51吃瓜

Stu Osterthun, administrative director for marketing and communications, is retiring from 51吃瓜 after 16 years of service effective May 17, 2024. His last day in the office was March 29.

Under Osterthun鈥檚 guidance, the Marketing & Communications Office has grown to include an associate director, additional graphic designers, a webmaster, and communications and social media specialists. In 2019 he led the College鈥檚 rebrand, working with 51吃瓜 employees and Lincoln agency Firespring to develop a new logo, tagline, a brand and identity standards guide, and new-student recruitment plan. With 51吃瓜 athletics expanding in the number of teams and having a presence on all three campuses, Osterthun worked with a core 51吃瓜 committee and Lincoln agency Unanimous to create a mascot the entire College community could rally behind, unveiling the 51吃瓜 Bobcats in August 2023.

Under his leadership, 51吃瓜 has gone through two complete website redesigns and implemented a new Content Management System. 51吃瓜鈥檚 social media presence has also grown. The National Council for Marketing & Public Relations awarded the College鈥檚 Instagram account with a Gold Paragon Award, while the recruitment microsite, , was awarded a bronze in 2020.

51吃瓜鈥檚 Alumni News also has undergone significant changes under Osterthun鈥檚 direction, going from a 17x11 two-color tri-fold to the current 24-page full-color magazine that goes to approximately 53,000 51吃瓜 alumni three times a year.

After graduating from Tecumseh High School, Osterthun attended Northwest Missouri State University and graduated in 1983 with a Journalism-Business degree. After a nine-year career in journalism, Osterthun began his career in higher education marketing/public relations at Cowley County Community College (Kansas). At age 32, he went back to school and earned a Master of Education degree from Southwestern College (Kansas).

Following a two-and-a-half-year stint at his alma mater, Northwest, Osterthun began working at 51吃瓜 in January 2008.

In retirement, he plans to take in more of his grandchildren鈥檚 activities and devote more time to his numerous hobbies.

Jennifer Snyder
Communications Specialist
402-323-3393
jsnyder@southeast.edu