Case Study Competition Texas Tech University Team Leader: Shawn Brackett Other Team Members: Lindsey Scherschligt and Keaton West

Middle College Social Media: Connecting our Community Teaching experts since 1862

Mission Statement “The mission of Middle College is to develop students for professional success, personal responsibility, and democratic citizenship in a diverse and dynamic global environment. Middle College is also dedicated to providing an integrated, multidisciplinary approach to critical thinking, passionate leadership, and business ethics, which will enable students to engage in an ever-changing society.”

Social Media The internet was initially established as “a platform to facilitate information exchange between users.” (Kaplan & Haenlein, 2009) Let’s keep it that way…  93% of young adults are online! Forms of Popular Social Media  Facebook  Twitter  YouTube  LinkedIn

Adding Value to the College  Does investing time, energy, and money into maintaining social media provide a return? Building Genuine Connections  Will increased virtual connections exacerbate concerns over the future of in-person connections? Trusting Students and Colleagues  Students, faculty, and staff are the core of the institution—their association can affect Middle College’s (MC) reputation Challenges

Opportunities Adding Value to the College  Engagement is not only necessary to the vibrant MC community—it is a chance to increase the institution’s profile, increase student and faculty interactions, and increase long-lasting alumni relationships Building Genuine Connections  Social media can allow global connections like the cultural bridge program Soliya; it can also open doors between the institution and its neighbors like the Mayor of Newark has done Trusting Students and Colleagues  Social media is an extension of the academic drive to create, to know, and to share—assume the best and teach for the unknown  Include social media with risk management training for faculty/staff and student organization registration

“If you’re not branding yourself, be assured that others are doing it for you.” (Anderson, 2011)  Brands are born of experience and reputation  A personal brand is a collection of the perception in the mind of a consumer (Humphrey, 2011)  Middle College can create the image and reputation it wants by simply being engaged in branding itself Online Branding Why let others influence the image of MC?

Online Branding Community Home-Facebook  Fan pages allow for current and former students to interact, share stories, and keep up to date on the latest news of MC  A monitor of the page can stimulate discussions, advertise events, and promote positive relations Twitter Dialogue  Monitors of an MC account can proactively respond to feedback given by students and provide support for concerns (Laverie et al., 2011)

73% of adults online have a Facebook profile Benefits of Social Media as Participatory Culture  Opportunities for peer-to-peer learning  Changed attitude toward intellectual property  Diversification of cultural expression  Development of skills valued in the modern workplace and a more empowered conception of citizenship Many students use Facebook EVERYDAY for social interaction… Why shouldn’t students be using it for EDUCATION as well? (Lenhart, Purcell, Smith, & Zickuhr, 2010, pg. 3) (Jenkins, Purshotma, Weigel, Clinton, and Robison, 2009, p. xii) In the Classroom

14% of adults have a LinkedIn account “Twitter connects businesses to customers in real time—and businesses use Twitter to quickly share information with people interested in their products and services, gather real-time market intelligence and feedback, and build relationships with customers, partners and influencers. From brand lift to CRM to direct sales, Twitter offers businesses an easy way to reach an engaged audience.” (Twitter, 2012) Business Sense

 The Matador Pledge is a prominent part of the social media home base for Middle College and incorporates campus identity, ethical decision-making, and appreciation for diversity.  Academic and student affairs units can choose to participate, giving flexibility to those areas to use the most effective means of social media. Proposed Website

Summary Social media can be used to create and implement a successful hybrid curriculum at Middle College to prepare students for future endeavors. Social media is necessary, but must be utilized safely, appropriately, and civilly. It is important to create a “brand” for Middle College, both online and physically, to help connect stakeholders to the institution. Following the mission of Middle College, it is the responsibility of the faculty and staff of Middle College to prepare students “to engage in an ever-changing society.” Social media can be utilized in the classroom and as a business tool. The use of the “Home Base” website will connect the Middle College community on an electronic basis.

References Andersen, K. (2011). Brand you: Intro to personal branding. [power point slides]. Retrieved from Jenkins, H., Purushotma, R., Weigel, M., Clinton, K., & Robison, A. J. (2009). Confronting the challenges of participatory culture: Media education for the 21 st century. Cumberland, RI: MIT Press Kaplan, A. M. & Haenlein, M. (2009). Users of this world, unite! The challenges and opportunities of social media. Business Horizons, 53(1). Retrieved from Laverie, D. A., Humphrey, W. F. Jr., Velikova, N., Dodd, T. H., Wilcox, J. B. (2011). Building wine brand communities with the use of social media: A conceptual model. 6 th AWBR International Conference. Bordeaux Management School, France. Lenhart A., Purcell K., Smith, A., & Zickuhr K., (2010) Social media and mobile internet use among teens and young adults. Pew Internet and American Life Project. (pg. 1-37). Retrieved from port_Final_with_toplines.pdf port_Final_with_toplines.pdf Twitter (2012). The fastest, simplest way to stay close to everything you care about. Retrieved from