Institutional News

Jeffrey Perkins Appointed Vice President, Communications and Marketing

On August 10, President Laura Walker shared the following message with the Bennington Community:

Dear Bennington Community,

I am pleased to share the exciting news that Jeffrey Perkins will be our new Vice President, Communications and Marketing, joining us on September 6, 2022. As an MFA alum, Jeffrey deeply appreciates what makes Bennington so special, and has devoted his life to the study and practice of effective storytelling. It is with sincere enthusiasm that I welcome Jeffrey back to Bennington, this time to lead our communications and marketing strategy! 

Jeffrey joins us from Otis College of Art and Design in Los Angeles, where he served as Vice President of Communications and Marketing and Associate Vice President of Communications and External Relations. He has held previous roles at the School of Visual Arts in New York City and the Harvard Graduate School of Education in Cambridge, Massachusetts. 

“I am absolutely thrilled to join the community in this role,” said Jeffrey. “As a proud alumnus of the Bennington MFA in Writing program, I know firsthand the transformational possibilities of a Bennington education. I look forward to bringing my love of storytelling to Bennington and to help share its inspiring stories with the larger world. As someone who grew up in neighboring New Hampshire, I am also excited to return to the East Coast, to its distinct seasons and yes, especially to the return of thunderstorms and snow.”

Jeffrey received his MFA in Writing from Bennington and was the recipient of the Jane Kenyon Memorial Scholarship. He also holds an MA in American Studies from University of Massachusetts, Boston and a BA in Peace and Global Studies/Politics from Earlham College in Richmond, Indiana. He recently completed a year long BookEnds Fellowship from Stony Brook University to work on a forthcoming novel and has attended writing residencies at the Vermont Studio Center and the Watermill Center. 

Jeffrey’s experience will clearly benefit the College enormously. I also want to thank all who engaged in the search process for their crucial engagement and collaboration, and especially Shelton Walker, Chief of Staff & Vice President for Strategic Initiatives, for leading the search and overseeing our communications and marketing efforts on an interim basis. 

Please join me in welcoming Jeffrey to Bennington!

Warmly,

President Laura Walker