University names Oxford native new Assistant Vice Chancellor for Marketing

By Clara Turnage

UM communications

The University of Mississippi has named Ryan Whittington to a new position as assistant vice chancellor for marketing.

The position, housed in University Marketing and Communications, is designed to help bring Ole Miss up to par with other SEC universities, said Jim Zook, vice chancellor for marketing and communications.

“The creation of this role is an important expression of the heightened importance of marketing in the highly competitive higher education sector and for our university,” Zook said. “Further, the creation of an assistant vice chancellor within our team puts our organization more on par with other SEC central ‘marcomm’ offices.”

Ryan Whittington. Photo by Kevin Bain/Ole Miss Digital Imaging Services

Whittington, an Oxford native with more than a decade of experience in the field, said he hopes to use the experiences he has gained working for his alma mater to bolster student voices and tell the university’s story.

“I’m excited to lead a passionate team of professional marketers who care about our university and its students,” Whittington said. “For years, our team has captured authentic moments, created compelling assets and delivered timeless brand experiences that enhance and uplift the Ole Miss brand.

“We aim to continue to deliver that commitment by aligning and elevating our brand to all audiences.”

Whittington previously served six years as director of the marketing and brand strategy team, where Zook said he has, “demonstrated wide-ranging abilities and marketing savvy, extensive understanding of university operations and deep insight into how best to express our university’s distinctive personality.”

Before being named director, Whittington served as a communications specialist for university communications and as project coordinator for the Division of Outreach and Continuing Education.

Though his professional career began in 2011, Whittington has worked for the university since 2004, when he was hired at outreach while a student at Oxford High School.

Whittington graduated from Ole Miss in 2009 with a bachelor’s degree in journalism and in 2011 with a master’s degree in the same field.

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