Brand Training
Making our mark, together.
The Carnegie Mellon brand belongs to all of us. Every time you share a story, design a flyer or post an update, you help shape how the world sees our university. The training sessions offered below are designed to help your department look its best and speak with a clear, confident voice that uplifts all of CMU. This training is here to help you lead with professional, polished work that shows the world exactly what we can do.
General Courses
Brand 101 – The Identity Foundation
Master the essentials of the Carnegie Mellon University visual identity. This one-hour webinar provides a clear roadmap for using our logos, colors, typography and graphic elements with precision. You will gain access to practical resources and the strategic clarity needed to ensure your work aligns with our global brand and reputation.
Frequency:
Bi-monthly sessions
Who should attend:
New and established faculty or staff who manage communications or create department materials.
Where:
Virtual
Brand 201 – Strategic Brand Application
Take your marketing and design work further by exploring advanced brand strategy. These sessions move beyond the basics to focus on specific institutional goals. We want to address the challenges that matter most to your team such as photography, art direction, messaging for recruitment, digital accessibility or other relevant topics.
Format:
Targeted workshop sessions are scheduled based on demand and topic.
Who should attend:
Communications, marketing and design professionals looking to optimize their creative output and influence.
Where:
Virtual
Brand Ambassador Certification
Become a recognized voice for the Carnegie Mellon University brand. This certification program identifies and empowers staff and faculty to act as internal consultants within their departments. You will move beyond application to advocacy, gaining the deep institutional knowledge required to provide guidance to your peers and ensure your unit’s work reinforces our global standing.
Who should attend:
Graduates of Brand 101 who serve as the primary brand touch point for their department, college or student organization.
Where:
In-person only
Canva Admin Roundtable – Platform Updates and Team Success
Optimize how your department uses Canva to reach its goals. These quarterly briefings are designed specifically for Team Admins to ensure you have the latest tools and information to lead your group. We will cover platform updates, advanced training resources and administrative support tailored to managing team workflows. Stay informed on how to maintain brand integrity while maximizing your team’s creative output.
Frequency:
Quarterly sessions
Who should attend:
Designated Canva team admins and communications leads.
Where:
Virtual
Canva – Creative Support
Build your confidence in creating professional, brand-aligned materials. These sessions offer open support for any CMU Canva user. Whether you need help navigating your dashboard, using specific design tools, or starting a new project, our team is here to provide practical solutions. This is an informal space to ask questions and improve your design workflow.
DAM Onboarding
Become a DAM expert with our guide to searching, collecting and sharing photos and other brand assets using CMU’s digital asset management system. Learn how to use the DAM to collaborate on creative teams and projects.
Who should attend:
CMU staff and faculty with communications and marketing job responsibilities who want to make the most effective use of UCM's collaborative, self-service library of digital assets.
Where:
These sessions can be delivered in person or online, offering flexibility for your team.
Next session:
Your team will need to coordinate scheduling.
Cohort Meet-Ups
Designers’ Dialogue
A bi-monthly meeting for graphic designers and creatives from across our campus departments, schools and colleges. This 90 minute meeting will cover brand updates, sharing of recent design print work, a keynote presetation and time hanging out with your fellow creatives.
Who should attend:
CMU graphic designers, creative leaders and visual communicators.
Where:
University Communications & Marketing offices at 4721 Fifth Ave.
Next session:
Sessions are typically the last Thursday of February, April, June, August and October.
UCM Classroom
Training videos, quick guides and other self-directed learning tools to explore at your own pace.