Laura French, marketing and communications specialist for the Missouri State University Libraries, will leave MSU for a social media strategist role with Amplify Education, a K-12 curriculum and assessment company based in Brooklyn, New York. Her last day at MSU is Tues. Jan. 24.

In her new remote position, Laura will lead publishing efforts across Amplify’s social media channels to expand brand awareness by engaging with educators and thought leaders online, sharing creative media, and running growth campaigns.

Laura has served the MSU Libraries since May 2021. During her tenure, she launched the announcement of our involvement in the 2023 Smithsonian Folklife Festival. She also helped plan and promote the initiatives surrounding this partnership, including our “Ode to the Ozarks” preview event on the National Mall and our Cultural Expressions Survey and Interest Form to determine 2023 festival participants.

In collaboration with her team, Laura created and implemented a new social media strategy for the Libraries resulting in a 200% increase in followers on Instagram. She, along with student worker Ethan Danner, recently presented their findings at the National Access Services Conference in Atlanta, Georgia.

Laura developed a new content strategy for the library’s annual report with a focus on storytelling and compelling imagery. She planned and executed dozens of library events throughout her tenure including author talks, “What’s Brewing” and “Rare Wine Rare Books.” Over the course of FY ’22, Laura and her team conducted extensive market research to develop a comprehensive branding strategy for the University Libraries. Her team continues to develop the visual components of this brand, and a launch is expected later this year.

We thank Laura for her pivotal role in establishing Marketing and Communications at the MSU Libraries – she has given us an incredible foundation to build upon, and we wish her well in her future endeavors.