John Diamond, the 54-year-old Executive Director of the University of Maine System’s External Affairs department, came to speak to our class on Nov. 21.

Diamond has spent about 30 years studying, teaching, or otherwise working for our university. His undergraduate studies were in journalism, and he got his graduate degree in speech and communication here at UMaine as well.

In the past, Diamond has worked for newspapers and for state legislature, and he had his own program on MPBN. He has continually been involved with teaching at UMaine and with UMS public affairs. Diamond has been in his current position for seven years. “I really like that you’re in a position to make a difference,” he said.

External Affairs does many different things for the system. The major roles involve handling payroll, IT, human resources, publications, and promotions. Diamond’s main responsibility is to ensure clear and benficial communication with opinion-leaders and policy-makers. He stressed the importance of asking tough questions and being accountable in public relations. Diamond said, “you should always tell the truth and hope you get caught on it.”

 

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