Portfolio
Client: Marygrove College – Detroit, Michigan
Working for Marygrove College, Detroit, Michigan, was one of the greatest honors of my career. My recent full-time engagement for the College was Director of Communications and Marketing. In that position, I crafted and implemented a public relations and marketing plan, managed the redesign and wrote the content for three websites, wrote television, radio and social media content, and speeches for the president, managed a new corporate identity program, and authored and implemented communications plans for the closure of the undergraduate program and the eventual permanent closure of the 114-year institution. Below are some proud samples of work that impacted the College's many stakeholders.
Project: Tower Times
Audience: Alumni and Donors
Frequency: Three times annually
The Tower Times was a long-standing means of communications to alumni and other stakeholders sharing news of the College's programs, acknowledging donors, and describing the landscape for private colleges and universities across the country. I was responsible for the content of each magazine, management of layout and design, and printing and distribution.
Project: Crisis Communications Plan
Audience: Students, Alumni, Media, Civic Leaders, Vendors, Sponsors
Frequency: Implemented for the Closure of the Undergraduate Program in 2017; Implemented for the Permanent Closure of the College in 2019
As with an increasing number of private liberal arts colleges in the country, Marygrove experienced a significant decline in its student population. Coupled with persistent financial struggles, the board eliminated the undergraduate program at the end of 2017 and remained focused on the graduate program. I created and implemented a multi-faceted crisis communications plan, comprised of press releases, letters to all constituents, a contingency roll-out schedule, speeches and press conferences. Sadly, a similar crisis communications plan had to be fashioned and implemented when the board decided to permanently close the college at the end of 2019 for the same reasons.
Project: Graduate Program Catalog
Audience: Prospective and Existing Students
Frequency: Once
The College had not produced a concise graduate-only program guide until the beginning on 2019 when the push for graduates students was intensified. I created this guide to provide students with a clear picture of what each degree offered and its requirements as well as the potential career opportunities presented by each degree program.
Project: Corporate Identity
Audience: Internal and External Stakeholders
Frequency: Once
Facing an unsure future as a graduate-only college, Marygrove decided to implement a new identity campaign, consisting of an updated logo and a new ad campaign for billboards and social media. My role was the management of design and implementation.
Project: Speech Writing
Audience: Internal and External Stakeholders
Frequency: As needed
Events such as the annual Alumni Reunion Weekend, commencement, a get-acquainted event for prospective students and the community-at-large, closure announcements, press conferences, etc., required significant speech writing for the president and rehearsals, which I provided.
Project: Website Writing and Management
Audience: Internal and External Website Visitors
Frequency: Three distinct websites
In four years, Marygrove undertook the redesign of its website three times; first, to update and refresh the existing 2,000-page undergraduate/graduate website; second, to remove all undergraduate pages and create a graduate-only website; third, to create a legacy website that would provide reference and information about the 114-year old college. I managed each of these projects with the help of the web designer and wrote all copy elements within specified timelines.
Client: Corp! Magazine
Corp! Magazine, published monthly, is the only statewide business publication dedicated to business owners and C-Suite leaders. It reports on important economic, growth, trend information and resources to Michigan businesses.
Project: Cover Story for Corp!
Audience: Corp! Magazine subscribers
Frequency: Once
Corp! Magazine focuses on Michigan businesses. In this particular edition, I was invited to research and write the cover story, which highlighted the contributions of Arab Americans to the Michigan economy. I selected and interviewed four Arab Americans from different industries and professions and different countries of origin.
Client: Dr. Denise Williams Mallett
Dr. Denise Williams Mallett heads the Office of Diversity and Inclusion, University of Detroit Jesuit High School, which was established to embrace the rich and dynamic contribution of students and the community it serves. This commitment by the high school comes in the aftermath of the killing of African American George Floyd by a white police officer.
Project: Remarks to student, general and Dad's Club audiences
Audience: Students, Parents, Community
Frequency: As needed
Dr. Mallett has the need and the occasion to inform several of University of Detroit Jesuit High School's constituent groups about its commitment to diversity and inclusion and the programs that support that mission. She will be speaking to students, parents and the community at large about the Office of Diversity and Inclusion's mission and programs and provide educational resources for them.
Client: National American Arab Nurses Association
The National American Arab Nurses Association is the voice and advocate for Arab American nurses and for the nursing profession. Annually, NAANA recognizes an Angel of Mercy, a nurse who has demonstrated excellence in his or her profession, and awards scholarships to aspiring nursing students. The word for nurse in the Arabic language translates to "Angel of Mercy."
Project: Angel of Mercy Program Book
Audience: Attendees, Sponsors
Frequency: Annual
Accompanying the Angel of Mercy banquet each year is a booklet that highlights the event sponsors, the award winner and the scholarship recipients. My role includes the management, writing and printing of each book.