Customized Graduation Kits: Bring Graduation to Your Doorstep

Customized graduation kits are becoming popular among universities as a way to retain that personal connection with the students who will be passing out, in times where graduation ceremonies will happen only virtually. Graduation is one of the most important milestones in the lives of young students and a significant event for universities and colleges. All institutions around the world give a lot of time and effort to make this occasion a special one for the students. Universities do everything possible to honor the students and make it a memorable event for them.

Needless to say, when in-person graduation ceremonies were canceled in 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the scenario was morose and students were the ones most affected. The words of a passing Senior from the Middle East sums up the general sentiment among the students, “It felt like everything we’d been working for … was all gone in an instant.”

Unfortunately, even in 2021 situation does not seem to be any better. Most of the universities will still be having virtual graduation ceremonies because hosting large gatherings is still not safe. However, colleges and universities understand that students are dissatisfied and are putting their best foot forward to make these events special. Across the board, one thing has been consistent among college events administrators and that is their desire to create commencement ceremonies, which provide students and their families with a sense of connection to the institutions.

No one can say that the road has been easy for colleges but they have definitely worked hard to make the graduation ceremony a special one. By now most universities have made it a point to ship graduation boxes to the students so that an atmosphere can be created during the virtual ceremonies. These kits are filled with some essentials and several goodies, packaged in a way that touches the hearts of the students and makes the event a memorable one.

Let’s take a look at how this small graduation kit can make a difference to the students and make them feel special.

Customized Graduation Kits Importance 

Besides the certificate roll, a graduation kit essentially must include the graduation cap, the tassel, and a sash or a hood or an honor cord or whatever the university students don on this day. Each of these items has a history and tradition behind it that goes back centuries and including them in the graduation kit adds to the sentimental value.

This physical outreach is a small effort for the university but its effect is immeasurable. The gift makes the students feel connected to the university, which is what they need during this time. The graduation kit helps create the atmosphere that is evident during in-person graduation ceremonies. These kits are a beautiful way that universities can express their care towards their students and make the recipients feel special.

However, it is also a known fact that all colleges will be sending these items to the students and there is a need to stand-out. Universities should There is definitely some lack of human connection and personal touch when it comes to the virtual ceremony. But with just some special care and thoughtfully packed kit, universities can help bridge this gap.

Building a Thoughtful Graduation Kit

You have added the gown, the cap, and the tassel along with the certificate to the graduation kit but that’s the bare minimum and most essential. A little aspect of personal touch will bring a smile to every student’s face and spread positive word-of-mouth for the university’s brand. So, what little souvenirs can make an impact? Let’s take a look at some items that can be effective keepsakes for the students.

Soft-toys or Plushies

This is one small thing that can add the element of fun to the graduation kit. A soft toy of a popular character can work but to add that customization aspect, universities can send a plushy of their mascot to the students. This is one thing that will stay with the students for a long time and the cute soft-toy will attract the attention of whoever the student is in contact with. The student’s friends are sure to discuss the plushy casually and this way it will extend brand impression.

Beautiful Hand-crafted Souvenir

Universities can have custom-made hand-crafted accessories that will make the students and their families take notice. It can be a small broach or an attractive photo-frame that commemorates the times the student spent at the college. Universities gift a compass, a table clock, or a watch as these are items that signify time and direction. Graduation being the start of a new phase for students, a clock or a compass is considered an appropriate gift. These too are items that will remain with the student for a long time.

Stationery

Though not as fun as the soft-toy or elegant as the hand-crafted compass, one can never go wrong with stationery. Universities can easily have customized pens or diaries or pocket sketch-books to add to the graduation kit. A good quality ink-pen or a notepad is usually kept at the work desk and in plain sight of those that have access to the room. This is why stationery is an effective and functional gift that creates many impressions. To make a statement, colleges can opt for eco-friendly stationery that is easily available in the market.

The Personal Touch

Of all the options mentioned above, this is what will make the most impact. Sending out a small gift that is marked with the students’ names would definitely give it a special place. However, this might require much more effort and careful execution than all universities might not be prepared for. What all graduation kits can include is a small heartfelt letter addressed to the student individually. Written in clear, elegant font on high-quality stationery can be a wonderful keepsake for students.

To build an cost effective and special graduation kit, check out the merchandise collection at Hue. At Hue we understand that the personal touch has a sentimental effect on the receiver that cannot be quantified. This little thing can make a brand and create a lot of positive word-of-mouth. That is why Hue offers customization, personalization as well as shipping services. We offer product bundling as well as global shipping services.

Alternatively, you can also become our partner and avail the benefits of our portal Huescape. Our portal allows you to place orders with a single click and keep a track of your inventory. You can get detailed reports of your orders so that you can have a complete record of your spending.

To know more about Huescape or our products and services, write to us at marketing@huemarcom.com.

