JANUARy 2025
CIAL
S
SQUAD
SOCIAL MEDIA
NEWSLETTER
This month’s issue:
presents
2025 resolutions!
There’s just something so magical about
starting fresh in the new year—it’s a time
filled with hope, big plans, and exciting
opportunities, but it can sometimes feel
overwhelming. If you haven’t taken the time
to create resolutions this year or aren’t
feeling the New Year's vibes with the
continuous catastrophes happening
worldwide, know this: we don’t have to wait
for January 1 to hit reset. Each day is a
brand new chance to embrace a personal
new year, where we can choose to grow,
create, and make our mark on this world.
No matter when or where you’re reading
this, let’s treat today like the fresh start it is
and make every moment count.
AH. 2025!
Kenda Boone
Director of Social Media Storytelling
OUR 2025 RESOLUTIONS
Kenda
Boone
Jaleelah
Harris
Loan
Nguyen
Abby
Giuseppe
My New Year’s resolution is to
try new hobbies and work with
my hands more. First up: I’m
working on a miniature book
nook build for my
bookshelves!
This year, I want to read 25
books and try to eat less meat!
I’m striving to have at least
two meatless meals a day.
In 2025, I’m trying to drink
more water and reduce my
screen time by reading,
drawing, and crafting more. I’d
also love to learn how to sew
this year!
My 2025 resolution is to build
my personal community.
Challenging myself to get out
of my house more by trying
new activities, getting
involved locally and being
more vulnerable.
During our last social media administrators meeting, we asked you all to tell us who you’re going to be in 2025.
Your answers inspired us, we hope they continue to inspire you to achieve your goals in the new year!
The 2025 Social Media Summit will be in-
person on March 5 in Cabell Library. More
details to come. We can’t wait to see you there!
SAVE THE DATE!
CONTENT TIPS & TRENDS
with Loan & Jaleelah
The new year is here,
and our resolution is
to collaborate more
closely with you. But
we need your help to
make it happen!
In the coming weeks, we’ll
reach out to key partners to
explore how we can amplify
your content while achieving
our shared goals of driving
applications and showcasing
VCU campus life.
Not on our list?
No problem!
- Focus on key initiatives. What’s your
department prioritizing this year? - Think bigger audience. Does your content
resonate with the broader VCU community?- Example: A recap of a coffee social for
English majors might not fit, but a “day in
the life” video of an English major could
shine by highlighting student life, courses
and campus.
- Example: A recap of a coffee social for
- Stay on-brand. Are you using approved fonts,
colors and ADA-compliant designs?
- You can still submit content for promotion. As you
consider collaboration opportunities, keep these
tips in mind:
- You can still submit content for promotion. As you
Let’s brainstorm together.
- We’re gearing up for these 2025 campaigns
and would love your ideas for students,
faculty, staff or organizations to feature:
- We’re gearing up for these 2025 campaigns
- Black History Month (February)
- VCU Love Stories (Valentine‘s Day -
couples who met at VCU) - Women’s HERstory Month (March)
- AAPI Heritage Month (May)
- Latine Heritage Month (Sept. 15 - Oct. 15)
- LGBTQIA+ History Month (October)
- Indigenous Peoples Heritage Month
(November)
Thank you for making 2024 an
amazing year for VCU. Let’s make
2025 even better together!
Need some extra design
help? Sign up below to
schedule office hours
with me or email
identity@vcu.edu for
branding questions!
LET’S TALK
DESIGN
with Abby
Although the deadline for brand compliance
has come and gone, it’s never too late to make
sure your designs are up to date with VCU’s
brand guidelines in the new year!
- Understand “Who We Are” to ensure your
messaging aligns with VCU’s identity - Use the Canva social media templates if you
need a jumping off point - Use the new PowerPoint templates for all
presentations - Use the correct branding for all;
- Social media designs
- Typography
- Colors
- Photos
- Logos - & remember to only use the
simple seal for social graphics!
WE WANT TO
SHARE YOUR
WORK!
If you have work you’re proud of, share it
with us so we can feature it in next month’s
newsletter!
Have questions? You can always reach out
to us at socialmedia@vcu.edu!
If you are receiving a security popup when looking
at the form, press “Continue” in the bottom left-
hand corner or click HERE to open the survey.
FAQs & REMINDERS
Can my student intern be an admin for our accounts?
No, your student intern should not be an admin, aka a
manager of your social media accounts. However, they
may help you create and post content. Only full-time
employees should be registered admins. Update admins
here.
How do I make sure my social media posts are
accessible?
Take the VCU social media accessibility training via
Talent@VCU to learn tips for each platform.
What are the first things I should do when a social
media admin leaves or changes?
Change the passwords to your accounts and put in a ticket
to Jira to update admin contacts for your social media
channels.
When are the social media admin meetings?
Monthly social admin meetings take place every 3rd
Tuesday of the month at noon via Zoom! The next meeting
will take place on Tuesday, January 21 from noon to 1 p.m.
Missed a monthly newsletter?
Reach out to us for questions, concerns or
recommendations:
Information Security Update
The VCU Information Security Officer wants to inform
everyone that “there is an increased risk of cyber threats
due to an increased sophistication associated with social
engineering tactics and a general recent increase in cyber
threat activities. Be extra diligent with emails/messages
with links, even if these emails appear to be from someone
you know. You can hover your mouse/cursor over a link to
see its true destination, or tap and hold a link on a phone or
tablet to see its true destination. Also, any phone calls,
emails, or text messages claiming to be from IT must be
carefully examined. VCU IT Support will never call, text, or
email you to offer remote access support. When in doubt,
contact infosec@vcu.edu for validation.”
Join us on socials!
Join the VCU Social Admin group on Facebook & visit out website!
Official VCU Social Media:
President Rao’s Social Media:
Do you have photos of Dr. Rao and/or student/faculty life
around VCU? Tag us on Instagram @VCU or
@VCUPresident or email socialmedia@vcu.edu for a
chance to have your content reposted!