For Corey Stamco ’16, what began with a baseball coach’s recruiting pitch turned into a transformative four years at Hiram College. Initially drawn to Hiram’s athletic program, Corey quickly fell in love with the College’s close-knit community and welcoming campus. 

Majoring in communication and Spanish, Corey immersed himself in academics, athletics, and leadership roles. He played baseball, served as a Resident Assistant, worked as a tour guide, and tutored fellow students. His coursework, particularly in communication and business management, provided a foundation he still uses today, and a semester abroad in Santiago de Compostela, Spain broadened his worldview. 

The discussions and lessons learned in courses like Social Media Marketing, Persuasion and Attitude Change, Principles of Marketing, and his senior capstone course are what led Corey to eventually pursue a master’s in Organizational Psychology after undergrad. 

Today, Corey oversees marketing and communications strategy for prospective and current students at Kent State University. Leading a team of nine professionals, he guides students from the moment they begin looking at the university to the day they graduate. In recent years, Corey has spearheaded the implementation of two Customer Relationship Management systems, created personalized communication plans of 2,000+ messages and counting, designed application and orientation portals, and presented at state and national conferences. 

Outside of work, Corey is a dedicated reader, having completed 26 books in both 2023 and 2024, and an avid traveler. Last year, he and his wife fulfilled a long-standing dream by visiting Spain, France, and Italy – a trip they first began discussing during their time at Hiram together.  

Looking back, Corey credits Hiram with more than just professional skills. “My time at Hiram set the foundation for my future by providing the personalized educational experience, learning opportunities, and connections necessary to begin a solid career,” he says. “More importantly, Hiram instilled core values in me that make me a better friend, partner, and human in the world.” 

His advice to current and prospective students is simple but powerful:

Invest in your education, build up those around you, and challenge yourself to always learn and grow. The more you learn, the more you become aware of everything you don’t know.