Office of Communications
Services
The Office of Communications offers an array of services, the majority of which are available free of charge to CAES faculty and staff. Clients need only pay material costs on most projects.
Consultation
Need help determining which communication product best meets your needs? OC professionals can make recommendations, offer opinions and give expert advice to assist you in making the right decision based on your individual needs and project scope. OC personnel can also consult with you at the onset of your project and help you develop a project budget based on cost estimates.
One-on-one personal consultations can be scheduled by submitting an OC job request.
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Design
- Annual reports
- Brochures
- Displays/exhibits
- Illustrations
- Infographics
- Newsletters
- Promotional items
- Signage
OC graphic artists are award-winning designers who each worked in and for private industry before joining the CAES. They understand the importance of visual presentation and are prepared to do their best to present your work in the best possible format. They can help your create displays and exhibits, illustrations, infographics, publications and many other communication products.
Displays and exhibits can be designed to fit your specific display hardware or exhibit system. There is no charge for exhibit design. However, there may be developmental, production and material charges (i.e. large-format printing paper, additional hardware, lamination…).
Illustrations can also be created to effectively communicate your specific project or program area. For example, many general clip art packages contain graphics that are not scientifically correct. OC designers can create line art illustrations that not only help present your work, but do so correctly.
Infographics that incorporate graphic design with numbers and statistics to catch the reader's eye can also be designed by OC's graphics team. Infographics present information in a format that is both easy to read and understand and can be used to enhance educational information in exhibits, poster sessions, videos and Web site design.
Publication design for annual reports, brochures, newsletters, and other promotional items can also be designed by OC artists.
To request assistance with these or other design projects, submit an OC job request.
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Distribution
The Office of Communications can also assist you with the distribution of materials and publications written and produced by our college faculty and staff.
Distribution of materials and publications is handled by Karen Kelley, sales and shipping coordinator in Athens. For more information, call 706/542-2657.
Both research and extension free and for-sale publications can be shipped. Visit the Publications Web site to view a complete listing.
Free college publications are no longer stored for distribution. Orders are taken on an as-needed basis and can be placed through the Print-On-Demand system or by contacting UGA Central Duplicating at 706/542-4440.
For-sale publications orders can be placed through the Office of Communications by calling 706/542-2657.top
Marketing
Educational marketing is aggressively learning what our clientele need and want, responding within our mission and reporting our impacts to key audiences. Our marketing specialist will advise you on marketing strategies to target your audiences with key messages and help you develop materials or locate vendors.
For marketing assistance, contact Marketing Professional Maria Bowie at 706/542-3908, email her at mbowie@uga.edu or submit an OC job request.
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Media Library
The college's media library is maintained and housed within the Office of Communications. The library is filled with audio-visual resource materials available for college personnel to check out for use in trainings and educational programs. Library materials are available in VHS, CD and downloadable Web format.
Visit the online Media Catalog to view a complete listing or call Tommy Roach at 706/542-2432 if you have specific questions.
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Presentations
PowerPoint templates are available to assist you in creating digital presentations to be used at your next training, workshop or professional meeting.
Templates and user guides are also available to assist you in developing large format poster sessions using PowerPoint.
- Cooperative Extension templates:
User Manual (pdf) | Two column layout | Three column layout - Research templates:
User Manual (pdf) | Two column layout | Three column layout
On the Griffin Campus, large format posters may be printed at the OC office's work station. Your department or program will be charged for the printing cost. For more information on this service, contact OC Designer Dana Mays at 770/229-3219.
On the Tifton Campus, large format posters may be printed through the UGA Tifton Campus Conference Center. Call 229/391-6914 or 229/386-3821 for scheduling and pricing information.
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Print Services
OC's Tifton Campus Print Service Center can assist you with finish work including binding, stapling, padding (notepads), folding, punching and trim work. The center can also laminate small scale printed materials.
For more information on these services, contact Betty Cushion at 229/386-3456 or email her at bcushion@uga.edu.
Note: Vinyl banners, brochures and table-top displays can be designed and printed by the UGA Tifton Campus Conference Center. For scheduling and pricing information, call 229/391-6914 or 229/386-3821.
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Publications
OC publications editors assist CAES faculty by editing and formatting numbered extension and research publications. Visit the college's publications Web site to review the list of current publications.
For editorial assistance, call 706/542-1952 or submit an OC job request.
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Public Affairs
The OC Pubic Affairs team works closely with Georgia, regional and national media to promote news from the college to the public.
News Stories: CAES news editors write news articles that relate the expertise and impact of college programs. OC writers can interview you regarding your project(s), write a news article, have you approve it for accuracy and distribute the finished articles to the appropriate media outlets. OC news editors pitch articles to media sources based on each individual article’s scope and audience. Many of these articles are distributed weekly through the college's news distribution center (Georgia FACES). They often appear in the college's magazine, Southscapes, and are used in university publications like Columns, Georgia magazine, Research magazine and Outreach magazine.
Radio Programs: Georgia Audio is the statewide radio service operated by OC's radio producer. Each weekday, the service distributes a 30 to 45-second radio story using experts from the CAES, the College of Family and Consumer Sciences and the Warnell School of Forest Resources. Radio stations across Georgia subscribe to the service. According to Arbitron, each radio story has an approximate audience of 50,000 listeners. OC's radio producer also writes and producers public service announcements which are used by county agents across the state and aired by Georgia radio stations, too.
The CAES Media Policy recommends faculty and select staff complete the basic "Working with the Media" training from OC trainers. This introductory course will prepare you to promote your program area to print, radio and television media outlets.
For promotion of one of your projects, contact PA Team Leader Faith Peppers at 770/640-4840, email her at pepper@uga.edu or submit an OC job request.
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Training
OC offers training in many areas of communications for departments, Extension districts, Winter School, Master Gardeners or other college events and groups.
Available training topics include, but are not limited to,
- Web site design and maintenance,
- marketing
- writing and editing,
- newsletter creation and design,
- media relations,
- preparing for media crises,
- handling controversial issues, and
- writing impact statements.
Additional online tutorials and tips are available from the Office of Communications.
To request a particular training, contact OC Director Anne Young at 706/542-5580, email her at apyoung@uga.edu or submit an OC job request.
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Web and Multimedia
OC Web strategists specialize in developing Web site and new media content and design for collaborative projects involving scientists from multiple disciplines within the college. They work in concert with the College Web Team and collaborate with specialists from the Office of Information Technology (OIT) who handle database development and other technical issues.
To request help with a Web project, contact Web Team Leader Cindy Esco at 229/386-3349, email her at cmesco@uga.edu or submit an OC job request.
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Writing and Editing
OC writers and editors can assist you in ensuring your text is grammatically correct and written in the most precise and understandable form. They write, revise and edit text for news articles, publications, newsletters, Web sites and many other communication products. On average, the unit's writers have some 20 years of experience working with the written word.
To request help writing or editing text for a communications product, contact PA Team Leader Faith Peppers at 770/640-4840, email her at pepper@uga.edu or submit an OC job request.
can be accessed or submitted on the Web at impact.caes.uga.edu.
This Web site also provides a list of frequently asked questions regarding impact statements and tips on writing impact statements.
Each year the college collects impact statements detailing the effect of teaching, research and extension programs. Impact statements are short reports that explain the situation that prompted a program, the college's response to the situation (what program was put in place) and the final impact (results of the program). The statements are submitted electronically and set up in a Web-based searchable database.
If you have more specific questions regarding impact statements, contact retired OC Marketing Specialist Janet Rodekohr by email at jrodekohr@bellsouth.net.

