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Tangelia Kelly, former marketing specialist at the University of Mississippi Medical Center, has returned to her alma mater as the assistant marketing director for University Communications and Marketing.
[dropcap]“I[/dropcap]t feels great to be home. It has been a dream of mine to work in marketing at Jackson State, and I am honored to serve my university in this capacity.” Kelly says, “The warm receptions and expressions of support I have received from the faculty, staff and alumni have been overwhelming, and it assures me that I am in the right place at the right time.
In her new role at JSU, the director says she plans to partner and collaborate with various university divisions and departments to administer the marketing support needed to elevate and sustain programs, focusing her attention on student enrollment, alumni engagement, sporting event attendance and brand awareness.
[dropcap]“I[/dropcap] believe our overall goal is to assist in building a stronger and more sustainable JSU,” says Kelly, who adds that the field of marketing is a constant teacher with limitless opportunities because it thrives off creativity.
“I love working in a team environment, especially one where the team is empowered to use creativity to problem solve, strategize, and support goals,” she says.
As part of the UMMC marketing team, Kelly honed her skills by developing, implementing, and tracking the progression of strategic marketing plans for various departments and service lines. She also governed branding for UMMC’s Grenada location and led hospital initiatives centered on child safety and wellness. Additionally, she provided marketing support for academic programs, and family and sports medicine.
Kelly is not new to employment at the HBCU. In 2007, she was hired as a recruiter in the Office of Undergraduate Recruitment, where she helped to develop the first social media student recruiting initiative. She also served as a development officer III in the Division of Institutional Advancement, from 2010-2011, and was then promoted to associate director of Annual Giving, 2011-2014, where she directed the first Annual Giving program.
Her accomplishments did not stop there, however. She went on to manage the first campus call center and the university’s phonathon program. Kelly also created the institutions first online giving challenge, social media fundraising strategies and electronic appeals at JSU. Her online initiative “The Soul Bowl Giving Challenge” raised $25,000 in less than one month and won national recognition from the Council of Advancement and Support of Education.
Excited about the possibilities at JSU, Kelly says: “I find it rewarding to tap into the perceptions and point of view of my clients, identify their needs and provide insight on how to meet their needs – especially when the goals are met, and outcomes are favorable.”
A native of Brandon, Kelly is a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha, Sorority, Inc. She is also a board member of Grace His Daughter, a spiritual-based non-profit organization founded by Kristy Grizzell in 2015. The organization helps young girls, ages 10-18, discover their purpose in life through a series of seminars, workshops, community outreach programs, and scholarships.