Nov. 12, 2020

UF CJC Online students excel in and out of the classroom. We spoke with two of our students, Alyssa Varas, a Global Strategic Communication student from Miami, FL, and Ja’kari Clayton, a Public Interest Communication student from Naples, FL, about their experiences within our Master of Arts in Mass Communication Program, accomplishments so far, career goals and advice for prospective students.

Alyssa Varas

Alyssa graduated from the University of Florida with a bachelor’s degree in public relations in August 2020. When she entered UF for her undergraduate degree, she started as an agricultural major in the College of Agriculture and Life Science. After one semester of STEM courses, she switched her major, first to journalism, then to public relations, where she found like-minded peers who were equally excited about communications.

“I really liked being a part of a community in the J-School because there’s so many supportive, not only faculty and staff but also students that helped us all grow in our communication skills,” Alyssa said.

Her decision to pursue a graduate degree with UF CJC Online began during her time as an undergraduate student when she discovered our Combination Degree program that allowed her to receive her master’s in only a few years. 

“I began my sophomore year in the Digital Strategy specialization after attending PRSSA’s International Conference where we heard a lot from former government leaders and people working in the public affairs arena,” Alyssa said.

Now, Alyssa works as a graduate student assistant for UF CJC Online where she helps our admissions team answer emails about our program and the application process while she works towards her degree. 

During her time at UF, her proudest moment was receiving the 2020 PRSA Foundation Chester Berger Scholarship for Excellence in Public Relations.

“I couldn’t have done it without the guidance and support of a few of my graduate professors who wrote me letters, and one of them actually was one of the PRSA members who founded that scholarship, and he’s now working in the college in the Global Strategic Communication program,” she said. 

In the future, she hopes to find a career in the public affairs or political arena or in corporate communications in a multinational organization in her home city.

“If someone was on the fence about pursuing a master’s degree with the UF CJC Online program, I would say to them that the master’s program is filled with professors and resources that provide even more value than you thought in your undergraduate career and that will allow you to grow in this profession,” she said.

Ja’kari Clayton

Ja’kari graduated from Florida International University in 2016 where he majored in Liberal Arts. His journey to become a Gator within our program started after not having a firm grasp on what he wanted to do after graduating from FIU. Ja’kari decided to dedicate himself to a year of service, so he enrolled in City Year and moved to Orlando. There, he was tasked with helping middle school students academically, economically, personally and socially. 

“After a year of doing that, I still didn’t know what I wanted to do,” Ja’kari said. “So, I ended up working at the Boys and Girls Club of Orlando for another year as an after school counselor, and during that time, I really started to understand what it was that I thought was my purpose in the word and what type of impact I wanted to have.”

After deciding to pursue communications because of his love for writing and the power of words, he applied to UF for graduate school. The Public Interest Communication specialization started during his second year, and with input from his advisors, he realized the specialization aligned with his long-term goals.

“I was like, ‘This really taps into what I want to do, which is create sustainable change through resources in these lower socioeconomic communities,’” he said.

During his time in graduate school, his greatest accomplishment is being in the program in general. UF was the only school he applied to, and he’s the only one in his family to think about getting a higher education degree.

“Just the fact that I made it to this point,” Ja’kari said. “I mean, everything else kind of pales in comparison to that.”

As a student, he now works as a research assistant at the Center for Public Interest Communications, and he is most excited about completing his capstone project on a topic that greatly interests him for one of his current classes and seeing it all come together. After graduating from our program this year, his first goal is to join a local nonprofit that’s tasked with helping a specific demographic with a certain issue and then fully understanding what it is that those people need and want.

“Once I think I had that experience, I would like to go maybe the federal or state route and create initiatives and policies that can help specific people,” he said. “I feel like a lot of politicians, a lot of stakeholders and just a lot of people in power, they want to create all these guidelines, plans and goals, but they don’t really understand the communities that they’re trying to help.”

