References and Tools
Explore this list of references, guides, and regular meetings that university communicators can use to stay connected and aligned in their daily communications work. Find more tools and templates on the downloads page. For additional instructions on using references, guides, and tools, consult the how-to and FAQs page.
NOTE: These resources are available to order from a licensed print vendor. . Unlike letterhead, letterhead envelopes, and business cards, other designs may be created for these assets.
Planning Calendars and Regular Meetings
Calendars
- Editorial calendar for Virginia Tech News and the Daily Email — Used by the Communications and Marketing digital production team to plan the publishing schedule for stories or campus notices that have been loaded into Virginia Tech News. Questions? Email vtnews@vt.edu
Meetings
- For all communicators — 1st Wednesday of the month, 9 a.m.; contact Kelley Elliott (kelleyje@vt.edu) to be added to the meeting invite.
- For college and unit communications teams involved in storytelling activities — 2nd and 4th Wednesdays of the month, 9 a.m.; contact Kelley Elliott (kelleyje@vt.edu) to be added to the meeting invite.
- For greater DC metro area storytelling — Weekly on Tuesdays, 1:30-2 p.m.; contact Kerone Wetter (kwetter@vt.edu) to be added to the meeting invite.
- For greater DC metro area communications strategy — 2nd Wednesday of the month; contact Kerone Wetter (kwetter@vt.edu) to be added to the meeting invite.
- For media relations activities — Weekly on Tuesdays and Thursdays, 9 a.m.; contact Michael Stowe (mstowe@vt.edu) to be added to the meeting invite.
Guides and References
AP Stylebook
Limited seats, so only request access if you will be using it regularly. It is a writing style guide for journalists and the online version is searchable and sends email updates when changes are made. Questions/access? Email vtnews@vt.edu.
Blacksburg campus geography
Virginia Tech’s Blacksburg campus has an interactive campus map that features real-time update capabilities and a navigation tool that helps users find accessible pathways. You can also learn more about campus buildings on vt.edu.
Downloads and Templates
Includes brand guidelines, fonts, logos, messaging points, communications planning templates, and more.
Facts and figures
- About the university
- Academic goals and priorities
- History and traditions
- Facts about Virginia Tech
- Student overview
- Financial overview
- Rankings
- University Strategic Plan
- University Data Commons
- Analytics & Institutional Effectiveness
University style guide
This style guide notes specific rules and usages to be followed by authors and editors in Communications and Marketing and other campus communicators. It contains exceptions to both the "The Associated Press Stylebook" and "The Chicago Manual of Style." Where conflicts exist between this guide and other guides, this style guide takes precedence. For other general rules, use a primary style guide that pertains to the publication you are writing or editing.
Virginia Tech News Tags
Categories and definitions (choose one when building articles in the CMS)
- Academics: Stories related to colleges, departments, centers, and topics (such as data, music, and experiential learning).
- Campus experience: Glimpses of life for students, faculty, staff, alumni, donors, and friends in Blacksburg, Roanoke, D.C. area, commonwealth. Athletics & alumni events. Administrative news. Employee info. What it's like to be on our campus.
- Culture: Service and Ut Prosim. Arts, inclusion and diversity, history and traditions, corps. What it's like to be a part of Hokie Nation.
- Impact: Impact on Virginia and the world as a land-grant institution. Stories on philanthropy, outreach, engagement, economic development, partnerships, and alumni impacting their communities.
- Research: News from the colleges and research institutes; areas of specialty (drones, brain research, cybersecurity) where the university is leading the way; research in general; solving complex problems.
Tag usage
The Virginia Tech News website uses tags to feature content, trigger effects, and generally manage content relationships. View available Virginia Tech News tags and request new ones if needed. For more information on Virginia Tech News publishing, see the Virginia Tech News Guide.
Professional Development and Training
Virginia Tech Brand Education Program
The Virginia Tech Brand encapsulates the image, primary messaging, and various ways we represent the university. The following training modules will help you understand how to use the brand and what legal protections apply to licensing and trademarks.
General Virginia Tech best practices
General training for Virginia Tech employees
- PageUp learning library — related to compliance, human resources, fiscal, leadership, and diversity and inclusion.
- TLOS professional development — related to faculty engagement with technology for productivity, research, engagement, inclusion, assessment, and outreach.
- Virtual learning center — related to leading, working, and learning.
- LinkedIn Learning library — related to business, creative, and technology skills. Log into your LinkedIn account with your vt.edu email address to access the library.
- Business Analysis Foundations: Strategy Analysis
- How to Get Things Done Ahead of Deadlines
- Microsoft Teams: Working with Files
- Introduction to Graphic Design: Concepts
- Adobe
- Learning Canva
- Google Analytics 4 (GA4) Essential Training
- SEO (Search Engine Optimization) Basics
- Email and Newsletter Marketing Foundations
- Project Management Foundations
- Introduction to Social Media Strategy
- Social Media Monitoring: Strategies and Skills
- Content Creation: Strategy and Tools
- Optimizing Video Content for Social Media
- Social media — scroll to the Best Practices section and select “Presentations & Trainings” for previous sessions’ recordings.
- For current assistance and questions, email socialmedia-g@vt.edu.
- Working in Ensemble CMS — recordings of previous training sessions and documentation are available on this site.
- For current assistance and questions, click on the "Request CMS Support" link at the bottom right-hand corner of this page
Tools and Spaces
Communications and Marketing uses the following physical space and IT and Procurement-approved software to conduct daily business operations. For additional information on available tools and software for Virginia Tech employees, or to request a software review, please visit ITPALS.
Further details on collaboration tools, including how to request access.
- Adobe Campaign — Email software
- Adobe Creative Suite — Creative software
- Blackbaud/BBIS — Alumni and donor CRM software and email system
- Cision — Media software
- Ensemble CMS — Website software
- Falcon — Social media management software
- Slack — Collaboration software
- Studio — Physical space; Virginia Tech’s media relations team operates a fully equipped, professional video and radio broadcast studio in the Moss Arts Center to connect faculty and campus newsmakers with local, national, and international news media. Questions/access? Email mediarelations-g@vt.edu
- Tagboard — Social media and content aggregation software
- Wrike — Project management software