This semester, 80 undergraduate students are getting the opportunity to work with officials from Destiny USA and the Rosamond Gifford Zoo to expand their social media presence.

Information science professor Anthony Rotolo’s IST 486/686: ‘Social Media in the Enterprise’ class is taking on the two clients to give students the opportunity to work in both a corporate environment and a nonprofit environment, Rotolo said.

Students will be working in groups with the organizations on different social media aspects such as blogging, content production, policies and metrics, and new and trending social networking sites, like Instagram, Rotolo said.

‘It’s about how you use social media in the context of your organization,’ he said.

Rotolo said the class partnered with CNY Central, a local news outlet in Syracuse, last semester. At the end of that semester, Rotolo said he began talking to officials from Destiny USA and the Rosamond Gifford Zoo.

‘I realized they were two perfect clients,’ he said.

Officials from both clients have visited the class already, Rotolo said, and they have given presentations to the students. Students will be assisting Destiny USA with its opening, which is slated for this spring, Rotolo said. Because of this, students in the class have access to information regarding Destiny USA that is not yet public.

‘The students are really given an inside look,’ he said.

Lorrell Walter, director of public relations at the zoo, said although the zoo has been expanding its social media efforts since 2008, officials are looking forward to working with the students in furthering those efforts.

She said she met with Rotolo in December about collaborating with the class, and, like Rotolo, felt the move would be beneficial for both students and the zoo.

‘It just seemed really good for both of us, kind of a win-win,’ she said. ‘We were all for it, really, without hesitation.’

Walter said officials are looking forward to marketing the zoo to SU students in particular, many of whom are unaware of the existence or location of the zoo.

David Aitken, Destiny USA team member, said in a Feb. 6 news release that he is also happy about the collaboration.

‘As a Syracuse University alum it is always exciting to have the opportunity to work with the school and engage with the students,’ Aitken said. ‘We look forward to a successful semester and getting some great feedback in the classroom.’

snbouvia@syr.edu 

Published on February 6, 2012 at 12:00 pm

Contact Stephanie: snbouvia@syr.edu | @snbouvia