New Website Becomes University of Mobile’s Digital Front Door for Prospective Students

MOBILE, Ala. – The University of Mobile has launched a dynamic new website at umobile.edu, giving visitors a welcoming and user-friendly digital experience reflecting the Christian university’s mission of equipping Kingdom leaders for the glory of God and the good of the world.

University of Mobile President Charles Smith described the new umobile.edu website as “a digital front door into the life and mission of the University of Mobile.”

“Our new website offers a way prospective students can begin to experience the warmth, purpose and Christ-centered community that make the University of Mobile so special,” Smith said. “Every page invites students into a community where they are known, equipped and sent out to live the Great Commission with excellence in every calling.

“We want every visitor to umobile.edu to see clearly that we exist For Christ & His Kingdom, and that students here are prepared to make an eternal impact through their work, witness and calling.”

A Welcoming, Intuitive Online Experience

The launch on June 23, 2025, follows nearly a year of strategic collaboration between the university’s Office for Marketing & Public Relations and agency partner Hummingbird Ideas. The result is a site that is both visually inspiring and functionally powerful, providing a user-friendly approach to ensure each visitor has a more intuitive, personalized experience from the moment they land on the homepage.

Lesa Moore, vice president for marketing and communication, said the website redesign is more than simply a fresh look — it captures the heart of the university in a digital space.

“Our primary focus was creating a welcoming and intuitive online experience for prospective students. We wanted the site to reflect the vibrant campus life and Christ-centered values they will experience when they visit in person,” Moore said.

Easy navigation, clear pathways to key information like academic programs and admissions, and an overall design that feels light, modern and visually engaging were top priorities throughout the process.

“The new website is a true extension of our mission to honor Christ in all we do,” Moore said. “Every element – from the clean design to the thoughtful content and imagery – was crafted to highlight our commitment to faith, learning and community. Visitors will immediately sense who we are: a Christ-centered university that equips students to become leaders who make a difference For Christ & His Kingdom.”

Moore noted the timing of the redesign aligned with a season of renewal at the university, including the introduction of the new tagline For Christ & His Kingdom and the leadership of a new university president.

“It was the perfect time to realign our digital presence with our mission, messaging and vision for the future,” she said.

User-First Design for a Mobile Generation

Heath Vester, associate vice president for creative services, said the new design ensures the site performs well across all devices, especially smartphones and tablets, which are often the first point of contact for prospective students. A redesigned navigational structure curates content based on audience needs.

“This user-centered approach ensures each visitor has a more intuitive, personalized experience from the moment they land on the homepage. Whether you’re a prospective student, current student, parent, alumni or supporter, the navigation adjusts to highlight the most relevant information for your needs,” Vester said.

The site makes it easy for users to take the next step — whether that’s scheduling a visit, starting an application or discovering campus life, he said.

A Collaboration of Vision and Excellence

UM marketing vice president Moore said the university chose Hummingbird Ideas to bring the design to life because of their reputation for creativity, quality and personalized service.

“As a boutique agency, they took the time to truly understand our goals and values,” Moore said. “We’ve partnered with them before and knew we could count on Hummingbird Ideas to deliver a beautiful, functional site with heart behind it. Their communication throughout the project was exceptional, and it was a joy to work closely with their team.”

Whitney Christopher, agency director for Hummingbird Ideas, said, “The UM marketing team came in with a strong vision and trusted us to bring it to life, turning that vision into a design, the design into development, and development into a fully launched website.”

The sheer scale and complexity of the build set this project apart, she said.

“With over 290 pages designed and developed, it was one of the most extensive higher education sites we’ve worked on. Balancing that volume with a clean user experience, strong brand presence and clear conversion paths made it both a challenge and a rewarding opportunity,” Christopher said.

“We designed the University of Mobile’s new website to lead with its Christ-centered identity, clearly communicated across every page. The aesthetic is light and airy, utilizing open layouts with generous whitespace and incorporating light neutrals with the branded UM Ram Red as an accent color. We also incorporated faith style elements and authentic photography to support the university’s Christian mission,” she said.

Check It Out!

Check out the university’s new website! Visit umobile.edu and learn more about the University of Mobile, a Christ-centered university pursuing excellence “For Christ & His Kingdom” with a vision of multiplying Kingdom leaders for the glory of God and the good of the world.

The university was founded in 1961 and is affiliated with the Alabama Baptist State Convention. Located 10 miles north of Mobile, Alabama, on a campus of over 880 acres, UM offers associate, bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees in over 75 academic programs.

Learn more at umobile.edu/um-info and connect with UM on social media @univofmobile, or call Enrollment Services at 1.800.WIN.RAMS or 251.442.2222.

About Hummingbird Ideas

With over 20 years of experience, Hummingbird Ideas is known for elegant execution, creativity, and dynamic strategy throughout the southern regional market. To learn more, visit hummingbirdideas.com.

Kathy Dean

Kathy Dean uses her passion for storytelling and “playing with words” to share the stories of people, place and purpose that make the University of Mobile unique. As associate vice president for university communications, she manages media relations, edits the TorchLight alumni magazine, and oversees university communications. A former award-winning journalist, she is a two-time recipient of the Baptist Communicators Association grand prize for feature writing. Kathy and her husband, Chuck, live with three extremely loud miniature schnauzers.