 

Welcoming Freshman Kit: Helps Students Connect With University

Welcoming freshmen to the university is one of the most important tasks as that first impression is crucial to ensure that the students settle in well. The university, faculty, and peers will be family to the students for the next few years and so making students feel comfortable on campus is vital. Universities across the globe understand this well and plan an orientation ceremony to introduce the incoming students to not just the premises, but also the age-old traditions, work-ethics, and culture. This becomes especially essential as universities across the globe see an influx of international students who come from different socio-economic and ethnic backgrounds.

In 2021 the way of doing things has changed, but the universities have, to a large extent, adapted and taken to organising impactful virtual events. Freshmen orientation is no different. Many universities are offering blended plans, where the courses will be comprised partly of on-campus classes and partly of remote learning courses. Also, travel restrictions have still not been completely lifted in all countries and many international students have taken up remote learning courses. The virtual orientation means that universities can easily engage these students based in other countries as well.

Planning freshman orientation is a complicated thing for several reasons. It would have been easy if the universities could build a template and follow it year after year. However, doing this is boring and reflects negatively on the brand. Colleges around the world have had to be creative and come up with new games and competitions each year. With virtual orientation, universities would need to be just as innovative, if not more.

All universities are different in their tradition and culture as well as have varied demographics when it comes to their students. So, there is no one-size-fits-all solution to organize the perfect freshman orientation ceremony. Nevertheless, a general guideline on what the universities should focus on always helps to improve such events.

Be Innovative: Optimize Programs for Virtual Platform

Universities have been conducting freshman orientation events since ages, and doing them well. So it is only natural to want to do a similar event on the virtual platform as well. Traditional event

comprised of many things that might not be practical online. Maybe you included many group activities, buddy programs, and such things to make the event fun and help students connect with each other. Besides this, traditional events lasted for at least an hour or more, which might not be feasible for a virtual event. Although these things might seem like limitations, virtual events can be so much more. Universities should look at this as an opportunity to learn and innovate as well as find creative ways of doing things.

Think through what makes the event and first decide if you are going to host a live event or publish a compiled video of pre-recorded clips. It is also possible and more appropriate to post this video as a precursor to the live event. Specify a time and stick by it as virtual events in most cases will not hold the attention of the audience for long. If necessary, allot time slots for batches and prioritize announcements and speeches.

Keep it Interesting, Informative & Precise

Motivational speeches by the faculty and prominent people are a big part of freshman orientation. They should be included in virtual ceremony as well. However, keeping speeches demonstrative and illustrative will help retain the attention of the audience. As is the nature of virtual events, it is important to keep the announcements and speeches short and precise. Besides this, it is also important to give away key information regarding different faculties and administration and so on. This will help the new students know what they can do if they hit a roadblock.

Engage Students: Clubs, Forums and Activities

This is an important part of overall experience and universities can include it as part of the virtual event as well. In traditional events, getting the students involved was done through games, competitions, and group activities. This might not be possible in an online event, but there are ways to get students to connect with each other and get involved in activities. Do a Get-Know-Your-Peers activity online. This can be a place for students to introduce each other and give glimpse of the world they come from. Encourage students to join clubs, form club forums on social media platforms and share their activities. Using social media platforms also means that students can make friends and contact others with whom they have made connections. It will also allow students to seek help from their seniors in case they have any doubts or new student jitters.

Freshman Kits: Customized, Cost-effective Merchandise

It is a known fact that all of university’s operations have been affected at various levels. First, from having to shift to complete remote learning and then to gradually opening up for on-campus classes, things have been uncertain and it will be a while to get any sort of semblance. Today, most universities have both, on-campus as well as remote-learning students, and they are doing everything and more to give the students what they deserve.

Among such efforts is a freshman kit, a simple customized gift box to welcome the new students. This kit has created tangible impact for the universities. The new students are looking to establish a connection with the university and this kit does just that.

Imagine the joy that a student will feel when he gets a surprise gift from the university just before his classes are about to start? Just a personalized postcard, customized diary, and a pen will do the trick. There is a wide range of things like a mug, bottle, apparel, a popsocket, some sweets, and much more, that can be included in the freshman kit. Functional items will be more appreciated and are perfect to create positive impressions for the university.

Hue, having a huge collection of merchandise, helps universities across the world to tailor a customized and cost-effective gift for their new students. We also offer customization, personalization, and global shipping services. Hue has years of experience and has been the perfect university marcom partner for institutes across the globe. To know more write to us at marketing@huemarcom.com

Virtual Graduation Ceremony: 5 Tips To Make It a Successful

Virtual graduation ceremonies and commencement events are a reality of the new normal, in the post-Covid-19 age. This is to say that it will be a while until universities and colleges can go back to the traditional way of organizing this event, where thousands of students gather around a makeshift podium in the sports arena. Although those events had their own charm, virtual celebrations are just as special and even more convenient for colleges. Experts believe that colleges might stick to virtual ceremonies even when it would be safe to hold large gatherings.

