Organization Communication in University and College Public Relations and Marketing Capacities

This paper explores communication issues in public relations and marketing capacities at institutions of higher education. The basis for this Leadership Application Project (LAP) starts with three basic assumptions: 1) Communication from leadership is critical; 2) Information sharing is important in any educational institution; and 3) Individuals working in the areas of public relations and marketing have a crucial role in communicating the goals and mission of any institution. A review of the literature explores the roles of leadership, history, and theories specific to organizational communication in this field.Finally, a theoretical model was developed based on the research findings and qualitative study in this LAP that examines the key factors of leadership, internal and external communication, and the audiences that are unique to educational institutions in terms of the role that public relations and marketing departments and professionals play.