Every program, event, and achievement carries a story worth telling. Our storytelling services create compelling narratives that highlight the experiences of students, faculty, staff, alumni, and donors whose lives have been shaped by international and intercultural engagement.

Story Types We Produce

We produce a wide range of marketing and promotional materials that help tell your story and enhance the reputation of the university including:

• Briefs — A short write-up of 200 words or less covering the essential who, what, when, where, why, and how of an event, program, or announcement. No interviews required.
• Precedes — A forward-looking story of 200–500 words highlighting an upcoming event. Precedes include at least one interview and are ideal for events with RSVP requirements or significant advance promotion.
• Follow-Ups — Written after an event, follow-ups run 500–800 words and capture what happened, who was involved, and what was accomplished. Includes interviews with organizers and participants.
• Features — An in-depth story of 800–2,000 words focused on a particular person, group, program, or initiative. Features carry more personality and depth, and we recommend two or more interviews for the strongest result.
• Profiles — A short Q&A with an individual, typically answered independently and returned to our team for editing.

Turnaround Time

Timelines vary by story type. Here’s what to expect:

• Briefs — Can be published within a few days of the request.
• Precedes — Ready within one to two weeks, provided interviews are scheduled promptly.
• Follow-Ups — Delivered within one to two weeks of event coverage.
• Features — Range from two weeks to two months depending on subject complexity and interview scheduling.
• Profiles — Published within one week to one month of the request.

We recommend reaching out as early as possible — particularly for stories requiring interviews, which will be scheduled within two weeks of submitting your request.

Planning Considerations

To produce a story that accurately reflects your unit’s work and resonates with your audience, we’ll ask you to share the following when submitting a request:

• Subject — Who or what is the story about? (Student, faculty/staff, donor, program, achievement, event, etc.)
• Timeline — When do you want the story published? If there’s an event to be covered, when does it take place?
• Review — Would you like the opportunity to review the story before it’s published?
• Photos and Background — If our team is unable to photograph the subject or event, please be prepared to provide images and supporting materials.
• Additional Context — Any documents, background information, or details that would help our team tell the story well.

Note: All published stories will automatically shared via Illinois International social media.

Submit a Request

Submit our Request From to start a project! Need more guidance before you submit the form? Contact our project manager.