The Campus Club’s Dale Shephard Room provided a perfect venue for nearly 30 UMRA members and guests to interact with University of Minnesota Vice President Chris Gade for UMRA’s first Campus Conversation. His presentation focused on the new vision and strategy for University Marketing Communications (formerly University Relations). 

As the University recognizes its 175th anniversary in 2026, how it communicates its value, impact, and mission matters more than ever, Gade said. He highlighted the efforts to bring synergy and shared vision and strategy to elevating University excellence. He laid out a comprehensive marketing communications strategy that recognizes today’s rapidly changing media environment, wavering trust in all institutions, and varying levels of support for higher education. 

The conversation participants were, of course, eager to discuss the strategy behind the tagline — “Leave a Future” — for the University’s new brand. They posed thoughtful and challenging questions, and Gade provided candid and helpful responses.

Gade shared that a tagline, alone, lacks important context. The introduction of the refreshed brand, planned for the fall, will pair the tagline with other creative elements (visuals, voice and tone, key messages) that will bring context.

Gade provided an overview of the extensive testing and research that went into the effort, including quantitative and qualitative testing that paired “Leave a Future” with creative video and other media and resonated favorably with a broad set of stakeholders. 

“The ‘brand promise’ and tagline seek to convey the humanity of the University enterprise,” he explained. 

During a vigorous back-and-forth among audience members, reference was made to Nike’s “Just Do It” — which seems so perfect today, but was seen by some as too flip, if not blasphemous, when first rolled out in 1988.

Recognizing retirees as a key University constituency

An important moment during the conversation occurred when UMRA President Diane Young asked why it is that U of M retirees are often not included in the list of key University constituents—faculty, staff, students, and alumni. She cited the strong positive feelings, decades of professional service, and millions in financial contributions that UMRA members have given to the University. Gade’s response indicated he “heard the message,” and that his team will integrate U of M retirees more fully into content as a key University constituency going forward.

Following the conversation, an enthusiastic group of participants met for dinner in the Campus Club Bar. Their discussion reflected a clear consensus that this pilot offering was a success. It was the result of focus group meetings arranged by the University Retirees Volunteer Center (URVC) earlier in the year to identify ideas for providing stimulating interaction for UMRA members, and bring retirees back to the Campus Club. 

UMRA is planning a second “Campus Conversation” for the coming fall semester.

Located on the fourth floor of Coffman Memorial Union on the Twin Cities campus in Minneapolis, the Campus Club was founded in 1911. In 1976, the club’s board of directors invited a number of University retirees to begin socializing there as a group that, in May 1978, officially became the University of Minnesota Retirees Association. 

—Jerry Rinehart, URVC Leadership Council chair