Most students spend Mondays returning to the routine of classes or cramming in the homework they were supposed to have completed over the weekend.
For sophomore electronic media major, Andrew Sloboda, Mondays are spent creating content for 700 current and prospective students, alumni and parents on the university Snapchat.
“I always try to have fun with running the account,” Sloboda said. “I try to insert my personality as well as show that Waynesburg is fun with the events around campus.”
According to Joshua Beppler, integrated marketing coordinator the account was intended to provide an “intimate look” into Waynesburg University through the eyes of students.
Beppler created the account last fall because he saw it as an opportunity to communicate with students about events on campus, as well as reach alumni.
“We wanted a way to reach a variety of audiences in the most concise way possible,” Beppler said. “The appeal of Snapchat is that it appeals to prospective students and gives them a look into life at Waynesburg and what it is like as a student.”
The account was initially run by senior electronic media major Shon Meade, and students could volunteer to host the account for a week to offer a glimpse into their lives at Waynesburg. Soon after fellow senior Andrew Brunette, a youth ministry major, spent a week running the account, he was offered to continue to run it as a primary user alongside Meade.
The duties of a host, according to Brunette, include showcasing events on campus, posting interactive content as well as “bringing life to Waynesburg.”
“I want to bring life to campus in whatever way I can,” Brunette said. “That’s my number one priority. I want to see it thrive.”
Attending each event, as well as updating the account daily at a minimum was a large time commitment, according to Brunette.
“Quote about time management,” Brunette said.
According to Brunette, the combination of an overwhelming time commitment, as well as Meade and Burnette both being seniors, new people were added to host the Snapchat.
“We needed to look to expand because I understood it would be hard for them to maintain at the pace they were at,” Beppler said.
The team added five students to the Snapchat team, giving each host a day of the week to control the account. Sloboda, one of the new members, was “excited about the opportunity.”
“When [Brunette] first approached me with the idea, I said that it was awesome and that I would love to help,” Sloboda said. “I wasn’t expecting it.”
The selection process included Meade and Brunette compiling a list of “trustworthy options” that they believed would be a good fit for the job, which according to Brunette, meant finding “optimistic people who would be committed to it.”
From the list, candidates were interviewed by Beppler and then officially assigned their position after signing a contract outlining their duties and expectations.
Since the Snapchat is university-sponsored, it must be mission-compliant and highlight all of the events on campus.
“It’s exciting to be able to run the account, but you have to really think about what you want to post because it’s not just your face,” Sloboda said. “You’re showing off Waynesburg.”
The hosts of the account aren’t only held responsible for what they post, but are noticed around campus as “small-scale celebrities,” according to Sloboda.
“Whenever you have a medium like Snapchat, it’s almost like you’re in a position of influence,” Burnette said. “So, I want to use it to be encouraging to students. I want to be a light to everyone,” Brunette said. “The Snapchat gives me an outlet to be encouraging and build relationships as well as display life on campus.”