For those who may be considering our program, Ja’kari notes the importance of reminding yourself that you deserve everything you’re trying to accomplish. Also, even if you hit bumps in the road, never forget why you’re pursuing your degree.

“Sometimes, I think UF can become a little bit overwhelming, and sometimes you may want to crawl back to the familiar, but that’s not going to help you, and that’s not going to help the people that you intend to help,” Ja’kari said. “The second piece of advice I would offer is to make sure you have a support system. You have to surround yourself with a community because that’s the only way we can truly grow and accomplish what it is that we’re supposed to accomplish.”

If you’d like to learn more about pursuing a degree with UF CJC Online, please visit our website at https://onlinemasters.jou.ufl.edu/ and follow us on social @UFCJConline

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July 15, 2020

Alumni of UF CJC Online’s Master of Art in Mass Communication with a specialization in Web Design and Online Communication have taken what they’ve learned and the experiences they’ve had during their time as online graduate students into their varied careers in communications. 

Aliyah Northington

Aliyah Northington, a self-proclaimed military brat who grew up in Okinawa, Japan, and currently lives in Madison, Alabama, received her undergraduate degree from the University of North Alabama. She then graduated from UF CJC Online in 2019 with a specialization in Web Design and Online Communication. 

“I chose to attend UF because it was the only program that seemed perfect for me,” Aliyah said.

Aliyah currently works as a government contractor for SAIC at the Army Game Studio on Redstone Arsenal.

During her time as a Gator, her proudest achievement was being able to manage a full course load to graduate in two years while working as a full-time contractor at NASA. Additionally, she was able to graduate with a 4.0 GPA. 

Her favorite thing about UF? The people she met. One of Aliyah’s current colleagues teaches for and graduated from the program. She also made life-long friends, some of which she still talks to on a weekly basis. 

“My experience in the program got me my first developer job as a Javascript web developer. Without the program, there’s no way I would’ve gotten this job with my bachelor’s because I didn’t learn all the necessary skills that I now have,” she said. “Overall, UF gave me more than just my fantastic degree. It gave me my Gator family.” 

Leanna Lash

Leanna Lash grew up in Tampa, Florida, and completed her undergraduate degree at UF. She then became a double Gator by continuing her education with UF CJC Online. She received a certificate in the program in 2018 and loved it so much that she came back to complete her master’s in Web Design and Online Communication. 

“One of my highlights during my time in the UF CJC Online program was the faculty. They truly care about their students and go above and beyond to make them experts in the field,” Leanna said. “They truly care about students achieving their goals and setting them up with the tools to get there.”

Currently, Leanna works for Bayside Community Church as their director of graphic design and multimedia. In this position, she’s in charge of creating their graphics, creating/editing videos, taking photos, creating campaigns, managing the brand and maintaining the website. She commends her online education for preparing her for her current role. 

“My favorite class was Digital Imagery in Web Design because it honed my Photoshop skill and taught me how to make a digital campaign,” she said. “Both of those skills I use at my job every day!”

Courtney Hancock

Courtney Hancock grew up close to UF’s campus in Ocala, Florida. She received her undergraduate degree from UF, and like Leanna, she continued her education with the university and graduated from UF CJC Online in 2019, specializing in Web Design and Online Communication.

“I chose to attend UF because it was my dream school,” Courtney said. “After completing my bachelor’s degree at UF, I knew I didn’t want to get a second degree anywhere else. Being a double gator is an amazing honor!”

One of Courtney’s proudest accomplishments while completing her degree was, surprisingly, in one of the first classes she took in the program. 

“We were learning InDesign, and I made a cookbook with all of my mom’s old recipes,” she said. “It was the first time I saw how I could apply what we were learning to the real world.”

She is also proud that the website she coded and the logo and branding she revamped was selected by a real client and is still being used today.

Currently, in true Gator fashion, Courtney is a web developer at the University of Florida Office of Professional and Workplace Development. She can’t imagine her professional life without the skills she learned in the program and the network she was able to grow.

