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BISHOP LUDDEN RESEARCH
CLIENT REPORT
EMILY IRGANG, TONI SETARO, KATHY RUDKIN, JULIA TRIFILIO
DECEMBER 2016

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Table of Contents
Executive Summary………………………………….…3
Problem and Opportunity Statement………………....4
Situation Analysis……………………………………….5
SWOT Analysis………………...……………..............10
Key Publics……………………………………………..12
Research Objectives…………………………………..14
Research Methodology……..…………………………14
Research Results and Analyses……………..………17
Recommendations………………………………….....25
Appendices………………………………………..……28
References………………………………………..……45

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Executive Summary
Bishop Ludden Junior-­Senior High School is a private Catholic school located in
Syracuse, NY. The school teaches students from grades 7-­12. Despite the
schools current success, Bishop Ludden has been looking to expand its
enrollment and admissions and create a better relationship with its alumni. To do
this, we have conducted a detailed research report and plan to help better guide
Bishop Ludden reach its business objectives.
We studied Bishop Ludden’s key publics of prospective families and alumni to
gain better insight on to how to increase enrollment and donations. We executed
three different research methods to garner our understanding such as surveys,
focus groups and social listening. These methods provided tremendous help into
understanding the key issues at Bishop Ludden and its reputation.
Through our research, we found that Bishop Ludden should expand upon its
curriculum in order to remain competitive in the Syracuse education system. We
also recommend that Bishop Ludden become more transparent with its alumni as
to where its donations and money are going: what programs and initiatives are
specifically being funded by the alumni. Lastly, we also recommend that Bishop
Ludden create a marketing advertisement on its alumni to give to prospective
families to show off its alumni’s success.

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Problem and Opportunity Statement
Bishop Ludden Junior-­Senior High School is a private Catholic school for grades
7-­12. Bishop Ludden’s mission is to “to further the mission of Jesus Christ by
teaching and proclaiming the Gospel” (“Mission Statement & Philosophy,” 2016).
In past years, Bishop Ludden has seen a dramatic decrease in enrollment,
funding and academic resources. The immense lack of funding from alumni has
prevented prospective families from enrolling. Bishop Ludden is losing students
to competing schools, which results in less funding and support for the school.
Overall, the lack of funding and donations could lead to the school having to
close. By researching what the prospective families and alumni want, Bishop
Ludden can better cater to the needs of its key publics. They will be able to better
pinpoint its target audiences and create strategies for increasing outreach and
enrollment. In the long term, this may bring in more funds and students.

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Situation Analysis
Analyzing the Situation
Background on the Issue:
Bishop Ludden Junior-­Senior High School has struggled over the years with
enrollment and soliciting donations from the community and alumni. Due to the
lack of funding, Bishop Ludden has not been able to offer certain programs and
opportunities to its students that it would like to offer. Since the school’s
competitors, such as Christian Brothers Academy and Bishop Grimes, have
many more resources, Bishop Ludden feels it is not viewed as a top choice
among competitors to potential students. The school is also worried that it does
not portray as being a unified brand. Faculty have expressed their concern on
the varying shades of green and different looking mascot shown around the
school. Finding new methods to increase outreach to alumni and community
members will be the most effective way to see a difference in the current amount
of funding and eventually will help with the concerning enrollment trend.
Consequences of the Situation:
Funding and alumni and community support is imperative to the overall success
of the school and future of its students. Without monetary backing the school is
unable to operate on a competitive level. Bishop Ludden currently does not have
enough resources to operate at an optimal level. Therefore, current resources
are not being used to their greatest potential. Bishop Ludden alumni may feel
detached from the school, and therefore reaching out and establishing a better
rapport with them is a key aspect toward improving the current situation.
Resolution of the Situation:
The problem may be resolved by gathering information from a few different
areas. One, Bishop Ludden needs to find what the most effective ways to reach
out to alumni will be so it can efficiently know how to target the alumni base to
receive the greatest amount of donations possible. Bishop Ludden will also need
to reach out to the members of the local community and communities where its
students live to gain donations. Two, the school needs to form a cohesive image
to distinguish itself as a unified institution with an identifiable brand and
recognizable identity. Lastly, Bishop Ludden needs to think of creative ways to
attract new students from not only the current communities it recruits from, but
also from new neighborhoods as well. All four strategic goals need to be a part of
an organized and interconnected communication plan to later be created by
Bishop Ludden.

