Vermont Business Magazine The University of Vermont has appointed Joel R Seligman, a professional with 30 years of experience in strategic communications, marketing and public affairs at top-tier public and private research universities, as its new chief communications officer.
“I am enthusiastic about this appointment,” said President Suresh Garimella. “We have laid out an ambitious agenda to ensure UVM’s continued success. UVM has compelling student, faculty, staff and alumni stories to tell from all quarters of our campus. I am confident that Joel’s extensive experience in higher education communications will help us compose and tell our university’s unique story, as well as advance our strategic vision, which is heavily centered on student success.”
Throughout his career, Seligman has led highly successful reputation-building initiatives at multiple institutions, including 16 years of service in three other land-grant universities. Most recently he served as associate vice president for strategic communications at the University of Maryland, and immediately prior to that as associate vice president and chief communications officer at the University of New Hampshire. At both institutions, Seligman held the top communications and marketing role and aligned talent and messaging in innovative ways to reflect the rapidly changing communications habits of stakeholders.
Joel R Seligman
From 1991 to 2013, Seligman held various management roles in communications, marketing, government relations and outreach at the University of Chicago, Boston University and Cornell University. He also spent two years as vice president and senior consultant to college and university leaders at Maguire Associates in Concord, Massachusetts.
“UVM already occupies an enviable position among its peers and I believe we can go even further by harnessing the power of strategic communications to support our aspirations in a disciplined and creative way,” Seligman said. “It’s not enough to ‘simply’ be a great institution. The very best must also engage stakeholders in ways that illustrate and reinforce what is distinctive, relevant, timeless, aspirational and authentic about the university and the experience of learning, creating, discovering, teaching and working there.”
“I’m honored to have been selected to build on the communications and marketing activities of the past few years,” said Seligman. “I especially look forward to partnering with the deans and other campus leaders to ensure UVM’s success and influence far into the future.”
Seligman earned Bachelor of Science and Master of Professional Studies degrees in communication from Cornell University, and a Doctor of Education degree from the University of Pennsylvania. He is relocating from Washington, DC to Burlington this summer.
Seligman succeeds Nicci Brown, who is relocating to the University of Florida.
Seligman’s appointment is effective on June 21, 2021.
Source: UVM 6.14.2021