Harvard College Alumni has recently harnessed the power of Wakelet to elevate its communication and engagement with students, alumni and the broader community. Using Wakelet, they’ve created a vibrant showcase that highlights past and present students’ achievements while offering a captivating glimpse into daily life at Harvard. This fosters a more connected and interactive experience for prospective students, alumni, and the public, enhancing the impact of their social media presence and outreach efforts.
In this blog, we will highlight some of our favourite Harvard Alumni Wakelet collections that showcase different and give an idea of how your school, college, University or business can utilize the Wakelet platform to improve communication and engagement with your wider community
How Harvard has Creatively Utilized the Wakelet Platform!
Engaging with new students
Example – “Welcome, Class of 2028!!”
This collection welcomes and showcases the newest additions to Harvard College highlighting the excitement and anticipation of their new students getting into college. With most of the new students being GenZ, a lot of their time is spent on social media so the Alumni team have showcased all of the different posts from the student’s social media to create a “social wall” for all to see.
This is especially useful for students looking to connect with others and for family members, teachers, and ex-alumni who might not be on social media to feel a part of the community. It is also a great way to showcase the diversity that Harvard College attracts highlighting 1,973 students from 94 countries and all 50 states!
Celebrating Successes
Example – “Congratulations, Class of 2024!”
By collating a rich array of content that celebrates their success, new alumni community members can reflect on their academic achievements through a shared space that all can access. The collection includes an assortment of photos, testimonials, and notable moments, the collection vividly captures the essence of the graduation ceremony and the excitement surrounding the commencement of their new chapters.
On top of this, a hugely special aspect of this collection is alumni can witness their personal growth throughout their time at Harvard. Harvard has used Wakelet in this way because the platform allows them to aggregate memories and highlights from the graduation within a shared space alumni can then also see the different paths each other has taken conveying the diverse community at Harvard.
All images and videos from the graduation across every media platform have been able to be stored in one easy-to-access place making graduation a memorable and treasured event for all involved.
Capturing events
Example – “Reunions 2024”
Nostalgic photos, event highlights, and personal anecdotes, all centred around different graduating classes are found in this collection. It brings to life the cherished memories and milestones that alumni hold dear, reigniting the sense of community and connection that persists long after graduation. By capturing these shared experiences, the collection fosters a deeper appreciation for the university’s role in their lives and strengthens the sense of belonging among past students.
Harvard uses Wakelet to capture events such as reunions because it allows them to easily capture the event and all the content that surrounds it to allow alumni to relive memories after the event is over. Whether it is social media posts, photos from the event photographer, videos of the speeches, or selfies you can save it in a Wakelet collection to appreciate after the event, like a digital time capsule.
Sharing Information About Key Events
Example – “Housing Day 2024!”
This collection captures the thrill and anticipation that new students experience as they settle into their dorms and step into their new lives at Harvard. Prospective students can get a true sense of what it’s like to embark on this significant chapter. It serves as a welcoming window into the Harvard community. Harvard uses Wakelet to provide information on Housing Days for new students as it allows them to organize and present content in a visually engaging and easily accessible manner.
This helps new students navigate essential information, explore resources, and connect with their residential community in a user-friendly format. Moreover, parents who often do not have every form of social media can find it difficult to gather all the information they may require for the moving day. In turn, through Harvard adding all the information from all media platforms to this collection (X, Instagram, Youtube) parents can far more easily access the vital details for the day.
Showcasing their Timeless Impact
Example – “Harvard Love Story”
Whether through lifelong friendships, inspiring mentors, or significant romantic partnerships, this collection shows the deep connections that alumni have made. This underscores how Harvard not only shapes its students academically but also profoundly impacts their personal lives, creating a network of support extending beyond graduation.
Harvard has had a hugely positive reception from ex-students about using Wakelet to post an image and subsequently add a brief description about how they have formed an instrumental, lifelong relationship or friendship through being at the university.
Furthermore, the collection allows fellow current and ex-students to resonate with peers who have also formed amazing relationships through the mood board style of the page, only possible through the use of Wakelet.
How your institution can get started with Wakelet
1. Create a Wakelet Account and Set Up Your Profile
Start by signing up for a Wakelet account at wakelet.com. It’s free to get started, but you do have a limit on the number of collections you can collaborate on and how many collections you can publish to your profile. Choose a username and customize your profile with your college’s logo, colours, and a brief description of your institution. This sets the tone for your brand and ensures consistency across all your collections.
Tip: Upgrade to the Wakelet Individual Pro for unlimited published collections
2. Curate Diverse Collections Reflecting College Life
Begin by creating collections that represent different aspects of college life. For instance, create a collection for academic programs, student organizations, campus events, and dorm life. You can include a variety of content types like articles, videos, images, social media posts and much more. This diversity helps prospective students get a well-rounded view of what your college has to offer.
3. Collaborate with Students, Faculty, and Alumni
Involve current students, faculty, and alumni in contributing to these collections. Wakelet allows for collaboration, so invite these groups to add their content, such as personal experiences, achievements, and testimonials. This collaborative effort enriches the collections, making them more authentic and relatable.
4. Promote Your Collections on Social Media and College Website
Once your collections are populated, share them across your college’s social media platforms, in your newsletters and embed them on your website. Use eye-catching visuals and compelling captions to draw attention. Highlight specific collections that showcase unique aspects of your college, like student success stories or innovative research projects.
5. Engage with Your Audience and Expand Your Reach
Regularly update your collections to keep the content fresh and relevant. Encourage prospective students, alumni, and the public to engage by collaborating, sharing, and suggesting content. As your collections grow, your college’s online presence will expand, attracting a larger and more engaged audience.
