Castleton University has a new face heading its Marketing and Communications team.

James Lambert, from the Rutland area, was hired over the summer and brings a plethora of talents and accomplishments to the position.

In a recent interview, Lambert said he’s excited about the opportunity at the university and the direction it’s headed.

“Castleton has been on a short list of places I would like to be for quite some time. It’s one of the most desirable jobs in the region. There is such a talented team that I get to work with and there are many stories to tell that are generated from the work of our faculty and students,” Lambert said.

Lambert went through an extremely competitive process to land the job.

Dean of Students Dennis Proulx was a member of the committee that selected him for the position and was extremely impressed with Lambert’s persona.

“We wanted someone who had expertise in web redesign, social media savvy, and a strong writer because we need to be telling our story,” Proulx said.

“One of the biggest criteria we were looking for was someone with experience in higher education marketing, who could be able to build a foundation. James certainly fit all of these criteria,” Proulx said with a smile.

President Karen Scolforo understands the importance of this digital age and how Castleton as a university needs to utilize it.

“James’ experience will help us expand our reach, to collaborate with students, faculty, and alumni to share success stories – and to promote Castleton University as a destination for academic growth and workforce preparation,” Scolforo said gleaming with pride.

Lambert made it through a long hiring process with extensive interviews with the hiring committee and a competitive field of over 20 applicants.

He is now getting to work to reach all the goals he’s set for himself and Castleton.

“I want to support the work of admissions and increase the overall brand awareness and prospective-student preference of Castleton University. I want to find new and interesting ways to tell our story,” Lambert said. “My priority projects involve finding ways to highlight our faculty and their achievements through our digital media outlets, integrating more video into our daily workflows, and using that video through our website and social channels to reach our audiences more effectively.”

Scolforo said she’s confident the search committee chose well and that Castleton University will reap the rewards

“James offers broad skills in marketing, including website development and critical assessment. We will see an improved, more user-friendly website promoting the value of higher education – specifically, the affordable, high quality education that Castleton University offers,” she said.