medium to middle

class. Therefore they need a financial support to go to school. They have graduated from a high

school. They are highly motivated to be an officer in the future. For that purpose, they are willing

to receive a higher education and seeking a bachelor degree to distinguish between other military

members. They tend to be conservative and patriotic. They are good at working in groups. They

like to challenge themselves and keep their strengths high.

Current Relationships:

A current relationship between West Point and military members is not currently

established.West Point does not communicate well with this key public. The key public does not

understand the benefits of education at West Point. Many soldiers give up applying for West

Point because their high school grade point average is not high enough and they are afraid that

they cannot receive a congressional nomination. These reasons are just myths among soldiers.

Active-duty soldiers are able to apply for West Point by requesting a nomination from their

commander. West Point accepts current soldiers who have less than desirable grades. Also

commander is an important intermediary to advertise West Point to current military members

since they sponsor their soldiers. Many commanders do not want to give up their superior

soldiers from their units. Commanders would like to keep training their skillful soldiers under

their direction rather than let the soldiers go to college.

West Point needs to communicate with current military members about how beneficial to

attend West Point is, and to give a clearer vision of their future careers after graduation.


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A statistic shows that the U.S. Military Academy hasnt filled the slot for soldiers for

decades even though West Point has many beneficial opportunities for soldiers. For the most

recent class, graduating in 2014, West Point admitted 69 enlisted soldiers, which is 40 percent of

the 170 slots authorized by Congress. Fifteen combat veterans entered West Point with this class.

Self- Interest: Soldiers care about their education as an important differentiator from other

military members. They are also highly motivated to be in higher position within the military.

Influentials: West Point graduates, current West Point students and officers in military.

Primary Message 1:

West Point provides an education and a college degree to distinguish soldiers from other military

members careers.

Secondary Message 2:

You will be commissioned as Second Lieutenant upon graduation. Curriculum focuses on academics, physical fitness, military poise and moral and spiritual

development, to create a well-rounded leader.

All majors are relevant to your military service. The education gives you an advantageover the other military members.

Primary Message 2:

You can receive an education with sufficient financial and academic supports.

Secondary Message 2:


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The Soldier Admissions Program allows enlisted soldiers to receive fully funded a four-year West Point educations (valued at about $450,000), a Bachelor of Science degree and

upon graduation, a commission as a second lieutenant in the Army.

The United States Military Academy Preparatory School, the school for enlisted soldierscurrently serving in the Regular Army, Army Reserves and Army National, is a 10-month

program that prepares candidates selected by the USMA admissions office for the

academic, physical and military challenges of the United States Military Academy.

You can receive your college degree while serving as a soldier with full medical benefitsand a fully funded four-year college education.


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Key Public 3: Parents & Guardians of Prospective Cadets:

Parents and guardians of prospective cadets come from all different backgrounds, but one

thing they all have in common is an interest in their child's education and future. A random

sample was done with parents of teens planning on attending college. In this sample 67 percent

of parents said they would not be interested in having their child attend The United States

Military Academy at West Point. The main reason parents respond negatively towards this

option for their child is because they are anti-war. On the other hand there are two main reasons

parents would consider having their child to attend the academy. 38 percent of parents said the

academy teaches lifelong lessons, values, and discipline. 32 percent of parents said the academy

offers quality education and academics. We want to reach those parents who are invested in their

childs education. Currently the academy does an excellent job of communicating with cadet

parents. Parental approval of West Point Academy is crucial because parents are interested in

their child's future, and therefore are interested in the future of the academy.

Current Relationship: West Point Academy cares about their cadet parents. The academy has

created the West Point Parent clubs as a source of information for cadets, families, and the

United States Military Academy. The academy communicates well with current cadet parents,

but does not communicate at all with prospective cadet parents. There is a page on the academy's

main website for parents and families, but it is lacking in detail. Overall, West Point does a poor

job at communicating with parents and guardians of prospective cadets.

