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Lifelong Learning with a Network of Experts

The Master of Arts in Emerging Media program culminates in a capstone course during which students work closely with a subject matter expert. As part of each capstone project, students engage in original research on a subject relevant to new and emerging media or develop an applied project in which they demonstrate their proficiency using new and emerging media.
 
Alumni present their capstone project research and share insights about their time in the master’s degree program:

Alex Way, M.A. '24 - Huber in The Morning

For my capstone project I decided to do a combination of a social media audit and a social media strategy for the morning show on 100.7 The Bay. I audited two other morning shows in the Baltimore radio industry market and used that data to determine which morning show is the most successful overall on Facebook and Instagram. I used that data to determine the best possible social media strategy for the 100.7 The Bay morning show, Huber in The Morning. As the assistant producer for Huber In The Morning, my overall goal was to gain more listeners for the morning show utilizing social media. Additionally, turning Huber into an influencer both on air and on social media.

My capstone had a huge impact not only in my studies, but also in my career as well. I presented my findings to the station to shine light on the importance of utilizing social media for the radio industry. The most important thing I learned was to always be creative. Social media is always evolving – being creative in your approach can make or break your overall goal. I learned how to create engaging and entertaining content while also using strategic marketing tactics to grab the user’s attention. Being able to bring the on-air product onto the social media landscape in a way that spoke to our target demographic was very rewarding.  I loved every second of my capstone experience because I was able to apply what I was learning to the company I work for while also being a positive element within the online community.

My biggest advice for current Emerging Media students is to find something that you are passionate about and enjoy doing! Whether it’s for work or a personal project, if you are excited about it and if it brings you joy, you will learn so much more and it will encourage you to go that extra mile!

Mikayla Matthews, M.A. '23 – Enterprise Residential

As the marketing and communications coordinator for mid-Atlantic property management non-profit Enterprise Residential, one of my functions includes creating and regularly scheduling content for the organization’s Facebook page. The social media campaign I implemented over a five-week time period intended to incorporate Enterprise Residential’s values that directly reflect their philosophy of “residents first.”

The campaign-specific goals included the following: display Enterprise Residential’s associates and residents’ dedication to establishing strong and lasting relationships, provide adequate resources for community residents, and to inform job seekers of current organization openings. From establishing real-world goals, the campaign’s SMART goals were to increase engagement, brand awareness, and website traffic over the five-week time period.

Through testing content including community events and activities, communities with vacancies, employee testimonials, promotions, new hires, and local resources, a few key tactics utilized assisted with the achievement of goals. Posting during certain times during the day and engaging in partners’ and connections’ posts saw an increase in likes, follows, and shares of posted content. Highlighting the long-lasting relationships of the residents and the site/ corporate staff were also received positively by followers of the page.

As I still work for Enterprise Residential, I incorporate the practices that were most successful for me during the campaign. Regularly evaluating existing goals and establishing new goals in tandem with the leadership team’s suggestions has worked particularly well. Budgeting ahead for specific content to promote special initiatives or additional activities has impacted community vacancies and brought aboard a surplus of new associates.

When selecting your organization or topic for your project, make sure that it is something you’ll enjoy doing over the semester. As my project encompassed my daily work, it did not feel an additional or strenuous task to me – just another positive aspect of my capstone work. Most importantly – don’t expect perfection. You’ll run into portions of your project that many not yield the results initially planned and that is okay. Remember it can simply be utilized as a pillar for initiatives and work in the future.