DENTON (UNT), Texas — James "Jim" Berscheidt, an award-winning industry leader in marketing and communications strategy with nearly 20 years experience in higher education, was tapped to lead the chief communications and marketing unit at the University of North Texas.
Berscheidt, whose appointment is effective May 14, is charged with overseeing the university’s brand strategy and aligning communication strategies to best promote the university’s mission to increase UNT’s national reputation for academic and community excellence. He will oversee the university’s primary communications channels while identifying marketing strategies to help grow enrollment in key areas and improve strategies to more effectively expand UNT’s brand reputation overall.
“Jim will be an incredible asset to our university, and I’m proud that someone of his caliber has agreed to lead our marketing and communications efforts, especially during such a crucial time when we are evaluating and seeking to rebrand our university,” President Neal Smatresk said. “Jim is a proven leader with critical experience UNT needs to move our brand forward. With Jim leading these efforts, there is no doubt we will advance our national reputation.”
Berscheidt, who previously served as chief communications and marketing officer at Creighton University in Nebraska, recently was recognized as the Marketer of the Year for the Omaha chapter of the American Marketing Association for his leadership in helping elevate the Creighton University brand regionally and nationally.
Berscheidt said he is excited for the challenges and opportunities at UNT.
“UNT has exceptional academic programs and offers so many opportunities for its students, and I am excited to help find new and innovative ways to engage with audiences and share the UNT story,” he said. “The energy I felt during my campus visits was palpable, and I am eager to join the UNT community and work with President Smatresk, other senior leaders, faculty and staff to move the university’s reputation forward.”
ABOUT JAMES BERSCHEIDT
James (Jim) Berscheidt, an award-winning industry leader in marketing and communications strategy with nearly 20 years experience in higher education, has spent his entire career focused on communications – starting in TV news at 18 years old and moving into nonprofit communications and marketing roles in 1999.
For the last 16 years, Berscheidt has worked in higher education marketing and communications. Since March 2015, he served as the chief communications and marketing officer at Creighton University in Nebraska. In that role, he led the efforts to create and implement a new strategic business plan for the university’s communications and marketing unit to better focus their efforts and allocate resources to accomplish mission-focused goals. He also led national branding initiatives to build awareness and served as the primary spokesperson and crisis communications lead.
The outstanding work at Creighton recently earned Berscheidt recognition as the Marketer of the Year for the Omaha chapter of the American Marketing Association for his leadership in helping elevate the Creighton University brand regionally and nationally.
Previous to that role, he served as the senior associate vice president of marketing and communications for the Oklahoma State University Foundation and associate vice chancellor of university communications at the University of Denver in Colorado. He also worked in nonprofit communications as the public relations manager for the Denver Museum of Nature and Science in Denver and as the community development manager for Bethphage (now Mosaic) in Fort Collins and Denver.
Prior to his time in communication management, he spent 20 years in television as an anchor and reporter. He is a member of the American Marketing Association, Public Relations Society of America and the Council for the Advancement and Support of Education.
Berscheidt earned his bachelor’s degree in journalism from Angelo State University in San Angelo, Texas, and his master’s in communication management from Colorado State University in Fort Collins, Colorado.