University Marketing and Communications

During FY26, we implemented a full-scale, in-house digital marketing campaign to enhance and advance UD’s reputation. It garnered 134 million impressions, 2.3M clicks (1.7% CTR) and 72,140 conversions.

To increase brand awareness and support institutional messaging, we launched an OOH campaign in Cincinnati, Cleveland and Chicago. 10 billboards ran for an 8-week period in the spring, and they were paired with corresponding digital ads. We also installed environmental graphics on campus to reinforce Walk.Run.Fly.Soar. messaging.

The team continued its work on the University-wide web optimization effort, with a new site launching August 25, 2025. Traffic is up on the new site YOY (sessions up 19.6%, visitors up 46.4%). The new site also significantly improved our Google Search Console average position (from 21.5 last year to 11.6 now). Work is now underway to continue enhancing AI visibility (AEO) and to enhance usability and accessibility of Porches.

In FY26, we posted on the main University channels 872 times on Facebook, X, Instagram, LinkedIn and TikTok, and responded to countless comments and direct messages. Across all platforms, we gained 18,937 new followers and had 582K engagements. 74% of total engagements came from Instagram alone. 42% of new follower growth was on Facebook. This year, social posts from UD Main led to 100K web sessions, resulting in 471 organic conversions. Top posts included photo carousels of students, photos of campus (campus aerials, first snow); campus events (the 175th anniversary, move-in, graduation, Christmas on Campus, basketball, LGBTQ+); posts with prayers/commemorations/holidays (first day of classes, Sept. 11, Halloween, MLK Day, Easter); timely references and other trendy posts (Taylor Swift's new album) and posts with bragging rights/perks of a UD education (rankings, awards, the new commercial, housing).

On the Alumni Association channels, 239 posts resulted in 47.9K total engagements this year. Followers on Instagram increased by 27% and 20% on Facebook, with a total of 3,040 new followers across all platforms. Top posts this year on the UDAA channels included photos from community events, campus nostalgia (graduation, Christmas on Campus, Senior Send-Off) as well as alumni awards posts, UD Magazine stories, alumni wedding photos, alumni highlights, and UDRW hype and coverage.

The Media Production Group created video and photography content to support recruiting, fundraising and reputation-building efforts.

This year, the team completed 45 video projects, including the University’s television commercial, Housing Options at UD, Student Outcomes, student "FlyBy" videos and several stories featuring exceptional students.

In addition to capturing regular candid photography, the team planned, staged and directed video and photo shoots featuring student talent across campus and downtown Dayton, highlighting classrooms, labs, the Chapel, esports, The Hub, porches and student life. The University’s YouTube videos generated more than 17 million views in FY26.

Through strategic marketing efforts, Advancement Marketing and Communications helped achieve more than $60.7 million in new commitments this year.

Our team supported 225 email campaigns, 38 print projects, 30 blogs, 10 texting campaigns and 50 peer messaging campaigns.

High-level initiatives by the Advancement Marketing and Communications team included Donor Appreciation Week; One Day, One Dayton; Reunion Weekend and two successful Academic Excellence Weeks. Key results included another record-breaking year for the number of One Day, One Dayton student donors (771) and a shift in young alumni philanthropy trends, with the Class of 2025 having the highest number of donors for giving day this year.

In addition, 805 stories were posted to Cerkl, the University's e-newsletter to alumni and friends. This resulted in 5.26 million story impressions and 52K story reads, for a 1% click-through rate. Top stories include the “In The News” media coverage wrap-ups from May 22, June 5 and May 8; the Davis Center for Portfolio Management being the nation’s No. 1 student-invested fund; a grant by AES Foundation to support DC Flyers; and the spring 2026 University of Dayton Magazine editor’s column on girls and sports.

External Media

In FY26, the University was mentioned 3,258 times in media worldwide. UD expertise and research was featured in outlets including The National Desk, Associated Press, NPR, Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, Fortune, Axios, Inside Higher Ed, University Business and Catholic World Report. This resulted in 7.9 potential views from news coverage and $2.8 million in perceived ad value.

Fourty-four faculty and staff experts contributed 36 articles to The Conversation. Those pieces attracted at least 1.8 million reads by audiences around the world.

Internal Communications

The news and communications team produced 90 editions of the Campus News Digest for faculty and staff. In addition, current students and their families received 49 editions of the Student News Digest and Family News Digest. 

University of Dayton Magazine continues to be a top source of information about UD and Flyer life for audiences of alumni, donors, faculty, staff, students, parents and community members.

UD Magazine digital edition readership continues to increase, growing issue visits by 30% and article reads by 120%. More than 74,000 households subscribe to the quarterly print magazine, and 94,000 individuals receive the digital UD Magazine. UD Magazine content over all channels — print, digital edition, web, social, e-newsletter — had 3.7 million impressions, supporting the reputation of the University and providing readers with insights into academic innovations and curricular realignment.

Top-read story on social media, web and the digital edition was the feature on campus planning over the decades, “According to Plan.” Other top stories include “A Healing Payne” and “Pain, Purpose and Polka Dots,” which featured alumni helping others; “Girls in the Stands,” the editor’s column from the spring 2026 issue; “Pinball Wizards,” on experiential learning; and “Flyer to Flight Director,” on the alumnus who directed the NASA Artemis II mission.

To help meet recruitment goals, the team sent nearly 10 million emails, 118K text messages and 98 print mailer campaigns to 1.1 million recipients.

In addition, the enrollment marketing and communications team redesigned the campus visit presentation and collateral, supported 77 admission events and introduced a reimagined acceptance packet. The team rolled out the new Walk. Run. Fly. Soar. market position, emphasizing the Flight Crew and holistic advising.

In fall 2026 UD will welcome a first-year class of ~1,650 students; the class is academically strong and diverse. Approximately 22% of incoming students are eligible for the Pell Grant.