1. rivestrength. support. success.
LB
California state university, Long Beach
Bateman 2016 presents
CommanderS:
Officers:
Joni Ramirez, faculty adviser
Jolyn Matsumuro, Professional adviser
Ruben Diaz Megan Gilbreath Genesis Godoy
Melina Martinez Jordan Mauldin
Dedicated. Courageous. Intelligent. Driven.
Friendly. Reliable. Loyal. Approachable.
Active. Trustworthy. Respected. Wise. Brave.
Honorable. Humble. Positive. Smart. Eager.
Experienced. Respectful. Ambitious. Honest.
Amazing. Selfless. Goal-oriented. Structured.
Proud. Polite. Organized. Hard working.
Determinded. Great. Disciplined. Motivated.
Descriptions of student veterans from open response
question in survey of CSULB students
Student Veteran noun
(stood-nt vet-er-uh-n) 1. a person who is:

2. Campaign overview
STRIVE Campaign Summary 2
Photo Gallery 10
Highlight Reel & Campaign Video 14
Research
Secondary Research 15
Focus Group 16
In-Depth Interviews 17
VET NET Ally Seminar 19
Survey Results 20
Action Planning
Budget 23
Campaign Timeline 24
Our Partners 25
Donation Letter 26
Sponsors 27
Logo Rationale 28
Communication
Media List 29
Pitch Letter 30
Media Advisory 31
Press Release 32
Post-Releases 33
Social Media 35
Weebly Feature Stories 44
Campaign Fliers 47
Veteran Career Development Panel Program 49
STRIVE Brochure 50
VET NET Brochure & Flier 51
VET NET Ally Infographic & Flier 52
Evaluation
Media Coverage 53
Proclamation 59
Letters of Appreciation 60
Campaign Exposure & Production Equivalency 62
Social Media Analytics 63
Social Media Confirmation Letter 68

3. STRIVE Brief (Executive Summary)
Student veterans are the unsung heroes walking among us at colleges across the country. Although they may
have risked their lives to protect our country, student veterans often face a lack of resources, support and
advocacy when they come back from their military careers and pursue a higher education.
The California State University, Long Beach (CSULB) Bateman team conducted research to determine how we
can support these deserving individuals, to identify resources available to them, to better understand the client
and target audiences, and to help us create our campaign goals. Our secondary research helped us to
understand Student Veterans of America (SVA): what it is, what it does, key messages and how we can help
increase awareness and increase membership. Primary research informed us about our target audiences: how
they think, what they want and what they know, as well as on-campus perceptions of student veterans.
We found that while 83 percent of student veterans at CSULB are taking advantage of their G.I. Bill benefits,
only 4 percent are members of VET NET (CSULB’s SVA chapter). And though 51 percent have heard of VET
NET, they are not sure what it does; 32 percent have never heard of it. With low participation and awareness,
the CSULB Bateman team needed to introduce VET NET to student veterans so they can utilize resources at
their disposal. We also found that 100 percent of the CSULB community has a positive or neutral view of
student veterans, and 81 percent would like to support them by hearing their success stories.
Leveraging the support of the CSULB community and on-campus events, we created the STRIVE: Strength.
Support. Success. campaign. We used a student-veteran focus group to guide our campaign’s logo and
theme. Our team focused on raising awareness and educating target audiences about VET NET as well as
highlighting the strengths of being a student veteran to further increase community support. We tabled at
multiple events, recruited student veterans to share their success stories through social media and news
outlets, held a career and development workshop with successful veterans as panelists, showcased a
successful student veteran by having him sing the national anthem to an audience of nearly 4,000 spectators,
and distributed ribbons and created a STRIVE Wall for the community to pledge support to student veterans.
STRIVE reached more than 7,500 people face-to-face, and 699 people pledged their support to student
veterans. Through 5 media placements, we generated 161,965 impressions with an advertising value
equivalency (AVE) of $6,022 and a return on investment of 20. Furthermore, we produced 146,421 social media
impressions. STRIVE increased awareness of student veterans and SVA throughout CSULB and Long Beach.
Through a team effort between the CSULB community and the CSULB Bateman team, we conquered our
mission to support our student veterans, and VET NET will continue to STRIVE for them.
Mission (Situation Analysis)
Student veterans are part of colleges and universities across the nation, and they can serve as the role models
in the classroom. With the skills they develop in the military – dedication, a sense of teamwork and a
commitment to their work – they can be an example to their fellow students and help them develop those skills
as well. Unfortunately, student veterans can often face lack of support, resources and advocacy when they’re
pursuing degrees from institutions of higher learning.
SVA is a non-profit coalition of 1,200+ student veteran organizations representing 440,000 veterans in higher
education to help fill this gap and help student veterans succeed both in higher education and after graduation.
SVA partnered with Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA) to raise awareness and spark local
and national dialogue around the importance of education through the Bateman Case Study Competition.
Boot Camp (Secondary Research)
After reviewing websites that focused on SVA and student veteran issues, as well as other support services that
aim at serving student veterans, we were able to develop strategies to help us successfully implement our plan.
 43 percent of U.S. military veterans do not know or have no opinion on whether charities and nonprofit
organizations are doing enough to support student veterans, while 34 percent said they do not do enough.
 54 percent of U.S. military veterans think that corporations are not doing enough to support veterans.

4. “
Researched showed CSULB has an Office of Veterans Services with the following services for student
veterans:
 Advising: Veterans Advisor provides assistance to student veterans from application through graduation, as
well as info on how to use G.I. Bill benefits.
 Outreach: Presents information about education benefits to veterans, service members and dependents.
 Advocacy: Supports student veterans by referring them to appropriate campus resources that provide
tutoring, counseling and other important services.
 VETSUCCESS: Partners with the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs to provide onsite VA Counselor to assist
with outreach, transition support, referrals for medical and mental health services, and other services.
 VET NET Ally: Faculty and staff awareness program that features a four-hour seminar designed to educate
the university community about student veterans.
We reviewed SVA’s website, which showed us what it offers to student veterans:
 Funds scholarships, provides leadership training, protects the post-9/11 G.I. Bill, conducts research, develops
corporate partnerships that fund student-veterans success and creates an alumni network.
Charting the map (Primary Research)
We conducted pre-campaign surveys with student veterans and the CSULB community, a focus group with
student veterans and two in-depth interviews. We also completed the VET NET Ally program training, certifying
Bateman team members as vet friendly. Our primary research helped focus and direct our STRIVE campaign.
Community Survey
We collected 66 responses from the CSULB community with questions that focused on the perception of
veterans. The survey gave us insight on the community’s perception on student veterans and how the
community would want to support them.
 100 percent have a positive (84 percent) or neutral (16 percent) view of student veterans.
 81 percent are interested in hearing veteran success stories via news outlets and social media, and
58 percent would participate in on-campus events highlighting student veterans.
 55 percent thought CSULB’s community is supportive, and 45 percent had a neutral view or no opinion on the
sense of CSULB’s community support for student veterans.
 When asked to describe student veterans, there was a common theme of words used, such as dedicated,
hard-working, humble, friendly and honest.
Student Veteran Survey
We collected 99 responses from student veterans with
questions focused on veteran issues. This survey helped us to
create objectives for our STRIVE campaign.
 83 percent pay for school with the G.I. Bill.
 72 percent are comfortable sharing their military experiences
with others.
 33 percent found career development events appealing.
 51 percent of student veterans have heard of VET NET, but
they are not sure what it does.
 20 percent stated they are VET NET members (4 percent of
all student veterans are members).
Focus Group
We conducted a focus group during one of VET NET’s general meetings with 10 members. This allowed us to
test our campaign’s logo, theme and ideas.
 When asked what the word “strive” means to them, participants viewed the term positively, stating that it
implies to “strive for excellence and commitment” and “be the best you.”
 Participants responded positively toward “Strength. Support. Success” as the theme tagline vs. to the
acronym “Striving Toward Reshaping the Image of Veteran students Everywhere.”
 Participants thought sharing student-veteran stories would help humanize veterans and bridge the gap
between mainstream students and veterans.

