We are officially starting a new academic year tomorrow at the University of Louisville. It is going to be great to see all of the students coming into the class from a busy and productive summer. It’s amazing to know it has been several months since I was in the physical classroom setting.
However, I felt that this summer was super productive. Busy – yes. Traveling all over the place – I was one with the airport for sure. Yet, I definitely learned a key and important lesson for students and professors to note this summer. I learned how to put “social” back in social media.
What do I mean by this? We meet a variety of people in various circles from school, professional, and social contexts. We know some of these individuals already, but then there are others where we get to meet virtually. This summer, I was able to meet several professionals and friends for the first time in person.
Here are some of the most memorable meetings I had this summer and how I put social back in social media:
- Melissa Agnes: Melissa and I had been corresponding for years! She came into my class virtually through Skype. We had a chance to meet up in person when I was in Montreal for the AEJMC Conference. We had a fabulous time! Melissa was an excellent host and it was wonderful to have her meet several of my friends who are professors as well.
- Dr. William Ward: If you look at leaders in the field of social media education, you would see Bill at the top of the list. I’ve been a fan of Bill’s for years and he’s been very generous with sharing ideas, insights, and introducing professors to Hootsuite University. I had a chance to meet Bill in Montreal as well – what a great professional and person! Really enjoyed the coffee chat we had at AEJMC.
- Rachel Miller: While I was in London, I had a chance to meet my friend and fellow social media professional Rachel for tea. What a great experience! Rachel and I along with my friend and research collaborator Sabrina were able to chat about research, teaching, and trends in PR. One of the best experiences I had this summer! Rachel is a leading thought leader and practitioner in the area of internal communications – make sure to check out her blog! Thanks again for a fabulous time in London, Rachel!
- Kirsten Bailey: Kirsten, along with the entire team at Hootsuite, is fabulous. Kirsten was part of a panel session I was presenting at in Montreal as well, and she was engaging and energetic sharing her knowledge with everyone at the conference. We had a chance to meet and chat over coffee along with fellow professor and friend Carolyn Mae Kim. What a dynamic conversation – this proved to me how brands like Hootsuite are the real deal as well as being at the forefront of social media education and innovation for the profession.
- Deirdre Breakenridge: Deirdre and I have not met face-to-face yet, but we are planning on doing so in the near future. However, we did meet virtually for the first time over Skype. I have always been a fan of Deirdre and her work, but after our conversation, all I have to say is WOW! She’s amazing and super fabulous! A leading force in both practice and education in PR.
- Matt Kushin: Matt is an amazing social media professor I met virtually through Twitter. He’s done amazing work with his social media classes and shares these great insights on his website and blog. We got to meet finally in person at the AEJMC Conference in Montreal as well – we didn’t realize we were tweeting during the same presentation and got a chance to meet up afterwords. Matt’s definitely a leader in social media education along with being a great friend.
I also would like to say meeting both Steve Waddington and Robert French were also highlights for me as well this summer – two amazing professionals in the PR business as well!
The point I would like to make is this – like what Ted Rubin has said all along – it’s all about the relationships we create and make online. What we need to consider with all of our contacts online is to see what we can do to try to meet these individuals in person. This was a key lesson I learned throughout this process and I hope to continue this in the future.
Hope you all are having a great day!
Best Wishes,
Karen
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