Fordham University Communications and Marketing Specialist, Strategic Initiatives

February 2026 – August 2026

As Communications and Marketing Specialist for Strategic Initiatives at Fordham University’s Career Center, I serve as the Career Center Director’s direct report, lead marketing strategist, and principal creative partner. In this role, I direct high-profile campaigns and spearhead strategic initiatives alongside university leadership, shaping brand positioning, donor narratives, and executive messaging to advance institutional priorities.

I own the department’s full editorial direction, managing the team-wide editorial calendar and digital asset review process while developing the core storytelling frameworks that connect the Career Center’s mission to key audiences across campus, alumni, and corporate partners.

My responsibilities include:

Strategic Communications
Content Marketing
Strategic Initiative Development

Creative Direction
Brand Strategy
Stakeholder Engagement

Executive Ghostwriting & Messaging
Presentation Development & Design
Public & Media Relations

This role relies on close cross-functional collaboration across campus leadership, frequently partnering with the Vice Provost of Student Success, Digital Campus Experience Manager, Development and Alumni Relations, and University Marketing and Communications (UMC) to align high-priority projects with institutional goals. Campaigns engage a diverse ecosystem of stakeholders, including university administration, institutional partners, employer clients, donors, and the broader campus community.

This position was a progression of my role as Marketing and Communications Specialist, Campus Engagement from June 2023 to February 2026.

Accomplishments

Strategic Initiatives & Thought Leadership
– Authored high-impact pitches, Board of Trustees quarterly reporting decks, and international conference presentation materials for the Career Center Director, independently and in partnership with key vendors like PeopleGrove
– Selected as the sole department representative to present at the 2026 Jesuit Student Success Network (JSSN) Conference; delivered a presentation on lifecycle strategy and content marketing at eduWeb Summit and earned a 5-star rating in audience feedback
– Featured by leading higher education marketing publications Enrollify and Volt for innovative leadership in higher ed marketing and campaign strategy
– Authored and submitted the successful nomination for the Fordham Values Award, securing recognition for the inaugural Magis Award winner
– Ideated original campaign concepts and authored core copy and creative briefs to promote the new Experiential Learning Platform board and Co-Curricular Transcript, directly advancing the university’s Internship Promise initiative

Strategic Partnerships & Program Growth
– Co-managed cross-departmental marketing strategy in partnership with Development and Alumni Relations, driving a record-breaking 100+ mentor and 100+ mentee applications within the first week (pre-move-in period)
– Partnered with PeopleGrove to co-develop national conference presentations (including CSEA and CIGL) and served as one of three department representatives selected by the Director for the NYC regional conference
– Supported the planning, branding, and execution of the National Mentorship Roundtable hosted at Fordham
– Designed and launched the new prospective Recruiting Guide to engage and convert national employer partners for complimentary and paid recruiting programs

Content Strategy, UX & Copywriting Optimization
– Overhauled key website architecture and pages to optimize search visibility, AI answer engine readability, and user navigation
– Prioritized blog content strategy, driving an 86.1% YoY increase in blog views and a 128.3% YoY surge in unique visitors
– Redesigned targeted outreach frameworks and confirmation sequences, successfully driving higher response conversions and reducing employer melt, elevating targeted email click rates by 60.9% (averaging 4.5%)
– Partnered with the Digital Campus Experience Manager to build specialized Career and Mentorship portals on RamCentral (Fordham’s user hub) and optimized mobile segment layouts
– Collaborated directly with University Marketing and Communications (UMC) to refine copy and strengthen messaging around the university’s Internship Promise

Operations, Systems & Team Development
– Co-developed a new departmental internship program framework, curriculum, and onboarding structure, supervising a cross-functional team of 7 interns across copywriting, photography, video, and design
– Engineered and launched a centralized marketing hub in Notion, streamlining cross-team project workflows, campaign tracking, and asset management
– Designed a matrix-based audience-targeting model for signature event email campaigns and established enhanced reporting infrastructure to measure long-term engagement

Goals

– Advance the Career Center’s national and international reputation through award submissions, conference presentations, and original creative strategies
– Strengthen development and partnership initiatives with internal and external audiences — including microdonation campaigns and Signature Partnerships — through brand storytelling and communications frameworks
– Streamline executive communications, including reports and presentations delivered to campus leadership and external partners
– Expand brand awareness and loyalty among current and prospective employer recruiting partners
– Support divisional and departmental restructuring through consultation on brand experience and touchpoints

Reporting Structure

I report directly to:
– Director, Career Center
My leadership team includes:
– Senior Strategic Development
– Senior Associate Director, Employer Relations
– Associate Director, Lincoln Center
– Senior Associate Director, Rose Hill
I supervise:
– Marketing Associate (part-time)
I co-supervise:
– 2-4 Marketing Assistants (part-time student workers)
– Fordham Career Ambassadors (volunteer)
I work most closely with:
– Data Specialist
– Employer Relations Specialists, Student Engagement Specialists, Mentorship Specialists, and Undergraduate Outcomes Specialist
– Digital Campus Experience Manager (Provost’s Office)
– Career Counselors and Counseling Graduate Interns
I often collaborate with:
– Division of Student Success / Provost’s Office
– Development and Alumni Relations
– External Employer Partners
– University Marketing and Communications