5. Interviews
We conducted in-depth interviews with Marshall Thomas, director of Veterans Services at CSULB, and Leah
Sakacs, president of VET NET. These interviews provided us with direction to help focus our campaign.
 To access G.I. Bill benefits, students must go through Veterans Services.
 Veterans Services has an email distribution – Mail Call – to all student veterans accessing G.I. Bill benefits.
 There is a lack of support and sensitivity from faculty, classmates and the CSU system at large.
 There are approximately 500 CSULB veterans; roughly 20 are enrolled in VET NET.
 It is hard to get faculty to genuinely want to participate in VET NET Ally.
 The term “broken veteran” should not be used on campus because it will implant the idea into people’s minds.
VET NET Ally Seminar
We participated in VET NET Ally training to better understand student veterans.
 We learned about various aspects of military culture and how to act around veterans, such as the following:
the “chain of command” learned in the military can be very rigid and has a lasting impact on the individual;
often the transition back home is best bridged with college; and refrain from discussing war with veterans
unless it relates to course content.
recruits (Target Audiences)
Primary Audiences
 Students, faculty and staff at CSULB
o Millennials – 18-33 years old
o Generation X – 34-54 years old
o Student Veterans – 25-40 years old
Secondary Audiences
 Long Beach community
 Local media
Radio transmissions (Key Messages)
Student veterans are strong, ambitious leaders in their communities.
 Strength: They evoke strength through their journeys and perseverance.
 Support: They are leaders in their communities and give back.
 Success: They are undeniably ambitious and enhanced by their experiences in the military.
Obstacle course (Challenges & Opportunities)
Challenge: Student veteran involvement was
inconsistent due to lack of time and resistance to
involvement. There was also a high regard for
their privacy and often didn’t want to be identified
as veterans.
Opportunity: The stories we featured by student
veterans and their participation at events became
meaningful and impactful throughout the campaign.
This also became an opportunity to increase VET
NET membership and involvement.
Challenge: With a campus community of over
37,000 students, most of who are commuters,
engagement and participation is difficult.
Opportunity: Our team had to find ways to get
commuter students to participate, like tabling in
high-traffic areas and leveraging events with a built-
in audience.
Challenge: Our location is not ideal for television
media coverage. Long Beach is the seventh
largest city in California but television crews are
located in Los Angeles (30 miles away).
Opportunity: It takes major news to get media
crews out to Long Beach; as a result we focused on
maximizing our media coverage through local online
and print publications.
Challenge: On-campus campaign contacts were
adamant that the term “broken veteran” not be
used.
Opportunity: We were able to create a campaign
that depicted the strength of student veterans and
leadership on our campus and communities without
any negative connotations or preconceived notions.

6. “
Aim point (Goals)
Based on our research and the needs of SVA, we focused on the following campaign goals:
1. Increase campus and community awareness about SVA, VET NET and successful student veterans.
2. Encourage student veteran academic and professional success by promoting campus resources and
encouraging support from the CSULB community at large.
Targets (Objectives)
Objective #1: To expose 5,000 members of our target audiences
to the STRIVE campaign and VET NET.
Objective #2: To secure at least one on-campus and one off-
campus media placement mentioning
VET NET, SVA or STRIVE.
Objective #3: To capture 550 combined social media and
website hits and 10,000 impressions using
Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Weebly.
Objective #4: To double VET NET membership and increase
VET NET Ally participation during 2016-2017
school year.
Embarkation phase (Strategies & Tactics)
Strategy #1: Develop unique, memorable and patriotic campaign highlighting student veteran success stories.
Rationale: To capture the CSULB community, we focused on creating an impactful campaign that directly
connected to veterans.
Tactics
 Create a unique, memorable and patriotic campaign theme. Our campaign name and slogan – STRIVE:
Strength. Support. Success. – strategically focused on associating positive descriptive words with student
veterans. The word “strive” is defined as “making great efforts to achieve or obtain something.” Student
veterans represent this definition, and STRIVE aimed to help debunk the broken veteran stigma. Our slogan
further developed from the desire for student veterans to be depicted and what the campaign was all about:
featuring the strength of student veterans, increasing awareness of campus resources, and encouraging their
success academically and professionally.
 Create a unique, patriotic and relevant logo. The stencil typeface directly associated with military lifestyle,
and the American flag reflected a correlation to veterans. After a variety of drafts, the final concept embodied
input from our student-veteran focus group. Participants stated that the American flag was crucial for the logo
to be relevant and patriotic. Additionally, the STRIVE logo exhibited minimalistic design to attract our target
audiences and reflected SVA colors.
Strategy #2: Provide face-to-face opportunities to interact with our target audiences and share STRIVE and
VET NET information.
Rationale: To fully reach the CSULB community, direct connection with individuals was crucial to extend
outreach and establish campus presence.
Tactics
 Leverage high attendance events on campus and in the community to promote the STRIVE campaign.
Having only one month to gain traction for the STRIVE campaign, we tied our campaign to student and
community driven events already occurring at CSULB. The STRIVE team tabled at the 2016 Spring Job and
Internship Fair, Clothing Swap and a CSULB men’s basketball game.
 Host Party in the U.S.A. signature pledge wall event. At the Party in the U.S.A. event, we gathered 229
pledge signatures from the CSULB community at large showcasing their support for student veterans. With
each signature, the American flag was formed on a large canvas. We also partnered with CSULB’s ROTC to
host a Train like a Cadet fitness challenge. Long Beach City Councilwoman Suzie Price presented us with the
Student Veteran Day proclamation.

7. Strategy #3: Create partnerships and gain support from CSULB organizations and local leaders to extend
campaign outreach.
Rationale: By garnering the support of relevant campus organizations and leaders in the community, we would
reach CSULB community members and the local Long Beach community, encouraging support for VET NET
and CSULB student veterans.
Tactics
 Partner with veteran and military related organizations on campus to garner support, increase
outreach and directly connect with student veterans on campus. The STRIVE team partnered with
CSULB Veteran Resources, CSULB’s ROTC and VET NET to launch a relevant campaign, reach our student
veteran target audience and leverage the organization’s resources and information.
 Partner with CSULB Athletics Department to create student veterans night during the last men’s
basketball game of the season. At the last CSULB men’s basketball game of the season, student veteran
Andy Meats sang the national anthem alongside the CSULB ROTC Color Guard as student veterans were
honored for the night. We also tabled and distributed 470 yellow ribbons to students to showcase support for
our student veterans.
 Garner support for the STRIVE campaign from CSULB and Long Beach City leaders. We met with
CSULB President Jane Conoley to garner her support for the STRIVE campaign. President Conoley
supported our campaign by sharing social media content and encouraging participation from CSULB. At the
basketball game, President Conoley and City Councilwoman Suzie Price showed their support by wearing
yellow ribbons alongside 470 students. Price also attended our Party in the U.S.A. event to pledge her
support and present us with the Student Veterans Day.
 Enlist the support of a sports team or relevant celebrity to increase traction among our target
audiences. To increase campaign outreach across our target audiences, specifically millennials, we aimed to
find a celebrity or sports team to advocate for our campaign. We were able to get Snoop Dogg, a Long Beach
native, to support our campaign by signing CSULB gear to raffle off to participants at various STRIVE events.
Strategy #4: Highlight successful student veterans.
Rationale: Focusing on successful student veterans will help dispel the broken veteran stigma.
Tactics
 Work with student veterans to pen student-veteran STRIVE stories. The STRIVE campaign revolved
around creating a conversation around the powerful stories submitted by our CSULB student veterans and
VET NET members. Each story started with “I strive for…” to directly tie into our campaign theme. The stories
were featured on our Weebly page, shared via social media and pitched to media.
 Feature Student Veteran Andy Meats singing the national anthem at the men’s basketball game.
Having student veterans honored for the night, it was fitting for student-veteran success to be displayed by
having Andy Meats sing the national anthem alongside ROTC’s Color Guard.
 Secure proclamation declaring Student Veterans Day in the City of Long Beach. To ensure continuity of
student veteran appreciation, we petitioned the City of Long Beach to officially recognize student veterans.
As a result, the City of Long Beach declared March 5 (the day of the men’s basketball game) Student
Veterans Day.
Strategy #5: Create original content.
Rationale: Since repetition is key for remembrance, we utilized consistent materials highlighting VET NET,
STRIVE and student veteran success stories to establish a presence.
Tactics
 Create informational brochures and handouts illustrating the STRIVE campaign key messages and
highlighting our clients, VET NET and SVA. We created brochures and handouts to spread information
about SVA and VET NET, and increase involvement at events we participated in and hosted.
 Create eye-catching fliers and content to increase visibility and establish branding. We created eye-
catching fliers and partnered with departments throughout campus to spread the word about our campaign
and gain traction. By posting around campus and having departments on campus send mass emails about
our campaign, we were able to increase community support and gain traction from the CSULB community.

8. Strategy #6: Pitch STRIVE campaign and veterans stories to local media.
Rationale: Reaching out to local media on and off-campus helped leverage the STRIVE campaign, increasing
awareness while extending the reach of our campaign.
Tactics
 Write a press release and other content to pitch STRIVE campaign to
local media outlets. To increase our awareness throughout the Long Beach
community, we created press releases, photo releases and media advisories
about our events, student veteran feature stories and overall campaign to
pitch to local media and inform the Long Beach community at large.
 Pitch STRIVE campaign events and veteran feature stories to
off-campus and on-campus media. We pitched local media including the
Press-Telegram, Gazettes and Long Beach Beachcomber regarding the
STRIVE campaign, our events and CSULB student veteran feature stories.
We also pitched the same concepts of our campaign to campus media
including Daily 49er (university newspaper), College Beat (university
television) and DIG (university magazine). Having the stories featured on
local and campus media started the conversation about student-veteran
strength, the importance of supporting our student veterans and encouraging
their academic success.
Strategy #7: Create an integrated social media campaign that engages and educates targets audiences about
student veterans and related resources.
Rationale: A strong online presence increased awareness of the STRIVE campaign and its key messages and
created opportunities for interaction.
Tactics
 Create a campaign Facebook page. The STRIVE Facebook page allowed us to supplement the VET NET
Facebook page to communicate key messages, post media coverage, share our student veteran feature
stories, invite our community to our events and increase interaction with our target audiences. Our student-
veteran focus group also informed us that Facebook was their preferred platform. At the end of the campaign,
the Facebook page was taken down because VET NET already had its own page.
 Create a campaign Twitter page. The Twitter page allowed us to further interact live with a variety of
audiences through our brief tweets and messages. Igniting instant communication, we were retweeted and
featured by our CSULB President Conoley, the official CSULB Twitter page and other campus organizations.
At the end of the campaign, the account was transitioned to VET NET, which did not have Twitter.
 Create a campaign Instagram page. Instagram being one of the most popular social media platforms
among millennials due to its visual appeal, it became an essential tool for our campaign. After Facebook, our
focus group and research proved that Instagram was a necessary platform for any campaign. We were able
to also share live pictures from events, hold our selfie social media contest and share photos of our student
veterans. At the end of the campaign, the page was transitioned to VET NET, which did not have an
Instagram account.
 Create a campaign website to feature student veteran stories. Through Weebly, we were able to direct
traffic from our social media to our student veteran feature stories page. As we aimed to highlight CSULB
student veterans in a deserving and righteous light, a place of their own was ideal to continue the
conversation and pass on to VET NET at the end of the campaign.
 Host social media contests at events. We hosted a contest at the CSULB men’s basketball game where
students needed to post a yellow ribbon selfie and use our #strivelb hashtag to be entered into a raffle to win
CSULB gear signed by Snoop Dogg. They could also win gear by signing our Party in the U.S.A. pledge wall.
We used gift cards to reach out to the student section at the basketball game and invited them to find a
hidden American flag sticker under one lucky seat and claim their prize through an Instagram selfie with our
#strivelb hashtag.
 Encourage social media users to interact with SVA affiliates and CSULB affiliates. On every post across
social media platforms, we ensured interaction with our SVA affiliates and other relevant organizations
through tagging. We were able to redirect our traffic to our clients and partners and increase traction for
STRIVE through third-party likes and followers.
VET NET, SVA or CSULB
Veterans Services was
mentioned in 88 percent of
STRIVE media coverage.

