Vice President for University Marketing and Communication
The Vice President for Marketing and Communication serves as the University’s chief marketing and communication officer, providing strategic and administrative leadership to enhance the institution’s visibility and engagement. This role includes overseeing Athletic Communication, Special Events and Scheduling, University Creative and Print, University Strategic Communication, University Strategic Marketing and University Web and Digital Content. Additionally, the Vice President manages key projects such as Commencement, the Archie Eagle Mascot, Brand Licensing, Athletic Marketing and External Sponsorships, fostering partnerships within the University and the local community. Reporting directly to the President, the Vice President is an integral member of the President’s Cabinet, working closely with faculty, staff, students and community leaders to ensure the University’s brand, reputation and messaging align with its institutional goals.
Departments
Athletic Communication plays a crucial role in promoting and enhancing the visibility of the University's Division I Screaming Eagles athletic programs. It develops comprehensive media plans, ensuring maximum coverage of sports activities through relationships with print and broadcast media. The department is responsible for producing content for athletic websites and social media, responding to media inquiries and coordinating press conferences and interviews. Additionally, it oversees game management, supervises event staff and collaborates with other University departments to highlight student athletes and coaches. Writing news releases, feature stories and capturing digital content are also key responsibilities. Acting as a liaison with the Ohio Valley Conference, traveling with teams for coverage and assisting with Varsity Club promotions further contribute to showcasing the University’s athletic achievements.
The Special Events and Scheduling department is dedicated to showcasing the university as a distinguished institution of higher education. The department manages the planning and execution of thousands of campus-wide events each year, coordinates the electronic scheduling of tens of thousands of activities (including academic classes) and oversees the facilities of University Center East, University Center West, the USI Performance Center and the Griffin Center.
The University Creative and Print department serves as the University’s professional resource for creative and printing needs, supporting its mission through innovative design, high-quality printing services and effective brand management. The department oversees a wide range of operations, including graphic design, digital and offset printing, large-format production and management of the University copier fleet. As part of the University Marketing and Communication team, University Creative and Print ensures adherence to USI's brand standards, provides creative solutions for stakeholders and maintains the University’s logo and brand guidelines. The department is committed to delivering exceptional service, advancing technology and ensuring efficient, cost-effective operations that align with the University’s goals.
University Strategic Communication is dedicated to promoting the University’s goals, priorities and achievements through effective media relations, public relations and digital communication strategies. The department manages media engagement, social media strategy and internal and external messaging to enhance USI’s brand visibility and reputation. It ensures editorial consistency across communications and collaborates with academic leaders to highlight the University’s academic excellence. The department also plays a pivotal role in crisis communication, produces key publications like the illume magazine and keeps stakeholders informed through initiatives such as USI Today.
University Strategic Communication includes Photography and Multimedia, which creates the captivating visuals featured on the University’s website, marketing materials and publications. This team provides photography and videography for campus recruitment efforts, the alumni magazine illume, college newsletters, multimedia presentations and more. Their visuals enrich banners, billboards, digital advertisements and displays, highlighting USI’s dynamic campus and community to both internal and external audiences.
University Strategic Marketing plays a pivotal role in advancing the institution's reputation and visibility. Guided by the University's Strategic Plan, the Chief Marketing Officer is charged with using data-informed marketing strategies that unify messaging, elevate the University’s image and align with institutional goals. The department collaborates across the University to integrate marketing efforts and includes a diverse team of Content Marketing Specialists. These specialists implement marketing strategies, manage brand identity, create engaging content, oversee college/department websites and social media, and support major events, ensuring a cohesive and impactful approach to promoting USI.
The University Web and Digital Content department plays a critical role in advancing the University’s communication and marketing initiatives by delivering a user-focused digital strategy aligned with enrollment and strategic goals. The department oversees the www.usi.edu website and the University’s overall web presence, ensuring high standards in user experience, design, architecture, accessibility and content quality. With a skilled team of web professionals, the department manages web development end-to-end, develops SEO strategies to enhance visibility and supports integrated marketing and branding efforts across the institution. Through analytics-driven improvements, content training and collaboration with University leadership, the department continually enhances engagement and ensures compliance with best practices in digital communication.