CMU Appoints Kent Propst Executive Director of Marketing Communications

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FAYETTE, MO (05/16/2011)(readMedia)-- Veteran higher education administrator Kent W. Propst of Peru, Neb., has been named executive director of marketing communications for Central Methodist University, announced CMU President Marianne E. Inman.

Propst, who has an extensive background in public and media relations, marketing, alumni relations and budgeting, will begin his new duties June 15. He replaces Don Cullimore, who is retiring at the end of June after 14 years with CMU. Propst will assume direction of a three-person staff that handles CMU marketing, public and media relations efforts, as well as sports information, web content and university publications.

"We are very pleased that Kent will be joining Central Methodist University in this critical administrative capacity," Dr. Inman said. "He brings considerable experience in areas that are key to CMU's continued growth on the main campus and its expanding statewide presence."

Propst brings to CMU nearly three decades of wide-ranging experience in higher education administration. His most recent position was as executive director of the Peru State College Foundation, Peru, Neb., where he directed all development functions, including major gifts, annual fund, planned giving, alumni relations, and also served as board liaison to Peru State College.

Propst also spent 20 years with Peru State College between 1983 and 2003, initially as director of college relations and subsequently as vice president for college relations. As such, he was responsible for directing the college's public relations, marketing and publications programs and for oversight of college web content and the sports information department. He also served on the President's Cabinet, including involvement in hiring and strategic planning committees.

Between 203 and 2008, Propst served as vice president for community relations for North Idaho College in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho. He returned to head the Peru State College Foundation in 2008 at the request of college officials seeking to implement institutional changes in foundation operations.

Propst earned a bachelor's degree in journalism with academic distinction from Peru State College in 1981. He and his wife, Becki, have purchased a house near Fayette. They have two grown children.

Founded in 1854, Central Methodist is the only United Methodist Church-related university in Missouri, and welcomes qualified men and women of all faiths and from diverse backgrounds. Its wooded, historic campus hosts a faculty of teachers, mentors, and scholars dedicated to providing extraordinary attention to the individual learner. With offerings ranging from high-school dual credit to graduate studies and a total enrollment in excess of 5,100, its liberal arts and pre-professional programs are centered on a character core that has twice brought Central Methodist national recognition for its leadership in character education. In recent years the University has attracted significant challenge grants regionally from the Mabee Foundation and nationally from the Kresge Foundation to help build a $15 million Student and Community Center on the academic quadrangle, to fund $5 million in major upgrades to its athletic facilities, and to compete a $5.8 million renovation of a historic campus building.

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