9. Strategy #8: Revamp VET NET image at CSULB through informational materials and events to encourage
continuity of student veteran support beyond the STRIVE campaign.
Rationale: Ensuring a uniform and reestablished VET NET presence will make marketing to increase
membership and connecting with student veterans more efficient.
Tactics
 Ensure the uniformity of all VET NET web and social media content. The organization is now more easily
identifiable and accessible to those interested. We also handed off all platforms created to the organization to
maintain audience engagement and uphold interaction.
 Recreate VET NET mission statement as they adopted STRIVE: Strength. Support. Success. as its
official new slogan and logo. VET NET leadership thought the key messages in our STRIVE campaign
were representative of its mission statement and decided to adopt STRIVE as its official new slogan. To
depict one clear and uniform message, we also recreated the organization’s mission statement.
 Create informational materials for VET NET for promotion. We designed and printed VET NET brochures
and fliers, providing an overview of the organization and the benefits of membership. These will continue to
be used throughout in the future to increase awareness and membership.
 Host Veteran Career Development Panel. The STRIVE team reached out to veteran professionals from
various fields and invited them to come speak to our CSULB student veterans. The main topic was
transitioning from military to civilian life and leveraging military experience in the workforce. The panel
attracted student veterans outside of VET NET, encouraging membership and career development. A
highlight video of the event will live in perpetuity on the VET NET Facebook page as a resource.
 Create video about VET NET in partnership with Associated Students Inc. Productions at CSULB.
Based on our research, some student veterans were not aware of VET NET or convinced to join. By having
the organization featured on Beach Buzz, a monthly segment highlighting a student organization on campus,
we are aiming to increase VET NET campus presence and provide a visual overview of the organization. This
content will be able to be used during CSULB student-veteran orientations and encourage membership. The
segment will be released at the end of April 2016 and always available on YouTube.
Strategy #9: Promote VET NET Ally via marketing materials and media coverage.
Rationale: Having the right materials to market the seminar at CSULB and other institutions across the U.S. will
continue to help create safe and resourceful environments for student veterans.
Tactic
 Pitch VET NET Ally seminar to an on-campus publication for the seminar in April. To increase
participation from the CSULB community and continue to gain support for student veterans beyond the
STRIVE campaign, we ensured a Daily 49er media placement to be published during the month of April right
before this semester’s VET NET Ally seminar.
 Create updated generic marketing materials to promote VET NET Ally seminars. We created generic
and customizable marketing VET NET Ally materials to provide to institutions when scheduling seminars.
End state (Evaluation)
Objective #1: Exceeded
To expose 5,000 members of our target audiences to the
STRIVE campaign and VET NET.
The STRIVE team handed out a total of 306 informational
materials, 41 people participated in our Snoop Dogg raffle
contest, 229 signatures were collected for our pledge wall, 470
basketball game attendees wore a yellow ribbon during the
men’s basketball game, 2,800 students attended the 2016
Spring Job and Internship Fair, 3,722 people were exposed to
the STRIVE campaign at the men’s basketball game and over
20 people attended other events in which STRIVE participated.
The total number of target audience members reached by the
STRIVE campaign was 7,583, which exceeded our objective
by 66 percent.
At a CSULB basketball game, 470 CSULB
attendees wore a yellow ribbon to
showcase student veteran support and
3,722 people were exposed to the STRIVE
campaign.

10. Objective #2: Exceeded
To secure at least one on-campus and one off-campus media placement mentioning VET NET, SVA
or STRIVE.
The STRIVE campaign garnered a total of 161,965 media impressions with an advertising value equivalency
(AVE) of $6,022 and a return on investment of 20 – 88 percent of articles mentioned SVA, VET NET or CSULB
Veterans Services, and 100 percent mentioned STRIVE. We secured 3 on-campus and 2 off-campus media
placements:
 Daily 49er – 1 story (print and online) and 1 photo placement (print)
 DIG – 1 story (online)
 Gazettes – 1 story (online and print)
 Press Telegram – 1 story (online and print)
Four additional media placements are pending:
 Daily 49er – Feature story on VET NET Ally to be published mid-April
(before the next training)
 ASI Productions/Beach Buzz – Video feature that will be released at
the end of April on University Student Union televisions and online
 College Beat Television – Online video feature
 K Beach Radio – On-air and online radio placement
Objective #3: Exceeded
To capture 550 combined social media and website hits and 10,000 impressions using Facebook,
Twitter, Instagram and Weebly.
Our STRIVE social media platforms received 524 followers and likes, 882 Instagram likes, 183 Weebly page
clicks, 126 unique page visitors and 146,421 impressions on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Objective #4: In Progress
To double VET NET membership and increase VET NET Ally participation during 2016-2017 school year.
With only a month of implementation, there was only so much the STRIVE team could do to increase
membership, especially late in the spring semester. However, we put in place informational materials, a
revamped organizational image and opportunities for increased awareness such as the ASI Production feature.
While we are unable to measure the success of our objective now, our efforts were meant to leave a legacy and
continue to garner deserved support for our CSULB student veterans.
Hail and farewell (Conclusion)
While a month is a limited amount of time to build support and
awareness at CSULB, we were able to inform, demonstrate and
inspire our community. The CSULB Bateman team increased the
VET NET presence during the campaign and for years to come.
At the beginning of the campaign, VET NET and our student
veterans were mostly thought of during veterans-related
holidays. By March 15, STRIVE had informed and inspired
CSULB and Long Beach to continue to highlight our former
service members and provide them with deserved support to
advance academically and professionally.
The STRIVE campaign garnered 161,965 media impressions,
reached 7,583 individuals, produced 146,421 impressions on social media and a total of 699 people pledged
their support for our student veterans. Our AVE was $6,022 for a total ROI of 20. The results from our campaign
will continue to benefit VET NET and student veterans at CSULB for years to come.
Our campaign was created around powerful storytelling by student veterans and appealed to the interests of our
target audiences. STRIVE created engaging feature stories, interactive events and informational materials, and
it left continuity to encourage future success of VET NET and its members. Although our campaign has come to
an end, our student veterans continue to STRIVE at CSULB and in their communities.
CSULB’s daily newspaper
highlighted a student veteran’s
story. STRIVE garnered 161,965
total media impressions.
CSULB students signed their names
pledging to support student veterans,
contributing to STRIVE’s 699 total pledges.

11. Spring Job and Internship Fair
Veteran Career Development Panel
Megan and Ruben join panelists
Cesar Baldemar (Department of
Homeland Security), Ling Shao
(Optum), Dan Cervantes (Cal-Am
Properties) and Brian Brown
(Faraday Future and U.S. Army)
and moderator Dr. Marshall
Thomas (Director of Veterans
Services at CSULB).
Panelists and moderator Dr. Marshall
Thomas listen as Cesar Baldemar explains
how his military experience helped him
professionally.
Megan and Genesis prepare the STRIVE table. The STRIVE team tables at the event.
Genesis directs student veterans to
vet-friendly employers.
Ruben and Genesis explain the STRIVE
campaign to attendees.

12. Basketball Game
The STRIVE team tables at the men’s basketball game.
Student Veteran Andy Meats shows support for fellow
veterans as he wears his yellow ribbon.
Meats sings the national anthem to open
the men’s basketball game.
Megan hands out yellow ribbons for attendees to show
support for CSULB student veterans.
CSULB students show off their
yellow ribbons.

13. CSULB President Jane Conoley shows her support for
student veterans and the STRIVE campaign.
Clothing Swap
A marine proudly wears his yellow
ribbon supporting student veterans.
Students cheer on the men’s team as they
wear their yellow ribbons.
The STRIVE team tables at the
Clothing Swap.
Student veterans sort through
clothing to swap or donate.
Students swap their
clothing for a fresh new
outfit.

