Colleges/universities use You Tube to engage prospective students

(originally published to KC Examiner.com on January 24, 2012)

Most colleges and universities have become well versed in using social media to communicate with prospective students. It is not uncommon to find a "Class of 20xx" page on Facebook or to see campus news announcements sent through the so called Twitter-verse. And now, many campuses, including several in the Kansas City area, are turning to You Tubeas another means to engage prospects...long before they even submit an application for admission.

Schools have created channels on You Tube and now have the additional capability of broadcasting video showing various events and people on campus. Some institutions have kept their content more on the serious side, while others have taken the opportunity to have fun with interested students and their parents with a more humorous approach to their campus highlights.

Many schools are showcasing their faculty members with personal interviews. Some academic departments have included partial or full classroom lectures. Prospective students and their parents might want to watch these videos to gain insight regarding an academic subject that may be a potential college major or minor. Video campus tours are a regular find on college and university You Tube channels. This is a great tool for students who may live at a distance from the school(s) that interest them, and is a bonus option for "seeing" the campus outside of still photographs on a website or printed viewbook. (Note, while the video tour is a great introduction to a campus, it should never replace an in-person visit to the college or university.)

This past November and December, many schools posted You Tube greeting card videos wishing prospective students, current students, and alumni a joyful holiday season. 

Of course, athletic celebrations are an easy and popular posting to these college and university You Tube channels. Exciting wins bring out the cheerleader in every person rooting for a particular campus. But action-packed content is not always the most viewed. Michigan State University quarterback, Kirk Cousins, spoke at the 2011 Big Ten Kickoff Luncheon, and it has been viewed nearly 300,000 times on the Big Ten Network You Tube channel.

Another popular video collection on the You Tube channels from across the country is the commencement speech, especially if someone famous is providing the address. Some of the most viewed graduation videos from 2011 include:

• Conan O'Brien at Dartmouth College (nearly 1.1 million views)
• Amy Poehler at Harvard University (565,000+ views)
• Denzel Washington at University of Pennsylvania (408,000+ views)
• Stephen Colbert at Northwestern University (314,000+ views)
• Tom Hanks at Yale University (204,000+ views)
• Compilation of 2011 Commencement Speeches (CBS News)
• Compilation of 2011 Commencement Speeches (ABC News)

SAMPLING OF KANSAS CITY AREA/REGIONAL SCHOOLS WITH YOU TUBE CHANNELS (not intended to be comprehensive):

Avila University:  

• http://www.youtube.com/user/avilauniversity

Baker University:  

• http://www.youtube.com/user/BakerUniversity

Kansas State University:

• http://www.youtube.com/user/KState

Missouri State University:

• http://www.youtube.com/user/MissouriState

Missouri Western State University:  

• http://www.youtube.com/user/mwsugriffons

Northwest Missouri State University:

• http://www.youtube.com/user/NorthwestVideo

Park University:  

• http://www.youtube.com/user/parkuniversityvideos

Pittsburg State University:

• http://www.youtube.com/user/pittsburgstate

Rockhurst University:  

• http://www.youtube.com/user/RockhurstHawk

Truman State University:

• http://www.youtube.com/user/trumanuniversity

University of Central Missouri:  

• http://www.youtube.com/user/UCMLive

University of Kansas:  

• http://www.youtube.com/user/KU

University of Missouri Columbia:  

• http://www.youtube.com/user/TheMizzouTube

University of Missouri Kansas City:  

• http://www.youtube.com/user/UMKC