A marketing professional experienced in higher education branding and crisis communications will join The University of Toledo to lead the Office of University Marketing and Communications.

Dr. Adrienne King, vice president of university advancement for Murray State University in Murray, Ky., will join UT Jan. 7 as associate vice president of marketing and communications.

At Murray State, King has led the branding, marketing and communication, alumni relations and development teams, as well as the Town & Gown Partnership Program since 2015. Under her leadership, the university completed a comprehensive marketing plan to increase the academic perception of the institution and strategically changed the academic profile of incoming students, grew private support by an average of 47 percent, and tripled the size of the university’s alumni association.

Prior to Murray State, King held similar leadership positions for several higher education institutions as the director of marketing and communications for Idaho State University, director of relations and communications for West Virginia University Institute of Technology, and director of marketing for University of Charleston.

“The University’s marketing team has an important role to engage prospective students, our alumni, the campus community and all of our external stakeholders as we highlight the many successes of The University of Toledo,” UT President Sharon L. Gaber said. “Adrienne’s experience and passion for higher education will provide strong leadership to help advance our efforts to better tell the UT story and elevate the University’s reputation.”

“I am honored to have been selected by President Gaber to help The University of Toledo showcase the well-earned reputation for a world-class education and excellence in research, scholarship and clinical practice,” King said. “With the University’s 150th anniversary quickly approaching, it’s an exciting time to be a Rocket. I am so impressed with the passion and momentum shared by the entire UT community. It’s obvious that Toledo is a very special place.”

King’s previous marketing teams have won more than 20 regional and national awards from organizations such as the Public Relations Society of America and the Council for Advancement and Support of Education for their work on recruitment initiatives, crisis communications, social media campaigns and fundraising/crowdfunding projects.

King has a doctor of education degree in educational leadership in higher education administration and a master’s degree in integrated marketing communications from West Virginia University, and bachelor’s degrees in graphic design and advertising and public relations from Marietta College. She also is a graduate of the 2018 Leadership America program, a national executive leadership program designed for senior-level women who represent the broadest spectrum of professional, cultural, geographic and ethnic diversity.