14. Party in the U.S.A.
College Beat TV interviews members
of CSULB’s ROTC.
Students participate in the ROTC
Train like a Cadet fitness challenge.
Long Beach City
Councilwoman
Suzie Price
presents the
STRIVE team
with a proclamation
declaring March 5th
Student
Veteran Day in the
City of Long Beach.
The STRIVE
team hands the
proclamation
to VET NET
President
Leah Sakacs.
CSULB students sign their names pledging to
support student veterans.
Melina explains the STRIVE wall
Concept to fellow students.
The STRIVE team and ROTC
celebrate a successful day in
front of the STRIVE wall.

15. Highlight Reel & Campaign Videos

16. Dedicated. Courageous. Intelligent.
Driven. Friendly. Reliable. Loyal.
Approachable. Active. Trustworthy.
Respected. Wise. Brave. Honorable.
Humble. Positive. Smart. Eager.
Experienced. Respectful. Ambitious.
Honest. Amazing. Goal-oriented.
Selfless. Structured. Proud.
Polite. Organized. Hard working.
Determinded. Great. Disciplined.
RESEARCH
rivestrength. support. success.
LB

17. Secondary Research
Postsecondary education is becoming an increasingly popular option for service members as they
transition out of the military into a civilian life. They leave the rigid command structure exuding dedication,
the ability to work with others and commitment to their work. However, the media has created a “broken
veteran” narrative that focuses on the challenges during reintegration. Using this information, we
conducted online research to see how veteran resources, community support and academic success
contribute to an enhanced transition out of the military. Insights from various websites provided the
foundation of our campaign and structured our goals and objectives.
Resources
Reviewing the resources available to student veterans gave us an understanding of the benefits and
assistance offered to those transitioning into civilian living.
 Student Veterans of America offers a professional network and scholarships, hosts conferences,
conducts research and protects the G.I. Bill.
 The Post 9/11 G.I. Bill can offset the cost of tuition and housing for veterans and their beneficiaries.
 Campus resource centers and student organizations connect veterans to the campus.
Community Support
Reviewing how community support is necessary for student veterans helped our team understand the
influence it has on a successful higher education experience.
 Veterans may feel alone and lose a sense of identity after leaving the military because they no longer
have the camaraderie they’re used to.
 Civilians do not know they may be insensitive when asking about military experience.
 Half of veterans say the military isn’t doing enough to help them transition to civilian life. Veterans can
feel overwhelmed by entering a new system.
 Veterans need understanding, compassion and respect to succeed.
Academic Success
Reviewing statistics on veteran academic success enabled us to highlight the continued dedication to
achieving goals.
 Student veterans are completing postsecondary education at rates similar to traditional students.
 Veterans are able to gain meaningful employment through education.
 Veterans are most likely to finish a bachelor’s degree in five years if they have fewer nontraditional
student characteristics.
Broken Veteran
Reviewing the challenges presented to transitioning service members provided information that creates a
negative depiction of veterans.
 13.3 percent of post 9/11 veterans are unemployed as opposed to 9 percent of unemployed
nonveterans.
 64 percent of employers believe veterans need additional assistance during transition.
 The unemployment rate of veterans between the ages of 18 and 24 is 21.9 percent.
 Media share gruesome veteran stories of traumatic injuries affecting memory, attention and
reasoning.
 There are 50,000 homeless veterans in America.
Sources
1. http://www.military.com/education/gi-bill/new-post-911-gi-bill-overview.html
2. http://www.pointsoflight.org/sites/default/files/site-content/files/wim_veteran_employment 0.pdf
3. http://www.nea.org/home/53407.htm
4. http://studentveterans.org
5. http://web.csulb.edu/divisions/students/veterans university/
6. http://www.longbeach.gov/officials/
7. http://www.tickld.com/x/wife-tells-the-hardest-part-of-being-married-to-a-broken-veteran
8. http://www.washingtonpost.com/sf/national/2014/03/29/a-legacy-of-pride-and-pain/
9. http://studentveterans.org/images/Reingold_Materials/mrp/download-materials/mrp_Full_report.pdf

18. STUDENT-VETERAN FOCUS GROUP
DISCUSSION AND FINDINGS
What do you think of when you hear the word “strive?”
 Participants viewed the term positively, meaning, “strive for excellence and commitment” and “be the
best you.”
What do you think about the theme?
 Participants wanted STRIVE to focus on positive military experience.
 Success should be measured on academic accomplishments instead of military accolades.
Which tagline appeals most to you: “Strength. Support. Success.” or an acronym of
“Striving Toward Reshaping the Image of Veteran students Everywhere”?
 Participants positively associate “Strength. Support. Success” with triumph (strength).
 Veterans appreciate the camaraderie in the military (support).
 Participants believe acronyms are overused in the military.
What comes to mind when you first see the following logo, and what do you like/dislike
about it? Which is most representative of student veterans?
 Logo #1: Participants let go of the boots after being discharged and don’t want a reminder.
 Logo #2: Participants compared it to World War II – needs to be modernized.
 Logo #3: Participants liked the stencil font but suggested an American flag overlay across all letters.
Tactics are listed. Do any of these tactics appeal to you?
 Student veterans of CSULB (“Humans of NY”): Participants thought sharing stories would help
humanize veterans and bridge the gap between mainstream students and veterans. Sharing stories
could gain respect from professors.
 Veterans Service pamphlet listing main resources available at CSULB. Often enough, transfer
students are unaware of programs and resources available on campus.
 “I strive for” written wall/photo booth: Participants weren’t in love with the idea of having a photo booth
event but understood its use to generate foot traffic. They were adamant that uniform pieces not be
used as props for the photo booth.
 Participants threw out the idea to have physical fitness tests, obstacle courses and food trucks, like a
fair day. The fitness test idea came from Marine’s “Johnny/Jane Day,”
where husbands/wives/children get a day-in-the-life perspective of their marine’s duties.
 Participants felt sharing stories would help humanize veterans and bridge the gap between
mainstream students and veterans.
What are appealing incentives?
 Participants stated campus or food gift cards as preferred incentives.
Is legislative action necessary?
 Participants believe California already has efficient programs for student veterans.
Participants 10 student veterans from VET NET
Method In-person focus group
Purpose To gain feedback on our campaign’s theme, key messages, tactics and incentives

19. IN-DEPTH INTERVIEW
BACKGROUND
Relevant FINDINGS
On-campus faculty resources:
 Marshall, processes GI Bill benefits
 Lynisha, general advisor for student veterans
 Lois, advisor for VA services
On-campus organizations:
 General counseling services
 Active Minds (promotes mental health awareness and provides group supports)
National off-campus resources:
 Veterans of Foreign Wars
 American Legion
 AMVets (legal services)
 LA Veteran & Families Stand Down (LA County community outreach services)
 Team RWB (aka red white and blue; advocates for exercise)
Miscellaneous:
 VET NET will be hosting a Clothing Swap event to provide clothing resources to veterans. The extra
clothes that are not swapped will be donated to local shelters.
 VET NET will participate in the Clothesline Project to raise awareness of sexual trauma in the military.
 VET NET promotional strategies: Facebook page, fliers on Veteran Affairs desk, 10-minute
introduction during SOAR. Leah sends an email blast once a week to subscribed participants (VET
NET members, student veterans, faculty and alumni). The VA office occasionally emails newsletters.
SUGGESTIONS
 Keep in mind that some veterans may not want to showcase their disability (even if it potentially could
provide money), claiming a disability could alter the individual’s career status.
 Potential local partners are Habitat for Heroes and the LA Long Beach Healthcare System.
 Integrate the Clothing Swap and Clothesline Project events into our campaign.
 A potential goal would be to increase VET NET membership by expanding promotional strategies.
Date Dec. 2, 2015 Purpose To obtain knowledge about VET NET’s resources,
events and promotions
Method In-person interview Facilitators Ruben Diaz, Megan Gilbreath, Genesis Godoy
Name Leah Sakacs
Occupation VET NET President

20. IN-DEPTH INTERVIEW
BACKGROUND
Relevant FINDINGS
 He doesn’t like the term broken veteran. He said a good way of preventing people from thinking about
broken veterans is to avoid using the term.
 Marshall said they tried to partner in the VA Hospital, but they don’t get back to him. So if we try to
work with them, we might be wasting our time.
Date Feb. 5, 2016 Purpose To obtain knowledge about student-veteran
issues
Method In-person interview Facilitators Ruben Diaz, Genesis Godoy, Melina Martinez
Name Marshall Thomas
Occupation Director of Veterans Services at CSULB

21. VET NET ALLY SEMINAR
BACKGROUND
SEMINAR FINDINGS
Five military services total, always in order of birth:
 Army
 Marine Corps
 Navy
 Air Force
 Coast Guard
Relate veterans to society:
 They keep us safe, let’s keep them safe
 Healthy veteran = successful citizen
Honor veterans by calling them the right name:
 Army = soldier
 Marine corps = marine
 Navy = sailor/chief/officer
 Air Force = airman
 Coast Guard = coast guardsman or coasty
Post 9/11 G.I. Bill:
 For 100% coverage: need to have served at least 36 months on active duty
 Need constant 12 units toward degree for benefits to kick in
 Books & Supplies Stipend
 Only receive benefits when school is in session
 Only get 36 months of coverage, problematic b/c average degree is earned in 5 years
How to respond to a veteran (on campus as a student/faculty/staff):
 Don’t ever put on the spot/single out
 Refrain from discussing war unless it relates to course content
 Get them into contact with the right people if there are health concerns
 Be careful thanking veterans (what are you really thanking them for?)
Date Feb. 12, 2016 Purpose To obtain knowledge about student-veteran
issues
Method In-person interview Facilitators Ruben Diaz, Megan Gilbreath, Genesis
Godoy, Melina Martinez, Jordan Mauldin
Name Marshall Thomas
Occupation Director of Veterans Services at CSULB

