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This October, the College will add the position of vice president for communications to the faculty. Michael Kiser, from Blacksburg, Va., will join the campus community, bringing a plethora of experience and a fresh perspective.

Kiser is coming to the College from Virginia Tech, where he is currently the director of communications for university development as well as the chief communications officer for the University’s very successful fundraising unit. This past June, his team completed a $1 billion campaign.

Vice President and Secretary of the College Sally Baker said that a number of colleges have also created the vice president of communications position at their institutions and the College is at the forefront of this movement. The College created the vice president of communications position to replace the director of communications position, once filled by David Eaton.

The new position has more responsibilities than the director’s position. Kiser will work closely with the Communications Board of Trustees and with President William “Bro” Adams. He will also aid in the creation of a communications policy for the College. The admissions and development departments of the College will utilize communications the most, and Kiser will also work closely with the vice presidents of these two areas. “I’m excited about becoming a part of the community,” Kiser said.

Kiser received his undergraduate degree in English from Wabash College, a small liberal arts school in central Indiana and one of the only two remaining all-male schools in the United States. He then received his M.A. in English from Purdue University.

Though Kiser will have to adjust as he moves from a large university to a small, New England liberal arts college, he is ready to take on the change. Although having so many resources at his disposal at Virginia Tech was advantageous, Kiser anticipates that working on a smaller scale will present other benefits. “I’m looking forward to working directly with folks who have an interest in the way we tell the Colby story,” Kiser said. “These are the people who bring passion to the process, and that passion can fuel some astonishing results.”

Although the Maine winters will be a new challenge for him, Kiser is looking forward to getting to know the College. One of his primary goals of the year is simply to become acquainted with the College’s traditions and with “what makes Colby Colby,” he said. “I’ve never known a place that is so intentional about the building and sustaining of a community, as well as the rights, responsibilities and privileges that come with that.”