Howdy, University MarComm Community,

The excitement and energy of having our students on campus again is all around us. What an enjoyable experience. We want to thank all of you for your work, support and time over the past few weeks as you shared stories, engaged and helped us launch our new brand commercial, together. Our new brand anthem made its national broadcast debut during the Freedom 250 Grand Prix of Washington, D.C., to millions of viewers and received a lot of positive feedback. We look forward to its continued success. Also, we want to say thank you to every team member who assisted us in finding talent, helped us coordinate scenes and worked with our teams to produce this year’s anthem. You and your teams are part of what made the launch a success, and we are grateful for how we are able to work together. Below is the content package for the Red, White and Blue Game and the 2026 brand anthem. We will continue to update the brand anthem throughout the year. Please review these packages and find ways to share, engage and/or tell stories that relate to these moments.

We are pleased to announce that Nick Birdsong has joined the Division of Marketing and Communications team as its Director of Social Media. Nick brings valuable experience from the professional sports industry through his time with the Jacksonville Jaguars and Denver Nuggets. In his previous role, Nick contributed to a fast-paced, highly visible brand environment, supporting storytelling, audience engagement and communications efforts. His background will be an asset as we continue to elevate Texas A&M University’s social channels and share the stories of the people, programs and traditions that make our university distinctive. Please join us in extending a warm welcome to Nick as he begins this new role with Texas A&M.

2026 Brand Anthem Content Package

This fall marks a truly historic year for Texas A&M. As we welcome the new academic year, we are preparing to celebrate major milestones that reflect who we are as an institution, what we stand for and the impact Aggies continue to make in Texas, across the nation and around the world. The anthem is more than a celebration of Texas A&M; it is a reflection of our shared commitment to working together for the good of our communities. For 150 years, Aggies have lived out this commitment through service, leadership and a shared responsibility to build a brighter, safer world. It is a reminder that the strength of our nation depends on people willing to show up for one another and work together for good. Please use the photos, stories and graphics packages to share this video and the stories in the video on your channels and with your audiences.

We will be adding stories and content packages featuring people, programs, research, faculty and former students throughout the fall. We have launched Lyle Lovett and Logan Lednicky content packages on the MarComm site, as starting profiles to share. Through this newsletter and on our site, we will continue to share packages for you all to use for your channels to continue to engage throughout the year.

Brand Anthem Content Package

Red, White and Blue Game Content Package

For 150 years, Aggies have stood for the nation through leadership, courage and selfless service. This year’s Red, White and Blue Game gives the Aggie community an opportunity to carry that tradition forward while creating a permanent tribute to one of its own. Maroon Out is selling the official Red, White and Blue Game shirts, with a portion of the proceeds supporting the renovation of the Memorial Student Center’s Hall of Honor to recognize Matt Williams ’25. Williams, a retired U.S. Army Green Beret, received the Medal of Honor for his courageous actions during a 2008 mission in Afghanistan. He is the ninth Aggie to receive the nation’s highest military honor.

View the Red, White and Blue Game content package

Available Communities of Practice

Design Counsel

Design Counsel is a creative space for Texas A&M’s visual storytellers — a place to share ideas, spark inspiration and help shape what’s next for creativity and collaboration across the university. Each meeting dives into a new topic in marketing and communications, with lots of room to learn from one another and offer support.

The next meeting is Wednesday, Sept. 30, in Rudder 301. Please RSVP using the link below.

For more information, please contact Melissa Loudermilk, Designer for Brand Services, at mloudermilk@tamu.edu or via Slack or Teams.

Register for upcoming meetings

Internal Communications Community of Practice

Internal communications covers a wide array of responsibilities and expectations among our faculty, staff, students and even external affiliates, and we are here to help! Join us on Wednesday, Aug. 19, from 10 to 11 a.m., as we rotate to our next key topic and offer flexibility in the second half hour to troubleshoot, answer questions and identify ways to support your needs.

