My name is Ian Anderson, Class of 2013, and I am running for the position of Student Outreach Coordinator. This position involves integral knowledge of social networking services, including the creation of Facebook Groups and the maintenance of the Student Council twitter feed. I am currently employed as a Social Media Consultant by Temin & Company, a Firm in New York City, and have been researching Social Media for them for a year. Over the course of my work, I have also written 11 articles for Forbes.com about the best practices in Corporate Social Media, as well as a 200-page internal document for Temin that involves the best practices for all types of organizations on all websites. I will use this expertise and all my knowledge about Social Media in order to help Student Council be organized, responsive to student input and demands, and to create a more accessible and transparent environment around Student Council.
In order to do this, I will use the Student Council Twitter to live-tweet student council discussions, optimize the Student Council Facebook and the events attached to it, and encourage student input and suggestions via both Facebook and Twitter in order to engage more closely with the Swarthmore community at large.
In addition to my experience in Social Media, I also am involved in a wide variety of groups on campus, and regularly work as a DJ. I have a lot of experience in planning parties and other social events, and know how the process works after being involved in the executive board of O.A.S.I.S. spoken word group (brought El Grito De Poetas, Shihan of Def Jam Poetry, and others), and would take an active role in communicating with campus groups in order to help them create the best possible events. In addition, I have a lot of experience in fundraising and managing money. I currently act as Director of Business Development and Treasurer of the Phoenix, whose budget often exceeds $20,000. With this experience, I know that I am well prepared to help coordinate and facilitate the Hosting, Funding, and Planning of large-scale events throughout the school year.
I feel that my diverse array of talents and depth of experience makes me a great candidate for the Student Outreach coordinator. I promise to work hard to keep the student community involved in Student Council, informed about the decisions that affect them, and to use all of my skills to make 2012 a great year.
