An Inside Look at USD’s Snapchat Account and the Students Who Create It
For most college students, Snapchat is akin to breathing—a natural occurrence that occurs daily. But for USD’s Snapchat interns, the social media phenomenon that allows you to create “stories” with images, video and text, has taken on new meaning: it’s now their part-time job.
Each week, Emily Laymon, Krista Pinyan, Lauren Zastrow and Chloe Martin each create a public Snapchat story for the university’s main account: usdofficial. The stories range from profiles of campus pets, announcements about events at the Career Development Center and series of photos that detail the best study spots. Each story requires creativity, planning and a sense of humor. After all, it’s not everyday that your job requires you to track down the cutest canines on campus.
Although they work behind-the-scenes, USD’s Snapchat interns are an integral part of the team. But more importantly, they’re talented social media mavens. You’ve probably viewed their stories, but here’s your chance to get to know them better.
Chloe Martin
Major: Psychology, First Year
Why: “I wanted to become more involved on campus and I love social media!”
Final Thoughts: “My goal is to create stories that highlight USD and not only encourage future students to check us out but to reestablish the love for USD from our current student”
Krista Pinyon
Major: Communications, Third Year
Why: “I think [Snapchat] is a really powerful platform, especially with the visual component. It’s the perfect way to communicate. We go here, we live a life here and I hope people can relate to [our stories].”
Final Thoughts: “I see Snapchat stories as a work of art. It’s a tiny glimpse into someone’s life or the inner workings of an organization.”
Emily Laymon
Major: Marketing, Second Year
Why: “I want the Snapchat account to create a greater sense of community within USD and promote positive vibes on campus.”
Final Thoughts: “Social media is going to be really important in the future of marketing. Being able to connect with your audience on multiple platforms and reach out to a variety of people is absolutely critical to all organizations.”
Lauren Zastrow
Major: Behavioral Neuroscience, First Year
Why: “I want to engage the viewers and make them feel excited about going to school here and being a Torero.”
Final Thoughts: “I’ve always enjoyed Snapchat because it’s creative. I can put my own stamp on my content with filters, drawings and text.”
To follow along on USD’s Snapchat adventures and see the creativity for yourself, add “usdofficial” on Snapchat! Stories are posted four times per week.
— Taylor Milam