Western Governors University (WGU) is pleased to announce that Lauran Hundshamer has joined the online, nonprofit university as Strategic Partnership Manager. In her new role, Hundshamer will work to expand WGU’s partnership network across Minnesota and eight other states throughout the Midwest and further develop employer relationships in an effort to increase awareness and student access, improve affordability and enhance student experience.
Hundshamer brings more than 10 years of business, marketing and higher education leadership experience to WGU. Before joining the university, she served as Director of Marketing for Tessman and Lynde companies, where she oversaw digital marketing and worked to establish the companies as industry thought leaders. Under her direction, company revenue increased by seven percent – or $700,000 – in just one year. Hundshamer also previously served as Director of Strategic Marketing for Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota for three years. In this role, she was responsible for the development and execution of all university-wide marketing campaigns, including undergraduate, graduate, adult bachelor’s completion and online education. She led and collaborated with a team of 11 in multiple areas and served as a mentor for marketing personnel. Hundshamer’s background also includes serving as regional marketing and media manager at Southern Minn Media, where she was in charge of managing a $4 million annual budget, while building strong relationships with clients and growing revenue.
Hundshamer will use her background experience to expand WGU’s network of academic and employer partnerships. She will increase support of student access throughout Minnesota, as well as North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Iowa, Wisconsin, Illinois, Missouri and Kansas by building and growing relationships with large employers, as well as state and local entities.
“We are so thrilled to welcome Lauran to our team,” said Dr. Angie Besendorfer, Regional Vice President for WGU. “Her extensive background in marketing and higher education, as well as her overall experience with relationship building, makes her the perfect fit for the strategic partnerships manager position. Our partnerships are essential to increasing
student access, improving affordability and enhancing the student experience. We look forward to working with Lauran as we continue to expand access to high-quality, affordable education across the Midwest.”
Hundshamer holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota, a certificate in marketing strategies from Cornell University and a certificate in data analytics from the University of Pennsylvania. She resides in Burnsville.
Established in 1997 by 19 U.S. governors with a mission to expand access to high-quality, affordable higher education, online, nonprofit WGU now serves more than 117,000 students nationwide and has more than 157,000 graduates. Driving innovation as the nation’s leading competency-based university, WGU has been recognized by the White House, state leaders, employers, and students as a model that works in postsecondary education. In just 22 years, the university has become a leading influence in the development of innovative workforce-focused approaches to education. WGU is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities, has been named one of Fast Company’s Most Innovative Companies, and has been featured on NPR, NBC Nightly News, CNN, and in The New York Times. Learn more at www.wgu.edu.
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For more information, contact:
Abigail Rolland
314-436-9090