This month, we will focus on matching messaging to the most effective channel, using practical examples to help you decide which platform is best for your content. Then, let us help you ensure your content is successful with a straightforward checklist that guides you away from common mistakes and helps you confidently hit publish or send.

Join the Aug. 19 Internal Communications office hours

Aggie UX Training and Support

The Division of Marketing and Communications Web team hosts virtual office hours every third Thursday from 10 to 11 a.m. These sessions include a different demo every month for using Aggie UX in Cascade, WordPress and Figma. Other practical advice for creating web content, applying best practices and using the Aggie UX design system is available on the MarComm site, including a list of on-demand online trainings. Be sure to sign up for Aggie UX-specific communications by joining the Aggie UX email list.

View Aggie UX Office Hours

Research Communicators Network

The Divisions of Research and Marketing and Communications cohost a biweekly meeting for communicators to connect, share updates and collaborate around promoting Texas A&M’s research enterprise. These meetings are a valuable opportunity for everyone who attends, and we encourage you to send a representative if you do not have someone already participating from your unit, college or school.

When: Every other Tuesday, 10 a.m.

This informal virtual gathering is open to all communicators supporting research initiatives and researchers themselves. It’s a chance to ask questions, get feedback and align on research messaging across the university.

Contact Tim Doty, Assistant Vice President for National Media and Public Relations, or Rusty Cawley, Director of Research Communications, to be added to the calendar invitation.

Howdy, University MarComm Community,

This week is the debut of our brand anthem, 2026 commercial/PSA, which will premiere nationally on Fox during the Freedom 250 Grand Prix in Washington, D.C., on Aug. 23. Through the message below and content packages shared, we are asking all of the channels for the colleges, schools and units to support, engage with and amplify this effort starting this week and continuing through the year.

During this launch and race weekend, we will continue Texas A&M University’s celebration of the 250th anniversary of the nation.

As shared in the last newsletter, our participation in the Freedom 250 Grand Prix is to share Texas A&M’s story with the nation through a strategic moment of heightened significance and relevance for our nation. As America celebrates 250 years and Texas A&M marks 150, we continue the connection our university and our nation have had for generations through service, leadership and a shared responsibility to make a difference. It is a reminder that the strength of our nation depends on people willing to show up for one another and work together for good. At the Freedom 250 Grand Prix, Texas A&M will have a primary sponsorship with Meyer Shank Racing, featuring a custom Texas A&M-branded livery, firesuit and helmet, with Indy 500 reigning champion Felix Rosenqvist.

Following this national debut, we ask that you continue to celebrate our nation’s 250th anniversary through the promotion and support of the Red, White and Blue Game. Our content package is included below to help provide guidelines and assets to promote this event.

Freedom 250 Content Package

Texas A&M is taking advantage of the opportunity to bring its story of service, leadership and impact to the nation’s capital as America celebrates its 250th anniversary. D.C. provides a powerful stage for this story, a place where Aggies are serving, where decisions shaping the nation are made and where Texas A&M’s enduring commitment to the public good comes to life. As primary sponsor of the No. 60 Meyer Shank Racing Honda, driven by Indy 500 champion Felix Rosenqvist, the university will bring this story to a national audience alongside events and a public-awareness campaign throughout the week. We will add graphics and photos throughout the week for the campus community to share across their channels.

View the Freedom 250 Content Package

Red, White and Blue Game Content Package

For 150 years, Aggies have stood for the nation through leadership, courage and selfless service. This year’s Red, White and Blue Game gives the Aggie community an opportunity to carry that tradition forward while creating a permanent tribute to one of its own. Maroon Out is selling the official Red, White and Blue Game shirts, with a portion of the proceeds supporting the renovation of the Memorial Student Center’s Hall of Honor to recognize Matt Williams ’25. Williams, a retired U.S. Army Green Beret, received the Medal of Honor for his courageous actions during a 2008 mission in Afghanistan. He is the ninth Aggie to receive the nation’s highest military honor.

