Graham Garner, MPA

Chief Marketing Communications Officer

What drew you to the higher education world?

I was a journalist in my early career, and I have always loved storytelling. I like asking questions, learning from others, shaping a narrative, advocating for good. I loved meeting new people and learning about their lives and their careers. Over time, I realized how much I really wanted to be not just an unbiased reporter, but a persuasive champion of good causes. Higher education was something I saw as improving the lives of individuals and the fortunes of communities. I wanted to put my passion and skillset to use in a way that would let me do just that. I enjoy connecting audiences with compelling stories about people who are doing good work and who overcome challenges.

What do you enjoy most about your role at SFA?

I love that I have the opportunity to ask a lot of questions, meet a lot of people, connect audiences to the institution and otherwise enrich relationships and understanding. I really enjoy working with creative people to realize a vision. I value working with other leaders who know how to listen to and collaborate with the people they lead and serve in the interest of good for students and communities. I like learning, synthesizing and sharing, and I get to do a lot of that with the nature of my work.

What do you hope students gain from SFA?

Mostly, I hope they gain a clearer sense of who they are, what they value and how to build community. That applies whether you are asking big-picture, philosophical questions about life and humanity, or specific, practical abilities like how to execute a project or pursue a career path. There is something special about SFA and its variety of offerings that I think fosters a lot of appreciation for what life can be when we choose to engage the world around us. SFA certainly invites students to do that in so many ways.

What are you passionate about outside of your role at SFA?

I really like to learn about history and culture through travel and food. I think we learn so much about what makes us similar as well as different by understanding where people live, what they eat, what music and other entertainment is a part of their lives, and otherwise by understanding the forces that shape daily life. I know myself better because of places I have lived and visited, and I love to eat!