Petrizzo Award

Jim Higgins
Retired / Former Communications Director
College of the Mainland
Texas City, Texas

Colleagues who know Jim Higgins best describe him as having a great personality, a friendly demeanor and solid professional credentials. But what stands out the most is the “quiet” leadership style he displayed over the course of his career in community college marketing and PR.

Higgins retired last September from the College of the Mainland (COM) in Texas City, Texas, after working 31 years there in several different capacities, beginning as an instructional developer in workforce training and ending as communications director. His commitment to collaboration and furthering the community college mission – particularly in the greater Houston area – has left an indelible mark.

Steve Lestarjette, a longtime friend and one-time supervisor of Higgins, recalls that in 1984 when Higgins was named acting director of public relations at COM, Higgins freely admitted he was ill prepared for the job.

“Rather than run from the challenge, Jim picked up the phone and called eight strangers: the public relations directors at the other community colleges in the greater Houston area. He invited them to attend a meeting at the Tremont Hotel in Galveston to share with each other – and with him – the roles they played at their colleges,” Lestarjette says. “With that one meeting, nine colleges that had been competitors and adversaries took their first step toward working collectively toward a common goal.”

Out of that first meeting grew the Gulf Coast Consortium Public Relations Committee, which immediately embarked on an ambitious plan to combine funds and personnel to create a television campaign to counter the aggressive broadcast advertising of area for-profit educational institutions.

After that came many more initiatives – more TV, radio and billboard campaigns; a central news bureau that promoted regional stories about the nine Gulf Coast colleges; editorial meetings and legislative lunches; professional development activities for the colleges’ marketing and PR staffers; and special events like “Community College Day” at the Texas state Capitol, which brought more than 3,000 students to the Capitol to meet with lawmakers during the legislative session.

With Higgins as an active participant and sometimes chair, the consortium’s efforts paid off. Enrollments at the nine colleges grew, as did public understanding and support. Other regions of the country copied the consortium model; Texas community college presidents created the Texas Association of Community College Communications Council, which conducts statewide communications, marketing and advocacy campaigns. Today, the consortium still thrives and just celebrated its 25th anniversary.

Higgins has left his mark on the College of the Mainland as well, particularly among those who worked closely with him. Gina Castro, publications coordinator at COM, refers to Higgins as “my mentor, my inspiration and a great friend.” Castro joined the staff of COM in 1990 as a receptionist in the Public Information Office. Under Higgins’ watchful eye, she developed her skills as a graphic designer. “From the very beginning, he allowed me to grow and to expand my knowledge,” she says. “He challenged everyone to be creative and to be free to share new ideas.”

In 2005, with Higgins leading the charge, the Public Information Office was completely overhauled, expanding into a full-fledged Marketing and Communications Office. He and his team created a college-wide marketing council and an award-winning brand identity and ad campaign – all resulting in larger enrollments and improved college morale.

Higgins left still another mark – this one on NCMPR. He was a longtime member, joining the organization back in 1987 and making frequent presentations at regional and national conferences. He was a silent partner of sorts – the guy behind NCMPR’s first Listserv. He started it in 1997 (unofficially), and then he and COM’s IT department hosted and managed it in an official capacity for five years, right up until the time he retired. And while the Listserv was discontinued for a while, it made a comeback earlier this year when NCMPR members asked for its return.