View the Red, White and Blue Game content package

American Caldwell Global University Visibility Rankings

The American Caldwell Global University Visibility Rankings for 2026-27 are here. Based in Washington, D.C., the Global University Visibility (GUV) rankings measure the visibility of universities in every country. The GUV rankings are a comparative measure of university brand visibility in a 12-month period.

Texas A&M ranks No. 6 in the world in American Caldwell’s latest GUV rankings, continuing a rapid rise among the world’s most visible universities.

Texas A&M ranks No. 5 among all U.S. universities, No. 2 among U.S. public universities and No. 1 overall in Texas in the 2026-27 rankings, placing Texas A&M among the world’s most talked-about, searched, visited, followed and watched institutions of higher education. The two-year trajectory is especially notable. Since 2024, Texas A&M has climbed from No. 21 to No. 6 globally, a gain of 15 spots; from No. 14 to No. 5 among U.S. universities, a gain of nine spots; and from No. 3 to No. 2 among U.S. public universities. Texas A&M has now held the No. 2 position among public universities for two consecutive years.

American Caldwell noted that Texas A&M “increased its visibility considerably,” citing significant increases in news mentions and video views. The methodology is based on third-party, publicly available indicators, including news mentions, search interest, social media following, website visitors, web references, online footprint and video views.

In this content package, you will find resources to share Texas A&M’s inclusion in the American Caldwell Global University Visibility Rankings for 2026-27.

View the American Caldwell Content Package

LiveWhale Calendar Transition

Texas A&M is transitioning from the LiveWhale calendar platform to a new calendaring solution, Localist. The anticipated completion of this transition will be before the start of the spring 2027 semester. The university is no longer providing new calendar groups or LiveWhale training for new users. More information about training and the use of the new calendar platform will be coming soon. If you have calendar feeds on your websites, please take an inventory and let the Enterprise Communications team know by emailing calendar@tamu.edu.

New Campus Aerial and Brand Visual Media Assets

Over the last year, we have been adding to our library of photos that we share with the university community. Linked below, you will find hundreds of new photos and melt reels for all of our brand photography and video styles on campus. This also includes new aerial photos of the main campus taken last month! Thank you to the teams that make these photos and videos!

Texas A&M Photo Library

Texas A&M Brand Video

Available Communities of Practice

Design Counsel

Design Counsel is a creative space for Texas A&M’s visual storytellers — a place to share ideas, spark inspiration and help shape what’s next for creativity and collaboration across the university. Each meeting dives into a new topic in marketing and communications, with lots of room to learn from one another and offer support.

The next meeting is Wednesday, Aug. 26, in Rudder 301. We will be kicking off this year of Design Counsel with the 2026-27 Texas A&M commercial, a 150th Celebration check-in and some helpful Adobe tips and tricks. Please RSVP using the link below.

For more information, please contact Melissa Loudermilk, Designer for Brand Services, at mloudermilk@tamu.edu or via Slack or Teams.

Register for upcoming meetings

Internal Communications Community of Practice

Internal communications covers a wide array of responsibilities and expectations among our faculty, staff, students and even external affiliates, and we are here to help! Join us on Wednesday, Aug. 19, from 10 to 11 a.m., as we rotate to our next key topic and offer flexibility in the second half hour to troubleshoot, answer questions and identify ways to support your needs.

This month, we will focus on matching messaging to the most effective channel, using practical examples to help you decide which platform is best for your content. Then, let us help you ensure your content is successful with a straightforward checklist that guides you away from common mistakes and helps you confidently hit publish or send.

Join the Aug. 19 Internal Communications office hours

Aggie UX Training and Support

The Division of Marketing and Communications Web team hosts virtual office hours every third Thursday from 10 to 11 a.m. These sessions include a different demo every month for using Aggie UX in Cascade, WordPress and Figma. Other practical advice for creating web content, applying best practices and using the Aggie UX design system is available on the MarComm site, including a list of on-demand online trainings. Be sure to sign up for Aggie UX-specific communications by joining the Aggie UX email list.

