Mediaboss Marketing

Drew Bracken| Special to the Gazette

CHILLICOTHE Her career path hasnt been linear, as she put it. But its been successful.

I had a pretty good childhood, recalled Jennifer Cochran. Growing up on the farm gave us plenty of work to do and taught us leadership and self-sufficiency. We had a lot of freedom to explore and take risks, which occasionally translated to injuries, but also gave us lots of shared history, memories and stories to tell. I dreamed of moving to a big city for a glamorous career as an actor, an editor, or a writer.

Today, Cochran is manager of communication and external relations at Ohio University Chillicothe.

I use my skills and experience as a communicator, she explained, to help design and execute a comprehensive communication and marketing strategy for Ohio University Chillicothe. I lead internal and external communication efforts designed to engage and inform a variety of audiences. I develop press releases, features, and news articles as well as recruitment materials and media plans, in addition to managing our website and social media channels.

I enjoy, she added, getting to hear the stories of our students and alumni and to tell those stories in ways that help our future students to see their own potential paths to the degrees they need to attain personal and professional goals.

Cochran grew up on a farm south of Jackson, in the house built by her great-great-grandfather. She graduated from Jackson High School, then earned a bachelors degree in journalism at Otterbein College.

After college she served a year as an AmeriCorps VISTA, coordinating a mentoring program with One to One Philadelphia. She then served two years as an English teacher in the United States Peace Corps in Armenia.

Afterward, she wanted to be closer to home and family, so Cochran came back to Ohio University in Athens to get a masters degree in international affairs, and work as communications director for the schools center for international studies.

After serving in that role for a few years, she said, I stepped away from the university to devote myself to caring for my young children and retrained as a licensed massage therapist. I served two terms on Athens City Council. Then I returned to full-time work at Ohio University. My family moved to Chillicothe six years ago when my spouse accepted the directorship at the Chillicothe and Ross County Public Library.

In December, Cochran transitioned into her current role at OU Chillicothe.

We feel very fortunate to have Jennifer as part of our team, assessed Roberta Milliken, dean of campus and community relations at Ohio University Chillicothe. She brings a wealth of experience, creativity, and talent to her position.

I believe in the value of higher education, Cochran responded. Education opens doors for people, helps them to discover who they are and what role/s they will play in their communities.

To me, she concluded, life is not about a linear progression to a single goal. Its about learning and growing. Its about contributing to your community and society. And Im doing that. Not perfectly, by any means, but Im a work in progress. Arent we all?!

For more information about Ohio University Chillicothe, log on http://www.ohio.edu/chillicothe.

About the Series

Aces of Trades is a weekly series focusing on people and their jobs whether theyre unusual jobs, fun jobs or people who take ordinary jobs and make them extraordinary. If you have a suggestion for a future profile, let us know at gaznews@nncogannett.com or 740-349-1110.

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Aces of Trades: Cochran leading the marketing efforts of Ohio ... - Chillicothe Gazette