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Ed Blaguszewski, Executive Director of Strategic Communications and Special Assistant to the Vice Chancellor of University Relations, retired June 14. The longtime executive director of the Office of News and Media Relations, who served as campus spokesman for 20 years under five chancellors, was honored with a reception at The Commonwealth Restaurant in Worcester Dining Commons June 12 that was attended by numerous campus administrators, News Office and University Relations colleagues, family and friends.

Under Blaguszewski’s leadership, the News Office grew from a three-person staff upon his arrival in April 2004 to a group of 14 that now includes video production, the university social media team, the Inside UMass campus newsletter and seven writers and editors.

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His career in higher education began as a national media relations consultant, representing leading public and private colleges including The College of William and Mary, Texas A&M University, Bucknell University and the Owen Graduate School of Management at Vanderbilt University. Subsequently, he worked in Pennsylvania at Allegheny College as director of public information and at Penn State Erie as director of university relations. He is a past president of the College and University Public Relations Association of Pennsylvania.

A native of Cambridge, Mass., and a graduate of Boston University, Blaguszewski previously worked as a journalist, including stints as weekend news editor of the Sunday Republican in Springfield and editor-in-chief of The Monadnock Ledger, a New Hampshire weekly. 

Blaguszewski now looks forward to well-earned rest and relaxation, spending time with his family, hiking and kayaking.

A national search for a new executive director of news and media relations is currently underway. In the meantime, Melinda Rose will serve as interim director of news and media relations and any requests and inquiries for the News Office can continue to be sent to scoop@umass.edu.