Ruhnke Named USM Alumni Association Assistant Director for Communications

Nicole Ruhnke has accepted the position of assistant director for communications at The University of Southern Mississippi Alumni Association.

Ruhnke, a Petal native, was employed with Baptist Medical and Dental Mission International (BMDMI) as the director of communication prior to joining the Alumni Association. In her previous role, she managed all communications and marketing efforts for the organization, including event coordination and promotion, donor relations and the production and distribution of missionary support materials.

Prior to her time with BMDMI, Ruhnke was the communication manager for Hattiesburg Convention and Tourism Commissions where she managed promotions and media relations for all Hattiesburg Convention Commission and VISITHATTIESBURG facilities and events, among numerous other tasks.

In her role with the Alumni Association, Ruhnke's primary responsibilities will include, but are not limited to, overseeing the production of The Talon, the Alumni Association's quarterly award-winning magazine, administering the Alumni Association website located at SouthernMissAlumni.com and coordinating promotion of all Alumni Association activities.

“I am so honored to join the Alumni Association and be a part of such a dynamic team of professionals,” said Ruhnke, who graduated from Southern Miss in 2008 with a bachelor's degree in journalism with an emphasis in public relations. “My time at Southern Miss as a student was marked by the University's standard of excellence, which has become a pillar in my professional development. As a member of the Alumni Association staff, I look forward to continued growth while reinvesting in the University that provided me with such a strong foundation.”

“Nicole's knowledge of communications and experience in the public relations field is precisely what we were searching for when this position became available,” said Executive Director Jerry DeFatta. “The growth and development of our communication efforts over the last few years is one of the many things I've been excited about within the organization. I am confident Nicole will excel in this role and take the Alumni Association's communication efforts to an entirely new level.”