Think one person can change the world? How about one fearless person?

The Board of Trustees unanimously voted Saturday, March 4 to approve a new marketing strategy that will use the concept of “fearlessness” to improve Oberlin’s image in the outside world. This vote catapulted the campaign, conceived by Massachusetts-based marketing strategist Mark Edwards, into a three-year initiative to incorporate “fearless” into new admissions materials.

Edwards introduced the “fearless” concept to College and Conservatory professors at a general faculty meeting on Wednesday, Feb. 22. “Fearless” is meant to encapsulate Oberlin’s long history and continuing tradition of breaking social norms, exercising intellectual curiosity and taking risks in both academic and personal endeavors.

Edwards spent months on campus talking to students and faculty, investigating the mission statements of other peer institutions and interviewing over 200 prospective applicants and guidance counselors.

In the end, he concluded that indeed, Oberlin’s message did seem too vague or too similar to those of other colleges.

“The Board endorses President [Nancy] Dye’s work with Mark Edwards in developing and launching a comprehensive marketing and communications campaign,” said Board of Trustees Chair Robert Lemle.

Dye explained that the decision to hire a marketing consultant arose, if somewhat indirectly, from the goals outlined in the Strategic Plan.

“One goal of the plan is to improve the value and perception of the value of an Oberlin education,” she said.

Edwards emphasized that it was unclear at this point how exactly “fearless” will fit into the reworking of Oberlin admissions materials and marketing campaigns. This consideration will occur at a later stage.

At any rate, “fearless” will definitely not be used as a singular slogan for Oberlin, or as a substitute for its old adage of “Think one person can change the world? So do we.” Rather, it is a concept that will be incorporated into a larger reframing of Oberlin designed for those unfamiliar with its character.

“It depends on us to populate the word with what goes on at Oberlin,” Dye explained at a College Faculty meeting. Dye added that any use of the “fearless” theme will have to be placed in the context of Oberlin’s long history of fearlessness in thought, expression and action.

While the general sentiment appears to be one of optimism surrounding the “fearless” campaign, some apprehensions and anxieties have been expressed since the General Faculty presentation among faculty and students alike. Some professors wanted to know more about the context in which “fearless” would be placed; some students did not like the idea of Oberlin, an institution long-heralded as “non-conformist” and “outside-the-box,” aligning itself with a “brand” or marketing-geared emblem and possibly trying to be something it is not. These particular fears were addressed at a class trustees open forum on Thursday, March 2.

Many students said that they feared the arrival of a marketing expert indicated a broader effort to “change” Oberlin. Administrators, however, are quick to offer clarifications that might quell these fears.

Al Moran, director of College relations, emphasized that only part of the marketing measures suggested by Edwards incorporate the “fearless” message.

“A percentage of what Mark Edwards is proposing to the trustees is the resurrection of helpful communication vehicles that existed before and are now no longer in existence because of budgetary cuts,” Moran explained. “Of the remaining components, we have view books and search pieces and posters and postcards that are currently being worked on, and [Edwards] is helping to redirect the message on those.”

“I think students are less concerned with Oberlin’s image and more concerned that Oberlin will start to attract a different kind of student body,” said Class Trustee Adam Sorkin, OC ’05. “The idea of this marketing campaign, though, is to attract the students who would be perfect for Oberlin but don’t know anything about it.”

Students were also upset that Edwards had not made a presentation to the student body, while the General Faculty, Residential Education and the Board of Trustees all had a chance to meet with him. Dye confirmed in an interview with the Review on March 7 that Edwards would, in fact, return to campus within three weeks to talk to select groups of students about their concerns.

“I think that the students’ concerns were premature, but they didn’t have the full picture,” Sorkin said. “That should be fixed once they see Edwards’ presentation.”

One major concern among members of the Board of Trustees was about cost. Dye, however, assured worriers that the costs are taken care of, for the most part with little expense to the College.

“College Relations money is being used for this project, and four trustees have made gifts to fund each of the project’s three years,” said Dye.

On March 3, the Budget and Finance Committee held a meeting to discuss the funding of the next phase of the “fearless” campaign. Up until that point, all the work had been paid for by trustee donations, but with the trustees’ approval of the plan, more money will be needed beyond these gifts.

Skeptics and supporters of “fearless” will have to wait and see if and how this concept will materialize and if it will be successful in showing people the “essence” of Oberlin. Edwards, for his part, is steadfast in his convictions about the message.

“From my point of view, I see ‘fearless’ 100 times a day here on this campus,” he said. “I see it when a Conservatory student gets up and goes out onto a stage and performs a piece of music at a high level. I see it when students and faculty are working together in a whole range of disciplines. I see this attitude regularly, and there are lots of stories we can tell that are really part of the Oberlin experience every single day. An Oberlin education is what’s fearless.”