In this Q&A, Patrick Dilger, director of Integrated Communications & Marketing and social media intern Emily Weiner, senior, English, answer questions about finding ways to communicate with students.
1) What is the Department of Integrated Communications & Marketing?
Emily Weiner: We serve as a first line of interaction between students and media appearance.
Patrick Dilger: ICM as it is known, is the central hub for the university’s marketing and outreach efforts.
2) What should students and faculty should know about the department?
EM: We truly serve as the face of Southern, we control the image of Southern Connecticut State University.
PD: We are interested in you and your accomplishments. Human interest stories sell, and there are so many wonderful stories to be told at Southern.
3) How does the department promote a positive environment on campus?
EM: Our department doesn’t just foster a positive and healthy work environment, it also promotes a sense of free thinking and creativity. From the very first day I joined the team, not only was my voice listened to, but my feedback and ideas were respected and given the opportunity to shine.
PD: We tell Southern’s story through a wide variety of mediums, and we also try to engage with the community as much as we can.
4) What inspired you to join the department?
EM: I like to say that the ICM department found me. I was working as a student worker in another position on campus when I had the exciting opportunity to collaborate on some promotional products for the department.
PD: I came to Southern 28 years ago and I have loved working here ever since. I am a first-gen student, and I admire those who have worked so hard to earn their degrees here, and all of the faculty and staff who lend their time and talents to support them.
5) What are the main goals of Integrated Communications & Marketing?
EM: The main goals of our department are not only to promote and highlight Southern Connecticut State University and its resources, but to also keep students, faculty and families up to date on current events and exciting opportunities happening on campus.
PD: Our main goals are to ensure that Southern is in the public consciousness and that people know about the many positive things happening here.
6) What do you think is the most effective way to reach students and faculty?
EM: Students want to be heard on campus, and I think highlighting, not only current trends and events, but also featuring the student population and different departments on campus is a great way to promote engagement across our platforms.
PD: Although social media rules these days, I still believe that using a variety of media is the most effective way to reach students and faculty.
7) How has social media impacted communications and marketing on campus?
EM: The way students primarily receive information nowadays is through social media. The way we engage our students and get them to engage back is by putting out artistic, eye-catching content that makes them take a few seconds out of their busy days to pause and see what we have to offer them.
PD: It’s particularly important to stay on top of the latest trends, with the constant changes in social media and the growth of AI. We are working hard to do that—our social media was recently named third best among Division II colleges and universities nationwide. [In RivalIQ’s 2024 Higher Education Social Media Engagement Report. SCSU stood out once again on student-centric platforms, placing 4th on TikTok and 10th
on Instagram.] ICM social media is under the direction of Allison O’Leary, assistant director Media Team Public Relations, Media Relations & Social Media and Jason Edwards, social media coordinator.
8) How has social media changed communications and marketing in the professional world?
EM: I believe social media is the new commercialism. The way we receive information about current events, new products and all things relevant has completely changed over the last 20 years. Not only is it easier to communicate with others, but it provides an easy and effective way to promote products and brands at a widescale level.
PD: When I started here we were mailing out press releases and the internet was in its infancy. One of the biggest impacts I’ve seen with social media is that everything now revolves around immediacy, especially in terms of communications—timeliness and accuracy are critical, particularly when you are responding to an issue.
9) What are the key differences between online communications and marketing on social media versus the web?
EM: Web marketing tends to be a more directed form of marketing, while social media can cover a broader sense of topics.
PD: Online communications and marketing are much more targeted, and brevity and engagement are essential. We use social media to drive audiences to our website, where we can tell a fuller story about what first piqued their interest on social.
10) What impact do you hope your department will have on the university?
EM: We want students to have fun with our content, and to stay up-to-date with all things SCSU. We have a team that works hard to not only create entertaining, engaging content but also content that will keep students informed about all current events on campus.
PD: I hope that we help people who are part of our community to feel: “I’m proud to be part of Southern.” And if they’re not here already, I hope they will say: “That’s a place I want to be part of.”