22. STUDENT VETERAN SURVEY RESULTS
FINDINGS
When asked for their gender, we found:
 11.2 percent are female
 88.8 percent are male
When asked how often they openly identify as a veteran, we found:
 36.7 percent said always
 33.7 percent said frequently
 29.6 percent said rarely
When asked for their age, we found:
 7.1 percent are 20-24
 36.7 percent are 25-29
 41.8 percent are 30-39
 14.3 percent are 40 or older
When asked how they pay for school and to select all that apply, we found:
 83.3 percent use the G.I. Bill
 22.9 percent use scholarships
 27.1 percent use student loans
 9.4 percent are supported by family/friend
 34.4 percent use personal income
When asked how well they understand their G.I. Bill benefits, we found:
 19.8 percent know their benefits extremely well
 66.7 percent know their benefits well
 8.3 percent don’t know their benefits very well
 5.2 percent know do not know their benefits at all
When asked if they are currently members of VET NET, we found:
 20.4 percent are members
 79.6 percent are not members
When asked how familiar they are with VET NET, we found:
 6.1 percent are extremely familiar: utilize services, visit center and/or participate in events frequently
 10.2 percent are moderately familiar: utilize services, visit center and/or participate in events once in
a while
 51 percent are somewhat familiar: heard of organization but not sure what it does
 32.7 percent are not at all familiar: never heard of organization
When asked what issue they frequently face the most as a veteran at CSULB, we
found:
 8.2 percent face the issue of lack of social support from CSULB classmates
 6.2 percent lack of professor support
 43.3 percent scattered resources
 7.2 percent understanding G.I. Bill benefits
 35.1 percent said they don’t face the above issues/does not apply
Participants With the help of CSULB’s Veterans Services, we surveyed 99 student veterans
Method Online survey
Purpose To gain knowledge in order to better serve the needs of CSULB veterans
10.2 %
6.1 %

23. When asked what programs interest them and to select all that apply, we found:
 37.1 percent are interested in leadership training
 34.8 percent in mentorships
 68.5 percent in scholarships
 64 percent in networking events
 50.6 percent in career development events (mock job interviews, resume building workshops, etc.)
 25.8 percent in G.I. Bill information sessions (what it is and what it offers)
 37.1 percent in health and mental services
 57.3 percent in social activity groups for veterans (exercise, gaming, outdoors)
When asked how comfortable they feel sharing their general military experiences with
others, we found:
 25 percent are very comfortable
 47.9 percent are comfortable
 25 percent are uncomfortable
 2.1 percent are very uncomfortable
When asked what their preferred social network was, we found:
 70 percent prefer Facebook
 12.2 percent Instagram
 3.3 percent Twitter
 14.4 percent “other”

24. STUDENT SURVEY RESULTS
FINDINGS
When asked if they are veterans, we found:
 4.4 percent said yes
 95.6 percent said no
When asked for their perception of student veterans, we found:
 42 percent have extremely positive perception
 42 percent have a positive perception
 15. 9 percent have a neutral perception
When asked how they would describe veterans, we found:
 A majority of responses had common word choices: determined, brave, hard-working, dedicated,
loyal and friendly. There were no negative words.
When asked how they would like to support student veterans and to select all that apply,
we found:
 46.4 percent want a conversation guide on what to say/what not to say to a veteran
 58 percent want on-campus events highlighting student veterans
 81.2 percent want to read veteran success stories shared through news outlets and social media
When asked to rate the sense of support for student veterans among CSULB faculty,
staff, classmates, etc., we found:
 15.9 percent feel CSULB is highly supportive
 39.1 percent supportive
 44.9 percent neutral/no opinion
Participants We surveyed 69 participants of the CSULB community (63 students, five faculty
members and one staff)
Method Online survey
Purpose To gain insight on CSULB’s perception of student veterans

25. rivestrength. support. success.
LB
action
planning
Dedicated. Courageous. Intelligent.
Driven. Friendly. Reliable. Loyal.
Approachable. Active. Trustworthy.
Respected. Wise. Brave. Honorable.
Humble. Positive. Smart. Eager.
Experienced. Respectful. Ambitious.
Honest. Amazing. Goal-oriented.
Selfless. Structured. Proud.
Polite. Organized. Hard working.
Determinded. Great. Disciplined.

26. Budget

27. Campaign Timeline
MONTH NOVEMBER DECEMBER JANUARY FEBRUARY MARCH
WEEEK 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4
RESEARCH
SECONDARY
Brainstorm meetings x x x x x
Research past campaigns x x x
Website review x x x x x x x x x x
PRIMARY
IDI: Leah and Marshall x x x x
Administer student-veteran survey
and CSULB school-wide survey
x x
Focus group x
VET NET Ally workshop x
ACTION PLANNING
Create and finalize STRIVE theme,
logo and mission statement
x x x x x x x x
Establish STRIVE strategy and
tactics
x x x x
Create STRIVE print materials x x x x x x x
Create/transfer ownership for
Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and
Weebly
x x x
Collect feature stories and photos x x X x x x
Reserve space/permits x x x
Seek and secure veterans for
panel
x x x x x
Solicit and secure donations x x x x x x
Connect with Student Life and
Development
x x x x
Connect with ROTC x x x
Reach out to Long Beach elected
officials and CSULB vice president
and dean
x x
COMMUNICATION
Social media posts x x x x
Pitch media with press releases,
media advisories and fact sheets
x x x x x
Media coverage x x x x x x
Update VET NET BeachSync,
LinkedIn and website
x x
Housing Help workshop x
Spring Job & Internship Fair x
Post material/stake lawn around
campus
x x x x
Career Panel x
Proclamation: Student Vet day x
Men’s Basketball game x
Clothing Swap x
STRIVE wall x
Distribute prizes x x
EVALUATION
Media content analysis x x
Online metrics x x
Event attendance x x

28. Our Partners
Veterans Network (VET NET)
Veterans Network (VET NET) is the SVA chapter at CSULB. We
partnered and represented VET NET as our client throughout the
STRIVE campaign. Our events and objectives were aimed to gain
traction for the organization and to leave a legacy for members to come.
CSULB Veterans Services
Veterans Services at CSULB helps veterans and their dependents
access their educational benefits earned in the U.S. armed forces. We
partnered with Veterans Services to communicate with student veterans
through its email database and resources.
Army Reserve Officer Training Corps
Army Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) at CSULB provides
professional training for students leading to a commission in the Active
Army, Army Reserve or the Army National Guard upon graduation. We
partnered with ROTC to utilize the organization’s skilled training as a
way to harness support and raise awareness for student veterans at
CSULB. At the Party in the U.S.A., ROTC conducted a Cadet Challenge,
which consisted of push-ups, pull-ups and rope-tying technique
instruction while STRIVE members informed participants of student
veteran programs on campus.
VET NET Ally
VET NET Ally is an education and awareness training seminar that
develops a network of faculty, staff and administrators committed to
creating a welcoming and supportive campus environment for military
service members and veterans attending college. We partnered with
VET NET Ally to gain its in-depth knowledge of military concepts,
statistics, vocabulary, command structure and transition process as a
student veteran. Our communication tactics were designed to generate
awareness of established veteran friendly resources on campus in order
to reinforce a legacy within the campus community.
WomenShelter of Long Beach, Women’s & Gender
Equity Center, Working Wardrobes
We partnered with WomenShelter of Long Beach, Women’s & Gender
Equity Center and Working Wardrobes to co-host the Clothing Swap
event and raise awareness of available resources for domestic violence
victims.

29. Donation Letter
February 25, 2016
To Whom It May Concern:
The following students are collecting in-kind donations on behalf of the Department of Journalism and
Mass Communication at California State University, Long Beach (CSULB) for the 2015-2016 Bateman
Case Study Competition.
 Ruben Diaz  Genesis Godoy  Megan Gilbreath
 Melina Martinez  Jordan Mauldin
The Bateman Case Study Competition is a national collegiate contest sponsored by the Public
Relations Student Society of America, which provides an opportunity for students studying public relations
to apply their acquired classroom skills in a real-life setting. Each year, students at major universities
across the country develop a comprehensive public relations program for an important client. This year,
our students are raising awareness of the valuable programs offered by the Student Veterans of America
(SVA), a nonprofit organization with a mission to provide military veterans with resources, support and
advocacy.
It is the team’s goal to utilize the skills they, as aspiring public relations professionals, have acquired
through their in-classroom and out-of-classroom experiences to design and implement a public relations
campaign that will raise campus and community awareness about SVA and its programs. Your in-kind
donation will be used to harness community support for student veterans and educate CSULB students,
faculty and staff about veteran affairs.
California State University, Long Beach is a 501(c) (3) non-profit organization and all donations
provided toward this campaign are tax deductible. Our information is as follows:
Federal Tax ID number: 95-6106694
Organization legal name: California State University, Long Beach Research Foundation
Organization address: 6300 State University Dr., Suite 332, Long Beach, CA 90815-4670
If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact me via phone at (562) 985-4981 or
email emma.daugherty@csulb.edu. We thank you for your consideration and support.
Sincerely,
Emma Daugherty
Chair, Department of Journalism & Mass Communication

30. Sponsors
Donated table for 2016 Spring
Job and Internship Fair.
Donated one medium pizza for
Party in the U.S.A.
Donated three large pizzas for
Party in the U.S.A.
Donated three large pizzas for
Party in the U.S.A.
Donated appetizers for Career
Development Panel.
Donated photo booth services for
Party in the U.S.A.
Donated five STRIVE t-shirts
for campaign members.
Donated signature
for event prizes.
Donated six $25-vouchers for
Party in the U.S.A. pledge wall
materials and flier stakes.
Donated CSULB memorabilia
for event prizes.