View Aggie UX Office Hours

Research Communicators Network

The Divisions of Research and Marketing and Communications cohost a biweekly meeting for communicators to connect, share updates and collaborate around promoting Texas A&M’s research enterprise. These meetings are a valuable opportunity for everyone who attends, and we encourage you to send a representative if you do not have someone already participating from your unit, college or school.

When: Every other Tuesday, 10 a.m.

This informal virtual gathering is open to all communicators supporting research initiatives and researchers themselves. It’s a chance to ask questions, get feedback and align on research messaging across the university.

Contact Tim Doty, Assistant Vice President for National Media and Public Relations, or Rusty Cawley, Director of Research Communications, to be added to the calendar invitation.

Introduction

The Red, White and Blue Game has always demonstrated what can happen when Aggies stand together. In 2001, students organized the original Red, White and Blue Out following Sept. 11, uniting Kyle Field through a student-led shirt campaign that raised funds for relief efforts.

Twenty-five years later, Maroon Out is carrying that tradition forward. A portion of proceeds from this year’s shirt sales will support the Hall of Honor renovation, which will add Matt Williams ’25. Williams received the Medal of Honor for his valor and leadership during a 2008 mission in Afghanistan. The new renovation will include him as the ninth recipient and ensure future Aggie Medal of Honor recipients can be honored within this memorial.

As the nation commemorates its 250th anniversary, Aggies have an opportunity to do more than wear red, white and blue. By purchasing the official shirt and joining the 12th Man at Kyle Field, the Aggie community can help honor a former student whose courage and selfless service represent Texas A&M at its very best.

Texas A&M will host Arizona State on Saturday, Sept. 12, at 11 a.m. Central Standard Time. The game will air on ABC.

Read the Official Game Announcement

Overview

Texas A&M’s season-long motorsports sponsorships are culminating in the Freedom 250 Grand Prix, the Washington, D.C.-based race weekend during which the university will celebrate the Aggie Spirit in the nation’s capital with a message of “Working Together for the Good of America.” Texas A&M is the primary sponsor of the No. 60 Meyer Shank Racing Honda, driven by Felix Rosenqvist, which will feature a patriotic paint scheme that prominently features a “Together, We Stand as a Force for Good” theme. Rosenqvist, winner of May’s Indianapolis 500, will also wear a patriotic, Texas A&M-themed firesuit and specially designed helmet.

The race is Sunday, Aug. 23, at 1 p.m. Eastern time/noon Central time on Fox. During the weekend leading up to the race, there will be university events and advertising throughout the nation’s capital, including some that will feature Texas A&M University-Washington, DC and the Bush School DC. The effort will tie together the university’s approaching 150th anniversary, America’s 250th milestone and a public-purpose message centered on trust, service, leadership and national impact. During the race, we will debut our new brand anthem for the 2026 year.

Howdy, University MarComm Community,

This month marks the start of a truly historic year for Texas A&M University. As we welcome the new academic year, we are preparing to celebrate major milestones that reflect who we are as an institution, what we stand for and the impact Aggies continue to make in Texas, across the nation and around the world.

This month, we will launch our new brand anthem during the Freedom 250 race, bringing the Texas A&M story to a national audience at a moment of historic significance. The Freedom 250 offers a powerful national moment for reflection, taking place in the symbolic heart of the nation, where the Capitol, the Washington Monument and memorials dedicated to generations who built, defended and advanced this country stand as reminders of both our history and our future. As America celebrates 250 years and Texas A&M marks 150 years, we have a unique opportunity to reflect on the values that have connected our university and our nation for generations. At the Freedom 250 Grand Prix, Texas A&M will have a primary sponsorship with Meyer Shank Racing, featuring a custom Texas A&M-branded livery, fire suit and helmet, with Indy 500 reigning champion Felix Rosenqvist.