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Research Program:
Research is needed in order to form recommendations that will solve the current
problem. Information about what social media platforms and forms of
communication the alumni and members of the community use will be needed in
order to know how to effectively target and reach out to them. Bishop Ludden
will need to be aware of the culture and ideals that the current Bishop Ludden
community members hold. Research and analysis will need to be done to
compare and contrast Bishop Ludden to its competitors. It is also needed to
compare the differences and similarities between Bishop Ludden students’
needs, wants, aspirations, and goals to those of the students of its competing
schools. Information will also need to be gathered to know how to successfully
penetrate and recruit from new communities.
Analyzing the Organization
Competition:
Bishop Ludden has pinpointed two main competitors. They are Christian Brothers
Academy and Bishop Grimes Junior Senior High School. The first one, Christian
Brothers Academy (CBA), is a private Catholic middle school and high school
located in Syracuse, New York. CBA is a highly regarded institution within the
area and has a large population of students ranging from 7th through 12th
grade.
In comparison to Bishop Ludden’s strong emphasis on Catholic faith, CBA
focuses more on academics than religion. This works in CBA’s favor, as the
school is able to attract more students with and without Catholic backgrounds.
CBA has many resources that include modern library and computer labs, fully
equipped science labs and renovated athletic facilities. CBA offers strong
academic curriculum and has many more financial resources than Bishop
Ludden (“Academics: Overview,” 2016).
The second competitor is Bishop Grimes Junior Senior High School, located in
East Syracuse, New York. It is a private, not-­for-­profit, Roman Catholic school
established in 1966. Just like CBA, Bishop Grimes has an honorable reputation
and attracts students from all over Syracuse. It prides itself on being an
affordable Catholic school with a strong tradition and over 6,000 alumni. The
school has a 100% graduation record. It also has a rather low student/teacher
ratio and offers ENL (English language) support to foreign exchange students.
Bishop Grimes has many financial resources that support up-­to-­date technology,
43 sports teams, and strong Fine Arts programs (“About Bishop Grimes,” 2016).
Both competitors are active on social media and have modern websites that are
easy to navigate. In addition, both schools send out information pamphlets and
newsletters for parents, things that Bishop Ludden cannot afford. In the past
three years, the competition has increased. CBA and Bishop Grimes have been
growing while Bishop Ludden’s enrollment has been declining. The competition
from these schools will remain a considerable factor in Bishop Ludden’s future
success.

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External Impediments:
The environment in which the school operates will also affect Bishop Ludden.
The most crucial factors affecting Catholic private school education is the current
state of the economy as well as families having fewer children nation-­wide
(Lewin, 2014). In addition, the economy in Syracuse may be negatively affecting
private schools such as Bishop Ludden. Many local families are sending their
children to rival public schools in order to save funds for their son’s or daughter’s
future college education (Pascual, 2016).
The specific area surrounding Bishop Ludden is not known as a particularly
wealthy area. Many surrounding families are blue-­collar families with lower to
middle income. According to a recent study on the Syracuse economy, the
average household income is just under $32,000. The average yearly tuition at
Bishop Ludden for 2016-­2017 was $6,250 for 7th
and 8th
graders and $7,370 for
9th
through 12th
graders (Bishop Ludden website, 2016). Although the school
offers scholarships, this would still be difficult for low-­income families in the area.
Another external factor negatively affecting enrollment at Bishop Ludden High
School may be the decreasing birth rate across the country. According to a study
conducted in 2013, the number of women in the 15-­44-­age group having children
has dropped to a record low (Lewin, 2014). This national trend is seen in
Syracuse as well. Families belonging to the Catholic churches that feed into
schools like Bishop Ludden used to be much larger. One family would typically
have at least three children that cycled through the school. Now, Bishop Ludden
is finding it harder to attract families with more than one or two children.
Research Program:
The information and research above comes from the websites of schools
mentioned. In addition, it comes from databases and the Lewin article in The
New York Times.
It would be appropriate to conduct further research. Some research that would be
valuable involves looking into how competitors use social media and how they
reach out to families and alumni regarding school events and funding.
Researching the specific recruitment strategies both schools use would also be
smart.

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Analyzing the Publics
Customers:
Bishop Ludden’s primary customers are families who live in the Syracuse area
and are looking to send their children to Catholic school. Those who might be
inclined to send their children to Bishop Ludden are those who appreciate the
presence of a family atmosphere within a school, and those who feel it will
benefit their children to be educated in a diverse environment. Additionally,
customers may also be individuals who attend surrounding Catholic schools, and
are unhappy with their experience, such as Christian Brother’s Academy.
Secondary customers are colleges, who are looking for intelligent and well-­
rounded individuals for their student bodies. Within the last three years, there
has been an emphasis on recruiting the families who have children enrolled in
surrounding Catholic schools. Within the next three years, this will likely change
to recruiting families who have children enrolled at non-­religious high schools.
Producers:
The key producers are the principal and president of Bishop Ludden. The
principal is Brenda Reichert, who oversees the daily operations of the
school. Mary Ellen Shirtz, the school’s president, works with the Diocese of
Syracuse to determine the budget and funding of the institution. Additional
producers are Matt Oswalt, Director of Advancement, and Andrea Marshall,
Director of Development. Oswalt is responsible for increasing enrollment and
retention, while Marshall works to raise funds and monitor alumni relations.
Enablers:
Current enablers of Bishop Ludden are the parents and guardians who pay the
tuition of their children, considering the cost of tuition is what keeps the school
afloat. Presently, tuition is being discounted in order to attract future customers
and increase enrollment. Additionally, the local Syracuse media can serve as an
enabler, because positive coverage, particularly with the school’s successful
athletics department, can lead to an optimistic perception of Bishop Ludden in
the community.

