VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY SOCIAL MEDIA
One of the most exciting aspects about managing social media efforts for a university’s flagship accounts is having a front row seat to the full scope of projects, campaigns and initiatives happening across the institution. The range of content that I help plan, create and share on social media for the Vanderbilt brand is incredibly diverse and ever-evolving. From groundbreaking research and institutional news, to pop culture moments, influencer collaborations and strategic campaigns, there is never a shortage of compelling stories to tell through a social lens. Take a closer look at the goals, execution and results of just a few campaigns below, including my involvement and contributions to each.
COMMENCEMENT
GOAL:
Celebrate one of the biggest events of the year through unique social media tactics leading up to, during and after the ceremony.
EXECUTION:
Regularly converse with teams across the division of marketing and communications to gather insights that help shape a cohesive social media strategy to maximize the impact of the celebration.
Share several types of content in the lead up to the event, including impactful photos and videos of graduating students, engaging graphics, user-generated content (UGC), etc.
Provide live social media coverage during the event that leverages clever copywriting, heartwarming photos and videos of the celebration, spontaneous moments, etc.
Extend the life of Commencement and build nostalgia by continuing to share content during the week after the ceremony.
RESULTS:
Content from Vanderbilt’s 2024 Commencement sparked a record-breaking 294,000+ engagements and 3,500,000+ video views — the highest level of interactions ever for Commencement coverage on the university’s social media channels.
During the 2024 Commencement campaign, I served as content lead for the university’s social media commencement plan across the institutional, alumni and chancellor channels. In this role, I developed the content plan and ensured that it was executed before, during and after the event.
HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE
GOAL:
Promote Vanderbilt’s annual Holiday Gift Guide through an omnichannel marketing strategy. Specifically on social media, utilize high-quality photos and videos, influencer partnerships and paid boosting to reach various Vanderbilt audiences and help increase conversions.
EXECUTION:
Collaborate with the marketing team and the visual media team to produce polished social media assets for the campaign.
Reach out and send merchandise to content creators and influencers within the Vanderbilt community.
Partner with two influencers to execute TikTok Spark Ads, a native ad format that allows brands to leverage organic posts made by other creators (with their authorization) for advertising.
Boost organic posts on social channels to extend the reach of Holiday Gift Guide to targeted audiences.
RESULTS:
The 2024 Holiday Gift Guide generated a total of 3,500+ engagements and 145,300+ video views across Vanderbilt’s social media platforms and two influencer social media accounts.
During the 2024 Holiday Gift Guide campaign, I spearheaded all social media efforts, including caption copywriting, scheduling posts and paid boosting of content. I also led influencer strategy by working directly with Vanderbilt students Mia and Ava, and building the TikTok Spark Ads that harnessed their content to promote the campaign. This marked the first time Vanderbilt implemented TikTok Spark Ads into a social media campaign, resulting in 500+ engagements and 105,000+ video views from just these two ads alone.
DAY WITH A DORE
GOAL:
Showcase the campus community through a social media series that allows students to share their voices and perspectives in a “day in the life” video. Highlight the unique aspects that contribute to Vanderbilt’s vibrant culture and reputation as a top university in the vlog-style videos.
EXECUTION:
Empower students to participate in the series by promoting it on @VanderbiltU’s Instagram Story with a link to an interest form.
Meet with students who have filled out the interest form and provide guidance on content creation best practices to aid them in capturing footage of their day.
After receiving footage from students, produce the vlogs while following both ADA social media guidelines and university brand standards.
RESULTS:
Since the launch of the series, 55 videos have been shared on @VanderbiltU and other Vanderbilt social media platforms, resulting in 27,900+ engagements and 984,800+ video views as of April 2025.
In this video featuring Luke, I connected with him to explain more about the series and align on expectations. After receiving Luke’s footage, I edited the vlog to highlight his experience using a wheelchair to navigate campus. In addition to showcasing Mobility Rides, Luke’s vlog also highlights Immersion Vanderbilt.