Spring Break
New assistant director of university relations named (6/18/08)
Joshua Jefferson
Issue date: 6/18/08 Section: News
As of July 1, Bonnie Barker will take over as the new Assistant Director of University Relations for Western Illinois University, according to Director of University Relations Darcie Shinberger.
Barker has worked in the University Relations office since 1991 acting as a public information specialist. Barker wrote stories covering the College of Arts and Sciences, the College of Fine Arts and Communication and the Centennial Honors College. She is currently a part of the editorial board for the College of Arts and Sciences' Focus Magazine and the CAS 50th anniversary committee, in addition to the University Marketing Working Group and viewbook committee.
Since 1995, Barker as written features and selected second-level stories for Western's Web site, as well supervised its images and content. Her work also involved streamlining news release, graduation and Dean's List release distribution procedures making it more cost effective and efficient. Barker is also skilled in working with the Campus Safety and Security Act, the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 and crisis communication.
Before her time at University Relations, she was co-sports information director at Western (June 1989 to October 1991), and prior to that served from July 1977 to May 1989 as the Westerwinds sports information director, launching the contest that changed the name to Westerwinds in the summer of 1977. She got her start as working in Western women's sports information program as a grad student (December 1975 to May 1977).
In the mid to late 1980's, Barker was responsible for making Western among the national leaders in the courtside use of computerized statistical programs and installed a system that worked with event-driven competitions. She worked as a courtside statistics director for multiple athletic teams.
As assistant director, Barker will work with local, regional, state and national media and act as liaison to campus news sources and news media. Additionally, she will respond to inquiries involving university crises, programs and events and setting up press events. She will be integrating new media technology university promotional and publicity reasons and also keep up with campus crime reports and logs as per federal guidelines.
"Bonnie's years of experience in working with the media, as well as her crisis communication management and higher education marketing experience, will allow for a seamless transition," Shinberger said.
Barker has worked in the University Relations office since 1991 acting as a public information specialist. Barker wrote stories covering the College of Arts and Sciences, the College of Fine Arts and Communication and the Centennial Honors College. She is currently a part of the editorial board for the College of Arts and Sciences' Focus Magazine and the CAS 50th anniversary committee, in addition to the University Marketing Working Group and viewbook committee.
Since 1995, Barker as written features and selected second-level stories for Western's Web site, as well supervised its images and content. Her work also involved streamlining news release, graduation and Dean's List release distribution procedures making it more cost effective and efficient. Barker is also skilled in working with the Campus Safety and Security Act, the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 and crisis communication.
Before her time at University Relations, she was co-sports information director at Western (June 1989 to October 1991), and prior to that served from July 1977 to May 1989 as the Westerwinds sports information director, launching the contest that changed the name to Westerwinds in the summer of 1977. She got her start as working in Western women's sports information program as a grad student (December 1975 to May 1977).
In the mid to late 1980's, Barker was responsible for making Western among the national leaders in the courtside use of computerized statistical programs and installed a system that worked with event-driven competitions. She worked as a courtside statistics director for multiple athletic teams.
As assistant director, Barker will work with local, regional, state and national media and act as liaison to campus news sources and news media. Additionally, she will respond to inquiries involving university crises, programs and events and setting up press events. She will be integrating new media technology university promotional and publicity reasons and also keep up with campus crime reports and logs as per federal guidelines.
"Bonnie's years of experience in working with the media, as well as her crisis communication management and higher education marketing experience, will allow for a seamless transition," Shinberger said.
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