School and University Photography | Stratham, New Hampshire | Serving all six New England states
Commencement Photography A proposal for the University of Massachusetts Boston
No cost to the University. $5 returned to UMass Boston for every paid package purchased. Unrestricted funds. No minimum volume, no tiers. Coverage, staffing, travel, editing, and delivery all included.
WHY G ESKUS • We already serve the UMass system. Geskus photographs commencement for UMass Amherst, so the University system and its expectations are familiar rather than new. • We work outdoors, rain or shine, every May. The Amherst undergraduate ceremony runs outdoors at McGuirk Alumni Stadium with no weather fallback and 1,500+ graduates crossing. Your Campus Center Lawn is the same problem. • Boston is our densest market. We also serve Boston University, MCPHS, MassArt, and Emmanuel College. UMass Boston would not be a new city for us. • Your staff do nothing. We handle graduate communication, ordering, and support directly. No envelopes, no order forms, no questions arriving at a University office.
WHAT WE COV ER: FIVE DAYS Day
When and where
Geskus on site
100 Days to Graduation
February, Campus Center Terrace
Staffed table: questions, pre-orders, contact collection, professional headshots
Grad Fair
Spring, Campus Center Ballroom
Staffed table: questions, pre-orders, contact collection, professional headshots
Doctoral Hooding and Honorary Degree
Clark Athletic Center Gymnasium, indoor
4 photographers, plus backup photographer and nonshooting team lead
Graduate Commencement
Campus Center Lawn, outdoor
4 photographers, plus backup photographer and nonshooting team lead
Undergraduate Commencement
Campus Center Lawn, outdoor
4 photographers, plus backup photographer and nonshooting team lead
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Two cameras cover the crossing line at every ceremony, so each graduate passes two independent positions. That is how we commit to at least one high quality image of every graduate crossing the stage rather than treating it as a best effort.
WHAT UMASS BOSTON RECEIV ES Every graduate
At least one high quality crossing image, plus secondary “ramp” photo where ceremony flow allows. Graduates find and buy their own photographs by name.
Image rights
Unlimited, perpetual, non-exclusive rights for educational, promotional, marketing, archival, and institutional use, including sharing with media outlets.
Delivery
Within 10 to 14 days of each ceremony. All editing and quality control performed in house.
Archive
Geskus retains backup copies indefinitely. We hold every image produced since 2004, so a family can still order years later.
OPTIONAL & ADDITIONAL SERV ICES Beyond the scope described in this proposal, the following are available to UMass Boston at the University’s discretion: •
Graduate portrait sessions. A custom session before or after the ceremony, in the spirit of a senior portrait but elevated to suit a college graduate audience rather than a high school one. Sessions are offered at several levels, and pricing depends on the level of sitting the graduate selects. There is no cost to the University.
•
School-branded backdrop. A USM-branded backdrop on ceremony day for portraits and celebration photographs.
•
Communication and promotional support. Assistance producing advertising materials and student communications relating to commencement photography.
•
Additional events and photographers. Coverage of further commencement-related events, and additional photographers where the University wants deeper coverage.
THE CAMPUS EV ENTS, AND WHY THEY MATTER We staff 100 Days to Graduation and the Grad Fair with our own employees, not temporary event staff. At each table we answer questions in person, take pre-orders, collect contact information, and take professional headshots on the spot. • The contact list is the point. We collect the personal email address a graduate will still be using after they leave. University accounts are often deactivated within months of degree conferral, and a graduate who cannot receive the email cannot find their photographs. This is the single most effective thing we do to prevent images going unclaimed. • Timing works in your favour. 100 Days is where students apply to graduate and clear holds. The Grad Fair reaches them again while they are already ordering rings and frames. • Headshots do double duty. Graduates get an image they can use immediately for LinkedIn and applications. We get a clear reference photo that improves how accurately we match crossing images later.
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Contact information is collected with the graduate’s consent, used only to deliver their commencement images and ordering information, never sold or shared. We will work to whatever consent language and data handling terms the University prefers.
WEATHER PLANNING Both lawn ceremonies proceed rain or shine with untented seating. Our planning treats that as a certainty, not a contingency. • Rain covers on every body and lens, carried as standard rather than requested from a forecast. • Our own lighting at the crossing point, so an overcast morning and a bright one produce the same frame, and the last graduate looks like the first. • Camera positions chosen at the walkthrough with glare off the harbor in mind, then confirmed against actual conditions on the morning. • Name cards collected into weather-protected sleeves, because a soaked card is the failure that most often leaves a graduate unmatched.
PROV EN AT THIS SCALE Institution
Scale
Why it is relevant to UMass Boston
UMass Amherst
~8,000 graduates, 17 ceremonies, 6 locations
Same University system. Outdoor stadium commencement held rain or shine, 1,500+ graduates crossing in one continuous ceremony, plus indoor ceremonies at the Mullins Center.
Boston University
8,000+ graduates, 54 ceremonies, 15 locations
A large urban Boston campus running many ceremonies in a compressed window. Your three ceremonies are a smaller footprint than a single day of that period.
MCPHS
~1,500 graduates, back-to-back same-day ceremonies
Open-air waterfront venue on Boston Harbor. Crossing volume close to your Graduate Commencement.
