Whether written or spoken, it’s vital to establish a consistent tone and language for all Kennedy-King communications. A commitment to crafting a unique voice helps us engage and form deeper connections with our audiences. 
 
Remember, the Kennedy-King voice starts with the system-wide voice (confident and bold while personal and supportive). Read the system-wide voice guidelines as a starting point to crafting the Kennedy-King voice to ensure both consistency and that the full character and mission of the college is captured throughout messaging. 

Core story

Every City College’s messaging starts with the system-wide core story and key messages. We’ve developed a Kennedy-King-specific core story to illustrate how to build off that messaging in a unique way. These are meant to serve as inspiration but can also be used within the communications you’re creating. They’re meant to work at a broad, high level and can be tailored for your audiences. 

Key messages 

To demonstrate the Kennedy-King voice, we explored three key messages that are central to the brand: the two culture drivers, and program offerings. You can use these messages as headlines, inspiration, or guideposts as you create Kennedy-King communications. 

Being a product of your environment should not be a detractor. It should be a point of pride. It should compel you to take pride in constantly improving it. We believe this. We live this. Whether through specialized culinary, hospitality, and entertainment programs, or general education, we fuel a remarkable, rewarding, rooted learning environment — where students learn from the best how to give their best. Every day. Welcome to Kennedy-King College. One of seven City Colleges of Chicago. 

Intentional future-building

We’ll give you our all so you can give the world yours. Jump in.

Live here. Learn here. Lead here.

Englewood.It’s not just where you are. It’s what makes you who you are.

Kennedy-King. It’s not just a college. It’s a community catalyst.

Education. It doesn’t just teach you. It gives you the tools to break through.

Nurtured, dream-driven life skills

Nonstop hustle.

Leading new ideas.

Topping what’s already been done.

We’re all about that, too.

Imagine what we can do together.

These walls create ground-breakers. Step in.

A dream is only as real as the time you spend making it possible.

We’re ready when you are.

Programs

Make something the world can’t get enough of.

The world is watching what gets created here. We make sure you’re at the center.

Every dish is made one ingredient at a time. Prep for your culinary career here — course by course.

Family cooks —> Renowned chefs
Day dreamers —> Hit makers
Your passion —> Your career
Welcome to Kennedy-King.

Every City College brand voice starts with the system-wide voice: disruptive, unconventional, and bold plus personal, warm, and supportive. The Kennedy-King voice adds to that with an aspirational, poetic style. Utilize the following strategies when creating communications to consistently capture the Kennedy-King voice. 

Uplift and uphold

Kennedy-King is all about empowering its community and every individual it serves. Look for ways to capture that in the communications  
you create. 

Examples:

• Our communities make us who we are. Let’s make them proud. 
  
• The world is watching what gets created here. We make sure you’re at the center.

Inspire dreams and passions

Kennedy and King were future-forward thinkers who helped push new ideas and make aspirations a reality. Look for ways to capture that in the communications you create. 

Examples:

• A dream is only as real as the time you spend making it possible.
• We’ll give you our all so you can give the world yours.

Quoting Kennedy and King

Referencing Kennedy and King in our messaging is a powerful way to connect to our mission and history. When crafting messaging, take special care of how any quotes from Kennedy or King are used. 

• Do NOT quote Kennedy or King without citing them
• Do NOT use quotes from Kennedy or King out of context, so as not to skew or misinterpret the intended meaning behind any messages
• Use quotes from Kennedy and King sparingly, only when it will have a significant impact on important messaging being conveyed

You can write messaging that has a loose feel to the words of Kennedy or King in order to capture the essence of their words without using them directly. 

Example:

• A dream is only as real as the time you spend making it possible.

Tie the system together

In order to demonstrate the connection between Kennedy-King and the system, the other colleges, and satellite campuses, it’s important to find ways to tie them together in messaging. When space allows, connect Kennedy-King back to the system. Here are a few ways this can be done through headlines, subheads, or sign-offs. 

Examples: 

• Kennedy-King College. One of seven City Colleges of Chicago.
• [Listing all seven college names within a messaging tactic] 

Use exclamation points sparingly, and try to avoid using more than one per communication.