One of the most visible and exciting outcomes of last year’s Reimagining Marlboro effort (Potash Hill Spring 2019) is the college’s new website, which went live in July. Supported by a generous grant from the Christian A. Johnson Endeavor Foundation, the vibrant new site is designed to highlight many of the important strengths that surfaced during the “reimagining” process. 

“Since the launch of Marlboro’s former website in 2014, alumni, faculty, and students have often shared feedback that they wished for more dynamic features, streamlined navigation, and a fresher look that feels more like Marlboro,” says Carla Snook, director of communications and marketing. “This new site is much more dynamic, designed to make better use of stories, videos, profiles, and events to bring Marlboro to life for prospective students and other visitors.” 

“We are enthralled with your college, and wanted to design a website true to your distinctive curricular model and campus culture,” says Jason Pontius, president and creative director of White Whale Web Services, which collaborated with faculty, staff, and students to create the new site. “What makes Marlboro amazing is a combination of the people, the place, and the curriculum, so we tried to get these elements front and center to draw visitors in.” 

White Whale’s thorough development process began almost two years ago, and has included many visits to campus and meetings with community members. Three years, if you count the “tiny college” workshops also hosted by the Endeavor Foundation and facilitated by White Whale (“Tiny Colleges Matter,” Potash Hill Fall 2016). 

Features of the site include inviting new videos and an articulation of the “Marlboro Promise,” the primary outcome of the Reimagining Marlboro process, directly on the home page. The page also features a “garden” of always-changing stories, profiles, excerpts, and vignettes that bubble up from other areas of the site, as well as a dynamic array of teasers from past Plans that will take you to excerpts and information on each one in a virtual Plan Room. 

True to Marlboro’s character, the new website is also more egalitarian in its content creation, inviting faculty, students, and staff to contribute content for a rich mix of stories and perspectives that truly represents Marlboro’s campus community. Visitors exploring the general fields of study offered at Marlboro will find Plans, profiles, and stories that support each and provide rich context. 

“Rather than telling you about Marlboro, as our old website tended to do, the new website shows you Marlboro,” says Carla. “We are so thrilled to have this new resource for prospective students and other community members, and look forward to any comments for further improvement.”