New position fills void in IUAA

Cynthia Schultz, the new IU Alumni Association director of communications, began her position Oct. 27. The role was recently developed after the vice president of communications retired, leaving a void which needed to be filled.\n"I am thoroughly enjoying my new job and am already extremely busy," Schultz said. "It is a pleasure getting to know my fellow IUAA teammates, and I am already busy developing and identifying our current communications initiatives in which we will push forward for the IUAA."\nSchultz is returning to IU after a two-year absence, in which she was working for a communications and marketing firm in Milwaukee, Wisc. Before working in Wisconsin, Schultz worked at IU for eight years in technology services.\nIUAA President Ken Beckley said Schultz has rich experience and expertise in other forms of communication such as media relations and other printed pieces. \nSchultz, who heard of the newly-developed position through word of mouth, said she is very pleased to be a part of IU once again.\n"This job allows me to put my experience to work for IU graduates who are friends and colleagues of mine, and I'm working for my alma mater," Schultz said.\nSchultz's goal in her new position is to help lead IUAA in its development of media outlets, and to make the existing alumni more aware of the association's services and programs. Since only 25 percent of living alumni are members of the association, Schultz has made it her benchmark to improve membership and to build upon the existing services offered by the alumni association. \n"Cynthia's role is to greatly increase the alumni knowledge of what the association's role is in serving alumni and the University," Beckley said. \nBeginning initially at the University Information Technology Services, Schultz worked as an instructional developer, where she taught and created technology-based classes. After her involvement at UITS, Schultz was appointed to the office of communications and marketing and jump-started the IU Web team. As the team's manager, Schultz focused her initiatives around the development of Web-based guidelines and policies while also linking technological services with the IU's satellite campuses.\n"My vast knowledge of the IU system and my approach of integrated marketing communications proved to be a good match with where the alumni association wanted to take their department of communications," Schultz said.\nIUAA wanted to place a new emphasis on advancing communications and the development of Web-related services.\nThe association wanted to have a Web presence and electronic contact with alumni, Beckley said. \nAn IU alumnus herself, Schultz graduated from the individualized major program with a degree in multimedia design and Internet education.\nMichael Patchner, dean of the School of Social Work, worked with Schultz on communications projects to help the school develop more of a Web presence.\n"We at Indiana University are fortunate to have someone of her caliber working for us at the Alumni Association," Patchner said. "With a focus on building awareness, and paving a new direction for the alumni association, Cynthia Schultz is ready once again to make her mark here at Indiana University."\n-- Contact staff writer Dave Sautter at dsautter@indiana.edu.