Edwards Joins Bumpers College Staff

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Robby Edwards

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Robby Edwards has been named director of communication for the Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences, Dean Michael Vayda has announced.

“It is my great pleasure to have Robby Edwards join the Bumpers College team,” Vayda said. “His wealth of experience and ingenuity will greatly enhance our communications for recruiting, development and the entire Bumpers College.”

Edwards, who co-reports to Mitchell Spearman, director of development for Bumpers College, and to the office of university relations, began his new position on Jan. 10. He moves to the Bumpers College after working as associate director of media relations in the U of A athletic department since 2000.

Edwards will work with the dean’s staff, faculty, departments, program offices, stakeholders and students to assist in the outreach, marketing and branding efforts of promoting the three-fold     mission of the college -- food, family and the environment -- with the goal of preparing students for careers that matter in professions advancing those fields.

“I’m excited about joining Dr. Vayda’s staff, and developing and implementing plans to share the good news of everything happening in the Bumpers College,” Edwards said. “Food, family and the environment touch everyone in the state, region and nation. The work being accomplished in the Bumpers College leads to a better quality of life for all of us. We have wonderful stories to tell, and I’m looking forward to helping get that information out, and assisting Dr. Vayda, our faculty and staff in increasing awareness of our accomplishments.”

Edwards will also serve as a liaison to the office of university relations, work with the media, work on publications and the college’s web site, publicize student and faculty accomplishments, promote faculty and staff as experts in their areas, and work with the communication staff from the Division of Agriculture, among other duties.

From 2000-09, Edwards coordinated game and media operations for Arkansas men’s basketball, while also assisting with football. In athletics, Edwards helped create and was the first editor of Inside Razorback Athletics, a monthly newspaper distributed to Razorback Foundation members for the last three years. He also developed and produced the weekly Razorback Roundup report for internal communication, assisted in maintaining ArkansasRazorbacks.com, and handled all publications and publicity for the soccer and gymnastics programs.

Edwards previously spent 10 years at the University of Louisiana-Monroe, five as an assistant and five as the sports information director. Before moving to Fayetteville, he worked as the executive/financial communication coordinator in corporate public relations at CenturyTel Inc., a telecommunications company headquartered in Monroe, La.

His releases, media guides and game programs have earned awards from the College Sports Information Directors of America. He earned national “Story of the Year” honors from the organization in 2003. His 2004-05 Game Day basketball program was judged best in the nation and the cover of the 2012 gymnastics media guide was voted first in the nation. A 2012 football feature story was also judged best in District VI.

The Pearl, Miss., native worked as a graduate assistant for two years in the sports information office at ULM before spending a year as a sports writer at the Lake Charles (La.) American Press. A 1986 graduate of Southern Mississippi University with a bachelor's degree in journalism, he received his master's degree in communication from ULM in 1988.

Edwards is married to Tina, a U of A graduate. They have six children – Aubrey, 16; Cara, 15; Alex, 15; Josie, 11; Kinna, 10; and Zeli, 8.