Baker '94 to Lead Alumni and Parent Programs

GAMBIER, Ohio (June 29, 2010) Scott R. Baker '94, a Kenyon legacy and long-time volunteer, has been named director of alumni and parent programs. He succeeds Lisa Schott '80, whose twenty-five-year tenure ends this summer when she takes on a new role as director of the Philander Chase Corporation at Kenyon. Baker begins work August 1, reporting to Vice President of College Relations Sarah Kahrl.

After a brief stint in advertising, Baker founded Baker Street Communications in 1996 in Toledo, Ohio. The Internet and marketing design firm was an innovative venture during the infancy of the Web. Baker, who praises Kenyon for giving him the skills to develop a company for which no road map existed, landed such clients as Jack Hanna's Animal Adventures. Working for the nationally syndicated television series took him to locales as diverse as Alaska, Botswana, and the set of Good Morning America. Baker's practice extended to developing social networking solutions for corporate clients and nonprofit organizations, including Toledo Opera, where he serves as vice chair of the board of trustees.

Baker, a drama major, comes from a large Kenyon family, including his father, Richard Baker Jr. '69; his uncle, Tim Baker '71; sisters Shelly '96 and Laura '99; and brothers-in-law Neil Butler '95 and Shannon Wilkinson '96. As a student, Baker was a member of Student Council, the Chamber Singers, the Chasers, Phi Kappa Sigma, and the Kenyon College Dramatic Club. As an alumnus, he has been active as an admissions volunteer and a regional association president. He also served an eight-year run on Alumni Council, including an unprecedented two terms as Alumni Council president. He is particularly fond of his experience mounting the Complete History of Kenyon College (Abridged) in 2005, a theatrical event produced during Reunion Weekend of that year. He is the recipient of three alumni awards for distinguished service and admissions volunteerism.

A search committee composed of alumni, administrators, faculty, and members of the Kenyon Board of Trustees appointed Baker after conducting a national search.

"Scott's creative and dedicated service to Kenyon over the last sixteen years and involvement in key Kenyon communities offer a solid foundation of connection to multiple decades of Kenyon alumni and families," said Kahrl. "His experience and fluency in the world of social media and Web-based communication will help address our biggest alumni challenge: retaining the loyalty and involvement of our fastest-growing alumni segment, the recent graduates who live in the world of texting and Facebook."