Contact Us

Office of News & Media Relations

200 Munson Hall
Amherst, MA 01003
Telephone: 413/545-0444
Fax: 413/545-3082
scoop@admin.umass.edu
www.umass.edu/newsoffice

The Office of News and Information works closely with journalists to provide the latest information about faculty and student achievements, the university's programs and policies, and its research accomplishments.

If you need an expert to comment on breaking news or to provide insight for a feature or opinion piece, contact our office. We'll draw upon our knowledge of the university's 1,100 full-time faculty to match you with recognized authorities in their fields.

We're always on call. If you need information for a story after business hours call 413/545-0444, and a recorded message will provide contact information for the staff.

The Staff

Edward F. Blaguszewski, Executive Director
Telephone: 413/545-2986

Ed Blaguszewski has three decades of professional communications experience, having worked as a journalist, national media relations consultant and on three college campuses. He joined UMass Amherst in March 2004. Previously, he served as director of university relations at Penn State Erie and director of public information at Allegheny College. He is a past president of the College and University Public Relations Association of Pennsylvania. His journalism career included positions as an editor at The Republican in Springfield and The Recorder in Greenfield. A native of Cambridge, Mass., he is a 1977 graduate of Boston University with a B.S. in journalism.

Patrick J. Callahan, Associate News Editor
Telephone: 413/545-0496

Patrick Callahan joined the news office in November 1996, where he has reported and written on a wide variety of subjects, with a special interest in business, public policy and public health. He previously spent 11 years as political reporter and analyst for the Daily Hampshire Gazette, where he covered state and congressional politics. He is a 1976 UMass Amherst graduate with a B.A. in political science.

Christine A. Davies, Office Manager
Telephone: 413/545-0445

Christine Davies coordinates daily operations of the office, including distribution of the Daily News Summary and news releases, telecommunications service, billing, and ordering. She previously served as office manager for The Campus Chronicle.

Daniel J. Fitzgibbons, Editor of Internal Communications
Telephone: 413/545-2997

Daniel Fitzgibbons served on the staff of The Campus Chronicle, UMass Amherst's faculty-staff newspaper, from 1986 to 2004, including 13 years as editor until the weekly ceased publication in favor of the online publication In the Loop. He graduated from UMass Amherst in 1978 with a B.A. in political science.

Janet Lathrop, Associate News Editor/Science Writer
Telephone: 413/545-2989

Before joining UMass Amherst, Janet Lathrop was a science writer and managing editor for two environmental communication firms reporting on international health effects research, and a staff writer for the University of New Hampshire News Bureau. Her newsroom experience includes general assignment reporting for newspapers in Arizona and Michigan. She has a B.A. in journalism and an M.S. in agricultural journalism (now life sciences communication) from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Office of University Relations

The Office of News and Information reports to University Relations.

Tom Milligan, executive vice chancellor for university relations, oversees these offices:

Communications and Marketing
External Relations and University Events
Government and Community Relations
News and Media Relations