Dorothy Durkin was Associate Dean at New York University’s School of Continuing and Professional Studies (NYU-SCPS). She was widely respected throughout the field for her effective leadership in academic programming, career services, student services, research, and new product development. Within the continuing education (CE) community, she established performance metrics in new market penetration, retention levels, and customer profitability. With oversight of several noncredit programmatic areas at the School of Continuing and Professional Studies (SCPS), Durkin demonstrated a keen ability to expand into new markets, establish strategic alliances, and bring cross-departmental collaborations to fruition. Durkin was known as a collaborative partner with New York University (NYU) leaders and advocated for expanding collaboration across schools; thus, she frequently served on University committees and task forces.
Since taking the helm of the Office of Strategic Development and Marketing at NYU-SCPS, Durkin created and oversaw strategic initiatives using data analytics, market research, and Learner Relationship Management (LRM) processes to drive growth and retention and to promote student loyalty. In leading the strategic marketing and communications efforts for credit and noncredit programs at SCPS, Durkin was an advocate for a learner-centric focus within organizations. She employed the use of research, intelligence gathering, and sensemaking techniques to understand competitive forces, forged alliances inside and outside of the institution, and established alternative approaches for reaching dominant markets. During her 30-plus years as chief marketing strategist, the School’s enrollment quadrupled and income grew significantly.
Durkin was considered a visionary with a keen sense for future trends, emerging markets, and innovative formats. She was a nationally respected speaker who frequently addresses new ways to solve marketing challenges and attract new students using market research, integrated marketing, trends analysis, LRM, and sensemaking tools.
Durkin served on the boards of many national organizations and recently was on the advisory board of InsideTrack. She was a very active member of University Professional Continuing and Education Association (UPCEA) serving on the organization’s Board of Directors and as Commissioner for Futures and Markets. She received the 2007 recipient of the prestigious Walton S. Bittner citation for Outstanding Service to UCEA. She also received multiple awards from the Council for the Advancement and Support of Education (CASE), the John Caples Direct Marketing Award, and annual awards from the Admissions Marketing Report.
Durkin was often tapped by the news media for her expertise in marketing continuing education. Her writing appeared in several books and publications, including a 2009 version of Marketing Continuing Education, which she authored to offer insight into how to use strategic marketing to better connect with learners.
Members of the higher and continuing education mourned the loss of their beloved pioneer and trendsetter when Durkin died suddenly of cardiac arrest on August 15, 2011. UPCEA vows to continue Durkin’s legacy through the establishment of a national memorial award in her name. Its first recipient will be honored at the 2013 national conference.
Professional Affiliations
- Women in Communications Inc. (WICI)
Dear Ms. Durkin,
I am completely amazed to have found your site through a spur-of-the-moment Google search. I was just on the NYU-SCPS website looking into the Marketing program and then thinking of ways in which I could pay for it, when I decided to do a Google search for employers that offer tuition reimbursement as a benefit and found your article. Since I prescribe to the notion that nothing happens by chance, and was totally impressed by who you are and what you do, I thought I’d ask for some advice.
My love for the field of marketing, especially the area of strategic positioning and branding, has exploded these past few years and opportunities to do this line of work have been opening up for me. In a way, I have found my niche.
However, with the demand I am experiencing, I feel the need to improve my ability to deliver and sharpen my skills in the professional world. I saw the Intergrated Marketing program at NYU as the next step in that effort, but I am not in a position to pay for the program or take on that much debt.
So as a creative way to get around that obstacle, I started looking for employers who value the work of marketing and positioning enough to offer a significant tuition reimbursement plan for their employees. I remembered the NYU information session I attended a few years back in which the main speaker was a student whose company not only paid for her tuition, but also flew her from California each week to take the classes.
I can see that students are being reimbursed all the time, and as your article states, it is a equally valuable move for the employers, but knowing who those employers are is the tricky part. I’d love to hear your advice on finding a generous employer who is willing to invest in my skills and anything else that you can tell me about this career path.
Thank you for all you do and for being an inspiration to me,
Camia Gavin