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Limiters:
Bishop Ludden is limited by its competitors, which are the private Catholic high
schools in the area, such as Christian Brother’s Academy. Bishop Ludden is not
able to afford many of the amenities that these other schools have, such as new
computers, enough textbooks for every student and an auditorium. Christian
Brother’s Academy’s tuition is much higher than Bishop Ludden’s, allowing for
the funds necessary to provide these amenities. Although more expensive, CBA
has many features that Bishop Ludden is not able to provide to its students. Not
only does Bishop Ludden lack modern technology, but they also are forced to
borrow books from its sister school in Utica, New York. Bishop Ludden must work
to help their alumni feel connected to the school in order to increase alumni
donations and involvement, which could help increase enrollment.
Research Program:
It is imperative that research is conducted to discover what Bishop Ludden can
improve on and how they can recruit students. In order to determine the steps
that Bishop Ludden can take, the research objective must take a closer look at
what prospective families want in a Catholic school, and the strategies of
school’s competitors. Schools like Christian Brother’s Academy are extremely
successful, and further research can provide the reasons for their success. By
looking at the opinions of the community, through surveys and interviews, we can
acquire the information needed to determine what aspects of education are
important to prospective families, and how Bishop Ludden can improve.

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SWOT Analysis
Strengths:
• Bishop Ludden prides itself on the success of its basketball program, both
boy’s and girl’s. The boys program is constantly in the news for its
overwhelming number of wins in the Section 3 Class AA division. For
example, in 2016 Bishop Ludden’s basketball team made it to the Central
New York Basketball Championships against Bishop Grimes (Webb,
February 22, 2016).
• Every parent looks out for every student, not just their own. Every teacher
goes out of their way to ensure the success of their students. It creates a
strong community and one that many middle and high school kids can
engage with and appreciate. For example, if a student were left behind
after soccer practice, another family would offer to take them home
because that is the kind of family spirit that Bishop Ludden promotes.
• The Bishop Ludden Arts program is unique. The program is run by Tom
Pietropaolo who has devoted his entire career and life to the success of
students in the theatre and arts. In 2015, Bishop Ludden’s concert choir
was awarded 2nd
place at the Darien Lake Music Festival. Bishop Ludden
also received eight nominations at the Syracuse High School Theatre
Awards in May 2015 (“Preforming Arts,” 2016).
• Bishop Ludden has an extremely loyal and strong staff. Whenever any
staff member is given a job, they rarely say no and are proud and honored
to help the Bishop Ludden family in any way possible. For example, when
speaking with Amanda Webster, the campus Minister, she said she takes
on the role of 3-­4 faculty members.
Weaknesses:
• Bishop Ludden lacks funds and resources. Without money, Bishop
Ludden cannot buy new equipment and materials. Additionally, without
funds, Bishop Ludden cannot remain competitive with other private
schools in the area because the faculty may be forced to leave to get jobs
that pay better.
• Many of the faculty at Bishop Ludden are overworked. Many of them have
one job title but really fulfill three or four jobs. For example, Tom
Pietropaolo, the theatre director, has taken on the roles of theatre
stagehand, theatre art director and even theatre musical director. He has
taken on more titles than a faculty member should.
• Bishop Ludden also lacks a strong alumni base. It has lost contact with
many of the alumni and really only receive any form of communication or

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help from around 7 percent of its alumni network (A. Marshall, & M.
Oswalt, personal communication, September 13, 2016).
• Bishop Ludden lacks a brand that is seamless throughout the school. It
has many different mascots, many different shades of green, many
different colored uniforms and it even uses a myriad of fonts in its signage.
This lack of a true identity makes it hard for the school to grow because it
does not know how to position itself with future and prospective families.
• Bishop Ludden needs to create a more consistent brand. Currently in the
school, they have many different mascots, many different shades of
green, and many different school logos around the campus. By
establishing a clear brand, Bishop Ludden can promote a specific identity
and establish more unity amongst students and staff.
Opportunities:
• Bishop Ludden needs to reach out to successful alumni of Bishop Ludden
like New York State Senator John J. Flanagan. These alumni could prove
to be valuable donors and may help the school stay afloat financially.
• Advertising to and recruiting at local feeder schools and other surrounding
public schools will spread the word about Bishop Ludden. This could
attract more students and increase future enrollment.
• The school should set up recruitment booths at local Catholic Churches.
Higher recruitment means more students, which means a healthier school
budget.
• The school will launch further programs and opportunities for students
from other schools to come visit Bishop Ludden and focus on the age
group of students who may still be deciding between schools.
Threats:
• Catholic schools like Christian Brothers Academy and Bishop Grimes are
main competitors of Bishop Ludden.
• Many of the faculty and staff at Bishop Ludden, are leaving for more
lucrative salaries. The salaries at competing schools are attractive to
these teachers.
• There is a growing trend that people are having fewer children.
Consequently, local families are becoming smaller. A smaller population to
draw students from may negatively impact enrollment rates (Lewin, 2014).

