Off-Third is WSN’s satire column.
With students and faculty reeling from the somber retirement announcement of John Beckman — who served as NYU’s spokesperson and senior vice president for public affairs and strategic communications for 29 years — NYU is starting its search for the new face of the university.
Luckily, there’s a diva nearby who has just freed up her schedule.
Once the esteemed editor-in-chief of American Vogue, Anna Wintour broke the news that she would be stepping down back in June, with Chloe Malle to be her successor — freeing Wintour up as the perfect fit for the newly-opened position at NYU.
NYU is a school where students pride themselves on wearing business suits and designer heels to class — and will need a spokesperson who is representative of that culture. Beckman has led the charge in this department, sporting a super stylish NYU baseball cap and violet tie in his profile picture on LinkedIn and rocking a Ken doll-esque side part hairstyle on the university’s website.
While it would be an arduous task to succeed this fashionista, Wintour may be up to the challenge. Some of her qualifications include forging the path for American Vogue to become the world’s most influential fashion publication, serving as a beacon for emerging designers and artistic voices and transforming the Met Gala into a fan-favorite fashion phenomena. Her signature bob, a hairstyle she has donned since she was 15 years old, is a testament to her timeless fashion choices. Because of Beckman’s untouchability as a fashion icon, we can only hope for a candidate that comes close to the legacy he will be leaving behind. Who better than “the reigning queen of the fashion world?”
As a spokesperson, Beckman has been credited for thousands of university statements and is NYU’s primary press contact. Beckman has served as vice president of public relations since 1996, and it is clear that throughout his time at NYU, his passion and dedication to this institution has only grown deeper. His passion shines through in his statements: “Shame on you [WSN] … Sincerely, John Beckman,” he wrote in a 2017 Letter to the Editor in response to a WSN editorial about former NYU President John Sexton.
We can only hope that Wintour has the capacity to keep these Beckman-isms alive. Perhaps in a future Letter to the Editor, we can expect a “Shame on you, WSN. And the shade of your logo — #ec1b24, vivid red — is so last season. Sincerely, Anna Wintour.” She has also proven that she is no stranger to the press, having made statements for numerous major news outlets including The New Yorker, BBC and “Good Morning America.” Her experience as editor-in-chief at American Vogue indicates she has valuable insight into the ins and outs of media and how to cater to NYU’s public image, even with the “difficult and demanding” personality that has earned her notoriety.
It would be reprehensible for NYU to pass up this golden opportunity, and it’s only right for Wintour to assume the position of spokesperson after the gaping hole Beckman will leave in the university’s leadership. In a perfect world, the devil isn’t the only one wearing Prada — NYU’s spokesperson is too.
WSN’s Opinion section strives to publish ideas worth discussing. The views presented in the Opinion section are solely the views of the writer.
Contact Serin Lee at [email protected].