Thanks to FIU’s innovative social media student ambassador program, the university has become a leader in yet another area: student-produced social media content and strategy.
The FIU Creators program, as it’s commonly called, has quickly become a coveted student experience. FIU’s own social media team — housed within the Division of Strategic Communications, Government and External Affairs — selects promising student content creators, provides them with professional development opportunities as well as presentations led by local influencers (such as Mr. Eats 305 and PrissyMaae), and teaches the students the ins and outs of FIU’s social media strategy.
For their part, the student creators get to show off their social media chops and apply what they’re learning by creating content that reflects their lives and experiences at FIU.
“It’s actual students showing what the actual college experience at FIU is like,” says Maria Rives, assistant director of social media at FIU. “That’s what prospective students want to see when they look at our social media sites. They want to know, ‘Do I see myself in anyone at FIU?’ The creators represent diverse majors, interests and cultures. Prospective students can see themselves in the creators and they can see what it’s like to be a Panther.”
The student’s content is so effective that Rives has received phone calls from social media departments at other universities interested in learning how the FIU Creators program works, as they consider establishing similar programs at their universities.
Creator Sofia Vargas Palacios, a public relations and marketing major, shares a
glimpse of her FIU day in this Instagram post.
Rives says part of the success of the FIU program lies in keeping students at the center of its goals. The program not only provides the university with unique, student-created content, she says, but offers the content creators themselves unique opportunities to gain hands-on experiences, make connections and build their digital communications skills.
“This is important because content creation is a massive industry,” Rives explains. “We’re equipping students to create content for a brand and giving them a look into what that industry could be like. Some students want to become influencers or brand ambassadors. Others just like creating great content. No matter what you’re studying or what your goal is, you need to know how to brand yourself. That’s part of what we teach the creators.”
Students from all across the university are eager to sign up. This year’s cohort of 30 creators represent a variety of majors, including electrical engineering, international business, natural and applied sciences, elementary education, hospitality, digital communications and more.
The one thing they all have in common? Their love for FIU. These students are so proud to be Panthers, that they take to social media to proclaim it.
Meet three of 30 students in this year’s cohort and learn about their journey as content creators.
