Email

Writing for the Web offers advice that is equally applicable to writing email messages.

Email Newsletters

Lewis & Clark does not have an institutional email management system for email newsletters. Various offices and departments have found different solutions and products that work well for them. The Office of Communications is happy to provide guidance; contact us to get the conversation started.

Email Signatures

To be on brand and professional, use these recommendations to effectively communicate the most important information.

Recommendation #1

This might be obvious, but … have an email signature! Keep the line lengths short for mobile-device friendliness.

Recommendation #2

Include, at a minimum, the following elements. Style them as in the examples at the bottom of this page.

  • Your name
  • Your L&C degree(s), if you are an alum
  • Your pronouns, if you are comfortable including them
  • Your title
  • Your office or department, if it’s not obvious from your title (hyperlinked if you so desire)
  • Your school designation (Lewis & Clark, Lewis & Clark College, Lewis & Clark Graduate School of Education and Counseling, Lewis & Clark Law School; hyperlinked if you so desire)

Recommendation #3

Judiciously add bonus elements from the following list. Style them as in the examples below.

  • Your degree(s) from another institution
  • Your professional accreditations or credentials
  • Your phone number: work, cell, or both if needed
  • Our land acknowledgment—but be sure to use only the full, official version, maintained by the Office of Equity and Inclusion
  • A link to antiracism resources
  • A link to our comprehensive campaign, Exploring for the Global Good
  • Links to our social media accounts
  • FERPA/privacy statements—but only if required because of your work

Recommendation #4

We hate to tell people what not to do, but there are a few things it really is best to avoid including in your email signature.

  • A mailing address is rarely needed in this day and age. It’s also readily available elsewhere.
  • We love fun and personality, but signatures aren’t the best place for color, images, or personal quotes/statements.

Examples

The easiest way to incorporate our recommended fonts and formatting is to copy the signature example from the link below that best matches your needs, paste it into the Signature section of Settings in Gmail, and then modify it with your personal information.

Email Signature Examples