31. Logo Rationale
Our team aimed to create a simple yet memorable logo, relevant to the branding of our STRIVE
campaign. The logo embodies our key messages by upholding the STRIVE theme and slogan
“Strength. Support. Success.” As our campaign focused on featuring student veterans in a
positive light, the inclusion of the slogan in our logo was essential to portray our primary
objective.
The STRIVE logo was created to reach both student veterans and the Long Beach community at
large. Due to our broad audience, the logo needed to depict a connection to veterans rather
than patriotism or politics.
Initially we tested three distinct logos during our student
veteran focus group. Participants rejected Logo 1, expressing
a negative connotation with the combat boots since they
have left their boots behind and are attempting to move on.
Participants rejected Logo 2 as it was reminiscent of the
World War II era, making the logo seem outdated.
Student veteran participants liked inclusion of the American
flag in Logo 3 as it represented individualism and liberty.
Participants directly suggested edits to Logo 3, asking for all
of the STRIVE stencil lettering to create the American flag.
On the top right hand corner of the logo, we added “LB” to represent our Long Beach
community, created to look like a trademark. Our logo’s colors directly match SVA’s color
scheme, giving the logo a bolder, stronger feel. The font choices also emphasized the bold look
through the stencil and typewriter fonts.
VET NET chose to continue using the STRIVE logo as their organization’s slogan. The key
messages depicted through our logo will continue to represent our CSULB student veteran
community.

32. rivestrength. support. success.
LB
communication
Dedicated. Courageous. Intelligent.
Driven. Friendly. Reliable. Loyal.
Approachable. Active. Trustworthy.
Respected. Wise. Brave. Honorable.
Humble. Positive. Smart. Eager.
Experienced. Respectful. Ambitious.
Honest. Amazing. Goal-oriented.
Selfless. Structured. Proud.
Polite. Organized. Hard working.
Determinded. Great. Disciplined.

33. Media List

34. Pitch Letter
Dear (Reporter),
Five CSULB students have partnered up with Student Veterans of America to create the one-
month STRIVE campaign, which launched on Feb. 15, to provide support and advocacy for
student veterans.
As a part of STRIVE, student veterans are telling their side of the story to shift any negative
perceptions associated with being a veteran -- stories already created can be found here.
Not only that, but there are two upcoming events, a CSULB men's basketball game and a
STRIVE wall, that aim to raise awareness on student veterans. More information can be found in
the news release attached to this email.
I’ll follow up within the next few days to see if you’re interested in talking with the student
veterans who told their stories, obtaining a media pass for the basketball game and/or finding
out more about the campaign. In the meantime, the best way to contact me is through email or
by calling at 323-775-7006.
Sincerely,
Ruben Diaz
STRIVE Campaign
323-775-7006
ruben.diaz01@student.csulb.edu

35. Media Advisory
For information, contact:
Ruben Diaz
STRIVE Campaign
323.775.7006
ruben.diaz01@student.csulb.edu
STRIVE CAMPAIGN TO HOLD STRIVE WALL AND ROTC TRAINING SESSION FOR PUBLIC
What: The STRIVE campaign will create a STRIVE Wall at California State University, Long
Beach (CSULB) for students, faculty, staff and other attendees to pledge their support to
student veterans by writing their name on the wall. The American flag will slowly be
created with every signature, and Long Beach Councilwoman Suzie Price plans to sign
the wall and present the recently passed Student Veterans Day proclamation.
In addition to the STRIVE Wall, CSULB’s ROTC will be offering a training session to the
public where participants can learn various things, such as first aid, knots and army drills.
When: Tuesday, March 15 from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
Visuals:  Pledges on STRIVE Wall that will form an American flag
 ROTC training participants
 STRIVE campaign members in STRIVE shirts
Why: The purpose of the events is to raise awareness on student veterans and to increase
community support.
Interview: ROTC members, the STRIVE team, student veterans, participants and Suzie Price.
Who:  STRIVE is a one-month campaign launched in an effort to increase awareness in the
Long Beach community about student veterans, as well as increase support and
networks for these deserving individuals. The campaign is a result of a partnership
with CSULB’s Student Veterans of America (SVA) chapter, also known as VET NET,
and the university’s Bateman Case Study Public Relations Competition team.
 CSULB’s ROTC program helps train students to be officers in a branch of the U.S.
military. The department of military science provides professional training for students
leading to a commission upon graduation in the Active Army, Army Reserve, or the
Army National Guard. For more information, visit
https://web.csulb.edu/divisions/students/veterans_university/resources/rotc.html
Where: CSULB is located at 1250 Bellflower Blvd., Long Beach, California. The STRIVE Wall and
ROTC training session will occur outside at Friendship Walk Central located at the north
side of the University Student Union (USU).
###

36. Press Release
For information, contact:
Ruben Diaz
STRIVE Campaign
323.775.7006
ruben.diaz01@student.csulb.edu
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY, LONG BEACH STUDENTS STRIVE TO ADVOCATE FOR
STUDENT VETERANS
LONG BEACH, Calif. – Feb. 15, 2016 – Five California State University, Long Beach (CSULB) students
launched the one-month STRIVE campaign today in an effort to increase awareness in the Long Beach
community about student veterans, as well as increase support and networks for these deserving
individuals. The campaign is a result of a partnership with CSULB’s Student Veterans of America (SVA)
chapter, also known as VET NET, and the university’s Bateman Case Study Public Relations Competition
team.
“The student veterans are a unique group with unique needs,” said Leah Sakacs, president of VET NET.
“We are excited about the work the Bateman team will be doing to support our students and raise
awareness of their place on campus in such a positive way.”
The campaign will be highlighted at CSULB’s final men’s basketball game of the season – with CSULB
President Jane Conoley expected to attend – on Saturday, March 5 at 4 p.m. Student veteran Andy
Meats will be singing the national anthem while the Reserves Officers Training Corps (ROTC) color guard
presents the American flag.
To end the campaign, a STRIVE Wall will be created at the campus’ Friendship Walk Central on Tuesday,
March 15 from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. where students, faculty, staff and community leaders will be able
to sign their name as a way to pledge their support to student veterans, creating the American flag with
every signature.
The Bateman Case Study Competition is the Public Relations Student Society of America’s (PRSSA)
premier national case study competition for public relations students. This year’s client is SVA, a non-
profit coalition of student veteran groups on college campuses across the country. Member chapters like
VET NET are the "boots on the ground” that help veterans reintegrate into campus life after service and
succeed academically.
###

37. Post-Releases
ORANGE COUNTY RESIDENTS AND MILITARY VETERANS PROVIDE ADVICE TO CSULB
STUDENT VETERANS IN CAREER DEVELOPMENT PANEL
Orange county residents and military veterans Cesar Baldemor (left), Ling Shao, Dan Cervantes and
Brian Brown served on a Career Development Panel on March 3 at California State University, Long
Beach. The panel informed student veterans on how to leverage their military experience within the job
market.
The panel was part of a one-month campaign called STRIVE, which is designed to increase awareness in
the Long Beach community about student veterans, as well as increase support and networks for these
deserving individuals. The campaign is a result of a partnership with CSULB’s Student Veterans of
America (SVA) chapter, also known as Veterans Network (VET NET), and the university’s Bateman Case
Study Public Relations Competition team.
The Bateman Case Study Competition is the Public Relations Student Society of America’s (PRSSA)
premier national case study competition for public relations students. This year’s client is SVA, a non-
profit coalition of student veteran groups on college campuses across the country. Member chapters like
VET NET are the "boots on the ground” that help veterans reintegrate into campus life after service and
succeed academically.
###
For information, contact:
Ruben Diaz
STRIVE Campaign
323.775.7006
ruben.diaz01@student.csulb.edu

38. CSULB’S COMMUNITY SHOWS SUPPORT FOR STUDENT VETERANS
California State University, Long Beach’s community pledged their support to student veterans by signing
their names on a STRIVE Wall on Tuesday, March 15, 2016, at the campus. With 229 signatures gained,
the 9-by-12 foot STRIVE Wall slowly developed into an American flag.
Long Beach Councilwoman Suzie Price signed the wall and presented a Long Beach proclamation that
declared March 5 as Student Veterans Day in the city. The proclamation was given to Leah Sakacs,
president of CSULB’s Student Veterans of America (SVA) chapter.
The STRIVE Wall was part of a one-month campaign called STRIVE, which is designed to increase
awareness in the Long Beach community about student veterans, as well as increase support and
networks for these deserving individuals. The campaign is a result of a partnership with CSULB’s SVA
chapter, also known as Veterans Network (VET NET), and the university’s Bateman Case Study Public
Relations Competition team.
The Bateman Case Study Competition is the Public Relations Student Society of America’s (PRSSA)
premier national case study competition for public relations students. This year’s client is SVA, a non-
profit coalition of student veteran groups on college campuses across the country. Member chapters like
VET NET are the "boots on the ground” that help veterans reintegrate into campus life after service and
succeed academically.
###
For information, contact:
Ruben Diaz
STRIVE Campaign
323.775.7006
ruben.diaz01@student.csulb.edu

