Today – more than ever before – we are being bombarded with messages.
Not that many years ago, there were only a handful of TV stations from which to choose. Now, there are literally hundreds of stations as well as video services such as Netflix and Amazon.
At work, many of us receive an onslaught of email each day and have to navigate our way through them.
When you add in the Internet, cell phones, iPads and tablets, it’s easy to see how we can go into information overload.
But, like it or not, this is the world we live in today. People want to know what is happening. They want information, and they want it now.
In the College of Medicine, we recognize the importance of keeping our employees informed. We understand the value of being transparent and open in our communications.
Recently, the college made the decision to venture into the world of social media. We established a Facebook page and a Twitter account.
It needed to be done. As the largest college at UNMC, it is essential for us to have a social media presence. Some of our 22 departments are already dabbling in social media and using it very effectively.
Several key administrators and faculty members, including Chancellor Gold, Drs. Howard Liu, Sasha Shillcutt and Kelly Cawcutt, are using Twitter to connect with other professionals and spread the word about the exciting things happening at our medical center.
The Pew Research Center estimates that 69 percent of the public uses some type of social media. It’s being used by all age groups and ethnicities, by high school grads and college grads, by people living in urban, suburban or rural communities.
The UNMC Public Relations Department is administering social media for the College of Medicine. Abby Meyer, web content/social media specialist, is our liaison. She can be reached at 402-559-9149, abby.meyer@unmc.edu.
Here are the links to our Facebook and Twitter accounts. I encourage you to check them out and become a follower. I think you’ll be impressed. You’ll see some of the latest TV coverage involving the College of Medicine, updates on a variety of campus events, and a fascinating Humans of UNMC profile on third-year medical student Sebastian Lane.
To make social media work most effectively for the College of Medicine, we need everyone’s help. If you have something happening in your department that you want to share with the entire college, send it to Abby. All she needs is a little background information, and she can quickly repurpose it on social media.
If you’re a novice at social media, there are periodic workshops on campus that can help you get started. In addition, here are some helpful tips from UNMC experts on how to maximize your social media skills. I think you’ll find them to be quite beneficial.
As always, thanks for all you do to make our college the best that it can be.