When Kimberly Osborne entered the Integrated Marketing Communications master’s degree program at West Virginia University she knew she was on the right path – she just didn’t know where that path would lead her.
“When I began my IMC studies I had no idea the opportunities that would come forth,” said Osborne who graduated from the program, a component of WVU’s P.I. Reed School of Journalism, in 2006.
Since then she has been the director of communications for the West Virginia Department of Revenue and recently was named press secretary for acting West Virginia Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin.
Osborne says already in her short tenure, she has found her IMC degree to be valuable to the task at hand.
“It is because of IMC and WVU that I feel I have a keen understanding of how to assist the Governor in communicating with the people he serves,” said Osborne. “One of the most valuable attributes of IMC is the integration of all elements into each message crafted. With as large an entity as state government, this is quite a challenge – but one that is necessary to be able to communicate effectively.”
Prior to working in state government, Osborne had a decade-long television broadcasting career that started in New York City. She later came to West Virginia where she excelled at three local television stations as an anchor and reporter. In 2000, she was honored with the Best Investigative Reporting Award by the West Virginia Associated Press Broadcasters Association.
In addition to her master’s degree in IMC that she earned from WVU, Osborne also earned her undergraduate degree in communications from the State University of New York College at Cortland in 1997.
“I personally believe that one never stops learning,” said Osborne. “Though I’ve left classroom learning behind, I continue to learn from experiences and value such lessons.”