The anthem is more than a celebration of Texas A&M; it is a reflection of our enduring belief that what we build together is greater than what any one of us can build alone. For 150 years, Aggies have lived this commitment through service, leadership and a shared responsibility to make a difference. It is a reminder that the strength of our nation depends on people willing to show up for one another and work together for good.

Texas A&M’s Red, White and Blue Game returns this season as a special opportunity for the Aggie community to come together to celebrate our nation and the values that unite us.

This year’s game holds particular significance as we commemorate two landmark milestones in our country’s history: the 250th anniversary of the United States and the 25th anniversary of Sept.11. Together, these anniversaries invite us to celebrate the enduring ideals of freedom, service and opportunity while honoring the courage, sacrifice and resilience that have shaped our nation. The proceeds of the game shirt sold by Maroon Out will go to the renovation of the Hall of Honor in the Memorial Student Center to include Medal of Honor recipient Matt Williams ’25.

This semester represents a significant moment in our history: the celebration of the 150th anniversary of Texas A&M. This is a time to honor our traditions, celebrate our progress and look ahead to the next 150 years of leadership and impact. From our classrooms and research labs to our military heritage, public service and global reach, Texas A&M continues to answer the call to serve a purpose larger than ourselves.

We are excited for what this semester and year will bring and grateful for the opportunity to tell the Texas A&M story together — a story rooted in service, strengthened by unity and dedicated to working together for the good of America.

Graduation Content Package – Updated

As we prepare to celebrate our summer graduates on Aug. 8, the Graduation Content Package has been updated to support commencement communications across the university. Commencement at Texas A&M is the moment when achievement, purpose and tradition come together. Use this package to help recognize the Class of 2026 summer graduates on your channels while maintaining a consistent university voice across our community.

View the Graduation Content Package

American Caldwell Global University Visibility Rankings

The American Caldwell Global University Visibility Rankings for 2026-27 are here. Based in Washington, D.C., the Global University Visibility (GUV) rankings measure the visibility of universities in every country. The GUV rankings are a comparative measure of university brand visibility in a 12-month period.

Texas A&M University ranks No. 6 in the world in American Caldwell’s latest GUV rankings, continuing a rapid rise among the world’s most visible universities.

Texas A&M ranks No. 5 among all U.S. universities, No. 2 among U.S. public universities and No. 1 overall in Texas in the 2026-27 rankings, placing Texas A&M among the world’s most talked-about, searched, visited, followed and watched institutions of higher education. The two-year trajectory is especially notable. Since 2024, Texas A&M has climbed from No. 21 to No. 6 globally, a gain of 15 spots; from No. 14 to No. 5 among U.S. universities, a gain of nine spots; and from No. 3 to No. 2 among U.S. public universities. Texas A&M has now held the No. 2 position among public universities for two consecutive years.

American Caldwell noted that Texas A&M “increased its visibility considerably,” citing significant increases in news mentions and video views. The methodology is based on third-party, publicly available indicators, including news mentions, search interest, social media following, website visitors, web references, online footprint and video views.

View the American Caldwell content package

Texas A&M 150th Celebration Campaign

The 150th Celebration Campaign will reinforce how Aggies have always stood together as a force for good. For our 150th anniversary, we will celebrate in a way that honors our legacy and anticipates our future, while reinforcing our larger universitywide Force for Good Brand Platform. The predesigned campaign assets should complement, not replace, brand platform messaging, tone and visual style. Access to 150th marks and editable templates requires a university login.

View the 150th Celebration Campaign Content Package

America 250

The 250th anniversary of the United States provides a unique opportunity to reflect on the ideals that have shaped both our nation and Texas A&M. As Texas A&M celebrates its own 150th anniversary in this historic year, we will use this milestone to tell the story of our enduring land-grant mission — expanding opportunity through education, developing leaders of character and advancing research that improves lives. In this content package, you will find a mix of resources, planning and details that will help us continue to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the United States for the rest of this anniversary year.

