Utilizing Social Media for Community Building - Part 1

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Social media was primarily born inside the walls of higher education, with Facebook getting its start as a way to connect students at Harvard University in 2004. Now eighteen years later, Facebook has 2.934 billion users. That's 500 million more users than the total number of personal computers in use around the globe. Additionally, we can't ignore the gap between students of all financial demographics having more access to a smartphone than personal computers.

The moral of the story – it's impossible for us to stand still on a moving train. ​

​So let's talk strategy to get moving - as Gen Z becomes college-aged, establishing a meaningful presence on social media has never been more important for higher education programs. Students want nimble and rapid information. This generation is more visually literate than any generation before - After all, they cut rectangles out of the world (make photographs) hourly. They view more pictures before they leave bed than a student in any other generation did in a whole day or maybe a week. Like it or not, we need to bend to their world, not vice-versa. Our students socialize, learn, work, and build identities in this networked world.  ​

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​TO BE CONTINUED IN PART 2

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Examples of using social media to foster campus community by discipline:

Before every semester, we post a "Meet Your Instructor Post" with information about our faculty, their interest in the arts, and the classes they teach. 

Dual Enrollment Teacher Take Overs, where dual enrollment teachers share their work and their students' work. These posts have helped connect possible future students to our program. ​

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Examples of using social media to foster community between our students and a larger community:

​These posts are examples of Virtual Guest Critiques by photography professionals like UCSD Professor Scott B. Davis and Guggenheim Fellow Cheryle St.Onge, where our students get outside guidance and insights from industry professionals.

​In the video demo (to the right), I will show you how to quickly and effectively edit your images using a free app, Adobe Photoshop Express.

To get the app go to Apple App Store or Android Play Store, or scan this QR code:

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Share Your Ideas

If you have other creative ways to utilize Social Media and/or Community Building please let us know at: [email protected]. Special thanks to Buzzy for sharing how to quickly edit images, and build community! Part 2 will have more helpful information and examples.
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Your Faculty Liaisons, Jen & Vanessa