Media Relations

Our media relations team helps Whitman College staff, faculty and students share their story with the world through direct pitches and news releases to local, regional and national media. We also assist members of the media with connecting with Whitman College experts.

If you have a story you’d like to promote in the Whitman Magazine, online or beyond, fill out our News Tip Form.

What Do We Send Out?

The releases and features we research, write and distribute can be generally categorized into three types of news:

• Features—College events and accomplishments and student, faculty, staff or alumni profiles are often released in a feature story format. This doesn't include breaking news.
• News announcements—Includes breaking news announcements, as well as such news as major changes on campus or when we receive an extraordinary award, honor or significant gift.
• Home towners—Releases sent to students’ hometown newspapers detailing student activities and honors.

Occasionally, a news conference may be the appropriate tactic. We would work with you to organize one when, for example, a professor has ground-breaking research to announce or the college has a speaker of such interest to the media that it becomes more convenient for the college and the individual to make remarks and answer questions at one specific time and place.

Responding to Media

If you receive a call from a member of the media, please respond promptly. Most often, the media is calling because you are the expert, and they need to quote an expert to validate their story. But they have a deadline, and if they can't reach you before that deadline, they will find another expert. 

If a journalist calls you, please make the Office of Communications your next call. We are here to provide any media training, assistance or advice you may need. We also keep track of what the media finds interesting about Whitman. Your call helps us follow up on a story with the media if needed. If you have a message from a journalist or from our office, on behalf of the journalist, please give the request top priority. If you have questions about working with reporters or would like to request media training, contact Vice President for Communications Gina Ohnstad.