Students launch digital media club

Students are establishing a creative outlet for those interested in exploring new media.

Jillian Hammel, a sophomore strategic communication and digital media major and club president, said the Digital Media Club will be a platform for students of any major interested in new media and how to use it as a strategic tool to further their own careers.

The club plans to educate students with the latest social media outlets, as well as encourage members to experiment with different types of media that they may not be familiar with, according to Hammel.

“Social media is constantly updating, which means we’ll have to keep up with our meetings and plan for what’s next,” Hammel said. “We plan on running differently than most (clubs). We’re allowing students to come up with their own topics they want to blog about, tweet about or what pictures they feel should be posted. We’ll have guidelines to make sure content is appropriate and relevant, but we want the students to have the chance to post what they think is important.”

Developing social media skills is important to the job market, according to Kimberly DeSimone, journalism and mass communication professor and club adviser.

“I have seen that while employers are looking to younger generations to guide them through social and digital media because they see the value of these platforms. Often students use them more for social communication than as strategic tools,” DeSimone said. “Part of the mission of the club is to give students pragmatic experience with strategically utilizing digital media. This will give them excellent skills, which are in high demand in the workforce.”

Hammel said she hopes the Digital Media Club will attract students from all fields.

“I see aspiring doctors, future lawyers and hopeful engineers experiment with social media on a daily basis,” Hammel said. “Even if you don’t have an online presence, you can start yours as soon as you join the club. We don’t believe social media targets a certain major nor age; it’s simply a fun and yes, even productive use of one’s time.”

Andrew Bevevino, a sophomore strategic communication and digital media major and the club’s blog director said he was excited for the club to start up.

“I do a lot of work in digital media so this is right up my ally,” Bevevino said. “It’s a great opportunity to expand my knowledge about the digital media world and to spread the passion that I have for it.”

DeSimone said the club will be based on completing creative projects in comparison to attending scheduled meetings.

“Our intent is to use digital media in interesting, fun, strategic and entertaining ways,” DeSimone said. “You’ll find us creating and sharing more often than meeting.”

Emily Doherty, a sophomore strategic communication and digital media major, said she’s interested in joining the club because it will offer a variety of creative outlets.

“It will be beneficial for my major to get involved with this club,” Doherty said. “I like that it will offer a variety of options for students to get involved and use their talents. It will also help prepare me for when I need to use different media in real-world experiences.”