The College of Agricultural Sciences has two primary units that support communications, marketing, and outreach: the Marketing Unit and the College Relations and Communications Unit.
While both contribute to the college’s visibility and engagement, they serve distinct purposes. The Marketing Unit provides strategic leadership for the college’s marketing, audience engagement, and customer-experience initiatives—helping shape how audiences discover, interact with, and experience the college’s programs through its marketing channels, digital platforms, and communications. The College Relations and Communications Unit focuses on storytelling, media relations, government relations, and stakeholder engagement to enhance the college’s reputation and influence.
This article explains what each unit does, how they differ, and when to contact each one.
Marketing Unit
Primary Focus
The Marketing Unit provides strategic leadership for the college’s marketing, audience engagement, and customer-experience initiatives across student recruitment, Penn State Extension, the Penn State Berkey Creamery, and other college enterprises.
Its mission is to connect audiences with the college’s programs, resources, and impact through coordinated marketing strategy, creative development, digital engagement, and customer support. These efforts focus on how audiences discover, interact with, and experience the college’s programs through its marketing channels, digital platforms, and communication strategies.
This includes oversight of marketing and engagement efforts for Penn State Extension, undergraduate recruitment, the Penn State Berkey Creamery, and other areas across the college—such as academic departments, research centers and stations, and administrative units (including Development and Alumni Relations, Human Resources, and other college offices). The Marketing Unit ensures all marketing initiatives follow consistent brand standards, leverage shared platforms, and align with the college’s strategic goals.
The Marketing Unit is structured into specialized teams that work together to deliver seamless, end-to-end marketing solutions—from strategy and design to analytics, events, and customer service.
Marketing Unit Teams
Marketing Strategy
Partners with units, faculty, and staff across the college to understand goals, develop marketing strategies to meet them, and ensure marketing budgets and spending are optimized and prioritized to the college’s strategic goals .
Creative Services
Develops creative concepts, visuals, and copy aligned with Penn State brand standards and business objectives. Produces design assets, advertisements, and educational publications that reach audiences across multiple channels.
Digital Marketing and Analytics
Oversees digital campaigns that build brand awareness, increase engagement, and drive growth. Manages organic and paid social media, digital advertising, and analytics to evaluate and improve performance.
Web Strategy and Operations
Leads the strategic direction and daily execution of the college’s web and e-commerce operations, including agsci.psu.edu, extension.psu.edu, and creamery.psu.edu.
CRM Strategy and Operations
Implements and manages customer relationship management (CRM) systems—primarily Salesforce, along with ZSuite (4-H) and Hands On Connect (volunteer programs)—to improve engagement, communication, and data-driven decision-making.
Event Registration Management
Oversees the event-management process for Penn State Extension, including Cvent, to ensure smooth registration, payment collection, and attendee communication.
Customer Service
Manages the primary Extension customer support center and the spotted lanternfly call center, assisting with registrations, inquiries, publication orders, and issue resolution.
When to Contact the Marketing Unit
Contact the Marketing Unit when you need support with:
- Marketing strategy, audience analysis, or campaign planning
- Program, product, or event promotion (Extension, academic, or administrative)
- Digital advertising, social media, or email marketing
- Creation of marketing materials, graphics, or educational publications
- Event registration setup or management through Cvent
- Website strategy, content, or analytics
- Customer relationship management (Salesforce or other CRM platforms)
- Customer service or registration assistance for Extension programs
- Public relations or communications efforts that are part of a broader marketing campaign
How to get started:
Submit a request in Workfront or contact your assigned marketing strategist for guidance.
College Relations and Communications Unit
Primary Focus
The College Relations and Communications Unit leads strategic communications, media relations, government relations, and stakeholder engagement that enhance the reputation and visibility of the College of Agricultural Sciences. This unit focuses on storytelling, news writing, public affairs, and outreach to key audiences and partners—including state and federal agencies, industry organizations, and alumni—highlighting the college’s excellence in research, teaching, and extension.
