“They're kind of like our boots on the ground.”
That’s Mae Anderson, digital marketing specialist in Lehigh’s P.C. Rossin College of Engineering and Applied Science, describing Cecy Benitez ’26, Khadija Khan ’24, and their five colleagues who make up the college's student social media team.
Student-driven social media has been a part of the Rossin College’s marketing efforts for more than a decade, according to Chris Larkin, director of marketing and communications. Over the years, as the college-age audience has migrated to newer platforms like Instagram and TikTok, so has the team’s focus.
While the college regularly shares news about academics, research, and events on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook, the goal with these newer, multimedia-focused channels is to provide real-time snapshots of student life.
The content “sounds real, because it is real,” says Anderson. Sharing authentic experiences, such as “day in the life” videos, she says, provides prospective students with a more holistic view of what it’s like to be a Lehigh engineer.
For example, Benitez recently attended the 8th International Day of Women and Girls in Science Assembly at the United Nations in New York City and shared her experience of hearing various speakers and learning about recent scientific advances made by women via Instagram.
“Seeing the engagement with my posts helps me relate to other students,” she says. “Sometimes they answer my stories, or they make comments, and I think, Okay, we're all going through this—we're all in this together.”
Over on TikTok, one of Khan’s original videos depicting the heavy workload of an engineering major has accumulated more than 20,000 views (and still counting!). “It kind of blew up, which was fun,” she says. She felt the same way reading enthusiastic comments from current and prospective students. And when a large engineering Instagram account reposted her content, Khan saw the ability of her work to reach a broader audience.
While Anderson oversees the creative process and helps out when needed, the students themselves are responsible for representing Lehigh and portraying their experiences online.
“The students’ missions are to make the social platforms more organic, and make the content more realistic for students who are thinking about coming here,” Anderson says. “They provide a lot of cultural insight that I couldn't necessarily deliver because I'm not out there living it.”
Read on to hear more from Benitez and Khan about their experience on the Rossin College’s student media team.
Did you have social media marketing experience prior to joining the team?
Khadija Khan: I enjoy posting on my personal Instagram and thought it would be cool to help create the image of Lehigh’s engineering college.
Cecy Benitez: I used to run my own business back home, making chocolate-covered-strawberry bouquets, and I did all the promotion for that online. So, I already had a little bit of experience. I was interested because when I came to Lehigh, I didn't really see any campaigns online, and thought that it would be really cool to help create an image for prospective students.
Which platform are you most active on and why?
K. K.: TikTok, because it's very casual and fun. I can post random, relatable content to promote the school and tie in engineering. I feel like a prospective student might see a post of what students are doing or an event and then want to come here. We have the right audience for that on TikTok. Over the past semester, I’ve tried to do new, different things in my day-to-day life and post about it on TikTok for this position. Just to sort of show, “Oh, this is something you can do as an engineering student.” Or, “You can join this club.” Or, “This is what I do to de-stress.”
C. B.: I mostly do Instagram stories, which also appear on the college’s website. Posting on Instagram feels the most practical. I show my study habits, my study session, the setup—things like that. Ideas come to me throughout the day. Anything other students or incoming students might resonate with, I try to post, like a nice photo of campus. I don't really have a strategy: it just flows.
What can prospective students gain from following the team’s social content?
K. K.: They gain insight into the day-to-day life of a student here at Lehigh. It’s important to me to show them my life, because I feel like a lot of girls in high school think engineering is for guys, and I want to show, “Hey, you know, this is what an engineer can look like.” You can get dressed up and look nice, and enjoy pursuing your interests and the cool opportunities that come along with them. So motivating more women to be involved is a big deal for me.
C. B.: When I was researching colleges, I only saw websites and the very academic stuff, but I would have liked being able to see what the day to day of a student might be. It can be a support for people who maybe aren't sure about what university to pick. They might like our content, and think, “Okay, this looks like a nice day. This looks like something nice that I can do.” Or, they might think the opposite. “Maybe, this is not for me,” which could help guide their decision.
What has been the most rewarding or challenging part of your work on the social media team?
K. K.: I really like when people who want to go to Lehigh comment on posts. Then I know our content has reached the right people. I've had a bunch of comments saying, “I really want to go to Lehigh'' or, “I've applied to Lehigh. I hope I get in,” which is so fun. The most challenging thing is still thinking of what to post—I want to make it relatable and still have good quality posts.
C. B.: The most rewarding thing is when other people appreciate what I’m doing. After I posted a Day in the Life of an IBE Student, the Integrated Business and Engineering Council said they appreciated the feature, because it was the first time they had seen their program promoted specifically. I am so glad that I chose this job, because it's so creative and you get so much freedom. I can choose what trends to follow. Being able to post on the official page is a little bit of pressure, but it's also really fun.
—Kate Turkeltaub ’23 is a student writer for the P.C. Rossin College of Engineering and Applied Science