Self-Interest: They sincerely care for their childrens welfare and want their child to receive the

best education/training offered. They want to set their child up for a bright future.


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Influential: Their child, West Point Academy staff, guidance counselors, family members,

peers.

Primary Message 1: Your child will receive a high quality education at West Point Academy.

Secondary Messages:

Ranked in the top five among U.S. schools for a rigorous academic program. Core curriculum is a balance of arts and sciences, and includes a required five course

engineering sequence.

Cadets have 36 academic majors to choose from.

The most popular majors at United States Military Academy include: Engineering; Social

Sciences; Foreign Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics; Business, Management,

Marketing, and Related Support Services; and Engineering Technologies and

Engineering-Related Fields

The student to faculty ratio is 8:1 93.8% of classes have fewer than 20 students, and the rest of the classes have no more

than 50 students.

The academy's teaching style follows the Thayer system. This form of instructionemphasizes small classes with daily homework, and strives to make students actively

responsible for their own learning by completing homework assignments prior to class

and bringing the work to class to discuss collaboratively

81 percent of cadets graduate in four years.Primary Message 2: West Point Academy will set your child up for a bright future.

Secondary Messages:


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Upon graduation, cadets receive a commission in the U.S. army as second lieutenants.Earning $69,000 a year. More than double what most recent graduates from other

colleges earn as a starting pay.

Cadets graduate with the promise of job security. Graduates of the academy can go on to do almost anything because the academy is a top

school.

Some jobs West Point graduates have gotten after their five years of commitment to themilitary include: doctors, CEOs of major companies, and engineers.

Placement services are available to graduates.

Primary Message 3: Its financially smart to send your child to West Point Academy.

Secondary Messages:

No tuition costs for parents. The U.S. government provides cadets with tuition, room, and board, medical and dental

care.

Parents costs include: uniforms, textbooks, and laptops. Cadets receive an annual salary of $895 a month. Graduates do not have to worry about paying tuition loans.


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Strategies and Tactics

Prospective Female Students

Strategy: To improve West Points current relationship with female prospects through both

online and offline interaction.

Tactics:

Speaking opportunity at five all girls high schools in New York State areaWe will have our West Point alumni, Gail O'Sullivan Dwyer, a member of the second graduating

class at the U.S. Military Academy and the author of "Tough As Nails - One Woman's Journey

Through West Point" give a speech to share her experience in West Point at five all girls high

schools in New York State area. The speech topic is Women Can Do It: Learn To Be A

Leader. We will choose schools with great academic performance and excellent extracurricular

programs.

Subtactics:

1. We will contact high school teachers first and tell them about West Points program andopportunities, which will lead the teachers to encourage students to attend the speech.

2. We will be sending out posters and informational flyers to students in order to pique theinterest of our target female demographic.

3. After the speech, interested female students can have a one on one conversation sessionwith current female cadets.


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Online Interaction between West Point and prospective studentsUsing social media to attract young females attention to West Point.

Subtactics:

1. Create a Facebook page named West Point for Prospective Female students, whichallows students to ask any questions they have for the West Point, and all answers will be

responded within 24 hours.

2. Film female cadets West Point life, and post a video per month on the Facebook page.The video content is featuring one female cadet at a time. Let her tell the public how she

decided to attend West Point and how her life is right now.


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Current Military Members

Strategy 1:

Cultivate a better understanding of an education at West Point among current military members

through a direct communication.

Tactics:

Hold a meet and greet event for prospective military cadets at West Point, includingcampus tours, and consultations with faculty and current cadets.

Provide this event for soldiers in January 2013. This can connect to an existingopen campus event for any prospective students.

After the campus tour, the soldiers can attend some trial classes and experiencethe life at West Point, as well as have a private consultation with faculty and

current cadets.

Event information is available on the West Point website, iPhone and Androidapplication (West Point has already provided) as well as its Facebook and Twitter.

The prospective military cadets can learn about the event through these social

media.