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Key Publics
Primary Key Public 1: Prospective Families
A) Demographics
Enrollment numbers are declining for Bishop Ludden High School in Syracuse
at alarming numbers. Families either cannot afford the tuition or they are
attracted by the resources of competitors. Considering Bishop Ludden is a
Catholic school, understanding the needs and wants of the Catholic families
in the area can assist our client in its efforts for improvement and rebranding.
Knowing more about the Catholic families in the Syracuse area can help our
client recruit the children of those families and increase enrollment.
The population of the greater Syracuse area is about 385,000 people
(“Greater Syracuse,” 2016). Of these, 35 percent are Catholic. Catholics in
the area are part of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Syracuse. Unfortunately,
the demographic makeup of these Catholic individuals is unclear (“Syracuse,
New York Religion,” 2016). What is known is that there are about 160,000
households, with an average of 2.6 individuals per household. Of these
households, only around 50,000 are families with children, which further
narrows our target key public. In Syracuse, the average age of a male is 28
years, and the average age of a female is 30 years. Furthermore, the largest
age group is those under 20 years old and that group accounts for 30 percent
of the population (“Syracuse, New York Demographics Data,” 2016). Taking
these two aspects into account, our client can infer that there is a large
division of the population that is young parents starting families. Our client
must do everything it can to make sure this key public is on track to eventually
enroll in and attend Bishop Ludden.
B) Psychographics
The families of prospective students care about the well-­being and overall
development of their children. They want to know that the money they are
spending toward an education is being put to good use, and will be the best
option for their child. These families are committed to teaching their children
the ideals and traditions of the Catholic faith, as well as value a good Catholic
education (A. Marshal, & M. Oswalt, personal communication, September 13,
2016). This public does not currently have much confidence in the Syracuse
public schooling system and are open to the idea of a private institution. It is a
very collectivism centered public, with strong value in family and community
bond (A. Marshall, & M. Oswalt, personal communication, September 13,
2016).

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Primary Key Public 2: Alumni
A) Demographics
Notable and successful Bishop Ludden alumni are another key public. They
have the potential to help Bishop Ludden by providing donations and
spreading the word of their positive experiences at Bishop Ludden to help
increase enrollment. The age range of this sample of alumni is 41 to 63 years
of age. Additionally, every member of this group is a Caucasian male. Some
of these prominent individuals still reside in the Syracuse area, such as U.S.
Congressman John Katko (“Congressman John Katko,” 2016). There are also
graduates who have left the area, like Robert Wood, a Harvard professor who
moved to Massachusetts, and Terry McAuliffe, the governor of Virginia
(“Common Good VA,” 2016). Those located in the Syracuse area fit our client
needs the strongest, and can be present at the school to help garner positive
attention, implement new programs (teach classes, participate in shadow
programs, etc.), and make a change at Bishop Ludden.
B) Psychographics
Although the ages, current geographical locations, occupations and many
other demographics of Bishop Ludden Junior-­Senior High School alumni vary
greatly, with no specific target nor range, many alumni have similar values
and beliefs. Currently, alumni do not look at the school as an organization
they can support (A. Marshall, & M. Oswalt, personal communication,
September 13, 2016). They only see Bishop Ludden as a part of the Diocese
and not as the school that they graduated from and spent years of their lives
(A. Marshall, & M. Oswalt, personal communication, September 13, 2016).
They still hold a part of that family/community bond that the school creates for
its students, but strongly connecting with its alumni base through personal
email, chain email and Facebook is essential to successfully connecting with
this public. Since email and Facebook are highly used forms of
communication for Bishop-­Ludden alumni (Newport, 2014), reaching them
through these platforms could potentially draw them back to wanting to
support their struggling high school.

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Research Objectives
Our group has chosen two research objectives that we will use to guide us
throughout our research process. These objectives address both business and
communications problems that Bishop Ludden faces. They are as follows:
• Attain demographic and psychographic information about Bishop Ludden
alumni.
• Determine the information-­seeking behaviors of prospective students and
their families.
Research Methodology
Methodology:
For our research, we used primary quantitative and qualitative methodology. We
wanted to attain insights into exactly what Bishop Ludden’s key publics were
discussing. These methods included a social listening analysis, an online survey
and focus groups. While collecting this data, our team was able to better
understand why prospective families were not enrolling their children into Bishop
Ludden and why alumni were not donating time or money to the school. After
gathering our data, we hoped to be able to better assist Bishop Ludden in
addressing these prominent issues and thus help the school reach its business
objectives.
Research Method 1:
Social Listening Analysis
Sampling Frame:
We examined social media posts, specifically Twitter from June 1, 2016 to
October 30, 2016. We used Sysomos Maps to analyze social media related to
Bishop Ludden Junior-­Senior High School and Syracuse Catholic private
schools, as well as any social media related to Bishop Ludden’s alumni base.

