Each semester, the Faculty of Communication, Art and Technology hires students to act as social media ambassadors for each of our three schools (Communication, Contemporary Arts, and Interactive Arts & Technology). These students get the opportunity to stretch their creative wings while collaborating to create engaging videos for their school’s social media channels like TikTok and Instagram. We caught up with a few of our newest ambassadors – Olivia Blackmore and Mehdi Jahani from the School Interactive Arts & Technology (SIAT) and Lezlie Zeng from the School of Communication (CMNS) – to find out more about their experiences creating social media content for FCAT!
FCAT: Please introduce yourself.
Leslie Zeng: My name is Leslie, and I am currently a fourth-year Communication major.
Mehdi Jahani: I am Mehdi Jahani, a master’s student in SIAT’s Data and Dialogue Lab. I will be studying how people make decisions in interaction with AI agents and data visualization.
Olivia Blackmore: Hi! My name is Olivia and I am a first-year SIAT student at SFU. I’m still exploring different career paths to figure out what I enjoy most, but right now, I’m leaning toward graphic design. I’ve always loved creating in a variety of mediums, so when I saw the opportunity to create videos for social media at SFU, I was really excited to apply!
FCAT: Why did you apply to be a Social Media Ambassador for your school?
LZ: I chose to apply for the Social Media Ambassador role because of its opportunity to bridge theory and practice. As a communications student, media frameworks and digital trends are foundational pillars of our study. Nonetheless, this role allows me to leverage this knowledge into action. Beyond just managing social media platforms, this role is an opportunity to help prepare for my future career aspirations by giving me the experience I need to understand audience engagement and media strategies.
MJ: I firmly believe in the power of narratives. Telling stories has always been an act of survival for human beings. That’s also my way of confronting new challenges. As an international student, I’m entering a new stage of my life where I’m going to live in a whole new world, I’m more eager than ever to tell the story of brilliant minds’ endeavors to nurture creativity and bring their ideas to life.
OB: I applied to become a social media ambassador mainly because I wanted to get involved with the SFU community outside of the classroom. It also seemed like a great opportunity to step out of my comfort zone, and the amount of creative freedom was enticing. Overall, it seemed like a fun role, and I wanted to push myself to try something new. I believe SIAT has so many amazing projects and students that don’t get noticed as much as they should, and this role allows me to show them all off!
FCAT: What has been your most memorable experience in the role so far?
LZ: Being able to express my creative freedom and working with other ambassadors!
MJ: So far, I’ve been enjoying the small talks I have with students around the campus while I’m trying to document their activities for our social media channels.
OB: My favourite moments so far have been when I get to actually film. I love running around campus, turning my ideas into real content. It’s such a fun process, especially when I have a friend helping me record and we get to play around with different shots and ideas. This process makes me look forward to editing the footage and seeing the final product come together!
FCAT: Do you have any advice for students interested in applying for the role in the future?
LZ: Showcase your best creative work!
MJ: This is what I suggest to anyone who’s trying to go after something new:
Do not go gentle into that good night,
Old age should burn and rave at close of day;
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.
OB: If you’re considering this role, just apply and see where it takes you! It’s been such a fun opportunity to be creative, experiment with video editing, and connect with students that I might have not interacted with otherwise. The role also gives you a chance to showcase parts of the school community and environment that matter to you while having fun brainstorming ideas and creating short-form videos for social media!
Are you a student who is interested in becoming an FCAT social media ambassador? Follow us on social media @fcatatsfu for announcements and updates!
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