Inaugural Ascent to 55% Convening

The Woodward Hines Education Foundation (WHEF) partnered with Moore Media Group in early 2025 to support communications and execution for their inaugural Ascent to 55% Convening on October 15-16, 2025. The event was a first-of-its-kind statewide gathering designed to align Mississippi’s education, workforce, and business leaders around a shared postsecondary attainment goal.

As of January 2025, only 48% of working-age adults in our state hold a postsecondary degree or credential, while the national average for other states sits at 60%. This attainment gap has direct implications for workforce participation, wage growth, and long-term economic development. To address this issue, WHEF funded the creation of the Ascent to 55% initiative through a $1 million grant to the Mississippi Economic Council (MEC), establishing a statewide goal of reaching 55% attainment by 2030. 

As a first-time convening of this scale, the event required clear positioning, compelling messaging, and seamless execution to ensure it provided informative sessions and space for solution-focused conversations.

Approach

In order to effectively position, promote, and execute the inaugural Convening, we developed and implemented a comprehensive communications and branding strategy designed to:

  • Drive attendance from key decision-makers across Mississippi

  • Establish the Convening as the central forum for workforce conversations

  • Elevate the Ascent to 55% initiative as a unifying statewide effort

Strategic Positioning & Messaging
We built the narrative around a shared responsibility: aligning Mississippi’s workforce and education pipeline. Messaging emphasized collaboration, economic mobility, and long-term competitiveness, ensuring relevance across industries and audiences.

Integrated Communications Campaign
From May through October 2025, our team executed a multi-channel campaign including:

  • 25 social media posts promoting speakers, registration, and key messaging

  • 19 email campaigns highlighting agenda content and driving attendance

  • A dedicated event website serving as a central information hub

  • Media relations including press releases, an op-ed, media advisory, and targeted outreach

Branding & Event Experience
To elevate the Convening as a premier statewide event, we developed a full visual identity system and produced:

  • 27 digital graphics

  • 44 printed signs, including stage backdrops, banners, and wayfinding

We also supported logistics and creative for pre-conference events, ensuring a cohesive and professional experience across all touchpoints.

Impact

The campaign successfully positioned the Ascent to 55% Convening as a cornerstone event for workforce collaboration in Mississippi. We achieved:

  • 340 registrations and 318 attendees from across business, education, government, and community sectors

  • Additional engagement through pre-conference events, including 130 attendees for the MCHEP session and 38 attendees for the IMPACT Learning Community Convening

  • Earned media coverage, including placements in The Clarion Ledger and SuperTalk Mississippi, generating more than $11,000 in ad value equivalency

  • Strong digital performance:

    • LinkedIn: 33,000+ impressions and 200+ new followers

    • Email: 52.1% open rate and 7.9% click rate (well above nonprofit benchmarks)