Cynthia Lawson, a nationally recognized expert in higher education communications, has been appointed vice president of the Office of Public Relations and Communications (OPRC) at DePaul University.

Lawson will join DePaul April 2 from the University of North Carolina Wilmington (UNCW), where she has served as assistant to the chancellor for marketing and communications. At DePaul, Lawson will oversee OPRC, serve as the university’s spokesperson and facilitate the coordination of public relations throughout the university. Using traditional and emerging communication strategies, OPRC advances the university’s reputation through media and public relations and manages internal, executive, crisis and emergency communications.

“I am deeply honored by this appointment,” Lawson said. “DePaul’s unique mission and distinctiveness captured my attention. The values placed on academic excellence, students, diversity and service to others resonate with my values.”

Lawson, 62, has more than 25 years of experience in communications and marketing at universities of various sizes. At UNCW, she has led university communications and branding initiatives since 2006.

Prior to joining UNCW, Lawson was executive director of university relations at Texas A&M University–College Station for six years. She earned accolades for coordinating media coverage and promoting the university’s best interests through several crises, most notably a 1999 bonfire collapse that killed 12 students and injured 27 others. Those experiences earned her respect as an industry authority in crisis communications.

In addition to her work at UNCW and Texas A&M, Lawson also has led marketing and communications teams at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, the Culver Academies, Eastern Michigan University and the Detroit Edison Company, where she served for 13 years in public relations, marketing and community outreach roles.

“Cynthia brings a wealth of experience to DePaul,” said the Rev. Dennis H. Holtschneider, C.M., DePaul president. “I have every confidence that she will serve the university with the leadership and expert capability she has demonstrated in her previous positions.”