From the Nominator

"As a new medical school with an innovative spin on medical education, we had to find an equally novel approach to how we promoted our unique programs. Our goal was to attract and raise awareness about our medical school to prospective students, prospective donors, and the public at large. 

Through website analytics and social media data, we determined that our primary target audience would be prospective students, so we focused our storytelling to include Burnett Brand Ambassadors in nearly every website story, social media campaign, video, and media placement. We also highlighted our brand ambassadors in TCU’s institutional advertisements, both print and digital. 

Currently, the Burnett Brand Ambassadors Program has 35 medical students trained by the Office of Communications and Strategy to represent the school in media interviews and marketing and social media campaigns. The students also attend special events and give reports and speeches to the local community. 

Since its inception, the program has grown exponentially with more training, social media campaigns, website stories, and media placements. Our analytics demonstrate we are reaching our target audience of prospective students who make up the majority of users on our website and social media accounts, specifically on Instagram, where Burnett Brand Ambassadors regularly conduct Instagram takeovers. Media placements that include brand ambassadors have attracted more viewers than those without the medical students. 

One ambassador said the program “really brings out your social skills and public speaking skills, and really helps with the anxiety I used to have.”"

From the Judges

The Burnett Brand Ambassadors Program is allowing medical students to develop marketing and communications skills that are useful in their medical practice while also furthering the reach of the School of Medicine, providing a win-win situation for student ambassadors and the program.