With the sudden onslaught of the pandemic in early 2020, universities scrambled to keep up and adapt to the abrupt change of doing things virtually. However, a few months in, colleges were already seen settling down and getting used to online learning scenario, and organizing virtual events and celebrations. Graduation ceremonies were no different. Universities all around the world put in the effort and care to make this important milestone special for the students, keeping intact the essence of the graduation.

Most universities might have had a handle on conducting virtual events by now, but there are still many that are trying but struggling in a few areas. Besides, unexpected glitches are not uncommon during such events. These circumstances can delay the event or cause interruptions that might lead to dissatisfaction among students and the colleges alike. However, it is possible to minimize the hiccups to almost none with some preparations. Let’s take a look at some things that a college needs to pay attention to while preparing for a virtual graduation ceremony.

Plan Ahead

Colleges must start preparing for the graduation ceremony months before the D-day. This has been the norm for years when celebrations would be held on-campus, but it should be done for virtual ceremonies as well. Sometimes, it may be necessary to start the planning even before the usual time. Virtual ceremony is a fairly new thing and it will take time to understand what will work and what will not. This platform can actually open up the doors for creative solutions as there are no limits on space or time. Furthermore, even if the number of students is the same, the virtual gatherings will have much higher viewership as they won’t be bound by location.

Colleges must make lists, revise lists and further finalize an itinerary for the event. They should take into consideration the time it would take to get the students who are now learning remotely to get involved and make their submission. Since participation from a large number of students is important, it would be wise to give enough time and some leeway when it comes to deadlines. Basically, having enough time and planning a lot in advance will be the key to have a smoother graduation ceremony.

Incorporate Traditions

College life is all about the camaraderie, bonding between friends, peer groups, lectures and group projects. It is about engaging in activities that strengthen relationships, teamwork and see leaders emerge. These activities are also connected with the traditions that the university has followed since ages. These traditions can be anything from cultural events, some whacky ritual or fun competition or race. For example, the Wooden Hoops race at Wellesley College or where architecture students at Notre Dame build over-the-top 3D models on their mortarboard.

These activities inculcate a sense of togetherness among the students and make them feel a special connection with the university. Although on-campus activities may not be possible, colleges should ask students to do the traditional activity wherever they are and send in videos and photos of the same. A compilation of these little snippets posted on social media platforms will definitely portray the creativity of the students.

Ship Graduation Kits

This is probably the most important aspect of the virtual graduation ceremony. Colleges must decide in advance what should go into the graduation kit after researching the market and taking into consideration the best items for students to cherish. Not only do the colleges have to get the kits prepared and customized but also shipped to all graduating students across the globe. This is why it is important to ensure that there is enough time for this activity. It is essential that all students receive their kits before the graduation day so that they can have the complete feel of the occasion.

A typical graduation kit contains the graduation cap, gown and the tassel. Universities include a hood or an honor cord and other items according to their discretion. These items have a long history and have now become important symbols of commencement day.

Engage Communities

Universities should incorporate social media platforms in their plan as this will help create a meaningful experience for everyone involved. Ask the families and faculty to post congratulatory messages and takeaways addressing the students. The students can make similar videos talking about their experiences at the universities and their future plans. The top management of the universities, head of departments, the dean and others should also make similar videos addressing the students and imparting some crucial advice that has an impact on the students.

Besides this, universities can ask family and friends of the students to make videos of the celebrations and post it on social media. These celebrations may take place after the graduation day, but lively photos and fun videos will add to the whole feel of the occasion. Ask the students if there is some specific, whacky tradition in their family when someone graduates. It should be educational for everyone to know how families of different cultures and backgrounds celebrate this milestone.

Focus on Technology

You have done all the preparation, you have shipped all the graduation kits, and you have received tons of videos and photos from the students well before the set day. So, now it is time to see what all you can incorporate in the ceremony. Create a compiled video or presentation to show students’ and parents’ points of view. Make your own videos to encourage students and involve yourself in the activities that you would have normally done. Rather than making videos where the faculty talks continuously, try and make it fun by doing some activity. Maybe some faculty can play a cool inspiring song or build a quick model or some such thing.

Prior to the day of the graduation ceremony, decide on which platform would best suit the kind of ceremony you have planned. Make sure understand the platform or even do a mock run, so that you are prepared for the event. If you think it necessary, do the ceremony in smaller batches. Know what works for you best and do it perfectly so that students can feel special and have a memorable event.

With this new normal, universities have had to work hard to hold these ceremonies. Hue has been partnering with universities all around the world to help them make these events successful. We at Hue understand how important it is to ensure that all students receive their graduation kits well in advance. We help universities build an effective graduation kit, customize and personalize it and also ship it all across the globe while keeping on schedule.
To know what items can go into the graduation kit check out our merchandise section. To know more about our customization and shipping services write to us at marketing@huemarcom.com.