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Rationale:
We chose this time frame because it is during the summer when families enroll
their children in school for the fall. If we could better understand what they were
talking about during the “off-­school” season, we could better reach our target
audience of prospective families. Additionally, we chose this time frame because
it was during the summer when alumni are more likely to donate then so that the
students have new amenities and supplies when the school year begins.
We chose to use “Social Listening Analysis” as our method because social
listening looks at what is being said online in relation to the client. Social
Listening helped us understand exactly what our key publics were interested in
through analyzing their conversations. It helped us understand the ongoing
conversation of our target audiences. We measured their attitudes and beliefs,
which helped us understand moving forward how to create a positive image for
Bishop Ludden. The value of Social Listening is that we can track what is being
said and examine how we can make it better.
Execution:
• Recruiting Method: None
• Location: Online (Sysomos MAPs)
• Length: 1 hour per group member (4 hours total)
• Incentive: None
• Number of Social Media Posts: 30
Data Analysis Method:
Content analysis
Research Method 2:
Online Survey
Sampling Frame:
We created two different surveys. One survey was for prospective families and
was sent out on October 18, 2016 and was closed on October 30, 2016. The
other survey was sent to alumni and was sent out on October 18, 2016 and was
closed on October 30, 2016.
Rationale:
We created two surveys to send out. One was for prospective families and was
distributed at an open house at Bishop Ludden on October 23, 2016. The second
survey was created to target Bishop Ludden Alumni. We sent this one out by
targeting alumni from LinkedIn, Facebook and the Bishop Ludden Alumni base.
We created the surveys to better understand our key publics perceptions and
attitudes about the Syracuse private Catholic education system and alumni
relations.

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Execution:
• Recruiting Method: LinkedIn, Facebook, Bishop Ludden open
house, Personal contacts
• Location: Online
• Length: 11 Questions for the prospective family survey and 14
questions for the alumni survey
• Incentive: None
• Number of participants: 90 participants
Data Analysis Method:
Qualtrics Survey Analysis
Research Method 3:
Focus Group
Sampling Frame:
We had 8 participants in a focus group that was conducted on October 30, 2016.
We met them at Bishop Ludden to further discuss the perception of private
Catholic schools in the Syracuse area. We had a range of both prospective
families and previous alumni. This allowed us to really understand our key
publics by being able to speak with them directly. Some of the alumni even had
children enrolled in Bishop Ludden so we were able to really understand the
Bishop Ludden community.
Rationale:
We chose to complete a focus group because it would allow us to ask more in-­
depth questions to prospective families and alumni. We were able to really
understand what the key issues were like the lack of communication, lack of
interest, etc. This information will provide Bishop Ludden with a better
understanding of the immediate needs of alumni and prospective families, which
would further allow them to better address its publics wants when picking and
staying at a school.
Execution:
• Recruiting Method: Bishop Ludden Open house, face-­to-­face
conversations and telephone calls
• Location: Bishop Ludden
• Length: 10 questions (Approximately 45 minutes for each group)
• Incentive: Dunkin Donuts
• Number of Participants: 8
Data Analysis Method:
Manual coding of the data received.

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Research Results and Analysis
Social Listening Results & Analysis
Summary 1:

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After analyzing 30 social media posts about Bishop Ludden, the overall attitudes,
sentiment and conversations about Bishop Ludden Junior-Senior High School on
Twitter have been positive. From June 1 to October 7, the majority of the social
conversations about Bishop Ludden have been about the school’s sports teams
and players, college fairs and news about alumni. Out of the 30 collected social
media posts, 80 percent exemplified a positive sentiment, 6.7 percent a negative
sentiment and 13.3 percent a neutral sentiment. The only negative posts found
about the school referenced Bishop Ludden’s outdated facilities at the school,
specifically not having a generator. However, there was an overwhelming
majority of posts about the success of Bishop Ludden’s sports teams, in
particular boy’s football and basketball, and girl’s soccer and volleyball teams.
While collecting the social listening data there was around a dozen tweets and
retweets discussing MLB pitcher and Bishop Ludden alumni, John Johnstone,
returning to coach the varsity baseball team. There were also five tweets
promoting Bishop Ludden’s college fair by parents and school districts. After a
collection of social media posts, it is clear that when people talk about Bishop
Ludden they are discussing its athletics, alumni and support for students to
explore their higher educational opportunities.

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Summary 2:
After analyzing the positive tweets, we discovered that the underlying theme was
Bishop Ludden athletics, considering sixty-­eight percent of the positive tweets
concerned Bishop Ludden sports. Twitter was utilized as a resource to promote
games, the results of a game, performance of specific students and highlight
those who received scholarships. In their tweets, students encouraged their
peers to attend games to show their support of the various Bishop Ludden
teams. Alumni tweeted the scores of the games to demonstrate their constant
involvement with the school, while news outlets posted about athletic recruiting
and the final scores of the games.
Positive tweets included key words such as “game,” “playoffs,” “basketball,”
“coach,” “support,” and “football.”
The Twitter results demonstrate that basketball was mentioned in the most
tweets. This demonstrates the strong basketball program at Bishop Ludden and
its dedication to athletic excellence. 35 percent of the tweets were related to
basketball in regards to the students being recruited and the scores of games,
while twenty-­nine percent of the mentions were related to football games or
scores. Bishop Ludden has a dedication to its sports teams, but especially
football and basketball since they are receiving the most media coverage.
12%
18%
29%
35%
6%
Bishop
Ludden
Sports
Teams
Mentioned
in
Tweets
Soccer Baseball Football Basketball Other

