Adobe has been a staple and institution for higher education programs, universities, and classes. I remember my first experiences with Adobe back in the day at Florida as an undergrad. I have always been a fan of their software and programs since they allowed users to be able to harness their creativity and make some amazing pieces of work.
So, fast forward a few years later – I have had some discussions with Adobe on and off over the years about some of their products and what could be used for my classes. This was also around the same time I was becoming more active and engaged in the sports and social media sphere, which led me to forming some great connections with the leading pros at Clemson.
I have to thank Jonathan Gantt and Jeff Kallin of Clemson for introducing me to Adobe Slate (now part of the Adobe Spark apps and now is Adobe Spark Page) late last year during the football season. I used it for the first time as part of an assignment for my social media class and the students LOVED the tool!
As the months gone on by and the more professionals I have talked to, the more engaged and motivated I was to be part of this conversation.
So, how did I get invited to be part of the Adobe Creative Campus Collaboration event? I was invited to attend and I immediately put this event on my calendar and made sure I was ready to go to the Lehi campus (which was pretty amazing!)
The event was a day and a half long, but the knowledge, insights, and community that came about from this event was one for the books. I thoroughly enjoyed my time in Lehi and with the Adobe team. There were a lot of takeaways from my time at Adobe and being at the Creative Campus Collaboration event.
- The bridge between practice and academia is STILL a work in progress. This is nothing new since this has been a focus I have been working on in my own research and classroom, but it was very interesting to see the different perspectives on the different challenges. Some at the event said programs are focusing too much on vocational skills or “the new tools” while others said there is a growing need for conversation and collaboration between both parties.
- Presentations were all done by higher education professionals. While this was an Adobe event and was held at the Lehi office, all of the presentations were done by professionals across the country (and some international higher education professionals as well!) There were at least ten presentations and over 55 higher education professionals in attendance. We also had a chance to meet with some of the great professionals at Adobe at the networking and dinner events.
- Digital literacy AND fluency is more important than ever. We heard a lot about the emphasis of digital literacy, but fluency is in another category. Jan Holmerik (Clemson) discussed also in his presentation how the need to “fail fast” is becoming something students and professors have to take into consideration when it comes to exploring these new tools and trends.
- Adobe wants to become a partner and work with professors. Adobe has always been part of higher education, but they are approaching this in a new way. Collaborative partnerships, presentation sessions, and invited talks across the scope of higher education are just some of the ways we are seeing this come together for Adobe. I was impressed (and pleased) to see this event and the conversations that sparked from this.
- We are in an experience era, so we have to make sure our classrooms are as well. I was definitely inspired by the presentations and the emphasis on how we need to make sure we are communicating and teaching our core principles and knowledge in our field, but we also want to make sure we are giving our students the opportunity to apply and practice these tools and ideas. Hands on application has always been a huge emphasis in my work and classes – and I think with some of the features and tools offered (both in the Creative Cloud, Marketing Cloud, and apps), there are numerous opportunities to explore.
- Biggest challenge? Professor buy-in to new tools. This was something that was mentioned several times at the event – and I was a bit surprised about it. The attendees and presenters came from all avenues of academia and higher education from professors, directors of programs, and administration. I think – if I look at the #PRprofs community in particular – this is not the case. Yes, you will always have professors who may or may not want to incorporate new tools into the classroom, but there are not that many who are doing this today. I know a TON of professors in the PR community as an example who are testing, experimenting, and exploring new ways to help prepare their students for the workplace. I did notice at the event that 1) I was one of the youngest people in attendance and 2) I was one of the few assistant professors in attendance.
- Building new partnerships and collaborations. This is what impressed me about Adobe is the fact as a company, they are willing to expand and collaborate in new ways with higher education professionals and universities. Case in point – the new partnership East Tennessee State University has with Adobe. I had a chance to meet Stephen Marshall in person just a few months ago at the BEA conference where we were on a panel together. What Stephen is doing for ETSU is PHENOMENAL!
They are the first official academic partner to design their curriculum with the Adobe Marketing Cloud. What a truly exceptional and amazing opportunity for their students and department. For those of you who are not connected to Stephen, make sure to reach out to him! He’s one of the best in the business and has been very helpful to me.
Overall, I had a marvelous time at Adobe. I was super impressed with the emphasis they had in regards to the need higher education professionals have when it comes to the growing expectations from the workplace.
Let me know if you have any additional questions about this event and I’d be more than happy to chat with you about it! Have a great day!
Best Wishes,
