Social Media Week
Each Spring, Kansas State University hosts K-State Social Media Week, bringing together students, educators, and industry professionals to provide insights and opportunities for maximizing the power of social media.
This training is planned and organized by the A.Q. Miller School of Media and Communication and the K-State Division of Academic Success and Student Affairs.
2025 Event Details
The 4th annual K-State Social Media Week is April 7 - 11, 2025. Events will be offered in a variety of formats, including in-person, online, and hybrid. All students, faculty, staff, alumni, and community members are invited to attend events.
View our 2025 Schedule and access times, locations, and Zoom links:
K-State Social Media Management Certificate Information Session
View recorded session
Links shared during the information session:
Details: The online social media management certificate - for undergraduates and industry professionals - is designed for anyone seeking to expand and enhance their knowledge and skills in social media strategies and best practices, daily management, and content creation. Learn more and ask questions during this informative session.
Presented by: the A.Q. Miller School of Media and Communication
From Meme to Mainstream: How Pop-Tarts Won the Internet (Case Study)
Presented by: K-State's Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA) and Ad Club.
View recorded session
Details: Join us for a behind-the-scenes look at the viral sensation that was the Pop-Tarts Bowl. Two of the event's creators with Weber Shandwick - Yasmine Nur (art director) and Rebecca Jakush (senior manager, earned media) - will share their social listening process and the strategies behind replicating and amplifying their success. This is a fantastic opportunity to see a social media campaign up close and learn from the professionals.
Level Up on LinkedIn: Build Your Profile, Expand Your Network (Workshop)
Time/Location: 3 p.m. - 4 p.m. (Central Standard Time) in the Wildcat Chamber in the K-State Student Union
Presented by: K-State Career Center
Details: This hands-on workshop is designed to help you create a standout profile, showcase your skills, and grow your professional connections. Whether you're job searching, building your brand, connecting for research, or exploring career opportunities, this session will provide expert tips and strategies to make LinkedIn work for you.
Ag Accuracy: Addressing Misinformation in the Digital Age (Panel Discussion)
Presented by: K-State's Department of Communications and Agricultural Education
View recorded session
Details: In an era of information overload, misinformation about farming practices and food production spreads rapidly across various media platforms, influencing public perception, consumer trust, and industry practices. This expert panel will explore amplification of agricultural misinformation through multiple media ecosystems, examining its impact on farmers, producers, and consumers. Our experts will also discuss the role of scientific and media literacy in combating misinformation, as well as potential collaborations between agricultural scientists, government agencies, and social media platforms to ensure accuracy in agricultural communication.
Featured Panelists:
- Moderator: Dr. Jacob Groshek, Executive Director of the Institute for Representation in Society and Media and Chair of Emerging Media in the A.Q. Miller School of Media and Communication at Kansas State University
- Panelists:
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Dr. Jacqueline Aenlle, Assistant Professor, Agricultural and Natural Resources Communications at Kansas State University
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Dr. Mitch Ricketts, Professor, Agriculture Safety and Health at Kansas State University
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Dr. Gaurav Jha, Assistant Professor, Precision Agriculture at Kansas State University
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Alice Roach, Research Associate, Risk Management Center, at Kansas State University
- Dr. Hande Küçük McGinty, Assistant Professor, Computer Science at Kansas State University, Head of KONCORDANT Lab, Member of the Center for AI and Data Science (CAIDS)
- Nick Levendofsky, Executive Director, Kansas Farmers Union
Behind the Screens: Students Powering Campus Social Media (Panel Discussion)
Time/Location: 11:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. in the Wildcat Chamber in the K-State Student Union
Presented by: the K-State Career Center
Join us for a panel discussion featuring K-State students who manage social media for campus departments, student organizations, and initiatives. Hear their insights on content creation, engagement strategies, challenges, and the impact of digital storytelling in higher education.
Featured Panelists:
- Haylee Haslett - K-State Athletics Social Media
- Chante Crusoe - K-State Career Center Social Media
- Madison Coulter - Staley School of Leadership Social Media
- Madi Quinn - A.Q. Miller School of Media and Communication (Ambassador)
- Shane Bostick - Interfraternity Council, VP, Public Relations
- Lainey Johnson - Panhellenic Council, VP, Public Relations
- Eric Shapland - K-State Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA), President and Student Governing Association (SGA), Public Relations Director
Social Media, The Law, and First Amendment Rights (Panel Discussion)
Presented by: the K-State Institute for Civil Discourse and Democracy, the Huck Boyd National Center for Community Media, and K-State Pre-Law Ambassadors
View Recorded Session
Details: As social media continues to evolve, so do the legal and ethical questions surrounding free speech, platform accountability, and government regulation. This expert panel will explore pressing issues such as the proposed TikTok ban, the shifting role of platforms like Meta and X in fact-checking, and the constitutional complexities of applying First Amendment protections to privately owned digital spaces. Panelists will discuss the risks and benefits of government regulation and concerns about overreach in content moderation. With the rise of AI-generated content and deepfakes, the conversation will also address ethical and legal considerations in preserving both free expression and public safety. Join us for a thought-provoking discussion on the future of speech in the digital age.
