Hootsuite, the Leading Social Media Marketing Platform, and Gardner-Webb Host Second Annual Higher Ed Social Media Summit

Event Attended by Social Media Professionals from 15 Universities Across Six States and Canada

BOILING SPRINGS, N.C.—Hootsuite, the industry-leading social media marketing platform for enterprise organizations, and Gardner-Webb University welcomed social media professionals from 15 universities across six states and Canada to the Second Annual Higher Ed Social Media Summit held June 5-6. A one-of-a-kind event for social media professionals who work in higher education, the program featured interactive, peer-led sessions and thought-provoking discussions.

Beth Corbley, Hootsuite director of Strategic Growth, Higher Education, praised the presenters and attendees for the connections made during the event. Participants shared insights while brainstorming and idea sharing. Topics included AI and social media strategy, student-generated content, creating content that clicks, and effective collaboration between marketing and informational technology.

Interim GWU President Nate Evans gave a welcome, and Richard McDevitt, Gardner-Webb vice president of Marketing gave a presentation on how to create a central, marketing-driven, and integrated social strategy.  

Thea Thompson, associate vice president for Web & Digital Communications, discussed how elevating social to a strategic priority aligns with goals, drives connections, and influences prospective students. 

“It was an incredible honor to host and speak at the Second Annual Higher Education Social Summit at Gardner-Webb,” Thompson shared. “Being selected by the Hootsuite team for this opportunity was meaningful, and it gave us the chance to showcase our beautiful campus while connecting with social media professionals from institutions across the country. The collaboration with Hootsuite was thoughtful and smooth, and the energy and openness of everyone who attended made the experience especially valuable. I’m leaving the summit with new ideas and inspiration to bring back to my team.”

About Hootsuite

Hootsuite pioneered social media management in 2008 and has since evolved into the category leader for social media marketing and social intelligence. Powered by AI and the largest set of realtime social media data, Hootsuite lets users schedule, post, and track performance across all of their social media networks from one powerful dashboard. Hootsuite, which recently acquired social listening platform Talkwalker, helps organizations unlock the value of their social media relationships by turning social insights into clear action and measurable business impact. Learn more here.

About Gardner-Webb

Gardner-Webb University is North Carolina’s recognized leader in private, Christian higher education. A Carnegie-Classified Doctoral/Professional University, GWU is home to nine colleges and schools, more than 80 undergraduate and graduate majors, and a world-class faculty. Located on a beautiful 225-acre campus in Boiling Springs, N.C., Gardner-Webb prepares graduates to impact their chosen professions, equips them with the skills to advance the frontiers of knowledge, and inspires them to make a positive and lasting difference in the lives of others. Ignite your future at Gardner-Webb.edu.