Crawford has been selected by the University of South Carolina School of Medicine Greenville to partner for marketing and communication services including public relations, community relations, social media strategy, creative, and media planning and buying. Crawford will use its expertise to spread key messaging and provide strategic input to shine a light on the impact and value of the School of Medicine Greenville (SOMG) during its 10th anniversary year and into its second decade.
“We are grateful for the opportunity to highlight the School of Medicine Greenville in this community,” said Allison Mertens, senior vice president at Crawford. “Our team has extensive experience with both higher education and healthcare marketing, and we are thrilled to help illustrate the value the school offers not only to the Upstate but the entire state of South Carolina.”
The University of South Carolina established the School of Medicine in Greenville in 2012 to help address the projected physician shortage in the state. Since then, more than 420 providers have graduated, and 46 percent of those graduates have gone on to practice medicine in South Carolina. In addition, SOMG is focused on addressing disparities in healthcare education by providing pathways for students of diverse backgrounds to have necessary resources to prepare for medical school. They are on track to mirror the varied demographics of South Carolina with a 23% diversity rate and rising. As SOMG celebrates its first decade and looks toward its next, Crawford hopes to bring more awareness about its role as a community benefit to residents and businesses of the Upstate.
“Crawford’s impressive work speaks for itself, but their love for and knowledge of Greenville is a quality we were hoping to find in our new partner,” said Dean Marjorie Jenkins. “We look forward to working together on strategic messaging efforts that will help tell our story and show the value of the School of Medicine Greenville to the surrounding areas.”