An Introduction

Pre-Twillyp interview selfie. 2012.

Pre-Twillyp interview selfie. 2012.

Three years ago, my life changed when I took a chance on a social media internship in the William Paterson University marketing department. Or, rather, they took a chance on me. I was a scared, inexperienced sophomore with only a vague idea of what I wanted to do with my life. My only real qualification was that I was excited. Like, really excited.

Getting the job allowed me to join Twillyp, a student-led social media effort designed to encourage positive online discourse and school spirit. This position changed me. I transformed from a scared, confused sophomore to a slightly-less scared junior. The more time I spent working on Twillyp, the more enamored I became with social media. I became obsessed with exploring the boundaries of what could be done through digital storytelling. Today, our little project has grown to more than 3,000 followers, and I am unbelievably grateful each one of them.

My situation is undoubtedly unique. I am incredibly lucky to be joined by a team of students who pour their hearts and souls into this project. Additionally, Twillyp is surrounded by an outstanding group of faculty and staff who have been unconditionally supportive in allowing us to experiment and occasionally fail.


So, what is this?

This blog is about the journey of ideas. It's a peek into the creative process, from the initial spark of inspiration, to the surprises and challenges of production, to the finished product. It's how a 5 a.m. idea jotted down in the "notes" app turns into a giant dancing bear.

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But, more on that later. Above all, this is about me sharing what I love about social media.


Before we get started, let’s get caught up.

My passion for digital storytelling has manifested itself in a few different ways over the past few years. 

In addition to continuing my work with Twillyp, I am pursuing my master’s degree at WP in a professional communication program that encourages me to examine social media marketing and journalism through an academic lens. This opportunity is made possible through my graduate assistantship, where my main responsibility is the creation and implementation of a social media strategy. Additionally, I have been gaining experience with freelance social media and web design work.

Some of the Twillyp team at Homecoming. 2014.

Some of the Twillyp team at Homecoming. 2014.

In 2013, I received the Mac Borg New Media Award which allowed me to spend a summer working at the Bergen Record / NorthJersey.com honing both my writing and digital skills. Last year, I was the fourth top influencer at Social Media Week. I was also recently featured as a higher ed social media expert on the Social Media Unscrambled podcast.

Going forward, I hope to find a career that will allow me to continue pursuing what I love. Until then, I'd like to invite you to follow along with me here.

To keep up with me elsewhere, you can find me on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn or Google+.