This document discusses how empowering students to tell their own stories can engage digital audiences. It describes how St. Lawrence University created a student social media team and student-run Instagram account to share authentic student experiences. The Instagram account is run by different students each week who are given access and guidance. This empowers students to shape the university's narrative while benefiting recruitment and alumni engagement. By providing opportunities, recognition, and skills training, students are motivated to participate despite being unpaid volunteers. Their involvement has increased engagement and followers on social media.
9. We needed to engage our
audiences in meaningful ways.
10.
11. Engagement Needed to Start With Students
• Their stories resonate with all of our audiences
• They see us focus on admissions and alumni –
how could we make them feel important?
• If we celebrate their experiences, the more likely
they would be to share them
• Engaging students now leads to more engaged
alumni later
15. How does the team work?
• 8 unpaid, completely volunteer student members
• Applications open once a year
• 15 applications in early 2014, 20+ now
• Meet once a week, but constantly in touch
• Brainstorm, offer constructive feedback
• Not looking for “yes” people
• Event coverage – what they are already going to
• Keep @StLawrenceU authentic
16. If they are unpaid and not
earning course credit,
what keeps them motivated
to stay involved?
19. …and confidence & trust.
• Talk with them like colleagues – because they are
– “We’re in this to learn together”
• Publicly give them credit for their work
– Students, faculty, staff, administrators, etc.
• Educate them on best practices, tips & tricks
• Develop their digital identities
• Empower them to take the lead on projects
31. @herewegosaints
St. Lawrence’s student-run Instagram account
• Run by a different student each week
• Students have direct access to the account
– Yes, that means the password!
• Interested students express interest to me or a team
member, brief Instagram audit, then meet with
myself & a student team member
32. @herewegosaints
What do we discuss when we meet?
• Guidelines
• Planning ahead for the week (content strategy)
– What is YOUR story? Not a reporter covering events
– What do people love on Instagram? What don’t they like?
– Get them thinking about platform & content
– How will you capture your life?
• How to engage with followers
– Hashtags to follow and use
37. How has it benefitted St. Lawrence
and our audiences?
• Authentic, engaging, real-time content
• Our ethos, personality shines through
• Provides an inside look into life at SLU
• “More than pretty pictures”
• Event coverage
• Encouraged more students to share content
• Learned what matters to various audiences
38. But what do the studentsrunning it
get out of it?
43. “How can running the account help you?”
• Share with family, friends
• Add Storify link to LinkedIn
• Explain how they can/should talk about this
experience during interviews
• Trust, planning content (strategy)
• How to include it on their resume
• Some data (average likes per post)
• Improve/Add to their digital identity
• Fun facts to add context for employers
44. Five minutes a week…
• Provides value to our students
• Provides value to my institution
• We can now share individual weeks!
• Admissions, Alumni/Development
45. If you’re looking for authentic
content to share, you need to
invest in providing value to
those supplying it to you.
46. Questions?
(And thank you!)
Meg Bernier - @msteverb
St. Lawrence University
mbernier@stlawu.edu
weatheringthenorm.blogspot.com