MassArt
Single ceremony, Leader Bank Pavilion
Same open-air harbor venue. A public college of art and design, an audience that judges photography on its merits.
Between MCPHS and MassArt, Geskus works the Leader Bank Pavilion on Boston Harbor twice every May. Open-air waterfront ceremonies in this city are not a new problem for our crews.
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YOUR TEAM Account lead
Stephen Marino, Head of Sales. Single point of contact through proposal and contracting.
Your point of contact
Matthew Terrio, Lead Commencement Photographer, with a designated coordinator, on award.
Client experience
Danielle Sullivan, Client Experience Manager. Owns service standards and issue resolution.
Dedicated coordinator
Assigned from our Client Experience team on award. Handles all commencement planning and is a named contact for University staff.
On site each ceremony
A Geskus Photography Manager directs camera positions, monitors coverage across the crossing line, and serves as the single point of contact for University staff during the ceremony.
Executive sponsor
Richard Carroll, President and CEO. Contract authority.
Every position on the crossing line is held by a photographer who has worked prior commencement ceremonies. Stage positions are assigned by experience, not availability. A backup photographer at each ceremony can take over any primary position immediately.
PRICING
$5 returned to UMass Boston for every paid package purchased. Unrestricted funds, paid on every package. No minimum volume, no threshold, no tiers. Reported transparently so the figure can be verified.
All five days of coverage
No cost to the University.
Photographer staffing
No cost to the University.
Campus event tables and headshots
No cost to the University.
Travel, editing, delivery
No cost to the University.
Institutional image licensing
No cost to the University.
Return to the University
$5 per paid package purchased, unrestricted.
Our revenue comes entirely from graduate and family purchases. Commencement photography stops being a line item the University pays for and becomes a modest source of revenue instead. Graduate pricing, most popular items Digital download, all images (most popular)
$99
Digital download, single image
$39
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Top of Class package: three 8x10, four 5x7, two 3x5, four wallets
$69
One 8x10
$24
Two 5x7
$24
Many more options are available on our ordering platform. Optional additions at the University’s discretion include graduate portrait sessions, a UMass Boston branded backdrop, headshots at regalia pickup, and coverage of further commencementrelated events.
REFERENCES Institution
Contact
Reach them at
UMass Amherst
Rebecca White, Director of University Events
rebecca.white@umass.edu | (413) 5771101
Boston University
Michael Ciarlante, Director, Institutional Events
michaelc@bu.edu | (617) 353-2769
MCPHS
Brittany Durning, Director of the Center of Campus Life
Brittany.durning@mcphs.edu | (617) 7322903
MassArt
Claudia LeClair, Director of College and Visiting Events
claudia.leclair@massart.edu| (617) 8797861
IN THEIR WORDS
"From the earliest planning stages through final delivery, Geskus was organized, responsive, and highly communicative. They took the time to understand the unique needs of each event ... Taking a student-centered approach, their photographers created a welcoming and comfortable environment, helping students feel at ease and authentically represented ... The university environment is often fast-paced and constantly evolving, and Geskus Studios navigated those challenges with remarkable flexibility and adaptability." Rebecca White, Director of University Events |University of Massachusetts Amherst
"Our first year partnering with Geskus Studios for Boston University’s commencement exceeded every expectation. Their crew brought a level of care and professionalism that our coordinators noticed immediately. On my Saturday tour of convocations, I crossed paths with one of the most meticulous and high-standard coordinators on our team, and the first words out of her mouth were, ‘I love Geskus.’ I’m not sure I could say it any better myself. We look forward to our continued partnership with Geskus and recommend them to anyone looking to upgrade their commencement photography partner." Michael Ciarlante, Director of Institutional Events | Boston University
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“Working with Geskus Photography was an incredible experience from start to finish. They took the time to truly understand our school and programs, setting up multiple calls to learn about our needs and how best to partner with us. Their team created advertising materials, assisted with student communication, and provided professional headshots during regalia pickup days They joined us for the commencement walkthrough to ensure they were fully familiar with our ceremony plans, and on the day of commencement. Coordinating across three campuses could have been challenging, but Geskus ensured everything ran smoothly at every location and on commencement day. Their professionalism, communication, and reliability made them a standout partner, and we look forward to working with them again in the future.” Brittany Durning, Director of the Center of Campus Life | Massachusetts College of Pharmacy & Health Services
TERMS AT A G LANCE Contract term
Initial one year term, renewable by mutual agreement. We would welcome a conversation about a multi-year term, since a returning crew already knows the venue, the run of show.
Copyright
Retained by Geskus. This does not limit the University in any use described above.
Insurance
Commercial general liability, and workers’ compensation. Certificates naming UMass Boston provided prior to contract execution.
Next step Sample work: gallery.wearegeskus.com/client/boston-university-samples We would be glad to walk the Campus Center Lawn and the Clark Athletic Center with your team, or present in person. Stephen Marino, Head of Sales | stephen@wearegeskus.com | (800) 948-1120, ext. 673
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22 Marin Way, Unit 3 Stratham NH 03885 (800) 948-1120 x5673 stephen@wearegeskus.com wearegeskus.com