Diana Marszalek 20 Jul 2022 // 4:36PM GMT

WASHINGTON — Finn Partners will be providing PR support to a consortium of Washington colleges and universities addressing gun violence.
Under the partnership, Finn Partners will handle earned media and integrated marketing for the Consortium of Universities of the Washington Metropolitan Area’s 120 Initiative, named in honor of the 120-plus people who die on average daily from gun violence.
The initiative centers around experts in gun violence, public and mental health, polarization, business sector engagement, citizen advocacy, education, and technology coming up with a series of research-based recommendations to drive down gun violence. The consortium has 15 members including American University, The Catholic University of America, Georgetown University, George Mason University, George Washington University, Howard University, University of Maryland and community colleges.
In announcing the effort, University of Maryland President Darryll Pines said the consortium is undertaking the initiative because “guns are now the leading cause of death for young people, and we are charged with shaping young minds to tackle the grand challenges of our time. Because we lead communities that are deeply affected by the mass slaughter of citizens, and some weeks it feels like the flags at our public institutions fly ceaselessly at half-staff. And because universities are often the source of change and progress.”
“We are grateful to Finn Partners for partnering with us on The 120 Initiative,” said consortium president and CEO Andrew Flagel. “Consortium universities and colleges are established leaders at the intersection of research, practice, and policy, especially on national issues. This initiative will collectively leverage our expertise to spur substantive progress on behalf of the nation and the more than 400,000 students in Consortium institutions. Finn support will help us accomplish our goals.”