View the U.S. 250th Content Package

LiveWhale Calendar Transition

Texas A&M is transitioning from the LiveWhale calendar platform to a new calendaring solution, Localist. The anticipated completion of this transition will be before the start of the spring 2027 semester. The university is no longer providing new calendar groups or LiveWhale training for new users. More information about training and the use of the new calendar platform will be coming soon. If you have calendar feeds on your websites, please take an inventory and let the Enterprise Communications team know by emailing calendar@tamu.edu.

New Campus Aerial and Brand Visual Media Assets

Over the last year, we have been adding to our library of photos that we share with the university community. Linked below, you will find hundreds of new photos and melt reels for all of our brand photography and video styles on campus. This also includes new aerial photos of the main campus taken last month! Thank you to the teams that make these photos and videos!

Texas A&M Photo Library

Texas A&M Brand Video

Available Communities of Practice

Design Counsel

Design Counsel is a creative space for Texas A&M’s visual storytellers — a place to share ideas, spark inspiration and help shape what’s next for creativity and collaboration across the university. Each meeting dives into a new topic in marketing and communications, with lots of room to learn from one another and offer support.

We will take a break in July and resume regular meetings in August. Be on the lookout for an RSVP form in the upcoming weeks.

For more information, please contact Melissa Loudermilk, Designer for Brand Services, at mloudermilk@tamu.edu or via Slack or Teams.

Register for upcoming meetings

Internal Communications Community of Practice

Internal communications covers a wide array of responsibilities and expectations among our faculty, staff, students and even external affiliates, and we are here to help! Join us on Wednesday, Aug. 19, from 10 to 11 a.m., as we rotate to our next key topic and offer flexibility in the second half hour to troubleshoot, answer questions and identify ways to support your needs.

This month, we will focus on matching messaging to the most effective channel, using practical examples to help you decide which platform is best for your content. Then, let us help you ensure your content is successful with a straightforward checklist that guides you away from common mistakes and helps you confidently hit publish or send.

Join the Aug. 19 Internal Communications office hours

Aggie UX Training and Support

The Division of Marketing and Communications Web team hosts virtual office hours every third Thursday from 10 to 11 a.m. These sessions include a different demo every month for using Aggie UX in Cascade, WordPress and Figma. Other practical advice for creating web content, applying best practices and using the Aggie UX design system is available on the MarComm site, including a list of on-demand online trainings. Be sure to sign up for Aggie UX-specific communications by joining the Aggie UX email list.

View Aggie UX Office Hours

Research Communicators Network

The Divisions of Research and Marketing and Communications cohost a biweekly meeting for communicators to connect, share updates and collaborate around promoting Texas A&M’s research enterprise. These meetings are a valuable opportunity for everyone who attends, and we encourage you to send a representative if you do not have someone already participating from your unit, college or school.

When: Every other Tuesday, 10 a.m.

This informal virtual gathering is open to all communicators supporting research initiatives and researchers themselves. It’s a chance to ask questions, get feedback and align on research messaging across the university.

Contact Tim Doty, Assistant Vice President for National Media and Public Relations, or Rusty Cawley, Director of Research Communications, to be added to the calendar invitation.

Howdy, University MarComm Community,

In this newsletter, we have a new content package on global university visibility rankings for 2026-27. Also, we will continue to celebrate the 250th anniversary of our country for the next several weeks. And we have a notice on moving from LiveWhale to a new calendaring solution.

American Caldwell Global University Visibility Rankings

The American Caldwell Global University Visibility Rankings for 2026-27 are here. Based in Washington, D.C., the Global University Visibility (GUV) rankings measure the visibility of universities in every country. The GUV rankings are a comparative measure of university brand visibility in a 12-month period.

Texas A&M University ranks No. 6 in the world in American Caldwell’s latest GUV rankings, continuing a rapid rise among the world’s most visible universities.

