CollegeAtlas.org, an online encyclopedia on national universities, announced AU as the seventh most influential college on Twitter on May 28. AU is among Harvard University, Princeton University and Yale University on the top 10 list.
“To be in the same company as Harvard, Yale and Princeton is a testament to the reach of American University’s social media influence,” AU Social Media Club faculty advisor Stef Woods said in an email.
The ranking was based on AU’s main Twitter account’s number of followers and activity, according to College Altas’ methodology report.
Teresa Flannery, AU vice president of Communication, sees the ranking as a way for the University to distinguish itself as a modern institution.
“It reflects both our savvy, connected community and the intentional integration of social media channels as part of AU’s overall strategic communication,” Flannery said in an email.
Flannery also attributes the success of AU’s Social Media Club as contributor to the College Atlas ranking. The club hosts the Social Learning Summit, a conference that focuses on social media, each year.
“I think AUSMC has contributed partially to this because we strive to foster a community of social media in and outside the classroom through our events, especially our annual conference the Social Learning Summit,” AUSMC President Katie Castellano said in an email. “It’s awesome to see that AU is being recognized for that.”
Faculty advisor Stef Woods recounted seeing the club’s impact on social media when she served as a panelist in 2011.
“Having served as a panelist at the first Social Learning Summit, I remember when the hashtag for the conference became the top trending topic on Twitter for the Washington, D.C. area,” Woods said.
Woods notes that AU’s early 2009 adoption of a Twitter account helped place the University on the top 10 list as well as the online involvement of different schools.
“From the School of Communication to its online class offerings to the student-run SMC and PRSSA [Public Relations Student Society of America], AU has positioned itself as an academic leader in digital media adoption and education,” Woods said.
jsmith@theeagleonline.com
