The Office of Public Relations Fosters Communication and Engagement at NYMC
The Public Relations Team Unites the Vision and Showcases the Achievements of the College
The Office of Public Relations uses strategy and creativity to amplify New York Medical College’s mission of empowering the next generation of researchers and health care leaders. The public relations team works around the clock to keep the community up to date on important developments and the latest faculty and student achievements. Jennifer Riekert, M.B.A., vice president of communications and strategic initiatives, shares the inner workings of the Office of Public Relations.
What are the responsibilities of the office?
The Office of Public Relations of New York Medical College (NYMC) is dedicated to supporting the College mission, strategic plan and a variety of institutional initiatives through the use of effective and accurate communications tools. The Office is responsible for all aspects of internal and external communications of NYMC, including media relations, official College social media accounts, branding, internal communications, publications and the nymc.edu website. The Office of Public Relations develops and maintains open, transparent channels of communication with all College stakeholders and leverages College experts to share the NYMC story to the world.
How would you describe the day-to-day functions of the Office?
We work collaboratively with individuals from all schools and departments to share accomplishments and updates from across the campus through our website, social media and publications. Whether it's shining a light on groundbreaking research, outstanding achievements of our students and faculty or promoting community outreach initiatives, we take pride in our storytelling to foster a strong sense of connection within our community. The Office approves and updates any and all outgoing communications from the College, including event announcements and the NYMC website. We also manage press inquiries for our expert faculty members and pitch stories to media outlets.
On any given day our team could be working on producing content for social media and internal and external print and electronic publications, including our weekly InTouch e-newsletter, annual Chironian magazine, school e-newsletters and alumni e-newsletters, designing graphics, monitoring media coverage, managing digital advertising or developing marketing plans. Currently we are also working with Touro on the massive undertaking of redesigning the website to be revealed later this academic year.
What do you find most interesting or most rewarding about working in the Office?
The most interesting and rewarding about working in the Office of Public Relations is the ever-evolving landscape of communication strategies. Our team constantly explores innovative ways to reach our diverse audience through various platforms including media, videos, social media, the website and more. Utilizing creativity along with strategy, we brainstorm and implement novel approaches to keep our community informed.
The most fulfilling aspect of our work is witnessing the positive impact it has on NYMC's reputation and awareness. We are committed to adopting innovative communication methods to effectively connect with prospective and current students, alumni, donors, faculty, staff and the broader community. Our commitment to creativity and strategic thinking allows NYMC's voice to reach far and wide. NYMC is dedicated to educating the further healthcare leaders of tomorrow and it is a great honor to be able to communicate the great things happening here.
Is there a fun fact or best kept secret about the Office of Public Relations?
We have more than 45,000 followers on our social media platforms and our Office increased the College’s media references by 58% from 2021 to 2022.
What is one useful tip you can give to the NYMC community about the Office?
If you are requesting a service from the Office of Public Relations, it is important to submit a Project Request Form to ensure we can complete the project in a timely manner and provide a high-quality deliverable. We always appreciate being notified of any projects, accomplishments or media placements so we can share them with the NYMC community through our newsletters and social media accounts in a timely manner. We also welcome suggestions for story ideas. Feel free to email us at public_relations@nymc.edu.