“I use UI/UX design, research, coding, copywriting and project management every day as a Web Developer for UF,” Courtney said. “The Adobe Suite skills I learned throughout the program not only guide my web design, but also other graphic design pieces for my office.”

Overall, her favorite thing about UF is the sense of family you feel as part of the Gator Nation no matter where you are.

“Gators are everywhere and I am proud to be a part of it!” she said.

If you’d like to learn more about pursuing a degree with UF CJC Online, please visit our website at https://onlinemasters.jou.ufl.edu/ and follow us on social @UFCJConline

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April 1, 2020

All University of Florida students from any college, online or on-campus, can pursue a bachelor’s and master’s degree at the same time in just five years through UF CJC Online’s Combined Degree Program. With the approval of their undergraduate adviser and after completing an application, approved students are able to choose from eight master’s specializations based on their interests. Up to four graduate-level courses replace students’ professional electives. This option allows students to significantly cut down on the amount of time it would take them to complete a master’s, with most only having a year left of their postgraduate degree. 

Much like the Master of Arts in Mass Communication, the Combined Degree Program caters to all students from varying backgrounds and situations.

Matthew Duffy

Matthew Duffy, a fourth year telecommunications in media and society major and a minor in theater with a specialization in digital strategy, decided to enroll in Combined Degree when he was registering for his senior year classes and notices he had open electives. After speaking with his adviser, they both decided Combined Degree was the option that made the most sense and where he would learn the most.

“It’s been an unreal experience so far,” he said. “I’ve never been a fan of online classes, honestly, until I did the Combined Degree. It really is a different caliber of professor.”

Duffy is currently the student general manager at GHQ, the student-run radio station in Weimer Hall. Combined Degree is preparing him for the real world by teaching him new skills that he can implement into his role.

“I get tangible results. I drive productivity,” Duffy said. “With digital strategy, there’s so much online that I can do.”

After completing his education, Duffy plans to move to a big city with a big market and put everything he’s learned to the test. He encourages other students to follow the same path.

“This is not only affordable, but it’s basically only one more year of school,” he said. “To be able to make that a five or six year college career and leave with an undergraduate and graduate degree? It just makes sense.”

Paige Gryski

Paige Gryski, an advertising senior with a specialization in web design, chose to enroll in Combined Degree at the beginning of her sophomore year once she realized how far ahead she was credit-wise and after seeing a sign for the program in the PATH office. Overall, Gryski describes her experience in the program so far as both innovative and organized. 

“It definitely sets me apart when applying to internships because I’m getting my master’s and bachelor’s at the same time,” Gryski said. “You don’t see that very often.”

Her original plan after graduation was to do copywriting for an advertising agency. Now, with web design under her belt, she is open to doing graphic design, or even coding. 

For students who may be considering a Combined Degree, Gryski suggests talking it over with an adviser.

“They’ll answer so many questions for you, and I think it’s a great program for almost anyone,” she said. “There’s so many different ways you can go with it.”

Maria Becerra

Maria Becerra, a fourth year public relations major with a specialization in digital strategy, enrolled in Combined Degree in spring of 2019. Becerra is a veteran of the United States Marine Corps and decided to pursue higher education after her time in the military.

She was interested in going for a master’s, specifically in digital strategy, because technology is needed in all industries and careers.  

“Whether you have a little bit of knowledge about coding, web design or anything like that, I always feel like it adds a little pizazz to who you are and makes me very versatile,” she said. “I want to go into public relations, but it opens me up to work in marketing and a bunch of other areas.”

Right now, Becerra works on campus at the Collegiate Veterans Success Center. She’s the student assistant manager and helps supervise other students, but also helps veterans find resources on campus.

“My career goals are to move to New York. I plan to go into PR and work in a corporation,” she said. “An agency like Edelman would be the dream, but I’m willing to work in anything. I love change.”

Becerra believes completing a Combined Degree from UF CJC Online is a great opportunity for students. 

