Digital marketing & PR certificate now offered by Western Carolina University

September 5, 2017



Western Carolina University’s Division of Educational Outreach is partnering with six marketing and public relations experts to offer a new certificate in Digital Marketing and Public Relations for fall 2017 at WCU’s instructional facility at Biltmore Park in Asheville, N.C. 

“The need for training in digital marketing and PR in Western North Carolina is great,” said Jill Thompson, associate director of professional development at WCU. “We had requests from people to do this, and we are fortunate to have nationally acclaimed marketing and public relations experts in our region who are willing to partner together to share their expertise so that working professionals may stay current in their fields.” 

To earn the certificate, participants will attend six, daylong workshops, all on Fridays, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., beginning Sept. 29 and ending Nov. 17. 

The schedule is as follows:

Sep. 29 Marketing and Public Relations in the Digital Age with Dr. Betty Farmer, professor of communication & public relations at WCU and owner of Farmer Communications;

Oct. 13 Developing Campaigns to Match Time and Budget with Cathy Busick, founder and president of Insights Marketing, a full-service branding company in WNC;

Oct. 20 Visual Content Marketing How To’s with Busick;

Nov. 3 Social Media Strategies for Products, Programs and Eventswith Sarah Benoit, director of training and lead instructor at JB Media Institute and Justin Belleme, founder and director of strategy at JB Media, Asheville;

Nov.  10 Best Practices for Including Video in Your Content Strategy with Pat Gallo, accomplished visual storyteller and videographer (morning session) and Benoit and Belleme (afternoon session);

Nov. 17 Tracking and Measuring Overall Digital Marketing Resultswith Benoit and Belleme.
The cost for the Digital Marketing and Public Relations Certificate is $640. The fee covers all six workshops, lunches each day and continuing education credits. Individuals who are unable to attend all six workshops, but would like to enroll in one or more of the sessions may do so at a cost of $119 per workshop.

For more information about each of the sessions, to read workshop leaders’ biographies, and to register, go to http://ccnt3.wcu.edu/engage/professionalenrichment/profdev/MarketingWorkshops.aspx or contact Thompson at (828) 227-3070.


WCU’s Division of Educational Outreach extends access to education and training through innovative courses, programs, and services for individuals and communities locally and globally both through online and face-to-face forums. For the full range of programs, visit https://www.wcu.edu/learn/edoutreach/