University Relations & Marketing

Lawn in front of old main filled with students on a sunny day

University Relations & Marketing leads strategic marketing, communications and community relations activities that enhance awareness, strengthen our brand and increase engagement with our many diverse audiences.


University Relations & Marketing focuses on accessibility, diversity and equity, applying an inclusion lens in our policies, practices, and marketing and storytelling efforts and with our partners across campus.

Strategic Goals and Objectives

  • To build and sustain stakeholder partnerships and investment
  • To cultivate relationships within and between the campus and our communities
  • To foster public and government support for Western
  • To foster a more inclusive culture
  • To illustrate how Western serves the public good
  • To increase campus and public understanding of the Western brand
  • To promote learning and research opportunities for students, faculty and staff
  • To proactively and effectively tell Western’s story
  • To promote and improve economic vitality in local communities and beyond

Who We Are and What We Do

Community Relations

A lab worker uses a microscope-like tool

Builds and sustains stakeholder partnerships and cultivates relationships within and between the campus and the communities we serve.

Visual Media Production

A large video camera focuses on someone sitting in front of a bookshelf

Creates multimedia content for the university including web videos, commercials and broadcast television footage. We also manage university photo services.

University Communications

Western Today's newsletter loaded on a mobile phone

Identifies news and produces stories about Western Washington University research, people and programs for local, national and international media.  We also produce Window, the university’s magazine, Western Today, the university’s daily e-newsletter, and Gaia, the online journal of research, discovery and scholarship at WWU.

Tribal Relations

Six tribal members in traditional Native American wear, some raising one hand

Fosters respectful and mutually productive relationships between Coast Salish Tribes, the university, community and key stakeholders through culturally appropriate outreach and programming. We work to develop, recognize, promote and facilitate protocols of reciprocity as they relate to Tribal sovereignty and Native American education.

Small Business Development Center

A person welds a metal structure, producing blue sparks

Provides free tools, training and resources to help small businesses grow and succeed. As Washington State's top provider of small business assistance, the WWU-sponsored SBDC has two offices in Whatcom County and Kitsap County to serve the needs of Western Washington's business community

University Marketing

"We Throw Pool Parties for Salmon" ad spread opened across two pages

Promotes the Western Washington University brand through strategic marketing communications and creative services.  We also manage university-level advertising campaigns and social media networks.

Washington Campus Coalition for the Public Good

Conference attendees around a hand made sign that reads "Belief" for the Belief conference

Serves as a coalition of higher education institutions committed to advancing the public purposes of colleges and universities, educating students for civic responsibility, and working in partnerships to cultivate vital and sustainable communities across the state.

(WebTech) - Web Communication Technologies

A laptop on a desk showing the main Western homepage

Provides web development and web design services, web templates and web training for the Western Washington University community.  Develops and supports the institutional website and provides support and tools for college and departmental sites.

Leadership

Donna Gibbs

Donna's professional portrait in front of a blue background

Vice President

(360) 650-3482
Donna.Gibbs@wwu.edu

Katrina Schuster

Blonde haired smiling Katrina in front of the Old Main building.

Administrative Assistant

(360) 650-3482
Katrina.Schuster@wwu.edu

Location and Mailing Address

Find us on Campus

We are located in Old Main 490 on the Western Washington University campus.

Mailing Address

Western Washington University
516 High Street, MS 9032
Bellingham, WA 98225-9032