Cabinet: Carla E. Gross

Carla E. Gross, M.S.

Associate Vice President of Marketing and Communications & Special Assistant to the President for Communication 

"As Messiah's AVP of Marketing and Communications, I'm privileged to work with a talented, creative team of writers, designers, and other marketing and PR professionals to tell the story of Messiah University and to communicate Messiah's distinctive brand both on and off campus. Our team is responsible for strategizing and implementing the University's print and digital communications, particularly as they relate to undergraduate and graduate student recruitment, media relations, social media, crisis communications, and institutional marketing and branding initiatives.

Through our work, we have the opportunity to share what a vibrant, academically excellent and authentically Christian community Messiah University truly is. I also serve a dual role as the Special Assistant to the President for Communication, in which I assist the president with a variety of internal and external communication issues as well as special projects and events, including Messiah's annual undergraduate Commencement, numerous captial campaigns, Messiah's Centennial Celebration, the "see anew" branding initiative, and Messiah College's transition to becoming Messiah University in 2020."

Prior to coming to Messiah College in 1996, Carla worked in marketing, media and public relations in the state government and nonprofit healthcare sectors. She holds an M.S. in public relations from the Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University and a B.A. in advertising from Penn State University. She is an active participant in the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities (CCCU), serving on the CCCU's Commission for Strategic Communication from 2016-2024, and regularly presenting at national conferences on branding, marketing communications, issues management and crisis commuications. 

Carla E. Gross. M.S. 
Associate Vice President of Marketing and Communications
Special Assistant to the President for Communication

Office of Marketing and Communications
Messiah University
One University Avenue, Suite 3020
Mechanicsburg, PA 17055

e-mail: cgross@messiah.edu
Office phone: (717) 691-6027