Session Description: Mental health. Racism. Sexual assault. These are topics that we tend to shy away from on social media, but our Gen Z audience expects more from us. In this session you’ll learn how to take a difficult topic to a successful campaign–and what success means when you’re veering off the typical track. From stakeholders and approvals to creative uses of native social tools, you’ll leave this session empowered to address tough topics with courage and empathy. Your presenters are field tested on this topic. Rachel Rodemann Putman led her team at the University of Arkansas–Fort Smith to a 2022 CASE Grand Gold award for its “Mental Health Monday” student-oriented digital campaign. In that effort, Putman engaged her Campus Counseling Clinic to provide resources to individuals and help craft content for proactive outreach. The social media team led by Rebekah Tilley with the University of Iowa Tippie College of Business won a 2022 CASE Gold Award for its “Black in Business” digital campaign. It passed the mic to its Black business students and served as a model of a creative process that empowered rather than perpetuating “oppression porn.”

Session Description: Admission teams want to bring in the best and brightest students. Marketing teams want to promote the current programs. Parents want to know what their kids are up to each day. Students want to feel seen. Is it possible to please everyone? We think so. Join us to learn how a small team uses social media to merge marketing and admission goals to reach and engage a variety of constituent groups, all while staying true to the school’s mission and values. With real data from the past year, we’ll take a look at the ever-changing landscape of social media algorithms, discuss why it’s important (and ok!) to take risks, and highlight the power of storytelling across a variety of platforms. We will provide tangible examples of ways to tell and sell the story of your school, without feeling repetitive or sales-y. With the mission and values of your institution in mind, it's not only possible, but necessary to use social media to appeal to every audience.