We hope you enjoy this series where we meet and get to know employees from across campus. Would you like to be featured? Contact us at campusnews@csufresno.edu.

Name: Lauren Nickerson
Title: Associate Vice President
Department: University Communications
Academic Degree(s):

• Bachelor of Arts in Media, Communications and Journalism, Fresno State
• Master's Degree in Communication Management, University of Southern California

How long have you worked at Fresno State?
I currently work in the University Communications department within the division of University Advancement. I started in January of 2022 and I am grateful to be a member of the Bulldog family.

Are you a Valley native?
I am a Valley native and a proud Bulldog alumna. I graduated from the Media Communications and Journalism department.

Are you a Bulldog family with generations of Bulldog graduates or current students?
Both of my parents are proud Bulldog alumni and so is my husband. My grandfather also graduated from here, so I am a third-generation Bulldog.

Do you have a campus mentor or someone who has helped you in your career?
When I was pursuing my undergraduate degree my academic advisor Professor Betsy Hays, was a wealth of knowledge, support, guidance and kind words. To this day I will call her with questions and seek out her wise counsel. I am also grateful for my Cabinet colleagues who are collaborative and supportive. This job is a team effort and I am surrounded by wonderful, hardworking professionals.

Tell us about your department and what people may not know about it.
I work with a truly amazing team. There is so much Bulldog pride and institutional knowledge within the University Communication’s team. I am incredibly grateful to work alongside such wonderful colleagues every day. We are also a lot of fun, and I think people would be surprised to know how much we laugh despite handling challenging situations regularly

What is your most notable accomplishment in your field, and why was it important?
I achieved my Accreditation for Public Relations in 2020 in the midst of working for a health care organization confronting a global pandemic. That process taught me resiliency and underscored the importance of determination. I would also say coming up on a successful year in this role is a huge professional accomplishment.

What are you most passionate about in your position and why?
I love all things strategic communications. I could talk all day about amazing communication campaigns that were truly impactful and changed the course of society (I realize very few people would actually want to listen to me). I understand I am bias, but I believe that communications is one of the most important fields in any industry and is often the singular deciding factor between success and failure. Effectively communicating your vision is a fundamental necessity.

What is a memorable moment you had at your job?
My first home football game as an employee. I got to bring my family and we were cheering our ‘Dogs to victory and it was such an amazing experience being with the Red Wave and also feeling this sense of belonging. I love our fans and our team. Go ‘Dogs!

What is the most interesting or unusual job you've ever had?
My first job was working at Von’s as a courtesy clerk. I learned so many valuable lessons about professionalism and work ethic in the retail industry.

What do you like to do for fun in your spare time?
I love to read, spend time with my family and go camping. The mountains are my happy place and I always come home from a camping trip more rejuvenated and grateful. I also love to travel and enjoy learning about new cultures and trying new foods.

What is something interesting about you that most people don’t know?
People are often surprised to learn that my favorite book/story genre is post-apocalyptic storytelling. Some of my all-time favorite books in this category are: Station Eleven, World War Z, The Road, Parable of the Sower and The Children of Men (if you haven’t read some of these you should try one).