larry lokmanPenn State has named Lawrence Lokman, UCLA PR veteran, VP-strategic communications effective Oct. 8. The appointment is subject to approval of the board of trustees, which will discuss the matter at its Sept. 19 meeting.

Lokman did an eight-year stint at University of California, Los Angeles 2002-10, where he served as associate vice chancellor.

Responsible for a staff of 60, Lokman was in charge of PR, media relations, special events, crisis, executive communications and fund-raising outreach.

While at UCLA, Lockman rolled out the school's YouTube, Facebook and Twitter channels and launched its broadcast media studio.

Earlier, he did stints at The Rogers Group, LA, LA Dept. of Water & Power and The Century Council.

Most recently, Lokman was founder/managing director of Window in Communications in Los Angeles, handling educational and non-profit clients such as California Coalition for Public Higher Education, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, USC's Gould School of Law and Conrad N. Hilton's Foundation's Hilton Humanitarian Prize.

At Penn St., Lockman will oversee 55 employees in the news & media relations, Internet communications, campus & community affairs, research communications and university marketing & advertising departments.

Penn St. was front & center in the Joe Paterno scandal. It turned to Edelman to handle that crisis.