More Than a Book: Designing & Launching a High-Impact Program

How do you design and launch something more than a product, but something that becomes a movement?

For two consecutive years, I led the full-scale vision, planning, and execution of a university-wide program called The One Book, a Common Intellectual Experience tied to the First-Year Experience (FYE) initiative. But this wasn’t just a reading program. It was a curated, intentional designing and launching through logistics, engagement strategy, curriculum design, marketing, event planning, and cross-departmental collaboration built into its DNA.

From managing committee decisions and negotiating publisher quotes to coordinating the delivery of 3,000+ physical books across a mid-sized public university, this was an end-to-end launch that touched students, faculty, staff, and the broader community.

Designing & Launching with Depth: What This Program Included

Timeline: April 2022 – April 2024
Population Served: 14,000+ students (campus-wide)
Role: Program Chair, Lead Strategist & Coordinator
Book Disbursement: 3,000+ physical copies each year

Events Produced:

• 8 campus partner events
• 4 One Book–branded events
• Full-year themed programming across departments

My Role: Full-Spectrum Strategy & Execution

I didn’t just manage this program—I owned it from concept to implementation.

Here’s what that looked like:

Strategic Planning & Leadership

• Chaired the university-wide committee responsible for book selection
• Facilitated consensus-building and decision timelines
• Conducted pre- and post-launch analysis of program reach, engagement, and feedback

Procurement & Logistics

• Negotiated price quotes and licensing from publishers
• Coordinated bulk ordering, shipping, and on-campus distribution of 3,000+ books annually
• Managed all inquiries and troubleshooting related to book pickup, delivery, and replacements

Messaging & Storytelling

Wrote all internal and public-facing copy including:

• The personalized insert in the book
• Website updates and program announcements
• Campus news articles promoting the book’s theme and vision

Yearlong Event Design

• Built a full academic-year curriculum of events inspired by the book’s themes
• Supported committee member event leadership
• Collaborated with campus partners across student affairs, academic departments, and creative units
• Designed both large-scale and intimate programming to deepen engagement

Sample Programming Highlights

My designing and launching event strategy aligned deeply with the book’s themes, the institution’s mission, and the developmental needs of first-year and second-year students. Programming examples include:

• International Water Day (in collaboration with the Campus Theme Committee)
• Mindfulness Yoga & “One Book Day” with Campus Rec (managed w/ Committee Member)
• “Taco Bout’ It Tuesdays” with Intercultural Affairs (3 themed discussions)
• Lunch with a Nutritionist (2 events hosted by the One Book program)
• “The Way I’m Wired” – a neurodiversity-focused performance at the Bardo Arts Center
• Neurodiversity Celebration Campaign with cross-campus visibility
• Let’s Talk Quirky Learners Book Club hosted by the College of Education & Allied Professions
• Not Normal Creative Competition as part of the Spring Literary Festival

Each event was intentionally scaffolded to support learners across multiple modalities—movement, dialogue, introspection, artistic expression, and social-emotional reflection.

Ready for Launch. Anywhere.

Whether I’m working with a university or a startup, a nonprofit or a solo business owner, I bring this same level of precision, nourishment, and strategic foresight to every launch I lead.

I know how to:

• Coordinate large-scale shipments and product rollouts
• Manage cross-functional teams
• Build buzz through thoughtful, values-aligned messaging
• Create educational programming that brings people into dialogue with your product
• Analyze past efforts and map a stronger path forward

If you need someone to guide your **next launch from spark to scale** I’m ready! And if you’re dreaming big, I’ll help you ground it into strategy, systems, and story.

I can’t wait to work alonside you!

Let’s Plan Your Next Launch from Spark to Scale!

If you are as excited as I am to walk beside you in your next launch journey, check out my Work with Me page!

Also, you can book a FREE 30-minute ReSPARK session to explore how I connect learning design and learning experience design with both small-scale and large-scale programs and events.

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Until next time – keep shining for those who would otherwise remain in the dark.  Be the light!