Achieving The Dream Network Selects CSM Associate Vice President of Marketing Avis McMillon for Internship

The College of Southern Maryland (CSM) announces that Associate Vice President of Marketing and Communications Avis McMillon has been selected to intern with the Achieving the Dream (ATD) Network. This internship is part of her doctoral program in Community College Leadership which she is pursuing at Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Va.

McMillon is currently the associate vice president of marketing and communications at CSM. In her CSM position, McMillon oversees all of CSM’s marketing efforts including branding and advertising, creative services, distribution and fulfillment services, employee communication, crisis communications, media relations, a TV station and web services. She leads a high-performing, creative team who design, create and distribute more than 500 multi-faceted products yearly through advertising, direct mail, packaging, electronic marketing, social media and promotions.

Prior to CSM, she worked at Brookdale Community College in various leadership positions for nearly 28 years starting out as a program and graphic design coordinator and progressing through the ranks to manager of community events, and then executive director of college relations and chief public information officer where she oversaw a $1 million budget.

McMillon will join ATD effective Oct. 1, 2020, reporting to ATD Vice president of Network Engagement Monica Trent.  ATD is a network of more than 220 colleges in 43 states dedicated to improving college students’ success. CSM became a ATD Network institution in 2019 when it joined 16 other colleges as part of ATD’s 2019 cohort.

“Achieving the Dream is a network of people across the country that support each other as we focus on what it is we need to do to help our students in finding their paths and finish what they started,” said CSM President Dr. Maureen Murphy. “As we enter this eighth month of the global COVID-19 pandemic, our involvement – and particularly Avis’ involvement – with our ATD partners has never been more important than it is in this moment. Avis will bring a shrewd eye and compassionate perspective to our ATD Network partners and she will bring valuable input back to our CSM community as we continue in our journey to better serve our students.”

McMillon’s research interests include the recruitment, retention and resilience of underserved students, particularly first-generation, low-income students.