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Survey Results & Analysis
Summary 1:
We asked participants to rank four different factors on level of importance when
choosing a school;; these factors include cost of tuition, extracurricular activities,
experienced faculty and strong Catholic education. Overall, a strong Catholic
education seems to be the most important factor for perspective families when
deciding on private education. Nearly 80 percent of those surveyed believe
having a strong Catholic education is the most important factor. In comparison,
approximately 5 percent valued strong faculty the most and 15 percent placed
the cost of tuition at the top. Using these summarized results, it can be inferred
that those surveyed may have strong Catholic backgrounds and believe
Catholicism is something that should be greatly emphasized throughout a child’s
educational experience. Based on this information, Bishop Ludden should focus
on marketing a strong Catholic curriculum when appealing to perspective
families. With an emphasis on Catholic education, perspective families with
Catholic backgrounds may be more inclined to send their children to Bishop
Ludden.
80%
5%
15%
Most
Valued
Factor
When
Choosing
A
School
Strong
Catholic
Education Experienced
Faculty
Private
Education
Tuition
Extracurricular
Activities

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Summary 2:
Almost all of the prospective families that took our survey had received
communication from Bishop Ludden by mail. Ninety-­eight percent of the
participants said they received communication through postal mail. 1.5 percent
said they received their form of communication via email and 0.5 percent said
they received their communication by “other.” The person who said they were
contacted by “other” said it was a combination of both mail and email. A
suggestion to consider would be to have more means of communication with the
public. While mail and email can be effective, utilizing other means of
communication will help Bishop Ludden better target their audiences.
0.5%
98%
1.5%
How
People
Were
Contacted
by
Bishop
Ludden
Other Mail Email

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Summary 3:
Of the alumni that took our survey, nearly 60 percent said they were contacted by
Bishop Ludden regarding donations. When reading the “other” comments, 100
percent suggested that they were contacted for both donations and events. In the
comments, some people mentioned that they felt like they were “just a
checkbook” and felt less likely to donate for that reason. One participant event
stated, “I will always donate because of my love of the school, but others many
not be donating (or sending their child here) because of the perception that the
school is not up to the high standards it once was, and therefore might be more
apt to donate if somehow our reputation perception was changed.” This constant
notion that Bishop Ludden is only utilizing their alumni for money and nothing
else is seen negatively and gives Bishop Ludden almost a desperate reputation.
22%
18%
60%
Reasons
For
Contacting
Alumni
Other Events Donations

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Focus Group Results and Analysis
Theme #1:
Many of the prospective families we spoke with vocalized that one of the biggest
influences on them when picking a school is that they want a school that will
teach their child life skills and prepare them for the real world.
Details about theme:
The prospective families we spoke with heavily emphasized implementing
practical classes into the schools curriculum. They valued classes such as home
economics, woodshop, cooking classes, etc. They want their children to leave
school with the ability to be independent and insightful. They want their children
to be competitive applicants in the work field. One mother specifically stated, “I
would love to see my child be able to write a personal handwritten note to a
teacher or employer.” They also proposed the idea of having an internship
opportunity for medical-­focused students that would allow them first hand
experience at the Upstate Medical facilities. The parents overall really wanted
their children to leave high school able to do simple life tasks, excel in their job
field and be seen as overall well-­rounded Catholic teenagers.
Theme #2:
The prospective families emphasized that a strong alumni base is essential for
success when choosing a school for their child because education itself is
important but the opportunities outside of the classroom are almost just as if not
more important.
Details about theme:
Bishop Ludden is a family. The prospective families we spoke with emphasized
the importance of alumni when choosing a school for their child. The parents
want to know that the school they are sending their children to has successful
alumni. They all stated that they believed Bishop Ludden does a poor job at
relaying this information to prospective families.
One member rose the question, “How do you sell the concept of alumni
relationships?” They felt that the alumni have left an important legacy at Bishop
Ludden and that this legacy could be used for promotional opportunities. Many of
the prospective families noted that they believed that local Bishop Ludden alumni
do not send their children to Bishop Ludden but rather other competing private
schools in the area. They firmly believed that if Bishop Ludden could better
market and utilize their successful alumni, this would make a huge impact on
enrollment and overall student experience.
Interesting Observations:
In the beginning of our focus group, some individuals were more vocal than
others. They took the initiative to start each discussion, and operated as leaders.
By the conclusion of our focus group, everyone felt comfortable sharing their

24. 24
ideas and opinions. When examining what should be changed about Bishop
Ludden’s marketing strategy, they all agreed that there should be a highlight of
successful alumni who left their legacy at Bishop Ludden. Many of them
suggested including an alumni story in a monthly newsletter so as to better
understand the entire alumni community. What we found the most interesting is
what the group thought about tuition and allocation of funds. Originally, to avoid
discomfort, we planned on having respondents anonymously answer our tuition-­
based question on a sheet of paper. However, they all felt so passionate about
their answer that they wanted to vocally share it with the group. One member
specifically stated, “I would clean bathrooms and spend $20,000 just to keep my
child out of the Syracuse public schools.” This was also the turning point of the
focus group, as those who were originally timid began to open up.

