Summer Institute in Communications and Marketing 2026
Join us this summer to hit the books, review the basics, and start on your path to success.
Hear what past attendees say about the Summer Institute in Communications and Marketing
Who Should Attend
- Professionals new to the field of communications and marketing
- Experienced professionals with new communications and marketing responsibilities
- Experienced communications and marketing professionals who are new to higher education
- Advancement leaders and anyone who wants to better understand communications and marketing fundamentals
Benefits of Attending
The Summer Institute is a valuable investment in you and your organization. Through the institute you will have a tremendous opportunity to:
- Identify the elements of a marketing plan, how they work together, and how you might measure their success.
- Develop a process to align resources to achieve brand awareness and preference across your institution or within your college or school unit.
- Prioritize and align resources to maximize efficiencies and outcomes.
- Use data and research to guide marketing decisions and develop key metrics to measure success.
- Identify the elements of an effective, compelling content/storytelling strategy (or campaign) that help your organization achieve its strategic marketing goals.
Institute Experience Highlights
- All-Institute general sessions that explore key concepts from inclusion and belonging to emotional intelligence, strategic thinking, leadership, and integrity.
- Interdisciplinary elective sessions that provide industry-sector expertise in educational fundraising, advancement services, alumni relations, and communications and marketing.
- Small Group, Faculty-Led Advisory Meetings designed to target essential content covered each day.
- Peer to Peer Networking Opportunities
Content Highlights in Communications and Marketing
- Marketing and Communications Fundamentals
- Building an Effective Creative Strategy and Marketing Campaign
- The Art and Science of Collaboration
- Crisis Communication
- Storytelling
- Campaign Communications
Institute Chair
Ashley Budd
Ashley Budd is senior marketing director at Cornell University. She is based in Saratoga Springs, N.Y., working remotely for the university as a content strategist and campaign project manager for the division. Known for her creative and innovative marketing campaigns, Budd is one of the most influential voices in education marketing and fundraising.
Prior to joining the digital team at Cornell, Budd spent more than five years at her alma mater, Rochester Institute of Technology, where she led social media strategy for undergraduate admissions. She is author of the popular newsletter Ashley in Your Inbox and speaks regularly before international nonprofit groups.
Social:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashleybudd/
