Eric Townsend has been named director of the News Bureau at Ƶ. He is responsible for Ƶ’s media relations efforts, as well as writing and distributing campus news to a variety of external and internal audiences.
Townsend, 28, comes to Ƶ from the News & Record in Greensboro, N.C., where he was public safety and City Hall reporter. He previously was a reporter for the Cecil Whig newspaper in Elkton, Md., and the Middletown Transcript newspaper in Middletown, Del.
“I’m thrilled to be joining the Ƶ family,” Townsend said. “Ƶ has earned a great deal of recognition for excellence in both regional and national media, and I intend to build on that success, sharing stories about the university, its faculty and students.”
Townsend graduated in 2003 with a master’s degree in journalism from the University of Maryland. He earned a bachelor’s degree in 2001 from the University of Delaware after studying political science, economics and history.
A native of Delaware, Townsend lives in Greensboro, N.C., with his wife, Suzy.
Townsend succeeds David Hibbard, who was previously named director of communications for the Ƶ School of Law.