College Relations helps create productive, engaging, and inspiring connections among agriculture-related businesses and organizations and our faculty, staff, and students. The team convenes around important topics, advocates for the college’s research and extension efforts, and builds shared knowledge about college programs, activities, and opportunities.
The unit also manages the Penn State Ag Council, which serves as an industry advisory group to the Dean of the College of Agricultural Sciences. The Ag Council is comprised of organizations, groups, and businesses that represent strategic agricultural or related interests across Pennsylvania.
The team ensures that the college’s voice and identity are represented consistently and effectively across Penn State and beyond, in collaboration with University Strategic Communications and Penn State Government and Community Relations.
Key Responsibilities
- Develop and execute college-wide communication and public affairs strategies
- Write and distribute press releases, news stories, and features on research, faculty, students, and programs
- Manage media relations and coordinate coverage with University Strategic Communications
- Oversee government relations and public affairs communications on behalf of the college
- Foster industry and stakeholder engagement, including support for the Penn State Ag Council
- Provide editorial and writing support for high-visibility communications and reports
- Consult with units on story development and messaging best practices
- Ensure alignment with University communication, policy, and branding standards
When to Contact the College Relations and Communications Unit
Contact this unit when you need support with:
- Developing or distributing a press release or news story
- Seeking media coverage for research, alumni, or college initiatives
- Coordinating government relations messaging or outreach
- Engaging with industry partners or agricultural organizations
- Communications with college-wide, University-level, or public visibility
- Consulting on editorial strategy or public communication
- Initiating a communications or media request
Contact the College Relations and Communications Unit directly.
Summary: Which Unit to Contact
| Deliverable or Request | Contact |
|---|---|
| Branding, logo use, or application of brand standards | Marketing Unit |
| Marketing strategy, product development, or campaign planning | Marketing Unit |
| Program, event, or product promotion | Marketing Unit |
| Digital advertising or social media | Marketing Unit |
| Marketing materials (flyers, graphics, or publications) | Marketing Unit |
| Website strategy, updates, or analytics | Marketing Unit |
| Event registration (Cvent) setup or support | Marketing Unit |
| Email marketing (e-newsletters, invitations, or announcements) | Marketing Unit |
| CRM support (Salesforce, ZSuite, Hands On Connect) | Marketing Unit |
| Extension customer service or registration inquiries | Marketing Unit |
| Public relations as part of a marketing campaign | Marketing Unit |
| Press release or news story | College Relations and Communications Unit |
| Media relations or University publicity | College Relations and Communications Unit |
| Government relations or public affairs communications | College Relations and Communications Unit |
| Industry engagement or Ag Council support | College Relations and Communications Unit |
| High-visibility storytelling or research features | College Relations and Communications Unit |
How the Two Units Work Together
The Marketing Unit and College Relations and Communications Unit collaborate to ensure consistent, effective communication about the college’s programs, research, and impact.
- The Marketing Unit focuses on promotion, engagement, and customer experience—encouraging audiences to take action, apply, register, or participate.
- The College Relations and Communications Unit focuses on storytelling, reputation, and influence—sharing achievements, managing relationships with media and government, and connecting the college with industry stakeholders.
When projects overlap—such as a program launch that includes both a press release and a marketing campaign—the two teams coordinate to ensure unified messaging, strategy, and timing.
In Summary
Both units play essential roles in advancing the mission, visibility, and reputation of the College of Agricultural Sciences.
- The Marketing Unit helps you strategically reach audiences, promote programs and products, support undergraduate recruitment and Creamery initiatives, and deliver a consistent, high-quality marketing experience across academic, research, and administrative areas.
- The College Relations and Communications Unit helps you share stories that highlight the college’s impact, manage media and government relations, foster connections with industry and stakeholders, and strengthen the college’s overall reputation and influence.