Strategy 2:

Inform current military member about West Point and the benefits of enrollment using social

media and paper-based communication.

Tactics:

Deliver interview video on YouTube about a former soldier who is currently enrolled atWest Point, and current officers who graduated from West Point.


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West Point has already managed its own YouTube channel, and uploaded videos about training

and a lifestyle at West Point. However, it does not show how the education helps soldiers career.

Create a new playlist named Better bright career with an education. The video will be uploaded once a week. Each selected soldiers will talk about

how he or she started West Point and what would be different if he or she did not

attend West Point.

Current officers can emphasize how an education could differentiate themselvesfrom other military members, based on their experiences.

Mail a West Point catalog to soldiers looking to further their education.

Mail a catalog to the soldiers who have demonstrated an outstanding performancein the military service.

Catalog contains more details about West Point curriculum, the many benefits ofenrollment, financial support and expectations for life after graduation.


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Parents/Guardians of Prospective Cadets:

Strategy:

Build strong parent relationships with West Point Academy through brochures, social mediums,

and in-person communication.

Tactics:

Mail one brochure to parents of high school students throughout the U.S. who are juniorsand seniors in high school. Mail these brochures only to the top 30 schools that most

West Point applications come from.

The brochure will give facts about the academy, about how parents can join clubs

to stay in touch with West Point's current news, and why the academy is the

opportunity of a lifetime for their child.

Create daily Facebook posts that encourage current cadet parents to invite newprospective cadet parents/guardians to join the West Point Academy Facebook page.

This will increase followers on their Facebook page, which in turn will createmore awareness among parents of West Point applicants.

Hold an information meeting at high schools around the U.S. who pull the most WestPoint applicants. This meeting would be for parents/guardians of high school students

only.

Send three current West Point cadets and their parents to each school meeting, sothey can talk to parents/guardians of prospective students about their experience

so far at the academy. Each West Point student will be a different year in college.

A fact sheet will be passed to everyone attending the meeting. This fact sheet willinclude demographics and psychographics of West Point students. It will also


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include facts about academics at West Point and facts about the lives and careers

of West Point students after graduation.

Evaluation

Objective 1: To increase female applicants from 16 percent to 20 percent by June 2013.

Criteria: The total percentage of female applicants increase to 20 percent.

Tools: Review enrollment records and compare with previous years.

Objective 2: To increase applicants from current military members by 10% by June 2013.

Criteria: The increase of current military members by 10% by June 2013.

Tools: Review number of applicants.

Objective 3: To increase parental/guardian positive support 10 percent by June 2013.

Criteria: Increase parents/guardians support by 10 percent.

Tools:

Use Facebook analytics to measure the increase in activity and followers of the WestPoint parent Facebook page.

Send a survey to all parents of students who applied to the academy. This survey will askthem if they found information about west point through our brochure, informational

meeting, and or Facebook. It will also ask a few questions about whether or not they were

supportive of their child's decision to apply to West Point and why.


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Sources

West Point Strategic Communications Website: (STRATCOM)http://www.usma.edu/trademark/SitePages/Home.aspx

West Point Media Fact Sheets:http://www.usma.edu/news/SitePages/Fact%20Sheets.aspx\

West Point Social Media:http://www.usma.edu/news/SitePages/Social%20Media.aspx

West Point Magazine Archive The Pointer:http://www.usma.edu/pv/sitepages/Archive%202012.aspx

http://www.forbes.com/forbes/2009/0824/colleges-09-education-west-point-america-best-college.html

http://www.hecsu.ac.uk/assets/assets/documents/Futuretrack_Summary_2012_-_Student_Finance.pdf

witter stats toolshttp://socialmediatoday.com/index.php?q=SMC/165191

Simental, Angela. West Point Reaches Out to Active Duty Soldiers. West Point Association ofGraduates. March. 2010, Print.http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-colleges/west-point-2893

Documents

West Point Plan