March 23, 2020
Steve Milmore ’79 is director of corporate communications at Limelight Networks, a mid-size networking company with clients including Disney and Fox, that offers video services and helps distribute live streams.
Marketing and public relations professionals are the faces and voices of organizations. During the current COVID-19 pandemic, their skills are more important than ever. Steve Milmore ’79, the director of corporate communications at Limelight Networks, located in Burlington, Mass., says his job is to relay a clear message to the company’s employees and clients, to make them aware of what procedures are in place, and to assure them things are under control.
Limelight, a mid-size networking company with clients including Disney and Fox, offers video services and helps distribute live streams that carry and deliver content.
Milmore, who has spent his career in corporate communications, including more than six years in media and public relations at IBM, began working as an editor for Computerworld magazine right after graduation. “The high-tech industry was just taking off,” he said, “and [Computerworld] was on the leading edge.”
Milmore transferred to MCLA (then called North Adams State College) as a junior to study English and journalism. A big part of his decision to switch schools was the opportunity to write for the College’s newspaper. “You could get experience in writing and publishing, and I thought that was a good step toward doing that as a real job,” he said. “I loved the camaraderie. It was informative and a lot of fun, too.”
Transferring from a larger university in Boston to a smaller North Adams campus allowed him to have a more well-rounded college experience. “I didn’t have writing experience when I came to the College, but I reached out to the newspaper and the opportunity was there,” he said. He was also able to write for the city’s former newspaper, The Transcript, and join an intramural team. “I got really involved with intramural sports and it was a great way to meet other students,” said Milmore. His basketball team, comprised mostly of English majors, was called “Catch-22,” a nod to the Joseph Heller novel and the Flagg Townhouse he lived in.
His advice to current students is to take a chance on something they’re interested in and take advantage of the many opportunities the College has to offer. Because you never know — your curiosity could become the foundation of your career.
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Are you an MCLA student, alum, or faculty member? Do you want MCLA to share your story? Please email Creative and Brand Strategy Manager Francesca Olsen at Francesca.Olsen@mcla.edu.
