SMITHFIELD, RI – Lorraine A. Daignault, an experienced university and industry marketing and communications leader, has been named Bryant University’s first Chief Marketing and Communications Officer (CMCO) following a national search. Ms. Daignault joins the leadership team of Bryant University President Ross Gittell, Ph.D., and will serve in a key role central to advancing initiatives of Bryant’s Vision 2030 strategic plan.
With Vision 2030, Bryant University will be positioned to increase enrollment and diversify the student population through focus on delivering a superior student educational and campus life experience, competitive athletics and Top 1% return on education investment for future generations of global leaders. Ms. Daignault begins her term as CMCO in July 2022.
"Ms. Daignault’s strategic marketing leadership experience will enhance the national recognition of our top 1% ROI education.”
Ms. Daignault joins Bryant University from Babson College, where she served as Assistant Vice President, Institutional Marketing and Communications Strategy, and guided marketing and communications planning to advance institutional strategy. Before Babson, Ms. Daignault served as Director of Marketing and Communications at Tufts University in Medford, MA, and as Vice President of Worldwide Marketing at KANA Software, Inc. in Menlo Park, CA.
At Bryant, she will be engaged with all branding, marketing and communication aspects of the University’s Vision 2030 Strategic Plan and its commitment to real-world ready education for critical 21st century skills, knowledge and emerging career opportunities. The Vision 2030 strategic plan reaffirms Bryant’s enduring institutional-wide commitment to educating our students to be real-world ready and succeed, with graduates achieving life-long earnings among the top 1% nationally.
“As CMCO, [Daignault] will work with Bryant’s dedicated and talented internal marketing and communications team, her fellow Cabinet members, staff, faculty and the entire Bryant community to drive marketing and communications initiatives that continue to advance Bryant’s student-centered focus, superior return on education investment, and academic excellence.”
Today, as the University embarks on a strategic expansion of programs in healthcare education and management, digital communications, data analytics and more, coupled with an increased focus on experiential learning and community and corporate partnerships, Bryant is gaining increased recognition and prominence for its innovative student-centered education. As Bryant’s CMCO, Ms. Daignault will provide marketing leadership relating to the overall breadth and depth of the Bryant student experience, expansion of graduate and career-advancement programs, growth in undergraduate and graduate enrollment, and the addition of new academic programs–including in B-STEM and the health and behavioral sciences.
“The Bryant Board of Trustees could not be more excited about incoming Chief Marketing and Communications Officer Daignault,” said Chair of the Board David M. Beirne ’85. “As Bryant’s CMCO, Ms. Daignault’s strategic marketing leadership experience will enhance the national recognition of our top 1% ROI education.”
“As an experienced university leader who has successfully executed strategic branding, marketing and communications, Ms. Daignault will be a significant leadership team addition to Bryant at this key time in our University's history,” said President Gittell. “As CMCO, she will work with Bryant’s dedicated and talented internal marketing and communications team, her fellow Cabinet members, staff, faculty and the entire Bryant community to drive marketing and communications initiatives that continue to advance Bryant’s student-centered focus, superior return on education investment, and academic excellence.”
"Now more than ever, the world needs creative thinkers focused on solving problems, identifying opportunities, and serving communities."
"I am thrilled to join Bryant University to help lead the institution through a decade of transformational growth and innovation," said Ms. Daignault. "Now more than ever, the world needs creative thinkers focused on solving problems, identifying opportunities, and serving communities. With Vision 2030 as a roadmap, Bryant's new curricular and experiential learning opportunities focused on business, STEM, and health sciences, wrapped in a vibrant on-campus living and learning environment, will provide students with the discipline, technical and collaboration skills needed to meet changing demands of the 21st Century economy."
Ms. Daignault holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communications/Journalism and Political Science from Simmons University in Boston, MA.
“I would like to extend my sincere thanks to Liz O’Neil, Vice President for Communications and Marketing, who has announced her planned retirement in June 2023, for her effective, strong and tireless leadership of Bryant’s marketing and communications efforts during my Presidency and well before,” said President Gittell. “We thank Liz for her continued role at Bryant and the support she provides to the President’s Office and the entire University with critical communications for the Bryant community and being an integral part of the leadership transition over the next year.”
To learn more about Bryant University and the Vision 2030 Strategic Plan, visit news.bryant.edu
BRYANT UNIVERSITY
For nearly 160 years, Bryant University has been at the forefront of delivering an exceptional education that anticipates the future and prepares students to be innovative leaders of character in a changing world. The University delivers a uniquely integrated academic and student life experience with nationally recognized academic programs at the intersection of business, STEM and the liberal arts. Located on a 428-acre contemporary campus in Smithfield, R.I., Bryant enrolls approximately 3,800 undergraduate and graduate students from 38 states and 49 countries. Bryant is recognized as a leader in international education and regularly receives top rankings from U.S. News and World Report, Money, Bloomberg Businessweek, Wall Street Journal, College Factual, and Barron's. Visit https://www.bryant.edu/.
