Positioning Statement

A clear and consistent brand is critical to connecting with key audiences in a meaningful way, creating emotional resonance, engagement, and loyalty. The end goal is to ensure that our audiences walk away knowing who we are, how we are different, and why we matter.

The following positioning statement has been developed to guide overall university messaging. It declares the position we want to occupy in the minds of all audiences, from prospective students to alumni to civic leaders. The statement is informed by major market research studies that identi ed the value bene ts of the University of San Francisco that di erentiate USF from its competitors. The positioning statement should be read as an umbrella statement intended to guide more tailored messaging.

“The University of San Francisco draws on the inclusive, progressive spirit of its hometown to provide students from all backgrounds with an education that is intensely personal, intellectually demanding, outcome oriented, and insistent on the capacity of every individual to make an enduring impact on the world.”

In other words, USF shows students how disciplined thinking can lead to enduring impact. Our graduates are equipped to be successful and inspired to do their part to change the world. USF and its students share the de ning characteristics of the city of San Francisco—open-minded, adventurous, hard-working, innovative.

This is USF: Sharp minds, big hearts, and independent spirits.