“Students have a lot of influence on what works and what doesn’t work when it comes to social media at Houghton,” said Amy Tetta, Development and Communication Specialist. “Current students bring a certain aspect to social media at Houghton that I can’t provide. When students go on fieldtrips or have class experiences that I am not able to see, take a photo, and then upload it to Instagram, it gives prospective students a way to see what life is really like at Houghton.”
With the multiple social media outlets that Houghton College has, such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and a Pinterest page, alumni, students, faculty, and prospective students are able to connect with each other from all over the world. Tetta said, “Social media is allowing students to have a voice in the community. I am always looking for fun photos that we can put on our Facebook page or Instagram of a student’s perspective on dorm life, the dining hall, and just everyday life at Houghton.” Senior social media intern, Meagan Hummel, said, “Technology is becoming more and more prevalent in society. Prospective and current students use social media all of the time.”
While social media allows for current students and alumni to stay up-to-date on upcoming events that are happening on campus, social media plays a role in drawing prospective students to Houghton. As an intern, Hummel manages the Instagram page and said, “it is more than just showing them [prospective students] the nature and what Houghton looks like, it is showing them what it is like to be a student. Things like SPOT, Chapel, concerts, art gallery openings, sporting events that make Houghton more appealing”. Felicia Rynzowski, a first-year student, said that as a prospective student, she noticed many of these student events held on campus through Facebook. “I like that Houghton posted things that students were involved in,” said Rynzowski. Alanna Paris, also a first-year student, added that prospective students can see what it is like to be a student on campus. In addition to the main Houghton Facebook page, other Houghton Facebook pages exist to connect accepted students and alumni from different graduating classes.
Social media, specifically Instagram, which is run primarily by Tetta’s social media interns, allows prospective students to see what life is like at Houghton from the eyes of a current student. “It wasn’t long ago that I was a prospective student. I have a pretty good idea what students like to see and how they use social media so I am able to use my insight to help Amy,” said Hummel.
Along with all of the helpful uses that social media plays in the Houghton community, there are ways that some posts or pictures can sometimes be taken in a negative way. “I always try to put myself in the place of a prospective student, current student, alumni, and faculty member to see if the post can be taken in a negative way,” said Tetta. Because social media allows individuals to post whatever he or she would like to, “it can start great dialogue, but it can also start negative dialogue. That is when it needs to be closely monitored,” said Hummel. Additionally, Tetta mentioned that social media is meant to be a conversation with people that might have different backgrounds and experiences than someone else might have. “It’s hard to sit back and watch an argument take place online. But Houghton is filled with a kind group of people that can sort out issues,” said Tetta.
Social media plays a role in every student’s life here at Houghton College. One of the ways that it influenced student’s lives was last April during the One Day Giving Challenge. Social media was used throughout a majority of the day and made the giving challenge a success. The funds raised from that day were used to help current and prospective students with the scholarships and grants that they received this year.
By tagging Houghton College or using the hash tag “#houghtoncollege” you may possibly have your Facebook posts, tweets, or Instagrams reposted by Houghton College. “The students are our biggest asset,” said Tetta, “They make Houghton what it is.”