Technological Creativity

The next step was to explore how to position RensselaerŅto describe it and to focus on "the one thing" that makes it stand out from other institutions. Obviously, condensing something as multifaceted as Rensselaer into one thought or phrase is a major challenge. The faculty and academic leadership, admissions department, alumni relations and development offices, and Rensselaer's advertising agency would all need to reach consensus on whatever that "thing" is.
   "The committee felt that if a simple phrase, a 'position,' describing Rensselaer could be developed and agreed upon, it would serve as the foundation of the Institute's communication efforts," says Robbee Kosak, vice president for advancement at Rensselaer. Thus the not-so-simple quest began for this position.
   The position would have to be derived from how Rensselaer peopleŅits faculty, staff, students, and alumni—felt about the school. The committee used research done with those very groups in 1997 and 1998 to understand how the Rensselaer community feels about Rensselaer.
   Through development and further research, many words and phrases were considered, shuffled, combined, and tested. Finally two words emerged: technological creativity.
   The committee felt that technological creativity got to the heart of what Rensselaer has been about for nearly 175 years. It articulates how Rensselaer alumni, faculty, and students have always brought something unique, valuable, and personal to the technology they explored and harnessed. Technological creativity expresses that "get it done," "solve the problem," "find a way to make it work" attitude that Rensselaer people have always been known for.
   Via additional focus groups, it was confirmed that "technological creativity" translated to external audiences as out-of-the-box thinking and creative solutions to real-world challenges. As much as any two words possibly could, "technological creativity" sounded like Rensselaer. However, the evolution was far from over.