Texas A&M ranks No. 5 among all U.S. universities, No. 2 among U.S. public universities and No. 1 overall in Texas in the 2026-27 rankings, placing Texas A&M among the world’s most talked-about, searched, visited, followed and watched institutions of higher education. The two-year trajectory is especially notable. Since 2024, Texas A&M has climbed from No. 21 to No. 6 globally, a gain of 15 spots; from No. 14 to No. 5 among U.S. universities, a gain of nine spots; and from No. 3 to No. 2 among U.S. public universities. Texas A&M has now held the No. 2 position among public universities for two consecutive years.

American Caldwell noted that Texas A&M “increased its visibility considerably,” citing significant increases in news mentions and video views. The methodology is based on third-party, publicly available indicators, including news mentions, search interest, social media following, website visitors, web references, online footprint and video views.

View the American Caldwell content package

America 250

The 250th anniversary of the United States provides a unique opportunity to reflect on the ideals that have shaped both our nation and Texas A&M. As Texas A&M celebrates its own 150th anniversary in this historic year, we will use this milestone to tell the story of our enduring land-grant mission — expanding opportunity through education, developing leaders of character and advancing research that improves lives. In this content package, you will find a mix of resources, planning and details that will help us continue to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the United States for the rest of this anniversary year.

View the U.S. 250th Content Package

America 250 Anniversary Series

As the United States marks its 250th anniversary, Texas A&M is featured in the America 250 Anniversary documentary-style series highlighting organizations whose leadership, innovation and service have helped shape the American story. Texas A&M is included in the series because of its 150-year legacy of expanding opportunity, developing leaders and solving challenges that matter.

The America 250 series video and accompanying article showcase how the university continues to create opportunity, improve lives and help build a brighter future for Texas and the nation. Texas A&M was founded as a land-grant institution with a mandate to expand access to education. In keeping with that mission, the university continues to prepare leaders of character and advance research that makes a lasting difference in the world. The series was produced and distributed in partnership with Acumen Media and is featured on the USA Today website.

In this content package, you will find resources to share Texas A&M’s inclusion in the America 250 series.

View the America 250 series content package

LiveWhale Calendar Transition

Texas A&M is transitioning from the LiveWhale calendar platform to a new calendaring solution, Localist. The anticipated completion of this transition will be before the start of the spring 2027 semester. The university is no longer providing new calendar groups or LiveWhale training for new users. More information about training and the use of the new calendar platform will be coming soon. If you have calendar feeds on your websites, please take an inventory and let the Enterprise Communications team know by emailing calendar@tamu.edu.

New Campus Aerial and Brand Visual Media Assets

Over the last year, we have been adding to our library of photos that we share with the university community. Linked below, you will find hundreds of new photos and melt reels for all of our brand photography and video styles on campus. This also includes new aerial photos of the main campus taken last month! Thank you to the teams that make these photos and videos!

Texas A&M Photo Library

Texas A&M Brand Video

Texas A&M 150th Celebration Campaign

The 150th Celebration Campaign will reinforce how Aggies have always stood together as a force for good. For our 150th anniversary, we will celebrate in a way that honors our legacy and anticipates our future, while reinforcing our larger universitywide Force for Good Brand Platform. The predesigned campaign assets should complement, not replace, brand platform messaging, tone and visual style. Access to 150th marks and editable templates requires a university login.

View the 150th Celebration Campaign Content Package

Digital Content Accessibility Deadline Extended to April 2027

Today, the U.S. Department of Justice published an interim final rule extending the compliance deadline for digital accessibility under Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). For institutions the size of Texas A&M, the original April 2026 deadline has been extended to April 26, 2027. While this additional time provides some welcome flexibility, it is important that the university sustains its current momentum in improving digital accessibility. In particular, federally funded grants and programs remain subject to a May 11, 2026, compliance deadline under Section 504. Previously, this date was not emphasized because it aligned closely with the ADA Title II timeline.

