MELISSA FARMER RICHARDS

Hamilton College has hired MELISSA FARMER RICHARDS as VP for communications and marketing, a new position for the college. The appointment is effective Sept. 9. Richards, currently VP for communications and enrollment at Sweet Briar College, will serve as a member of Hamilton College’s senior staff. Richards spent the first 16 years of her career managing marketing and communications in the technology sector, then shifted her focus to higher education in 2009. She served as director of marketing and strategic communications and ultimately assistant VP for marketing and publications at Virginia Tech, and was VP for communications at St. Lawrence University. Most recently at Sweet Briar College, she led that college’s media relations and communications strategy for a curricular and tuition reset. A 1993 graduate of the University of Virginia, Richards earned a master’s degree in public administration from Virginia Tech in 2014.