SEMO creates, fills position to better market the university

Southeast Missouri State University wants to do a better job of marketing itself.

To that end, the school has hired Elizabeth Shelton to fill the new position of director of strategic communication and marketing.

School officials announced the hiring late last month in a news release. But Shelton said she's been working quietly at her new job since March. Her office is in Academic Hall across the hall from the president's office. Her task is to help develop an integrated marketing plan for the school.

School president Dr. Ken Dobbins said Shelton is heading a campus committee that is focused on clarifying and repositioning the university's "brand image."

"That doesn't mean we're changing who we are, because there is no need for that. We have an outstanding university," Dobbins said. "But we may make changes as to how we tell people who we are."

Shelton said individual schools and departments within the university, such as the business college, the school of visual and performing arts and athletics, have all done a good job marketing their programs.

But the university needs to develop an overall marketing plan. "We need to get everybody on the same page," she said.

"We want people to keep in mind we are providing a very high-quality liberal arts education at a very affordable price, and we are a comprehensive university with a lot to offer," Shelton said.

"Some universities are realizing the benefit of bringing more of a corporate mindset into the ways things are done," Shelton said.

"Part of the reason I was hired was because of my background in corporate marketing," said the 44-year-old Shelton. Her career has included jobs with Viacom's Showtime networks, major advertising and public relations firms, and as a consultant to Coca-Cola Enterprises and other worldwide companies.

Shelton has lived in Memphis, Tenn., Los Angeles and Atlanta.

But she's no stranger to Cape Girardeau. She grew up here. Her father, John Shelton, is a retired Southeast Missouri State University music professor.

Shelton attended Southeast for a year before finishing her college career at the University of Memphis, where she earned a bachelor's degree in public relations.

One of her first tasks at Southeast, she said, is to get input from students, prospective students, high school guidance counselors, parents and alumni regarding the school's image.

To that end, Shelton said the university is looking at the possibility of setting up an online "mailbox" to obtain feedback from the community.

Shelton said the university could have a new marketing plan in place within a year.

mbliss@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 123