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Quinnipiac Taps Keith Rhodes as Vice President, Chief Digital Communications Officer

Keith Rhodes, of Fairfield, has been appointed vice president and chief digital communications officer at Quinnipiac University.

In his new position, Rhodes will be responsible for planning, leading and directing all of Quinnipiac’s digital strategies and initiatives to create a superior digital/online presence that will engage the university’s multiple external and internal audiences. He also will be responsible for implementing a variety of interactive channels and innovative approaches to create a seamless digital experience that delivers on Quinnipiac’s brand and mission, and supports the unique needs of key university stakeholders, including admissions, alumni and development.

“Quinnipiac University is one of a handful of forward-looking universities in the nation to create such a dynamic communications and marketing position, joining the ranks of Harvard, Columbia, University of California Santa Barbara and Boston University and others as we seek to be more strategic in our communications and marketing,” said Lynn Bushnell, vice president for public affairs. “We are delighted that we’ve been able to attract such a talented and experienced marketing expert to Quinnipiac.”

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Quinnipiac President John L. Lahey said, “This strategic reorganization with the Public Affairs division reflects the dramatic growth and importance of digital communications. This is an effort to make sure that not only Quinnipiac’s website but future use of all social media is sophisticated, advanced and user-friendly. As Keith builds his team of content and technological experts, we expect that the team will have an even greater impact on enhancing Quinnipiac’s reputation.”

Rhodes said, “Today, many interactions with a university take place online, accessed by several different devices. It’s a complex landscape and consumers expect an experience that reflects the quality and value of the institution. Quinnipiac has done a great job in establishing its digital ecosystem and I am thrilled to have the opportunity to build on this to continue to deliver innovation to the entire Quinnipiac community.”

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An award-winning advertising executive, Rhodes comes to Quinnipiac with more than 20 years in digital media. Most recently, he was senior vice president and group director at the Young & Rubicam Group of New York, where he spent five years leading a multi-agency team that provided integrated marketing services for Land Rover North America.

While at the Young & Rubicam Group, Rhodes was recognized for his continuous innovation in marketing, earning more than 50 awards and honors, including Cannes International Advertising Lions; Mobile Marketing Association Smarties; FWA Site of the Day; Interactive Advertising Bureau Mixx Awards; MediaPost OMMA Awards; Webby Official Honoree Awards; and Directory Magazine’s Innovations in Communications Award. He also received recognition from NBC’s “Today” for “Best TV Commercials” in 2011” and TBS for the “Top 10 Funniest TV Ads for 2011.”

Before joining the Young & Rubicam Group, Rhodes held vice president of marketing positions at the Ryan Partnership and Digitas, among others. Rhodes has spent his nearly 20-year career in digital marketing, getting his start leading the creation of the first corporate websites and online advertising campaigns for Fortune 500 companies at Poppe Tyson Modern Media in New York City.    

Rhodes holds an MBA from the F.W. Olin School of Business at Babson College and a bachelor’s degree in marketing from Quinnipiac.

Quinnipiac is a private, coeducational, nonsectarian institution located 90 minutes north of New York City and two hours from Boston. The university enrolls 6,500 full-time undergraduate and 2,500 graduate students in 58 undergraduate and more than 20 graduate programs of study in its School of Business and Engineering, School of Communications, School of Education, School of Health Sciences, School of Law, Frank H. Netter MD School of Medicine, School of Nursing and College of Arts and Sciences. Quinnipiac consistently ranks among the top regional universities in the North in U.S. News & World Report’s America’s Best Colleges issue. The 2014 issue of U.S. News & World Report’s America’s Best Colleges named Quinnipiac as the top up-and-coming school with master’s programs in the Northern Region. Quinnipiac also is recognized in Princeton Review’s “The Best 377 Colleges.” The Chronicle of Higher Education has named Quinnipiac among the “Great Colleges to Work For.” For more information, please visit www.quinnipiac.edu. Connect with Quinnipiac on Facebook at www.facebook.com/quinnipiacuniversity and follow Quinnipiac on Twitter @QuinnipiacU.

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