North Florida College
Contributor
In its annual Student Sentiment Research™, Eduventures at Encoura reviewed the best social media communicators of the year and, according to high school students, North Florida College (NFC) is in the top three standouts. According to its website, Eduventures' annual Student Sentiment Research™ provides first-hand insights into student perceptions about institutional marketing and communication as well as students' inherent college search behaviors. This research is based on a national survey of college-bound high school seniors, juniors and sophomores. Invitations are distributed in the spring via email. Respondents are asked questions about their college search experiences, use of specific communication channels and reactions to institutional outreach. Within the survey, students provided open-ended comments offering what impressed them the most from a college's social media presence, which were categorized as: - Community and Inclusivity - Authenticity and Student Voice - Information and Transparency Rising to the top, NFC was one of three institutions that was frequently mentioned and more often praised for its social media presence than many others. Along with NFC, the two other institutions that made a lasting social media impression among high school students were the University of Miami and the University of California, Los Angeles. To press the point of distinction for NFC, Eduventures stated the following in its article, "Rising Stars in College Communication: The Power of Social Media in Student Search": "It's rare to see a two-year college praised for its communication, but North Florida College breaks this pattern…" "Our student workers are the reason NFC has received such praise," states Allison Finley, Director of the Office of Communications and Recruitment. "They provide the true voice, sentiment and authenticity of college life because they are living it in real-time. What a better way for high school students to relate to a college than by seeing it through the eyes of another student." Over the past three years, NFC's Office of Communications focused on the importance of student workers, where they are included in weekly department meetings, provide concepts for trending posts and establish a student-view consistent with NFC's strategic plan and brand. NFC student workers are content creators for three of NFC's social media channels: Facebook, Instagram and YouTube. "From the start of an idea to posting a finished product online and everything in between, our student workers are true professionals. They do it all. And, we couldn't be prouder of them for receiving such recognition," states Finley. According to the article, and as evident from their student survey, Eduventures states, "Clearly, North Florida College recognizes the importance of using student ambassadors in its content creation." Encoura provides custom technology solutions that combine Eduventures research, data science, strategic enrollment services and multichannel marketing to serve over 2,000 higher education institutions. For more information on Encoura or Eduventures, go to www.encoura.org/contact-us/. To read the Encoura article, visit encoura.org/resources/wake-up-call/rising-stars-in-college- communication-the-power-of-social-media-in-student-search/. NFC is a member of the Florida College System and is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges. NFC proudly serves the distinct educational needs of its six-county districts, including Hamilton, Jefferson, Lafayette, Madison, Suwannee and Taylor Counties and beyond. For more information on NFC, contact news@nfc.edu or call (850) 973-1613.