Colleges working to change the perception of Sarasota-Manatee among young people

When asked to describe the Sarasota-Manatee area, typical responses include: “Beautiful beaches. Eclectic restaurants. Great place to retire. A thriving arts scene. Breathtaking weather.” And also, “Not a hot spot for young people.” The Consortium of Colleges on the Creative Coast, otherwise known as “C4,” is working to change that last perception through a collective co-branding campaign.

The higher education partners at New College of Florida, Ringling College of Art and Design, State College of Florida Manatee-Sarasota, The Ringling College, and the University of South Florida Sarasota-Manatee have solicited the help of the talented students at Ringling College to take a detailed look at branding the C4 and the collective power our institutions have on our community.

Over the past year, we have collected feedback from students, faculty, staff and alumni as well as local business and community leaders regarding what they thought the main objectives should be for the consortium. We took those ideas and suggestions to the students from The Ringling Collaboratory to help us paint a picture of what the consortium means to this region. Those students will spend the next several weeks developing a comprehensive campaign to help shift the reputation of our community from primarily a retiree and vacation destination into a broader image that also encompasses a vibrant college town filled with entertainment and other offerings attractive to young adults on par with those of a larger city.

Collectively, the institutions in the consortium mirror the profile of a large university. Over 15,000 students, 400 full-time faculty and 1,500 employees call Sarasota-Manatee home thanks to the variety of higher education institutions located here.

What impact does that have on the area?

It means that as our 3,000 annual graduates move from classroom to career, they provide local businesses and organizations with a steady stream of workforce-ready applicants for their available jobs and future growth.

It means our local high school students have 133 high-quality academic degree programs to choose from at one of our higher education institutions without leaving the 941 area code.

It means that when large businesses decide where to build a new headquarters, they don’t have to choose between a great location and a place with a highly trained workforce, because our area has both.

And it means the community has a broad range of intellectual, cultural and social programs and activities offered on a regular basis by our varied institutions that enrich the quality of life for all.

This really is a college town, although many people don’t know it yet. But they will soon!

When the students present their co-branding campaign strategy in the coming weeks, we will likely see a cohesive visual identity, a new logo and maybe even a new name for the consortium. However, the most important thing we will have is a new story to tell about the Sarasota-Manatee area. How we tell that story will determine how the perception of our area changes.

Our story does not only belong to those of us in the consortium, but rather is one for the entire community to share. We invite you all to join us in showcasing the successes of our higher education institutions. We need your support to continue to develop our community into a place where young adults, and particularly our graduates, want to live, learn, work and play.

When we launch our new, unified brand this winter, we hope you will share our pride, take ownership in our new identity, and help us tell our story. When you brag about where you live to friends, still tell them about the beaches and the restaurants. Still tell them about the arts and the philanthropic nature of the community. Still tell them about the fabulous weather. But, also tell them about our institutions of higher education. Tell them about our nationally recognized academic programs and award-winning faculty. Tell them about the opportunities for innovation and the vast array of events hosted on our campuses. And especially tell them about our students and the tremendous talent produced here, because one day those students will be the business owners and community leaders that Sarasota-Manatee relies on.

Let’s start talking about who we already are!

This story was originally published November 19, 2016 at 3:37 PM with the headline "Colleges working to change the perception of Sarasota-Manatee among young people."