25. 25
Recommendations
Billions PR determined that Bishop Ludden had outdated means of
communicating with both prospective families and alumni. Thus, may have
affected Bishop Ludden’s growth because people may have become completely
disengaged with the community. Bishop Ludden also has not been very
transparent about the projects and initiatives they have created so alumni feel
discouraged from donating and prospective families have become uninterested.
According to our research, utilizing their alumni as a marketing tool would not
only create a better relationship between the school and the alumni, but would
also attract more prospective families.
Strategy 1: Increase awareness or exposure to prospective families
Rationale: If Bishop Ludden is planning on increasing enrollment they need to
create new recruiting methods to reach its publics.
Based on the results from survey and focus group research, Billions PR
recommends that Bishop Ludden recruit new students through social media,
become more transparent with the community through more constant
communication, and lastly, create classes that will lead to a more well rounded
child.
Recruiting new families through a strong social media presence will allow
Bishop Ludden to attract new audiences and families. Snail mail is an effective
method for recruiting families in lower-­income neighborhoods because of lack of
access to technology. However, Bishop Ludden needs to have a stronger social
media presence. Given that prospective families will already be researching
schools in the area, having a strong social media presence will help Bishop
Ludden recruit more families. Utilizing Instagram and Facebook for campaigns
will help the school reach larger audiences in a place where they wouldn’t expect
to see schools connecting with them. For example, Instagram campaigns will
help recruit because these families will be targeted in new ways that show that
the school is current and involved in technology trends. It helps depict them as a
modern school. Additionally, Bishop Ludden needs to remain active on these
social media platforms. Currently, Bishop Ludden lacks an Instagram page, and
has minimal interaction on Twitter. Garnering a strong social media base will
show that Bishop Ludden is up to date and able to constantly communicate with
its publics.

26. 26
Developing a “well-­rounded” child. Prospective families expressed their desire
for sending their child to a school that would develop the child’s everyday life and
communication skills. During our focus group, the prospective families explained
their beliefs that expanding the school’s curriculum to include more practical
classes would increase the value of the school. All focus group participants
strongly emphasized that they were will to pay a higher tuition cost if the value of
the school increased. Through our focus group findings, we strongly suggest
implementing classes such as home economics, woodshop, public speaking, and
personal finance into the offered curriculum. We also recommend that these
newly added classes be promoted and advertised when recruiting for Bishop
Ludden.
Example of a “Mock” Instagram Marketing Post

27. 27
Strategy 2: Garnering a better relationship with alumni
Rationale: If Bishop Ludden wants to have a better relationship with its alumni
base, they need to remain in constant contact and not just approach their alumni
for donations.
We recommend that Bishop Ludden create events to make the alumni feel
valued and use this as a positive marketing strategy.
Bishop Ludden should create a marketing promotional video of their
alumni. This creative video will be used as an essential marketing tool to target
prospective families. It should include interviews with successful Bishop Ludden
alumni, showing where the alumni are today and how the school positively
impacted their growth. It should communicate to those watching that Bishop
Ludden differentiates itself from other schools by establishing a strong sense of
family. We hope that giving a great deal of value to the family aspect will
persuade families who are deciding what school to send their children to that
Bishop Ludden is the right choice.
Bishop Ludden can perform a social media blast and post the video to the
school’s Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter pages. The school can also show the
video to families at future open houses and when visiting other schools to attract
potential students. Creating this video is an easy and affordable way to garner
more attention.
Strategy 3: Overall transparency with public
Rationale: Bishop Ludden needs have more constant communication with the
public so they are transparent and clear on their goals and initiatives.
Telling people what programs and initiatives they are starting or continuing will
not only serve as a marketing tool, but will also make alumni more inclined to
donate.
Based on responses recorded during a survey and focus group, Billions PR
believes that Bishop Ludden needs to be more transparent and connected with
its prospective families and alumni base. Prospective families of Bishop Ludden
lack knowledge on the school’s programs and initiatives, leading to disinterest in
sending their child to the school. In order to attract prospective families and
increase enrollment, they must improve communicating to this key public what
Bishop Ludden has to offer. Additionally, Bishop Ludden’s alumni base feels out
of touch with the school, and that the administration views them as a checkbook
for donations. It is imperative for Bishop Ludden to be transparent with their
alumni in regards to where funds are being distributed, and make the alumni feel
in touch with the school’s programs and events.

