College Honors Distinguished Alumni and PR All-Star Peter Shankman
On September 19, CGS faculty and alumni gathered to recognize Peter Shankman (CGS ’92, COM ’94) in the Distinguished Alumni Award ceremony. Each year, the College recognizes an alumni for his or her outstanding professional success and continued involvement at CGS. Shankman not only meets, but exceeds, both criteria.
A marketing and customer service futurist, Shankman has been a leader in the marketing and public relations field. He started his career at America Online, and then founded two companies (both of which were acquired): a public relations and marketing firm called The Geek Factory, and resource for journalists looking for sources called Help a Reporter Out. Most recently, Shankman writes, speaks and consults for clients in a variety of industries, often being quoted by top-tier outlets such as The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, and Associated Press. Additionally, Shankman has four books published and regularly contributes to his blog- all witty, engaging, and insightful.
Amidst all of this success, Shankman leads a robust personal life, spending time with his family and pursuing hobbies such as skydiving and Ironman Triathalons. The College is especially grateful for Shankman’s time and dedication to further the work of CGS, specifically with his contributions as a member of the Dean’s Advisory Board and his continued generous financial support.
Shankman was very honored and humbled Friday afternoon. Upon receiving the award, Shankman shared that his academic career was indeed a journey- he was different; and while he quickly found success in the business world, it was a much more enduring process to find success as a college student. The size, structure, and nature of CGS offered Shankman strong relationships with professors and the encouragement to continue pursuing his goals. Drawing parallels between his personal journey and the College, Shankman encouraged the audience: “Be different. The world needs different. You remember different. I recall being a student at BU, but I remember being a student at CGS.”
You can read more about Peter Shankman here: http://shankman.com/