The Office of Communications and Marketing (OCM) promotes the news and stories of Lake Forest College through a variety of communication platforms including the College website, video/photography, news stories, numerous publications, and social media channels.
We are dedicated to promoting the Lake Forest College brand with clear messaging and creative design. We will provide direction and strategy for your projects and will partner with you to deliver your project in a timely manner.
Please refer to our Marketing Resources for more information on the College’s graphic identity system, and our editorial and website style guides.
Due to the number of requests we get from departments around campus, we have provided some Project Basics and necessary Lead Times to assist in this process.
Project Basics
Step 1 - Important Factors to Consider
What are you promoting?
Who is your audience?
What is your primary goal?
What is the key message you want to communicate?
What is your due date?
Will you have sufficient time to complete your project given our lead times?
Step 2 - Don’t Delay
We need time to complete your project, so please don’t delay in contacting us. Keep in mind that lead-time requirements may change depending on other high-priority recruitment projects in process. If needed, consider reaching out to Emma O’Hagan for a design consultation if you need some creative design ideas or direction in following the College’s Style Guide and brand messaging.
Step 3 - Request your Project via Online Form
- Once your project has been approved by your department lead and you have gathered all the necessary content, you can get started.
- Request a specific OCM service—such as a website update, poster, brochure, story, or profile—via an online form.
- Provide all needed information including due dates, copy that has been proofed against the College Style Guide and approved by your team, and any images (images and graphics need to be 72 dpi for web, 300 dpi or higher for print).
- Assign a primary contact person or project manager.
- For stories and profiles, please contact Linda Blaser.
- If you have a larger project that requires multiple services, please contact Susan Morris for assistance in submitting your project requests.
- Once you have submitted your request, the communications team will review it and get back to you regarding the next steps. The team reviews project requests every 2-3 days. Jobs will be scheduled based on the College’s strategic priorities, timing, and resources available.
Step 4 - Review and Approve
OCM will provide a proof for your review once the design and copy are in place. After edits or approval are back from you, a final proof will be issued (our editor will review any final copy). A timeline for the review and approval process will be agreed upon prior to an initial proof being provided.
Step 5 - Production
Print projects will go into production either in house by Visual Communications or by an outside vendor. Print timelines vary by project.
Post an Event on the Calendar
Please contact Meghan O'Toole at motoole@lakeforest.edu.
Website Help
For minor website updates, contact your department assistant.
For other projects, please contact Ian Schappe. Minor updates will be completed within one week, while larger projects will take two to three weeks.
Urgent updates can be made same day.
Project Lead Times
| Print advertisement | 2 weeks |
| Digital advertisement | 2 weeks |
| Calendar listing | ASAP: submit calendar items as soon as you have finalized details of your event. The last week of every month we pull events from the campus calendar to share in the community newsletter (sent to local community members). |
| Photo request | We have student photographers who assist OCM by taking photos for institutional marketing purposes. While they cover some major campus events, for smaller events we suggest you take your own photos and send to us if they can be used on the web or in social media. If needed, we can also recommend a freelance photographer. |
| Promote an event in the community | 8 weeks for magazines 3 weeks for community online calendars |
| Story/profile | 3 weeks |
| New web page | 1 week |
| Updates to web page | 1 week |
| Urgent web changes | Can be completed immediately, contact Ian Schappe directly. |
| Poster/Info sheet (8.5 x 11) | 3 weeks |
| Multiple page brochure | 10 weeks |
| Invitations | 3 weeks |
| Infographic | 2 weeks |