Eva K. Pickens

Associate Vice President, University Advancement – Communications & Marketing – Texas Southern University

As the Associate Vice President for University Advancement, Eva Pickens is responsible for the image, branding, communications and marketing at Texas Southern University, the third largest Historically Black College and University (HBCU) in the country.

Pickens has 25 years of overall professional experience in the Public and Media Relations Industry. As the Associate Vice President of Communications, Marketing and Branding, she is responsible for creating campaigns that heighten the awareness of Texas Southern University’s goals and mission, as well as highlighting its unique academic programs, achievements, accomplishments and scholarly research. To accomplish success for getting the university’s stories told, she pitches positive news stories to the media, writes strategic statements and position papers for targeted audiences, writes and disseminates press releases and public service announcements and serves as the spokesperson for the university. She cultivates relationships with media personnel for the purpose of explaining the unique responsibility of Texas Southern University – to nurture and graduate every student who attends the premiere urban serving institution in search of earning a degree. She directs integrated marketing and press events, positioning faculty to speak as experts during media interviews regarding topics that impact the community at large.

Pickens also has experience working as a daily newspaper reporter at the Opelousas Daily World, a New York Times Subsidiary, in which she earned several writing awards for hard news, features and special edition profiles. Pickens earned a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Southern University in three years and graduated as Summa Cum Laude. She earned a certificate of completion in Public Relations Management from Notre Dame University, and received the Women’s Achievement Award from the Governor of the State of Texas in 2010. She was also the recipient of the 2011 Who’s Who in Houston Arrival Award and has been listed in Cambridge Who’s Who, a powerful networking resource that enables professionals to outshine their competition, in part through effective branding and marketing. She is a member of the Public Relations Society of America, the National Association of University Women and the Southern University Alumni Federation.