As the university community continues to make meaningful progress toward accessible digital documents and platforms, employees are encouraged to continue using the resources available through the Digital Accessibility website to ensure digital content is accessible to all. By incorporating accessibility into everyday practices, the university ensures that the knowledge gained through teaching, learning and discovery is available to the widest possible audience. Questions regarding digital accessibility and related federal requirements may be directed to the IT Accessibility team.

As a reminder, digital content includes websites, online services, PDFs, social media graphics, videos and any other digital content your unit produces or publishes. We encourage you to review the information shared in the Feb. 9 newsletter about these requirements and to learn how Aggie UX 2.0 can help you and your teams produce responsive, regulation-compliant websites and online services as you move forward. Additional how-tos and step-by-step guides are available through itaccessibility.tamu.edu.

Community Resources Available to You

Design Counsel

Design Counsel is a creative space for Texas A&M’s visual storytellers — a place to share ideas, spark inspiration and help shape what’s next for creativity and collaboration across the university. Each meeting dives into a new topic in marketing and communications, with lots of room to learn from one another and offer support.

We will take a break in July and resume regular meetings in August. Be on the lookout for an RSVP form in the upcoming weeks.

For more information, please contact Melissa Loudermilk, Designer for Brand Services, at mloudermilk@tamu.edu or via Slack or Teams.

Register for upcoming meetings

Internal Communications Community of Practice

Internal communications covers a wide array of responsibilities and expectations among our faculty, staff, students and even external affiliates, and we are here to help! Join us on Wednesday, Aug. 19, from 10 to 11 a.m., as we rotate to our next key topic and offer flexibility in the second half hour to troubleshoot, answer questions and identify ways to support your needs.

Join the Aug. 19 Internal Communications office hours

Aggie UX Training and Support

The Division of Marketing and Communications Web team hosts virtual office hours every third Thursday from 10 to 11 a.m. These sessions include a different demo every month for using Aggie UX in Cascade, WordPress and Figma. Other practical advice for creating web content, applying best practices and using the Aggie UX design system is available on the MarComm site, including a list of on-demand online trainings. Be sure to sign up for Aggie UX-specific communications by joining the Aggie UX email list.

View Aggie UX Office Hours

Research Communicators Network

The Divisions of Research and Marketing and Communications cohost a biweekly meeting for communicators to connect, share updates and collaborate around promoting Texas A&M’s research enterprise. These meetings are a valuable opportunity for everyone who attends, and we encourage you to send a representative if you do not have someone already participating from your unit, college or school.

When: Every other Tuesday, 10 a.m.

This informal virtual gathering is open to all communicators supporting research initiatives and researchers themselves. It’s a chance to ask questions, get feedback and align on research messaging across the university.

Contact Tim Doty, Assistant Vice President for National Media and Public Relations, or Rusty Cawley, Director of Research Communications, to be added to the calendar invitation.

Introduction

The American Caldwell Global University Visibility Rankings for 2026-27 are here. Based in Washington, D.C., the Global University Visibility (GUV) rankings measure the visibility of universities in every country. The GUV rankings are a comparative measure of university brand visibility in a 12-month period.

Texas A&M University ranks No. 6 in the world in American Caldwell’s latest GUV rankings, continuing a rapid rise among the world’s most visible universities.

Texas A&M ranks No. 5 among all U.S. universities, No. 2 among U.S. public universities and No. 1 overall in Texas in the 2026-27 rankings, placing Texas A&M among the world’s most talked about, searched, visited, followed and watched institutions of higher education.

The two-year trajectory is especially notable. Since 2024, Texas A&M has climbed from No. 21 to No. 6 globally, a gain of 15 spots; from No. 14 to No. 5 among U.S. universities, a gain of nine spots; and from No. 3 to No. 2 among U.S. public universities. Texas A&M has now held the No. 2 position among public universities for two consecutive years.

American Caldwell noted that Texas A&M “increased its visibility considerably,” citing significant increases in news mentions and video views. The methodology is based on third-party, publicly available indicators, including news mentions, search interest, social media following, website visitors, web references, online footprint and video views.