Colleen Wilcox
Director of Engagement Communications
As Director of Engagement Communications in the Office for Public Affairs, Colleen Wilcox leads the University of Notre Dame’s efforts to share community engagement work with the local, regional, and global community. In this new innovative role, she is building a strategic communication campaign to build awareness of Notre Dame’s external engagement outlined in the University’s 2023 Strategic Framework.
Colleen joined the Public Affairs team in January 2024 after serving as the Communications Director at Notre Dame International (NDI) for six years, where she developed and executed strategic communications and overall branding that advanced the reputation of the University globally. During her time at NDI, the global communications team won several awards, including the Ragan 2023 Video, Visual, and Virtual Award for the creation of “The Fabric of a Global University” exhibit at the History Museum in South Bend. This accolade highlighted the exhibit's captivating story and its profound impact, celebrating South Bend's emergence as a vibrant global community.
As a native to the South Bend-Elkhart region, she has been an active member of the community. She serves on the board of advisors with KidsPeace in South Bend, supporting local foster children and families. In 2022, she was named Michiana Forty under 40 class, which recognizes professionals, executives, and leaders, under the age of 40, who achieve outstanding professional success while also engaging the community through charitable and civic involvement. She currently teaches at Notre Dame’s John W. Gallivan Journalism, Ethics, and Democracy (JED) program. Prior to working at Notre Dame, Colleen was an Emmy-award winning news anchor and reporter for television networks across the country.
Wilcox earned her Master of Science degree in public relations and Bachelor of Art degree in telecommunications from Ball State University.