39. Social Media
Strive Introduction
Facebook
Instagram
Twitter

40. Did You Know? Facts
Instagram
Facebook Twitter

41. CSULB Veterans services feature
Facebook
Twitter
Instagram

42. Career Development Panel
Facebook Twitter (live tweets)
Instagram

43. Men’s BasketBall GaMe
Facebook
Twitter

44. Instagram

45. Party in the U.S.A.
Facebook Twitter
Instagram

46. Third-party Shared Posts
Facebook
Twitter

48. Weebly Feature Stories
GUS OROZCO | Feb. 22, 2016
I joined the Army in 2005 and spent most of my time stationed
in Vilseck, Germany. I deployed to Iraq in 2007 for a 15-month
tour, most of which included missions in Sadr City, Baghdad. I
separated from active duty in 2010, only to join the Army reserves
in 2011 as a Drill Sergeant. Watching my soldiers graduate from
boot camp was the proudest moment in my military career.
I began my career as a student in 2012 at Long Beach City
College and graduated in 2015 with an Associate of Arts degree in
Social Science. While at Long Beach City College, I helped restart
the Veterans Club and held several officer positions including Vice President and President.
Shaping the club into a support group for veterans got me more involved on campus and in turn, in my community
I was awarded a $10,000 grant to plan and execute the 2015 Memorial Day Freedom Fair, the largest Memorial Day
celebration the college has held in recent history. I was also a member of the Associated Student Body, and held
several positions, graduating as the Student Trustee to the Long Beach City College District.
I transferred to CSULB in Fall of 2015 and I’m currently working towards a Bachelor of Arts degree in Geography.
As an active member of my community, I’m currently a member of the Long Beach Veterans Day Parade Committee,
a long-standing organization responsible for the city's largest Veteran-themed celebration.
I strive to encourage other veterans to get involved in their community. Assisting fellow veterans after their
transition to the civilian life is paramount. Community engagement can be a healthy way to contribute to the
community and to veterans themselves.
ROBERT BERGEMAN | Feb. 25, 2016
When I was in high school, I started to hear voices and they
kept me from enjoying company of others. When I found alcohol
and the sensation of being free from the voices, I became instantly
hooked. Alcohol got in my way of getting an education, because it
took over my life. I knew when I was twenty, I needed to quit
drinking and I joined the Navy to become sober.
The voices came back in boot camp and I was an emotional
wreck until graduation. The first thing I did was go to a bar and get drunk. My sobriety left me and I began to live my
life drinking. When I was able to take the test for advancement, I became a Second Class Petty Officer and during an
exercise with our missile system; I was able to fire a live missile at a drone and demolish it into little pieces. I was
also given two Navy Achievement Medals.
I kept my drinking career throughout my Navy experience and it was getting worse as I was progressing in my
troubleshooting of electronic equipment. I wanted to drink more, so I turned to drugs and slowly my discipline began
to deteriorate until I lost 2 ranks. I killed my naval career and I quit caring about anything. I was devastated and
stayed that way for about ten years of drinking and drugging. When I could no longer support my habit, the voices
came back and I tried to commit suicide. Obviously I failed at that and I made myself a promise that next time would
be different. I was having a bad day in June of 2007 and wanted to leave this world.
On that day in June, I finally explained the voices to the doctors. I was diagnosed with schizoaffective disorder
and was put on medication. I went into treatment and came out of treatment with achieving my goals of going back to
school and getting a job.
January 2008 started my journey in school and after taking step by step I am going to graduate with my Master’s
in Social Work on May 20, 2016. It took me eight years to progress this far and the only thing that keeps me going is
my fellow veterans who also suffer from mental illness.

49. LEAH SAKACS | Mar. 3, 2016
Whether it is a peer, friend or acquaintance. I strive to give my
best in all that I do so that not only I succeed in accomplishing my
goals, but so that others do too.
As I have since my first middle school foray into volunteerism, I
strive to continue to volunteer and to give my time as I find most
productive and useful to others. I strive to uphold and display the
work ethic my parents have ingrained into my personhood by their
upbringing and actions.
I do so presently by giving my time to Veterans Network and
other student organizations on campus. I do so by engaging in my community and the campus’ student government. I
do so by working daily to achieve my goals and to complete my graduate studies to enter the workforce and become a
contributing member of society.
ANDY MEATS | Mar. 8, 2016
Throughout my life in the United States Marine Corps and my
transition back to civilian life as a student, I have had opportunities
to grow, develop and learn from others who have supported me and
ultimately helped strengthen me to evolve into the student-veteran
that I am today.
At age 17, I enlisted into the Marines to express my love and
appreciation for our beloved country. By 19, instead of attending
college like most of my friends, I deployed overseas to protect their ability to do so. War is such a waste, but we know
we have a responsibility to the world to maintain liberty and freedom.
My deployment brought many difficulties and hardships that would linger with me for years to come. I returned
home physically whole and in one piece, but with hidden emotional and mental wounds that would take several years
to form invisible scars that I would have to learn to live with.
I began my college experience in 2007 at the same time that I began to rehabilitate emotionally and mentally with
the hope of transitioning back to a “normal” civilian life. Through six painful years of therapy, I began to feel peace
concerning the new person I had become. I struggled through college courses, studying two and three times longer
than the average student to maintain my grades.
I attended extra classes to relearn how to be a successful student again. Gratefully, after nine long years spent
towards attaining my goal, I will graduate this spring with a degree in Nutrition and Dietetics from CSULB.
I’ll always be grateful for my experience in the military and know that I have an obligation to live an exemplary life
as one who appreciates this great land in which we live.

50. WENDY LEWIS | Mar. 11, 2016
On a car ride home after visiting a CSU campus that I was hoping
to one day attend, my mother leaned over, put her hand on my knee
and said to me, “Wendy, if you decide that you want to go to college,
you have to know that I will not be able to help you with anything
financially.” Those words changed my life forever, because they
caused me to make the biggest decision of my life…to join the military.
Once in, the military provided the structure and discipline that I
lacked growing up. At first, I was rebellious and struggled to adapt, but
as I saw the benefits that came from investing in myself by obtaining
qualifications and studying for tests of advancement in rank, I began to
take pride in knowing that I was bettering myself one step at a time. My
peers and subordinates took notice of my enthusiasm and began to
follow suit. We would have study sessions during down time and help each other study for tests while on
deployments.
Next I focused on college, taking my first course in August of 2004. I took every class very seriously and aimed to
master every subject I enrolled in, also tutoring friends. Once at CSULB, I realized that transitioning to civilian (and
especially student) life was not easy; I was much older than my classmates and felt we had nothing in common.
However, I knew that I wanted to build lasting relationships and have a real college experience, so I challenged myself
to find something that I could belong to. I joined student government because the government part felt familiar.
Now in my second year with student government, fellow ASI leaders refer to me as ‘Momma Wendy’ because I do
things like make them put away their phones when they’re studying or ask “What have you done for ASI today?” when
I see them. But my favorite part is when they seek me out for advice and when I am able to inspire them.
This Spring, 12 years after taking my first course, I will be graduating with a Bachelors of Science. It has been a
lot of little steps, but I stuck with it and I am glad that I had student government as a place where I can be productive
and make contributions that make me feel as part of something again.

51. Campaign Fliers
The STRIVE campaign fliers were displayed throughout campus and showcased via social media. Each
flier highlighted our campaign clients (SVA and VET NET) while informing our audience of our mission,
upcoming events and social media presence.
The two fliers above introduced the STRIVE
campaign to our target audiences. The I Want
You to Strive flier aimed to gain attention from the
CSULB community and generate awareness for
the campaign. The Are You a CSULB Student
Veteran flier targeted our student veterans and
encouraged their participation and support for the
STRIVE campaign and VET NET.
Left, the Spring Job & Internship Fair flier
promoted our participation at the fair to student
veterans on campus. The STRIVE team focused
on informing them about participating veteran-
friendly employers and our information booth
promoting the American Corporate Partner’s
mentorship program and STRIVE’s upcoming
events.

52. (Top left) In partnership with VET NET, we invited
student veterans to be honored at CSULB’s last
men’s basketball home game of the season. We
asked student veterans to support fellow veteran
Andy Meats while singing the national anthem,
alongside our CSULB ROTC Color Guard. We
pushed for attendance from CSULB students
through the incentive of prizes.
(Top right) We marketed our Clothing Swap event
in partnership with VET NET and other
organizations on campus. We encouraged
CSULB to participate by bringing gently used
clothes. Participants could swap their old clothes
for something new, or simply donate to the
depicted organizations.
(Left) The Party in the U.S.A. flier promoted our
culminating STRIVE event. We invited CSULB to
pledge to support student veterans with their
signature. We offered pizza, music, prizes, a
photo booth and special guests. Additionally, we
partnered with CSULB’s ROTC, who invited
participants to join them in a variety of fitness
challenges such as push-up and pull-up contests.

