When the presidential search began just months ago, I thought a lot about how Union’s communications office might approach publicity and secure earned news coverage. I’d never been through this type of transition before, so the situation posed a unique challenge that was accompanied by a good bit of stress. Developing a PR strategy for a nameless, faceless person basically yields a stock list of options, none of them inspiring. Let’s face it: colleges hire new leaders every day. There’s nothing special about that except to those connected to the institution. So I imagined scenarios that worked into an ideal plan that equaled instant newsworthiness across the state.
Then Dr. Marcia Hawkins was named, and my daydreaming game was no longer necessary. She instantly won my confidence, both as a president and a newsmaker. She has a story that people will want to hear, and I can’t wait to work with her to tell it. Her passion for the liberal arts is paralleled only by her belief in the American dream, and she masterfully streams both into a common thread of pure…well, newsworthiness. This woman proudly defends the liberal arts in a day when, sadly, it needs a bold spokesperson.
No one outside Union’s circle of friends has heard much about this. They will. But for now, people in neighboring cities and states are intrigued with Dr. Hawkins because of her gender. I sent several releases out announcing her appointment and was met with many replies of “Wow!” and one “Woo hoo!” I cannot wait until our Facebook Insights are updated so I can measure the virility of our status when we announced to fans: “Union's 19th president has been announced. HER name is Dr. Marcia Hawkins, and she is looking forward to meeting all of you!” But that won’t scratch the surface of the enthusiasm. I know personally of several people who included the same information in their own status updates. And when you sprinkle on top of that a boatload of tweets and retweets, we might find that accurately measuring reach will be difficult.
As it turns out, being a female president, while it isn’t all that unusual, still gives many people a reason to cheer. There’s a popular goal that says the percentage of female presidents should match the percentage of female students. Currently, according to the American Council on Education, 26.4% of all college presidents are female, up from 23% just a few years ago. But with the female student population at 57%, there’s much work yet to be done. Among Methodist related four-year institutions, female presidents represent 23%. Once Dr. Hawkins is inaugurated, Union College will increase that number by one percent. Wow and woo hoo!
A reporter asked me if Dr. Hawkins’s gender had been a deciding factor in naming her as Union’s 19th president. I explained that no, her qualifications and proven record put her over the top and distinguished her as the best candidate from a pool of about 130 nationwide. She just happens to be a woman. But what a bonus!
That’s what I call instant newsworthiness. And it’s not a dream.
Missy Reid, '91
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