MEETING THE WRITERS: HEATHER MARIE COAR

Job Title: Assistant Director of Communications, Office of Future Engineers, Women in Engineering Program & Minority Engineering Program

Hometown: Raised- Harbert, Michigan   Heritage- Swedish  

College Education: Grand Valley State University- B.A. in Advertising, Public Relations, and Graphic Design; M.S. in Communications

My name is Heather Marie Coar and I have been the Assistant Director of Communications for all three units since March of 2014. Prior to my current position, I was the Communications Specialist for the School of Mechanical Engineering at Purdue for two and a half years. When I am available I also serve as a Guest Lecturer for the Brian Lamb School of Communications and teach either COM 495 (Special Topics in Public Relations) or COM 353 (Problems in Public Relations) because of my passion to develop the next generation of PR/COM professionals.

I came to Purdue from Grand Valley State University (GVSU), where I served as the Marketing Manager for Housing and Residence Life and Health Services for almost three years. Prior to that, I lived overseas in Göteborg, Sweden, where I served as the Public Project Director of the Sweden Research Team. My research was done in collaboration with GVSU and Göteborgs Universitet in Göteborg, Sverige (University of Gothenburg in Gothenburg, Sweden). I enjoyed the experience of not only living abroad, but focusing on intercultural communications as well!

Outside of Purdue, I enjoy spending time at Lake Michigan with friends and family, traveling, attending concerts, anything Swedish, and taking care of my Netherland dwarf rabbit - Stitch - who is too cute for words!