53. Veteran Career Development Panel Program
Back: Front:
Our STRIVE team distributed
the Veteran Career
Development Panel program
as guests joined us for the
event. The program presented
a detailed background of each
panelist in order to depict each
panelist’s perspective and
relevant experiences. The
program also provided contact
information to give participants
the opportunity to contact
panelists with future questions.
The back of the program
displayed our partnerships with
SVA and VET NET.
Inside

54. Campaign Brochure
Inside fold: Back: Front:
The STRIVE
brochure
provided our
target
audiences with
an overview of
our campaign.
We highlighted
our key
messages and
extended an
invitation to our
various events.
The brochure
also briefly
informed
readers about
SVA and VET
NET. Our
contact
information and
social media
accounts were
provided on the
back of the
brochure to
allow student
veterans to
contact us and
encourage the
community at
large to follow
our campaign
on social media
platforms. The
cover depicts
Gustavo
Orozco, CSULB
student veteran,
transitioning
from military life
to college life.
The brochures
were distributed
at every
STRIVE event
to increase
awareness.
Inside:

55. VET NET Brochure & Flier
(Left) The VET NET brochure provided
student veterans with an overview of
CSULB’s SVA chapter. We added
information about SVA and distributed to
student veterans to encourage VET NET
membership. The organization’s contact
information and social media accounts
were provided on the back of the brochure
to allow student veterans to connect with
VET NET, to ask questions or inquire
more information. The brochures were
distributed at every STRIVE event and
shared with VET NET to continue to use
post-campaign to help increase
membership and awareness.
The Join Veterans Network flier was also
created for student veterans, highlighting
the benefits of joining VET NET. Simpler
than the brochure, the flier’s visual format
helped reiterate our key messaging and
evoked student veteran support. VET NET
will continue to distribute the flier post-
campaign.Inside:
Inside fold: Back: Front:

56. VET NET Ally Infographic & Flier
VET NET Ally is an education and awareness seminar aiming to promote supportive college campus environments for
student veterans. The VET NET Ally infographics provide background on the program, while also presenting a call to action
to attend a seminar. (Top left) The first infographic directly relates to CSULB and will be presented at future VET NET Ally
seminars on campus. It will also be marketed alongside an article by our school newspaper, Daily 49er, previewing the next
scheduled program on April 22. (Bottom left) The second infographic will be utilized for marketing at other college campuses
and presented at future VET NET Ally presentations across the country.
(Right) The VET NET Ally flier is for other college campuses that schedule a VET NET Ally seminar. The campus would use
this flier to promote their upcoming VET NET Ally event, inviting faculty and staff to participate. The flier describes what VET
NET Ally is and provides an agenda for the seminar. The logistics (date, time, location and RSVP) is customizable. The flier
can be distributed via email or posted physically throughout campus.

57. Evaluation
Dedicated. Courageous. Intelligent.
Driven. Friendly. Reliable. Loyal.
Approachable. Active. Trustworthy.
Respected. Wise. Brave. Honorable.
Humble. Positive. Smart. Eager.
Experienced. Respectful. Ambitious.
Honest. Amazing. Goal-oriented.
Selfless. Structured. Proud.
Polite. Organized. Hard working.
Determinded. Great. Disciplined.
rivestrength. support. success.
LB

58. Media Coverage
Article Title Date Publication Type Circulation AVE SVA, VET
NET,
CSULB
Veterans
Services
Mention
STRIVE
Mention
Squared Away 2/25/2016 Daily Forty-Niner Online 1,000 $ 300 Yes Yes
Squared Away 2/25/2016 Daily Forty-Niner Print 6,000 $ 210 Yes Yes
CSULB campaign raises
awareness of student
2/29/2016 Press-Telegram Online 6,121 $ 153 Yes Yes
CSULB campaign raises
awareness of student
veterans, offers resources
3/1/2016 Press-Telegram Print 77,334 $ 4,080 Yes Yes
CSULB Raises Awareness
On Student Veterans
3/10/2016 Gazettes Online 25,510 $ 500 Yes Yes
CSULB Raises Awareness
On Student Veterans
3/10/2016 Gazettes Print 39,000 $ 385 Yes Yes
Party in the U.S.A.photo
caption
3/16/2016 Daily Forty-Niner Print 6,000 $ 95 Yes Yes
Striving Through 3/22/2016 DIG Online 1,000 $ 300 No Yes
Total 161,965 $ 6,023 88% 100%
Post-Campaign MediaPlacements
K Beach Feature at 2016
Spring Job and Internship
Fair
3/29/2016 K Beach Radio Radio
Broadcast
40,000 Yes Yes
Party in the U.S.A. video
coverage
4/8/2016 College Beat
Television
Online
(Video)
290 Yes Yes
VET NET Ally Media
Placement
week of
4/11
Daily Forty-Niner Print 6,000 Yes No
VET NET Ally Media
Placement
week of
4/11
Daily Forty-Niner Online 1,000 Yes No
Associated Students Inc.:
Beach Buzz VET NET
Feature
week of
4/25
ASI Online
(Video)
225 Yes Yes

59. Feb. 25, 2016

60. Mar. 1, 2016

61. Mar. 10, 2016

62. Mar. 16, 2016

63. Mar. 22, 2016

64. Proclamation

65. Letters of Appreciation
April 5, 2016
Dear STRIVE Team,
Over the course of the last semester, it has been a great privilege to watch you all do some
remarkable work.
You have truly gone the extra mile in your creation and implementation of a public relations
campaign for our campus chapter of Student Veterans of America. I appreciate your willingness
to come to the Veterans Services Office to spend a few hours learning as much as you could
about military culture, the accomplishments of veterans, and the challenges student-veterans
face as they pursue their degrees. Using this knowledge and the knowledge you gained by
working with and listening to our SVA leaders, I was impressed by your dedication to building a
successful campaign.
Some of the events that stood out most to me were the Veteran Career Development Panel,
which brought successful veterans to campus to discuss their professional paths, and the
pledge wall at Party in the U.S.A.
While I’m sure there were many good campaigns across the nation, I suspect I’d be hard-
pressed to find a group of students who put as much focused energy into developing and
implementing a campaign, as did the CSULB team. You’ve done a great job and I appreciate
both your efforts and the products of those efforts.
Many thanks to the whole team for a job well-done.

67. Campaign Exposure & production equivalency
* Hourly rate was calculated at large agency intern rate.
** Team members kept time logs throughout the campaign.
Campaign Exposure
Date Event Participants
Feb. 15 – March 15, 2016 Total Media Impressions 161,965
Feb. 15 – March 15, 2016 Total Social Media Reach 96,417
Feb. 25, 2016 2016 Spring Job & Internship Fair 2,800
March 1, 2016 Career Development Panel 5
March 5, 2016 Men’s Basketball Game Against
Hawaii State University
3,722
March 8, 2016 Clothing Swap 10
March 15, 2016 STRIVE Wall and Proclamation
Presented
300
March 5 and 15, 2016 Raffle Entries 41
Total Exposure 265,260
Production Equivalency
Type Cost
Number
of Items
Total Cost
Campaign Logo $1,200 1 $1,200
Infographics $150 2 $300
STRIVE Sizzle Reel Jordan Mauldin hours x $75 20 $1,500
Photographs for
publication
$75 5 $375
Fliers $250 6 $1,500
Panel Event Program $225 1 $225
STRIVE Brochure $300 1 $300
Vet Net Brochure $300 1 $300
STRIVE Wall Labor $600 1 $600
Total $3,175 19 $4,800
Billable Hours
Public Relations
Agent
Hourly Rate* Number of Hours** Total Cost
Genesis Godoy $75 160 $12,000
Jordan Mauldin $75 140 $10,500
Megan Gilbreath $75 214 $16,050
Melina Martinez $75 165 $12,375
Ruben Diaz $75 102 $7,650
Total $58,575

68. Social Media Analytics
Twitter Analysis
Platform STRIVE Name Post-Campaign Name Followers Reach
Facebook Strive.LB Unpublished 158 78,782
Twitter StriveLB CSULBVetNet 120 17,635
Instagram StriveLB CSULBVetNet 243 50,004
Total 524 146,421

69. Facebook Analysis

70. Facebook Engagement highlights

71. Instagram analysis

72. Weebly Feature Stories analysis
Unique Monthly Visitors: 126
Total Page Monthly Visitors: 183

73. Social media confirmation letter
Department of Journalism & Mass Communications
March 31, 2016
To Whom It May Concern:
Thank you for allowing social media components of the 2016 Public Relations Student
Society of America Bateman Case Study Competition to remain active after implementation.
Since our SVA Chapter (known as VET NET) only had a Facebook page prior to the campaign,
we believe this decision will enhance the organization’s ability to continue to communicate
with members and student veterans.
As the advisor for CSULB’s 2016 Bateman team, I confirm that any activity on the social media
accounts that were transferred to VET NET have not been factored into the statistics or
results of our campaign. Documentation of social media reach and engagement for the
campaign only reflects activity from Feb. 15 through March 15.
Sincerely,
Joni Ramirez
Part-time Lecturer, Journalism Department
Faculty Adviser, CSULB Bateman Team