Approximately 63-68% of U.S. teens ages 13 to 17 use TikTok, according to recent data from the Pew Research Center. But Adelphi University lacked a strong TikTok strategy. TikTok was largely treated as another hosting platform, like YouTube. The board of trustees first recognized the missed opportunity of using the platform to meet young people, and prospective students, on their own grounds. Suddenly, creating TikToks became a board priority. The board tasked the Office of University Communications and Marketing with a specific mission: Produce TikTok content focused on recruitment and retention. Taking a hands-on approach, Board Chair Michael A. L. Balboni ’81, JD, agreed to a refreshingly simple concept: unscripted, unrehearsed conversations with students over coffee. With near zero production costs and maximum authenticity, the series “Coffee With the Chair From a Chair” was born. The first video featured Chair Balboni chatting at the campus Starbucks with Adelphi swim team MVP Emily Munayirji, a business and political science double major. That first post had more than 2,500 views, making it one of Adelphi’s top viewed TikToks. The second, with finance major Jerry Iavarone, has amassed more than 9,000 views. This is the highest TikTok engagement the university has achieved. Three more interviews are in production, and Adelphi hopes to continue the upward trend.
From the Judges
The concept behind this campaign was great for student engagement and we were impressed by what they accomplished without adding any extra resources and by getting their board chair to participate.