28. 28
Appendices
Appendix A: Social Listening Coding Sheet
Variable Instruction Code
Coder Coder’s Name
1 = Emily
2 = Toni
3 = Julia
4 = Kathy
Search Terms
Specific Search Terms Used:
1 = Catholic AND School AND
Syracuse
2 = “Bishop Ludden”
3= “Bishop Ludden” AND
alumni
4= Private school AND
Syracuse
Social Media Platform
The platform on which you
found the information:
1= Blog
2= Twitter
3 = Online Forum
4 = Facebook
5 = YouTube
6 = Instagram
Date Date the social media post
was published
Write the day, month and year
(Parameters are from June 1-­
October 30)
0 = Missing data
N/A = Not Applicable (write in
the reason for N/A)
Age Age of person who posted
the information
0 = Missing data
N/A = Not Applicable (write in
the reason for N/A)
1= under 18
2 = 18-­24

29. 29
3= 25-­40
4 = 41 – 60
5 = 61+
Race/Ethnicity Race/Ethnicity of the Person
who posted the information
0 = Missing Data
N/A = Not Applicable (write in
the reason for N/A)
1 = American Indian or Alaska
Native: A person having
origins in any of the original
peoples of North and South
America (including Central
America), and who maintains
tribal affiliation or community
attachment.
2 = Black or African
American: A person having
origins in any of the black
racial groups of Africa.
3 = Native Hawaiian or Other
Pacific Islander: A person
having origins in any of the
original peoples of Hawaii,
Guam, Samoa, or other
Pacific Islands
4 = Hispanic or Latino: A
person of Cuban, Mexican,
Puerto Rican, South or
Central American, or other
Spanish culture or origin,
regardless of race. The term,
"Spanish origin", can be used
in addition to "Hispanic or
Latino".
5 = White: A person having
origins in any of the original
peoples of Europe.
6 = Asian: A person having
origins in any of the original
peoples of the Far East,
Southeast Asia, or the Indian
subcontinent including, for
example, Cambodia, China,
India, Japan, Korea, Malaysia,
Pakistan, the Philippine
Islands, Thailand, and
Vietnam.

30. 30
7 = Other (write in the race or
ethnicity)
Gender Gender of Person who posted
information:
0 = Missing Data
N/A = Not Applicable (write in
the reason for N/A)
1 = Male
2 = Female
3 = Other (write in the gender)
Sentiment A social media post’s
sentiment (or tone) is
constructed by using quotes,
assertions, or innuendos,
which results in positive,
neutral, or negative coverage
for the information searched
0 = Missing Data
N/A = Not Applicable (write in
the reason for N/A)
1 = Positive
2 = Negative
3 = Neutral
Sentiment Keywords What keywords or phrases
are associated with the post
that created the sentiment
(tone) coded above?
Write in a maximum of 5
keywords
0 = Missing Data
N/A = Not Applicable (write in
the reason for N/A)
Additional Comments Include additional comments
that may give context to this
post.
Write a maximum of 10
words.

31. 31
Appendix B: Qualtrics Survey
a. Prospective Families Survey

32. 32

33. 33

34. 34

35. 35

36. 36
b. Alumni Survey

37. 37

38. 38

39. 39

40. 40

41. 41

42. 42
Appendix C: Focus Group Questionnaire
FOCUS GROUP QUESTIONNAIRE
Welcome
(2 minutes)
Welcome. Thank you for agreeing to participate in this focus group. My
name is Kathy Rudkin, and I will be the moderator for today’s group
discussion.
I would like to talk to you today about your attitudes and opinions about
Syracuse’s private Catholic education system. We are conducting this focus
group to get a more in-­depth understanding of how a family decides on
choosing whether or not to send their child to a Catholic school.
I am going to ask you a few questions;; I ask that only one person speaks at
a time. There are no right or wrong answers, but please do respect each
other’s answers or opinions.
I will be tape recording the discussion today because I don’t want to miss
any part of your comments. I will treat your answers as confidential. We are
only going to use first names and last initials during the discussion but will
not use names in the study. We also ask that each of you respect the
privacy of everyone in the room and not share or repeat what is said here in
any way that could identify anyone in this room.
Finally, this discussion is going to take no longer than an hour. If at any time
you want to stop. Please let me know. Does anyone have any questions
before we start?
Ice Breaker
(5 minutes)
[START TAPE RECORDER NOW]
I would like to go around the room and have each person say his/her current
town. For example “Baldwinsville.”
Thank you. I ask that you say your first name & last initial before giving an
answer.
Also, what is your favorite memory from high school?
Opening Question
(3 minutes)
Do any of you have a child currently enrolled in a private school? If so, which
one?

43. 43
Group Discussion –
Topic 1
(5 minutes)
Let’s talk about schools in general.
What is the most important factor to you and your family when choosing a
school?
Group Discussion –
Topic 2
(15 minutes)
Now, let’s talk about school amenities.
What are some amenities that you would hope to see in your child’s school?
Example being smart boards.
Is your child looking to become involved in competitive sports at school?
Probe: What sport specifically do you think they would be interested in?
Thumbs up if you go to church every week.
Write down what your family would be willing to pay for tuition.
Final Thoughts
(5-­7 minutes)
In closing, I would like to pose one last question.
What advice would you give me to have a private Catholic school target you
and your family better?

44. 44
Review and Wrap-­up
(2 minutes)
[Provide summary of discussion] Did I correctly summarize your comments
in today’s discussion?
Thank you for coming today and sharing your opinions with me. I hope you
enjoyed the discussion.

45. 45
References
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46. 46
Mission Statement & Philosophy. (n.d.). Retrieved September 20, 2016 from
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