July 6, 2026 Marketing and Communications Update
In this issue, we have two new content packages and dynamic new brand assets available for your immediate use. Check it all out and start using them today.
Howdy, University MarComm Community,
We hope you all had a wonderful holiday weekend! In this newsletter, we have two new content packages and dynamic new brand assets available for your immediate use.
America 250 Anniversary Series
As the United States marks its 250th anniversary, Texas A&M University 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
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
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 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, July 15, 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 highlight the many tools available to campus communicators as you prepare for the upcoming fall semester. Join us to explore digital signage templates, opt-list communication guidance and other helpful resources. The Enterprise Communications team is here to support your content packaging needs and answer questions on the resources available to you.
Join the July 15 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.
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.
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