Last summer, Mount Holyoke College launched a social media series to engage its 40,000 alumni of all ages, encouraging them to share cherished memories, reflect on changes over time, and celebrate their lasting connection to the MHC community, while also showcasing to current and prospective students how close-knit the MHC alumni community is. The strategic goal was to bridge generational gaps by sharing alumni stories through video content—a medium favored by younger audiences but less commonly used by older alumni. The series began with a TikTok video of our annual Laurel Parade, a beloved tradition that marks the transition from student to graduate. This garnered 26,000 views from prospective and current students and alumni alike. We then shifted to Instagram, where the majority of our alumni audience is active. Over Reunion Weekend, interviews were conducted with alumni from various class years, some of whom were celebrating their 50th reunion, capturing stories of their time at MHC, for a six-video series. These videos facilitated meaningful engagement between younger and older audiences, achieving 4,324 total interactions—primarily comments from alumni asking for more of these videos and also sharing their own stories. Our Social Media Coordinator led the project, managing everything from outreach to content creation, with support from a student worker who produced the Laurel Parade TikTok. The series not only amplified alumni voices but also strengthened cross-generational connections, showcasing the enduring impact of the MHC community.
From the Judges
Excellent harnessing of existing resources to try something new and drive increased engagement of multiple audiences. Leveraging Reunion Weekend to gather candid testimonials was well done as was the thoughtful planning of how best to launch on social and then keep audiences engaged over time by switching platforms.
