The University is currently developing the Division of University Relations, which will combine the existing departments of Government Relations and Public Relations and Marketing. Interim Vice President for University Advancement Matthew Borowick has been appointed as the head of the division.
According to a University-wide email, President Joseph Nyre said the division will concentrate “its efforts on the development of compelling and persuasive communication to share the Seton Hall story with diverse internal and external stakeholders.”
The email said that prominent universities regularly interact with external collaborators such as alumni, the media, government officials, donors, community leaders and corporations, among many other figures and enterprises.
“More and more, these stakeholders have significant impact on the aspirations – and success – of higher education,” Nyre said.
In this updated structure, Borowick said this administrative enhancement will help the University engage with their varying audiences. He said that by aligning the departments of Government Relations and Public Relations and Marketing, the division “can better succeed in supporting, managing and leveraging our key messages in today’s competitive higher education landscape while bringing us in line with the best practices of many of our peer institutions.”
Borowick described the University as an “incredible place with an amazing story” and he said he wants to further cultivate the University’s story with its wide range of media resources in order to inspire engagement from the institution’s audiences.
In the division’s interaction with a wide range of external shareholders, Borowick said, “I want to encourage and invite even more [stakeholders] to help through things like legislation, providing financial support, volunteering their time as mentors, encouraging them to hire Seton Hall students as employees and interns and being advocates for the University.
Borowick will remain in his present position until another Vice President for University Advancement is chosen.
As said in the University-wide email, the departments of Advancement Services, Alumni Engagement and Philanthropy and Development will remain within the Division of University Advancement. Nyre said that preserving the present structure will allow the Advancement division to serve the over 100,000 alumni and others who support the University, particularly as the University prepares for its next capital campaign.
Thomas Schwartz can be reached at thomas.schwartz@student.shu.edu.