Moderator: Aaron Good, Associate General Counsel at Kansas State University.
Featured Panelists:
- Dr. Nikhil Moro, Associate Professor, A.Q. Miller School of Media and Communication at Kansas State University, Editor of the Journal of Media Law & Ethics
- Dr. Caitlin Ring Carlson, Chair & Professor, Department of Communication and Media at Seattle University
- Dr. Michael K. Park, Assistant Professor, College of Journalism and Mass Communications at University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Licensed Attorney
- Lyndon W. Vix, Attorney at Law, Fleeson, Gooing, Coulson & Kitch L.L.C.
Teaching in the Digital Age: Innovations with Digital and Social Media (Discussion and Demonstration)
Presented by: the A.Q. Miller School of Media and Communication, the K-State College of Education, and the Digital Media for Educators Graduate Certificate
Recorded Session Coming Soon
Details: As digital and social media reshape the educational landscape, how can educators harness these tools to enhance learning? This event explores the evolving role of digital platforms in education, highlighting both the benefits and challenges of integration. Join us for a dynamic discussion on effective teaching strategies, innovative platforms, and best practices for leveraging social media and digital tools to engage students and enrich the learning experience.
Featured Speakers:
- Dr. Jacob Groshek, Executive Director of the Institute for Representation in Society and Media and Chair of Emerging Media in the A.Q. Miller School of Media and Communication at Kansas State University
- Dr. Donald Saucier, University Distinguished Teaching Scholar, Professor of Psychological Sciences at Kansas State University, Faculty Associate Director of the Teaching and Learning Center
- Dr. Deepak Subramony, Professor in Educational Technology at Kansas State University, Coordinator of Educational Technology Graduate Programs
- Russell Feldhausen, Instructor in Computer Science at Kansas State University, Kevin and Jacquie Elmore Cornerstone Teaching Scholar
- Caleb Spegman, Account Manager, Meltwater Media, Social, and Consumer Intelligence
Past Media Coverage:
WIBW: K-State Social Media Week to feature events in artificial intelligence, content creation
The K-State Collegian: K-State to host third annual social media week
The K-State Collegian: Social Media Week tackles intentional use of evolving social media space
KMAN News Radio: K-State launches its first-ever Social Media Week
Mission
This week-long event encourages students to explore the opportunities inherent in social media: to stay informed, explore new ideas, express themselves personally, and engage in discussion with others in their communities and around the world. Programming and events during #KStateSMW seek to provide students with the following skills, competencies and knowledge:
- Critically evaluate their own social media use in a rapidly changing world and diverse society.
- Recognize opportunities for proactive and collaborative digital communication that have the potential to benefit communities and inspire civic engagement.
- Practice critical thinking related to media, use problem solving skills to deconstruct content and collaborate to create content.
- Identify and analyze ethical and societal issues related to social media communication and emerging technology from multiple points of view.
- Understand the role social media plays in various industries and legal responsibilities related to participation in social media.
- Demonstrate resilience and personal well-being when faced with effects of social media use.
Get Involved
All units, departments, and organizations at Kansas State University are invited to take part in K-State Social Media Week. Send inquiries to Professor of Practice in the A.Q. Miller School, Jana Thomas.
Past Events
In each of the past three years of K-State Social Media Week, nearly 500 students registered and attended to learn more
about social media careers, personal branding and influencing, collaboration on social media, content creation, and more.
Hear from some of our event partners, collaborators, and attendees:
"Given the multitude of ways social media impacts not only college students’ lives but the world we all share together, taking a week to highlight and educate our K-State community about this powerful tool and topic seems especially relevant and timely. I’m excited the bar has been set high for future Social Media Weeks given the quality of presenters and variety of relevant presentation topics being offered during this year’s inaugural offering.”
- Thomas Lane, Vice President and Dean of Students, Kansas State University
“Coming back to K-State and sharing my work experience has been such a joy. I was once in students' shoes, so my work with K-State Social Media Week has been to motivate and inspire them as others did for me when I was a student.”
- Cameron Banning, Team Lead - Brand Partnerships Manager at TikTok, K-State Alumnus in Advertising & Public Relations
“Social media week provided me with tangible skills and workshop experience that will directly apply to my future work in industry. I had the opportunity to learn about both personal branding and life in the social media industry, two things that I don’t regularly learn about in the classroom. The talks I attended were great reminders that social media can be used to leverage good in a variety of industries, not just communications and marketing.”
- Ariana Brancato, Student in Advertising & Public Relations and Spanish
“With social media becoming an important part of society, I was excited for the opportunity to dive deeper. I attended the talk "Sports in the Time of Social Media: Athletes and Personal Branding" with Deuce Vaughn and Marisa Weichel. I left this event with a better understanding of how social media can directly affect students on campus, specifically student athletes. This was a very eye opening experience, and I'm glad that I took the opportunity to attend.”
- Erin Jackson, Student in Sociology, Anthropology & Social Work
“I enjoyed SMW so much, it was a lot of fun to hear about different ways to use social media in the most effective ways and analyze the data from that. I was also excited to learn about the social media management certificate and the applications that it could have.”
- Tanner Holte, Student in News & Sports Media
Campus Partners
