Story by Emily Sadecki
These days social media is used for practically everything from posting funny pictures of pets to promoting philanthropies and events. The Drake University admissions office is no exception and is harnessing the power of social media to connect with potential students as well as link them to other admitted students.
Evan Favreau, an admissions counselor and a digital media specialist, works with social media specifically for the admissions office, which includes multiple Facebook pages and a Twitter account.
The most activity is on the admitted students page, he said. There students can ask questions and talk to other students that have also been admitted for that year. They have gotten a lot of positive feedback from students talking to their counselors as the resource has developed.
“The whole point of it is to have a venue for admitted students who know they are coming to Drake or think they are coming to Drake to chat with each other, learn more and ask questions if they have them,” Favreau said.
Monika Makowiecki is a first-year student that found her current roommate using the class of 2016 admissions Facebook page.
“I think a Facebook page is beneficial in that it makes people feel a greater sense of community,” said Makowiecki. “I think it also makes people feel more comfortable coming to school because they have interacted with people already.”
Aside from the admitted students pages, the admissions office has a separate Facebook page. Posted on the profile are a variety of outlets to promote Drake and provide information for those students in the process of searching for a college.
From the various resources that the page provides, admitted students are able to begin to imagine what their life at Drake may hold.
There are photos of everything from relays to Des Moines happenings to cute pictures of Spike and Porterhouse, contact information, statuses about opportunities that students have taken advantage of, pictures of the first-year residents’ halls and reminders about different deadlines. The focus is very student oriented and encourages students to seek help if needed.
Shantell Heins is in the process of making her college decision and was recently admitted to Drake. In her search, she has found that Drake has had the most active social media presence comparative to other schools.
The admissions office has also dabbled in other outlets of social media, such as a YouTube channel, Instagram and Pinterest according to Favreau. Through social media, they are able to reach out to students in a way that is familiar to them in the craziness that can sometimes come with the college search.
Favreau sees social media remaining an active presence in the Drake admission process for years to come.
