A supportive, committed, forward-looking community of practice

In the fall of 2020, the world of education was facing a powerful moment of disruption. In the midst of a global pandemic, colleges and universities were forced to radically change gears and think deeply and strategically about how they deliver services and reach the people who matter most to them. In response to this shift, Boston University’s School of Social Work was developing The Network for Professional Education, a new platform for their lifelong learning and certification programs for health and social services professionals.

As this project merged existing BUSSW professional education services, a key challenge was engaging users while not confusing or alienating a demographically wide range of stakeholders with this new, unifying brand.

Client
Boston University’s School of Social Work
Services
Brand Strategy
Brand Voice + Messaging
Web Design + Development

Strategy meets activation

Hairpin worked with BUSSW to first conduct up-front, in-depth brand strategy work—determining the what, why, and how of this new brand. This strategy served as the blueprint for the design and development of a robust, user-friendly website that showcases the college’s professional education offerings and engages and activates their graduates as professional trainers.

Powerful tools for professional growth

The Network’s Hairpin-designed website features a searchable, filterable, sortable database to view professional development opportunities, a Trainers Hub where users can get to know affiliated faculty, CMS integration, a registration/payment portal, and a blog/news section.

The Network for Professional Education site is meeting its goals—attracting a powerful network of trainers, providing workers with advancement opportunities, and advancing The Network as a thought leader in the field.