Certified Communicator Program

The Certified Communicator Program from University Marketing Communications aims to provide SFA employees the tools needed to be effective, top-notch brand ambassadors.
Facilitated by UMC staff members predominantly through a livestreaming platform (usually Teams or Zoom), we offer nine modules and three levels of certification:
- Level 1 — Requires completion of foundations course + three others
- Level 2 — Level 1 + completion of three additional
- Level 3 — Completion of all nine modules
Programs open at the start of the academic year and close at the end of the spring semester. A graduation ceremony is held once per year, where those who complete any level are recognized and receive exclusive SFA swag.

Module Completion
- Certified Communicator modules are offered annually during the academic year, September through May. Each module is offered two to four times each year.
- Module completion progress carries over between years, meaning not all modules need to be completed in the same academic year to receive Level I, II or III certification.
Program Completion
- UMC will host a graduation event each spring to recognize individuals who have completed any program level that year. Honorees will receive enamel pins uniquely made for Certified Communicator Program graduates by UMC. Here’s a sneak peek of one:
- A graduation invitation will be emailed to appropriate individuals with event details.

Foundations: A crash course in UMC services and top-level info regarding our office’s functions and deadlines/processes to know.
Accessibility: Reviews accessibility practices, like alternative text and captioning, to ensure we’re staying not only ADA compliant but providing equal services to a broad range of abilities.
Advertising: Snapshot of the variety of avenues available to get your messages to the right audiences using print, digital and social advertising.
Brand Ambassador: Learn the specifics of SFA’s brand and how to promote the university in everyday roles.
Media Training: Learn traits of a newsworthy story and the best avenues for getting news out to the public.
Photo: Learn how to take compelling photos, select the best ones for your audience and tell a story through images.
Social Media: Review social media best practices, on-campus use, platform differences, and a bit about social listening and monitoring.
Social Videos: In a world where videos are in high demand, learn to highlight people, places and programs through short-form videos.
Web Presence: Understand SFA’s web architecture and learn tips on being proactive in keeping your area’s website updated.

Resources