Sara Withrow

Title
Senior Director, Philanthropy & Alumni Communications and Adjunct Faculty
Email
Department
Department of Humanities & Communication
College
College of Arts & Sciences

Areas of Expertise

Public/Media Relations, Journalism, Editing/Copy Editing, Publications, Journalism

Sara Withrow teaches public relations as an adjunct professor in the Department of Humanities and Communication. She holds an M.S. in Mass Communication from Middle Tennessee State University and a B.A. in Journalism from Angelo State University, Texas. In addition to teaching, Ms. Withrow has had an extensive career serving in roles including business editor, managing editor, copy chief, marketing and communications director, grant writer and senior director of communications/editor of Embry-Riddle's alumni magazine, Lift. She currently leads donor communications for The Nature Conservancy in Florida. Ms. Withrow is an active member of Women in Aviation, the Association of Donor Relations Professionals and the Florida Public Relations Association (FPRA). She serves as vice president of student services on the FPRA Board for Volusia/Flagler County.
  • M.S. - Master of Science in Mass Communication, Middle Tennessee State University
  • B.A. - Bachelor of Arts in Journalism: French, Angelo State University
  • COMD 219: Speech
COMD360 Public Relations, COM 495B/595A Grant Writing

(2011-2021). Lift magazine, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. Journals and magazines, Embry-Riddle Scholarly Commons: https://commons.erau.edu/lift-magazine. [Editor and writer]

(2011-2021). Annual Report on Philanthropy/Philanthropy Impact Report, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. Journals and magazines, Embry-Riddle Scholarly Commons: https://commons.erau.edu/philanthropy-report. [Editor and writer]

Withrow, S. (2008). Merry Christmas v. Happy Holidays: Newspaper Discourse and the Holiday Greeting Conflict, 1980-2007. [Master's thesis, Middle Tennessee State University]

I have more than 25 years of communications experience working for nonprofits and in higher education. I've also worked as a journalist in roles ranging from managing editor to staff writer and copy chief for a variety of newspapers and magazines. I started teaching in 2018, when I partnered with Embry-Riddle's Department of Humanities and Communication at the Daytona Beach Campus to develop a combined undergraduate/graduate experimental course in grant writing. I currently teach a variety of courses for the Worldwide College of Arts and Sciences, Department of Humanities and Communication.


Vice President of Student Services, Florida Public Relations Association, Volusia/Flagler Chapter (2021- present)

Member, Florida Public Relations Association (2019 - present)

Member, Association of Donor Relations Professionals (2023-present)

Member, Public Relations Society of America (2015 - 2019)

Member, Women in Aviation International (2015 - present)

Member, Council for Advancement and Support of Education (2011 - present)