By now, we all know that Richmond likes the ol' Tweet box. An increasingly connected region, social media RVA-style runs the gamut from taco truck chatter to late night shenanigans. Listen closely, however, and you'll find an increasing emphasis on levering social media for the greater good.
Gordon: "Our goal is to improve the quality of social media education being
offered in post-secondary schools to ensure new workforce entrants
have the knowledge and skills required to secure better employment opportunities."
In a town brimming with causes that now boast a social media slant, there's no better example of techies doing it right than the local chapter of Social Media Club Education Connection, known as SMCRVA-EDU.
"SMCRVA-EDU means collaborating and sharing your knowledge of social media. Both online and offline," explains Nhat Pham (@NhatPham), a local social media evangelist and active contributor to the local chapter. "This is why we get together for incredible events and topics. Notable authors, students, professors and professionals have been panel guests to share successes and best practices."
Brittany Gordon (@begordon), a co-founder of SMCRVA-EDU, explains, "Our goal is to improve the quality of social media education being offered in post-secondary schools to ensure new workforce entrants have the knowledge and skills required to secure better employment opportunities."
Gordon reports that the growing organization will be using this summer to reach out to professors and students at universities and colleges throughout Virginia to encourage the creation of a Social Media Club Education Connection on their campuses. "We feel strongly that campus clubs, under the umbrella of SMCEDU-RVA, will provide a strong voice and help reach our goals more efficiently." Beginning in August, SMCEDU-RVA will host conventions throughout the year that will allow campus clubs to showcase their own social media projects, as well as provide an opportunity for interactive workshops and panelist discussions.
Kendall Morris, one of the founding members of SMCRVA-EDU and a partner at the Emerging Media Practice Group at Fahrenheit Technology, points to a personal favorite as evidence of the club's steady growth. In conjunction with Virginia Commonwealth University, the chapter plans to collaborate with the school's exchange student program to link 25 students from Iraq with 25 local students.
"The students will be tasked with creating a social media campaign for a local non-profit," explains Morris. SMCRVA-EDU will work closely with the students, nonprofits, and businesses, reports Morris. SMCEDU events will also see the student teams presenting their innovative social media campaigns with the audience voting on the winners.
"Our slogan says it best," concludes Nhat Pham, "If you get it, share it."
