Marketing Plan

VERSION 1.1
SEPTEMBER 14, 2017

NDSEG MARKETING PLAN
SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING GRADUATE FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM
Presented By: Kim Haskins
3152 Presidential Drive

Fairborn, OH 45324

Confidential

NDSEG MARKETING PLAN
PLAN OVERVIEW
The National Defense Science and Engineering Graduate (NDSEG) Fellowship Program’s task is to
attract the best, brightest and diverse applicants within the S&T disciplines that complement the
Department of Defense’s (DoD) Air Force Office of Scientific Research (AFOSR), the Army Research
Office (ARO), and the Office of Naval Research’s (ONR) mission under the direction of the Director of
Defense Research and Engineering (DDR&E). In understanding the needs of our government clients as
well as the aspirations of the new generation of scientists and engineers, our goal with the marketing
plan is to expand on the current communication efforts, while leveraging the marketing strategy to
expand the pool of Subject Matter Experts(SMEs).

OBJECTIVE
1. To effectively market the NDSEG Fellowship Program to increase the level of exposure and to
ensure diversity and program awareness.
2. To attract highly qualified potential or current students pursuing doctoral degrees in DOD STEM
related missions of importance.
3. To attract SMEs from academia, government and industry science and technology community.

TARGET AUDIENCE
Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) Students including freshman, sophomores, juniors
and current seniors, baccalaureate graduates, and new graduate students continuing in the field. New
STEM professionals interested in pursuing a PHD both in federal(defense and civilian) or private
industry, and senior researchers looking to share their knowledge as SMEs.

TARGET CONTACT DEMOGRAPHICS
Parents, Students, Professors, Professional Associations, Social Media Followers, Government and
Private Industry Employees

MESSAGE SUMMARY
Are you Interested in Pursuing a PHD, and not sure how to cover the cost, the NDSEG fellowship
program will pay for up to four years, upon completing your Bachelor’s degree, to pursue your PHD. In
addition to tuition and mandatory fee payments, selected Fellows will also receive monthly stipend
payments to offset the cost of living, and a health insurance allowance.

PROCESS
STI-Tec employs a variety of Marketing methods to target the appropriate audience. Listed below are
several methods we will use to target both students and SMEs.

LISTSERVES
STI-TEC has created special email lists that target the top 100 STEM Colleges and Universities/colleges
and universities that have leading programs in STEM fields, the Top 25, Historically Black Colleges and
Universities, and a list of Tribal Colleges and Universities. Each list is comprised of Faculty Members for

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each area of STEM, over fifty faculty members per school, in addition to contacts within career
services.
STI-TEC also has memberships to STEM listservs on Google and Yahoo.
Annually STI-Tec will send announcements of the NDSEG program application period.

CAREER FAIRS
STI-TEC will target between five-ten career Fairs Annually. Five in the Fall and Five in the Spring,
incorporating minority serving institutions, and schools that have programs relevant to the DoD
mission.

COLLEGE AND UNVIERSITY WEBSITE LISTING
STI-TEC will work with colleges and universities to ensure we are linked on their websites for students,
both the graduate school and the career center.

CONFERENCES
Several conferences cater to the disciplines of relevancy to the DoD programs. STI-TEC will attend four
conferences annually to promote NDSEG: Society for Neuroscience, Materials Research Society
Conference, National Society for Black Engineers (NSBE), American Physical Society, and American
Chemical Society. American Society of Civil Engineers, Mexican American Engineering Society,
Aerospace Conference.

SOCIAL MEDIA
STI-TEC would like to build on the current social media platforms provided by ASEE (if available), or
create Social Media content branded specifically for NDSEG. Currently there are three venues for social
media (Facebook, Twitter and Indeed), however, when sharing knowledge in reference to scholarship
information social media such as Pinterest is absolutely necessary because it gets the parents involved,
and keeps them updated and Instagram and YouTube appeal to the millennials. STI-TEC will develop
these platforms and automate announcements weekly by creating themed messages, and videos of
program fellows.

WEBINARS
Webinars are a cost-effective way of marketing NDSEG to colleges and university that we are unable to
attend. STI-Tec will establish five webinars annually.

PSA ANNOUNCEMENTS
PSA announcements are a good in-expensive ways to announce to schools (with radio stations), cities,
towns etc. about NDSEG. NDSEG will target areas that are the least knowledgeable about the NDSEG
Fellowship Program. PSA announcements will go out about one-month prior two the application
period ending.

GRADUATE NETWORK
STI-TEC will implement a Graduate network program to engage current program participants and
include new participants as they are appointed. The goal of the Graduate program is to begin
preparations for long term communication and hopefully prepare them to become Mentors, and SMEs.

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STEM NETWORK
STI-TEC Program Manager is a member of Million Women Mentors (MWM) in STEM and STEM
Connect. STI-TEC will leverage these resources to sit on panels with government and private Industry
STEM resources to market the NDSEG Program.

EVENT FOLLOW-UP
PRE-EVENT FOLLOW-UP
1. Registration Check List
a. Complete Registration – considering the lowest cost
b. Ensure listing in Program Books, etc.
c. Travel, equipment planning
2. Announcements to students prior to Fair or Conference
a. Prior Outreach to ensure a successful event, brochures, announcements notices to
departments, etc
b. Contact career services.
3. Brochures
4. Exhibits or Announcements Preparation (Tools to capture attendees)

POST-EVENT FOLLOW-UP
1. Measuring the Impact
a. Attendance: Career Fair, conference, Webinar
b. Capture Demographics
c. Monitoring applications and SME based on outreach
2. Communication Follow-up
a. Reaching out to contacts immediately following the event
b. Adding them to our talent network or list for future correspondence
c. Sending reminders when application open, or call for SMEs
3. Evaluation
a. Was it worth the cost/should we attend again, risk vs reward
b. What could we do better
c. Document information for reporting
4. Tools
a. Did they work properly, should we consider a different tools
b. Was the exhibit damaged, does it need to be replaced or
c. How many brochures are left, do we need to order more
d. Do we need additional or new tools

PROJECT PLAN
NECESSARY EVENT/ RESOURCES
Resource

Reason

2-Banner Stands

Designed to promote NDSEG at career fairs

$150-$400

2-8ft, or 10 Ft Display

Designed to promote NDSEG at Conferences

$800-1200

Brochure Cards (3000)

As Handout/Giveaways

$800-1000

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Resource

Reason

Estimated Cost

Hootsuite

Social Media Management

Table Cloth/Skirt

For exhibits

Table and chairs

For exhibits (rental fees)

$19/mth or $228 annually
$600.00
$500/event or $2,000

BUDGET
Resource

Estimated Cost

Event Resources

$5,628

Career Fairs

$5,000

Conferences

$4,000

GoTo Webinar

$400

Memberships

$1,000

Travel Cost

$5,000

Total Estimated cost

$21,028

METRICS AND EXPECTATIONS
The goal of the marketing plan is to broaden the NDSEG exposure to the NATION in particular, the
STEM Community. STI-TEC will provide metrics on all platforms referenced above.
The expectation is to provide a vast applicant pool and SME network.

APPROVAL
Title

Name

Date 1

Date 2

COO

Charles Bowman

[Date 1]

[Date 2]

COR

Ellen Robinson

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