“I don’t see many programs like it in many colleges,” she said. “It really gives you a good head start.”

If you’d like to learn more about pursuing a Combined Degree from UF CJC Online in one of our eight specializations including audience analytics, digital strategy, global strategic communications, political communications, public relations, public interest communications, social media or web design, please visit our website at: ufcombo.com and follow us on social @UFCJConline

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By Angel Burns

Yes, you have heard of it, but do you use it? Do you use it for business? Besides making pretty collections of pictures, how can you market your brand with it?
Pinterest is one of the main social media platforms today, but less familiar to most than Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn, Instagram and SnapChat. Still it is the 6th most popular according to DreamGrow (November, 2017), and an expected growing platform as 2018 Social Media Marketing Trends show its increase as personalized content.
Because it is a lesser-used platform, Pinterest could be your green pasture to till for fresh leads.
Let’s look at what it is, how it works, and finally, how it can work for your business interests.
First comes appreciating its appeal, reviewing its capabilities, then comes the strategy.

Did you know?

Deciding to market on Pinterest means considering its demographics. According to Pinterest stats (Omnicore, 2018):
• over 30% of all U.S. social media users are Pinterest users
• 81% of users are FEMALE (although 40% of new signups are male)
• 67% users are under 40
• MILLENNIALS use Pinterest as much as Instagram
• Pinterest generates over 5% of all website referral traffic
• 80% of users access it from mobile devices
• 2/3 of all pins represent brands and products
• 93% of active pinners use it for purchase planning
• 87% have bought something because of Pinterest!

Just take a moment to let those numbers sink in. This is a huge captive market!

Another important Omnicore statistic shows that most users have healthy incomes: half earn over $50K per year, and 10% make over $125 per year. This may qualify your target market too.
If this gets your urge to sell going, let’s understand how the platform works.

The basics:

Pinterest began in March 2010 and is headquartered in San Francisco. It charming history by cofounders Ben Silbermann, Evan Sharp and Paul Sciarra has turned them into billionaires.
Pinterest is a scrapbooking platform that allows users to clip, or “pin,” found images to a collection, or “board,” for later review. The boards can be shared publicly or with followers, and each image can also direct viewers to websites, for more information or purchase.
Available as a mobile app as well as a desktop application, the first step is to create a profile for business.
Pinning can begin by browsing Pinterest by subject or simply exploring, clicking on images to add to your own boards. These can be named and groups according to topic, and hidden for privacy. From there they can be shared.
Brands will want to create their own pins to populate their boards, and test engagement by subtopic and image.
The biggest draw to using Pinterest, particularly for product sales, is with BUYABLE PINS. With this feature, viewers can not only save favorite pins but swipe up to see an item’s price and drop it into a shopping cart right from the platform!
Note that sellers must get approved by Pinterest to have buyable pins, and then it takes about a week for their board to activate. You must have a Pinterest business account to be considered, but good news: these are FREE and offer analytics.

Here’s how to set this all up:

• Business accounts: https://www.businessnewsdaily.com/7552-pinterest-business-guide.html
• Buyable pins: https://www.socialmediatoday.com/social-business/how-setup-buyable-pins-sell-products-direct-pinterest

Also, sellers can advertise these pins with featured paid ads known as Promoted Pins, to get more viewing. Expand reach, without annoying potential customers with distracting intrusive ads. Choosing pins to promote should involve some strategic considerations.

Now, sellers can connect with influencers to create campaigns using Promoted Pins:

Consider the three types of Promoted Pin Campaigns: Traffic, Engagement and Awareness.

Since most customers access Pinterest on mobile devices in addition to computers, they can use Apple Pay or a credit card to complete the transaction. The best part is that sellers don’t lose a cut of the sale to Pinterest: they get to keep the whole amount! Zounds! I mean, $$$$!

Brand examples:

There are brand success stories to emulate.

