Category: Blog 2021

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 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