Two Promoted in University Relations Restructuring

Photo Submitted

Melissa Blouin and Laura Jacobs

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Melissa Blouin and Laura Jacobs, two veteran members of the office of university relations at the University of Arkansas, have been promoted to new positions as a part of a reorganization and restructuring of the university’s communications and public relations unit. Blouin will take on the title of senior director of academic communications and Jacobs has been named senior director of strategic communications.

“This reorganization is aimed at enhancing our office’s ability to advance the university’s goals and objectives,” said John N. Diamond, associate vice chancellor for university relations. “Melissa and Laura both have the experience, organizational skills and professional relationships necessary to help advance the U of A’s mission as a partner, resource and catalyst for our state and beyond.”

Blouin will lead the office of university relations’ new department of academic communications. She will coordinate the work of communicators in the university’s colleges and schools, the University of Arkansas Press, and the two science and research communicators currently on the university relations staff. She will also continue to edit Research Frontiers magazine, a nationally distributed publication of the University of Arkansas that showcases academic innovation and achievement.

Jacobs will head the new department of strategic communications in university relations. Her department directly and indirectly coordinates or collaborates with several of the university’s key divisions and units on constituent communications. Those units include the Arkansas Alumni Association, Arkansas athletics, the Arkansas World Trade Center, Global Campus, libraries, and the offices of development, diversity affairs, enrollment services and student affairs. Jacobs will also continue to edit Arkansas, the quarterly magazine of the Arkansas Alumni Association.

Blouin joined the office of university relations in February 1998 as a writer and was later promoted to science and research communications manager. In 2000, she created Research Frontiers, the award-winning magazine that recently celebrated 10 years of publication. She became director of science and research communications in 2006.

Blouin currently serves as president of the University Research Magazine Association and is the co-chair of the public information officer committee for the National Association of Science Writers. She also has been active in the Southeastern Conference Communicators Association.

Before coming to the University of Arkansas, Blouin was the editor of the features section for the Northwest Arkansas Times. She holds a bachelor’s degree in chemistry from Oberlin College and a graduate certificate in science communication from the University of California, Santa Cruz. She lives in Fayetteville with her husband and son.

Jacobs has also been with University Relations since 1998. Within that office she has worked as a writer, graphic designer, manager of marketing and advertising services, development communications director and managing editor of Arkansas.

She has been active in organizations such as the Public Relations Society of America, the Southeastern Conference Communicators Association, and the Junior League of Northwest Arkansas. Her publications work has garnered awards from the Council for the Advancement and Support of Education, the International Association of Business Communicators and the Public Relations Society of America.

She began her career at the Northwest Arkansas Times followed by a stint at the Northwest Arkansas Business Journal.

She is a Fayetteville native and holds a bachelor's degree in English/communication and a master's degree in higher education from the University of Arkansas. She and her husband have two children.