Spotlight: Dan Hunt – director of communications for alumni engagement

Dan Hunt is no stranger to the south. A Richmond, Virginia native who called Georgia home for several years, Dan returned to Carolina where eight years prior, he earned a bachelor’s degree in English from East Carolina University.

During the first few months on the job, Dan’s coworkers teased him about being a Pirate, especially after a 3-0 season series win by Campbell in the baseball rivalry.

“I love following sports and especially college athletics,” Dan said. “When Campbell and my alma mater play each other, I try to tone down any partiality around the office, but that doesn’t stop my co-workers from jabbing me when the Camels come out on top – which they did a lot this past baseball season. It’s all in great fun, even when they hang the Campbell flag in my office after ECU losses. And I’m definitely a big Camel fan now that I’m here.”

Dan’s coworkers describe him as likable and easy-going. He brings a fun attitude to the office and even jumped in and hosted a March Madness event for everyone within the first few months on the job. His enthusiastic spirit and can-do attitude have been well-received on the institutional advancement team.

“It’s great to get back onto a college campus and be around the spirit of camaraderie and shared purpose – in sports, academia, our alumni office, and Campbell Advancement as a whole. Campbell is a special place, and it didn’t take long for me to understand that,” he said.

Before joining Campbell, Dan was the publisher and editor of The Hartwell Sun newspaper in Hartwell, Georgia for close to two years. Previously He served as a news and sports reporter for The Bluffton Today in Bluffton, South Carolina. His professional background is primarily in publishing, editing, writing, photography, and other forms of media.

“My journalism background is something I hold dear, and I still consider myself a reporter in this role – which is important to me,” he said. “I have an inquisitive mind, particularly as it relates to people. One of my favorite aspects of this role is meeting alumni and telling their stories, whether that’s an Orange Owned profile, mentorship success story or something else. I take a lot of pride in my storytelling ability and relish the opportunity to highlight Campbell University and its people, both of which offer limitless topics of interest.”

Dan wears many hats at Campbell and his daily tasks vary greatly from working on social media campaigns, designing program materials for events to interviewing alumni, Orange Owned businesses, or talking to students about how CamelLink opens career paths for them.

“This is a critical role within our alumni engagement department because it serves as the primary communications link between the Alumni Association and alumni themselves,” Dan said.

“Just this week, a 2005 biology alumnus stopped in our office at the Cornelia Campbell House to look around. He hadn’t been back since his graduation. After a chat, he mentioned that we ‘do a great job keeping up’ from a distance – with emails, messaging, etc. That made me feel good because that’s always what I’m trying to accomplish here and probably the primary goal. We want alumni to feel connected to Campbell from the time they graduate and beyond.”

Outside of work, Dan enjoys hiking, watching baseball, golfing and spending quality time with friends and family. Dan has been married to his wife Emma since 2018. The couple resides in Lillington, and they have two dogs, Theo and Chloe.

The Office of Institutional Advancement is excited to welcome Dan to the team.