The recently announced appointment by the University of Arizona of Teri Lucie Thompson, current Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer at Purdue University, should come as no surprise. The value and importance of the unique personality of an institution will continue to grow as competition for students increases in the future.

If my experiences shooting at Purdue last year are an indication of how institutions will be approaching their marketing, I will be paying attention to UA in the future. Thompson unified and formalized Purdue’s marketing “system” (Perfect term for a school known for Engineering). She has given Purdue a clear voice in a noisy world.