Marketing Team Attends NCMPR National Conference in Washington, D.C.

Three members of the marketing and communications team recently represented NETC at the National Council for Marketing & Public Relations (NCMPR) National Conference, held March 18 through 20 in Washington, D.C. PIO Marketing & PR Coordinator Shannon Justice, Multimedia Specialist Tre' Neal, and Communications Coordinator Sara E. Richmond joined marketing and communications professionals from community and technical colleges across the country for three days of learning, networking, and creative inspiration.

NCMPR is the only organization of its kind dedicated exclusively to marketing and public relations professionals at community and technical colleges, and its annual national conference draws some of the most forward-thinking voices in higher education communications.

The conference kicked off on Wednesday, March 18, with a series of pre-conference labs offering hands-on, deep-dive experiences. Attendees could choose from sessions covering digital accessibility, visual storytelling and photography, and even building custom AI tools, a reflection of just how rapidly the landscape of marketing and communications is evolving. The afternoon opened the full conference with a welcome address and an opening keynote delivered by David Jorgenson, co-founder of LNI Media.

Throughout the conference, breakout sessions tackled topics highly relevant to the team's day-to-day work, including social media content co-creation with students, web strategy and design, building campus content champions among faculty and staff, and the role of game design principles in driving student engagement. Sessions ranged from practical how-to demonstrations to advanced discussions geared toward seasoned communications leaders.

For Justice, Neal, and Richmond, the conference offered more than professional development. It was an opportunity to connect with peers who understand the unique challenges and rewards of telling the stories of community colleges.

The knowledge and inspiration gained in Washington, D.C. will directly benefit students, faculty, and the broader community as the team brings fresh strategies and ideas back home.

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