I had the opportunity to present with #SAgrad superstar, Craig Bidiman, on how colleges and universities can leverage social media as a means of engaging their students. The following video comes from the 2015 NASPA conference and gives a broad overview of the philosophy, approaches, and mindset departments must take to go beyond seeing social... Continue Reading →
10 Questions To Think About Before Starting That PhD
Getting a PhD is not a decision to take lightly. Having been a full-time student for three and a half years now, I wanted to share some of the questions I think you need to ask yourself before you apply and begin in order to be set up for success. If you can successfully answer all of... Continue Reading →
Understanding Digital Student Development (Presentation at @NASPA_R1)
I have the pleasure of presenting at the NASPA Region I Annual conference today. The topic? How might we re-envision Student Development theory for the digital age. Below you will find an abbreviated version of my presentation. Some additional resources that might be of interest include: My past posts related to digital identity and identity... Continue Reading →
How Can We Send The World To College?
Martin Trow characterized higher education systems as being on a march from elite systems of higher education, educating just a few, towards mass and universal systems, educating the many. Massification is a phenomenon that has impacted higher education worldwide particularly since the 1960s. Today, these trends continue. By 2025, the total demand for a college... Continue Reading →
The Difference Between a College Student’s DIGITAL and ONLINE Identity (And Why We’re Getting it Wrong)
As you probably know at this point, my research involves college students and how they construct a sense of self in digital and social media spaces. In conducting this research, I've encountered the term "digital identity" frequently. I've used it, and some of my doctoral student colleague friends have written about it (including Paul Eaton, Josie Ahlquist, and Ed... Continue Reading →
3 Takeaways from Presenting Internationally on SATech/EdTech at American University in Dubai
I had the incredible privilege of presenting on technology and social media to the student affairs staff at American University in Dubai (AUD) last week. Presenting internationally comes with its own set of opportunities and challenges, particularly as it relates to talking about social media and technology. I wanted to share three takeaways I had in... Continue Reading →
YikYak: Promoting cultures of bullying and sexual violence on college campuses
YikYak is a new social app released earlier this year that is quickly becoming popular amongst high school and college students across the United States. Its goal is to serve as "a local bulletin board for your area." It uses geolocation on one's smartphone to allow one to post short statements that are broadcast and searchable... Continue Reading →
Social Media Triple Threat for the Class of 2014 Job Search [REBLOG]
A really great and useful piece by Josie Ahlquist on how to clean up your digital presence for a job search and then how to leverage it. Josie does some amazing research on college students and social media use. Her entire site is definitely worth a look.
LMU Graduation. Photo Credit: Anthony Garrison-Engbrecht
I write this post to the class of 2014 college graduates. Putting in four years to earn your undergraduate (or five…or six) I’m sure ready to go put that degree to work! You have the grades, the extracurriculars, internships, and even great references. But in todays fiercely competitive economy there is no guarantee that you’ll even get an interview.
Nope, many of those times I listed above are given. The leadership roles, high GPA, service projects, etc. Still nothing.
I have watched recent alumni take jobs at coffee shops after graduation, as I wonder if they can afford their student loan payments. Yes watch out, those payments kick in six months after walking across that stage.
Okay deep breaths, hope is not lost. You got this! Social media isn’t just for Instagramming your bling’d out graduation cap or staying in touch with your fellow…
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Digital Identity Is NOT About (A Separate) Identity At All
My research passion is about college students and how social media and technology impacts the developmental process. Unfortunately, I’ve found a lot of the discourse in student affairs around this subject to be lacking. When you attend a conference session or read a thought piece centered around this topic, they often focus on marketing, technological tools, and... Continue Reading →
University in the New Millennium: Threats, Opportunities and Change
I’m excited to be presenting on one of my research passions at the 2014 national conventions of both ACPA-College Student Educators International and NASPA-Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education. My session on the future of higher education (see below) is something I’ve presented on before, but I’ve been able to update this presentation with about... Continue Reading →
The Social Media Mindset (Hint: ‘Yer Doin’ It Wrong)
Last week I had the privilege of being invited to speak to the amazing staff at Johnson & Wales University in Denver and also do a five-hour consultation on their social media efforts. I have done a number of social media consults for departments, and other campus entities, and one of the questions that always... Continue Reading →