Eric Townsend
Assistant Vice President for Strategic Communications and Media Relations
Department: University Communications
Email: etownsend4@elon.edu
Phone number: (336) 278-7413
Professional Expertise
Brief Biography
I joined the Office of University Communications at Elon University in August 2007 and today serve as assistant vice president for strategic communications and media relations. In this role, I coordinate a team of embedded academic communicators and staff who oversee the news bureau, social media, internal communications, and inclusive communications messaging to ensure consiste brand identity with a focus on showcasing student academic achievements and faculty scholarship
Links
News & Notes
Education
Master of Journalism, University of Maryland - College Park, 2003
Bachelor of Arts (Cum Laude), University of Delaware, 2001
Employment History
Assistant Vice President for Academic Communications, Elon University, September 2022-December 2024
Director of Communications for the Elon University School of Law, March 2016-2022
Director of the Elon University News Bureau, Elon University, August 2007-March 2016
Staff writer, News & Record newspaper (Greensboro, N.C.), May 2004-August 2007
Staff writer, Cecil Whig newspaper (Elkton, Md.), June 2003-April 2004
Staff writer, Middletown Transcript newspaper (Middletown, Del.), August 2001-May 2002
Courses Taught
Leadership Positions
College News Association of the Carolinas, (Board of Directors, 2009-2015 | Secretary, 2015-2017 | Treasurer, 2017-2022)
Service Activities
Cone Health Foundation (Board of Directors, 2024-present)
Guilford Education Alliance (Board of Directors, 2022-present)
The Enrichment Fund for Guilford County Schools (Vice Chair, 2024-present; Board of Directors, 2022-present)
Friendly Park, Inc. (Board of Directors - Communications, 2024-present)
United Way of Greater Greensboro (Education & Income Impact Council, 2017-2023)
Sternberger Elementary School PTA (Communications/Yearbook/Grants & Awards, 2017-2020 | 2nd Vice President, 2020-2022, School Leadership Team, 2022-2024; Yeabook 2024-2025)
Guilford County Council of PTAs (Communications Chair, 2020-2021 | Secretary, 2021-2022)
Hospice & Palliative Care of Greensboro (2015-2022)
Former volunteer with the Greensboro chapter of the American Red Cross (Disaster Action Team member)
Staff advisor for a student-organized Hurricane Katrina relief trip to New Orleans in January 2013
Skills
News and feature writing; social media; basic photography and videography; media relations.
Awards
2019: H. Lewis Gaston Award from the College News Association of the Carolinas
2021: Sandy Carmany Award for service to the Guilford County Council of PTAs