Name: Misty Hatfield
Title: Director of marketing and public relations, USC Sumter
Background: Native of Sumter; bachelor's degree in advertising and public relations, USC, 1997; public relations specialist, Tuomey Healthcare System, Sumter; director of public relations, Central Carolina Technical College, Sumter; joined USC Sumter Sept. 1

Tell us about your duties with USC Sumter. This is a one-person shop. I handle all of the campus' ad design and layout needs, and all of the marketing. I'm responsible for all of the campus' public relations work, which includes speech writing and any type of press releases and media relations, while also serving as a spokesperson for the campus. We do a newsletter, Synopsis, which is sent every other month to alumni, employees, donors, and friends of the campus, and an annual report, and we run ads for the campus, which I design.

How did you choose a career in public relations? I actually started out as a broadcasting major and made it through the senior semester at USC, but then switched to public relations in the second semester of the senior year when I realized broadcasting wasn't for me. I still managed to graduate on time. I've always enjoyed the work, ever since I was in middle school where I was on the school news team. I enjoy writing and design work, and have freelanced for magazines.

What was the appeal of the USC Sumter job for you? Mostly it was that USC Sumter is part of USC. Having gone to the University, I have a great love for it. My husband is a huge Gamecock fan along with the rest of my family and that was a big draw. USC Sumter also is growing and it's a great time to be here. We recently announced that we've brought back inter-collegiate athletics (men's baseball and women's soccer or softball). We'll start with one male and one female sport and try to grow them each year. Sumter is a huge baseball town so we've already gotten some great responses from potential player-students. That's exciting for us.

What do you do to unwind? I would say spend time with my family, but with the age of my children they're not always that relaxing. But we have a house at Lake Wateree and we love to go there no matter what time of year it is. It feels like you've gone further than just 45 minutes away. We also enjoy spending time with our families, who are all here in town.

11/06