Morris College President Dr. Said Sewell announces the appointment of Mrs. Laura Newsome as Executive Director of Communications, Marketing, and Creative Services. In this role, Newsome will oversee and serve as the communications strategist for the Office of the President executing media relations, branding, social media, support fundraising, communications for advancement, enrollment, alumni and website management.
“We are pleased to welcome Mrs. Newsome back to Morris College,” Sewell said. “Her exceptional background in higher education, media, marketing communications, and public relations positions her to elevate our communications efforts and strengthen the Morris College brand. As we continue to grow our reach and impact, her leadership will help tell our story with clarity, authenticity, and purpose across all communication platforms.”
A native of Kingstree, S.C., Mrs. Newsome has served as a corporate writer, director of public relations, publications specialist, marketing director of Gospel Today Magazine, radio announcer on S.C. radio stations WWKT, WYMB, WWDM (as Nikki Michaels), WQMC, and WFMV -Gospel 95.3 on “Fresh Wind” radio broadcast as well as a mentor coach/English teacher having taught gifted and English as a Second Language students. Initially trained as an educator at W.J. Keenan and Richland Northeast High Schools, Newsome’s most recent role was as a secondary educator with one of the leading educational systems in the country– Georgia’s Gwinnett County Public School System.
Mrs. Newsome brings more than 30 years of experience in education and a decade of expertise in media and marketing communications to her current role. Her higher education career includes previously serving as an assistant professor of broadcast media and Director of Institutional Relations at Morris College, as well as Publications Specialist III at DeKalb College, now Georgia Perimeter College, in the Atlanta metropolitan area. In that role, she assisted in leading the institution’s publications and communications efforts, supervising a team of writers, graphic designers, photographers, and student staff while overseeing the development of strategic communications and marketing materials.
Mrs. Newsome (formerly Hunter) holds a Bachelor of Arts in English from Columbia College, a Master of Mass Communications from the University of South Carolina, and she is enrolled in the Master of Divinity program at The Interdenominational Theological Center in Atlanta, Georgia.