What to Do If Media Call

Your experiences offer a world of knowledge to our students and the College community. You are an expert in your field and your research contributes to NOVA’s reputation and success. As such, reporters and members of the media may reach out to you about your work, and NOVA’s communications team is here to help!

As a leading voice in education and workforce development, it is important that NOVA’s interactions with the media – print, online, broadcast and student publications/channels – be centralized to ensure they are consistent and accurate. For example, our 3,400+ staff serve more than 80,000 students, according to recently updated statistics from the Office of Institutional Research.

In addition, to ensure we are all working with the most updated information, we can also help you connect your work to the College’s goal statement, explaining how you help your students succeed, why your program achieves and how NOVA works to ensure every community prospers.

If you are contacted directly by a member of the media about a matter pertaining to the College, please take a message and/or refer the reporter to the Office of Communications. Time is always critical when determining whether and how to respond to media requests, particularly in emergency response situations where NOVA must quickly determine and relay accurate information.

Once we are in contact with the reporter, we can work with them to learn more about the request. The communications team answers over 300 inquiries annually and we consider many factors including: whether NOVA has relevant expertise, whether it is appropriate for NOVA to answer the question(s), the reporter’s timeline, preparation and media training and input from leadership.

Our goal is to provide reporters with current and accurate information. But there are some cases in which NOVA and its representatives cannot engage. For example, as a state institution, we cannot promote a specific company or commercial product or endorse any political candidate.

In all cases, whether or not we can respond to the inquiry, we are here to help. Public awareness and support of NOVA and its programs is enhanced through the maintenance of good working relationships with the media and the public.

So, if you hear from a reporter or have a story you would like to promote, please reach out to the communications team. And for any questions, please contact Hoang Nguyen, Public Information Officer.

Submitted by:
Hoang Nguyen, Communications-PIO, HDNguyen@nvcc.edu