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71
July 23, 2026
Ep. 71: How ECU Built a Collaborative Communications Team Across Campus

How ECU Built a Collaborative Communications Team Across Campus

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About the Episode

About the Episode:

Jenny Li Fowler welcomes Jessica VanderKolk, a Public Communications Specialist at East Carolina University. The conversation centers on ECU’s innovative communications department structure, which utilizes a liaison model. Rather than being siloed in a central office, communicators are embedded directly within the colleges they cover. Jessica explains how this geographical proximity fosters deep collaboration, allowing for stronger relationships with faculty and staff and creating an environment where teams share resources rather than acting territorially.

People in this episode

Host

Jenny Li Fowler is the Director of Social Media Strategy at MIT, author, and the host of Confessions of a Higher Ed Social Media Manager.

Interviewee

Jessica VanderKolk

Public Communications Specialist at East Carolina University

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