These are favorites that may be familiar: Six consumer brands with picture-perfect Pinterest strategies

It’s always good to see how other successfully gain followers and create engagement. Check out some top Influencer boards to learn from. Notice how compelling imagery is used to share links and consistency creates expert curator status upon the best pinners.

Not all are static product shots. There are advice tips, quotes, how-tos, detailed and behind-the-scenes angles of events; anything to serve as inspiration. Consider ideas that SELL.

Links shared can be to blog posts, to websites to build email marketing lists, or best of all, e-commerce shops for processing sales directly.

Strategy:

Source: https://goo.gl/images/pXiDik

Anna Bennett is a Pinterest Marketing Expert, chosen by Pinterest itself as an Elite Business coach. Using Pinterest to rank number one on Google, she offers marketing and coaching services (https://www.whiteglovesocialmedia.com/pinterest-marketing-for-business/), plus is the author of the Pinterest Marketing for Business Master Course and How to Become a Pinterest Account Manager. She lives by the motto: “Those on the top of the mountain did not fall there.”

Here’s Bennett’s illustrious advice:

“It is very important to realize that Pinterest is not a social media website like Facebook, it is a search engine like Google. People go on Pinterest to plan, look for solutions or look for things to buy.

Therefore, it is vital to identify who your target audience is and what their needs & problems are. Ask yourself “am I creating content that connects with my target audience by helping them achieve their goals or solve one or more of their most pressing problems?’”

So, she is saying to become customer outcome-focused, so your pins will be relevant. Also, since Pinterest is a search engine, keywords are vital to being found.

Here’s an in-depth article on keywording: Pinterest Search – 11 Smart Places to Use Keywords for Better SEO

Keep in mind places Pinterest utilizes keywords: username, profile/business name (the one customers are most familiar with) and About section. Choosing the correct category is important too.

New features to integrate:

Bennett explains the Pinterest LENS:

“The visual lens is a camera located on the right side of the Pinterest Search bar on your mobile device. When you take a picture using the visual lens Pinterest will then show you other ideas inspired by the picture you took. Visual searches on their (Pinterest) platform have increased 74% year-over-year.”

Imagine…with so many using their mobile phone as a camera, it is becoming a primary search tool and a better one, for showing not just products, but ideas how to use them. *HINT, HINT!

Bennett continues with a caution:
“A second thing, according to Pinterest is that the advertising is going to be less and less about keywords or interests to target. Instead, it’ll be about using visual signals behind the scenes to create more useful, relevant and results-driven advertising.”

Anna forecasts this as, “very powerful for verticals like home decor and fashion.”

Leveraging Pinterest for best engagement and brand awareness:

The first step is having quality pins that people want to save and share.

• Canva is a FREE software tool, that helps with content-creation. It available as an app on iTunes, making professional looking pins with stock images, graphics, templates and free icons with a drag-and-drop method that lets you use your own images too.(Now you won’t need to hire a graphic designer!)

Engagement depends on frequent consistent posts, and luckily there are scheduling tools to help with that. The top ones are:

• Tailwind
• ViralTag
• Hootsuite
• Buffer
• Boardbooster This one creates secret boards that no one can see or access, but your collected pins on one board can then be individually scheduled to a public board. It’s free for the first 100 scheduled pins and then either plans start at $5/month to schedule 500. You can loop pins to re-pin old ones to the same board, while automatically deleting lesser performing ones. Especially helpful is testing for broken links and duplicates, to improve pin quality.

With so many tools to automate the process, and a burgeoning market interest, Pinterest could be the next big thing for marketing your brand. Pin and profit!

Source: https://goo.gl/images/QePnoY

About the Author: Angel Burns is a photographic artist and film producer, from Los Angeles. She holds a B.A. degree in Advertising & Public Relations, and is pursuing a Master of Arts in Mass Communication at the University of Florida. In her free time, she can be found cheering for her two performing daughters, or roaming the globe.

Other recommended readings:

Pin Your Way To Success: How Pinterest Is Changing The Game For Marketers

Why You Need To Know Your Audience

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