Mark Eyerly, formerly chief communications officer at Temple University, has been named vice president for marketing and communications at Lafayette. The appointment is effective Oct. 12.
Mark Eyerly
Eyerly succeeds Michael D. Kiser, who accepted a position in April as vice president of marketing and communications at the Council for Advancement and Support of Education. John O’Keefe, vice president for information technology services and chief information officer, has filled the position on an interim basis.
“Mark Eyerly has broad experience in higher education communications, and a keen understanding of the importance of being able to convey an institution’s distinctive mission and goals to multiple audiences,” Lafayette President Alison Byerly says. “We are delighted to have him join us at a time when we believe Lafayette has an exciting story to tell.”
Eyerly brings a quarter century of higher education experience to the College’s communications division, including roles at Cornell and Drexel universities and University of Pennsylvania, in addition to Temple. Since June 1, he has been working with Lafayette as a communications consultant, which is his first experience with a small liberal arts college.
“I’m already in love with Lafayette,” he says. “It is an exceptional college that’s not afraid to work harder.”
In the early 1980s, while working as a staff writer at the Lancaster (Pa.) New Era, Eyerly was anticipating a “journalism forever” career until he spotted an ad for a writing position at Cornell, where he spent nine years as a senior staff writer, managing editor, and assistant director.
At Temple, Eyerly helped tell the story of a university that was transforming from a commuter school to a vibrant residential campus with higher academic quality. He directed a $2.5 million ad campaign that changed the perception of Temple alumni from “people who work hard and earn their success” to “leaders who make things happen.”
Eyerly holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Temple and a master’s degree in organizational dynamics from Penn.