Recruitment & Engagement Coordinator, Digital Art History Lab (WashU)
INFORMATION
Position Title: Recruitment & Engagement Coordinator
Manager: Betha Whitlow
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2022 - 2024
ROLE OVERVIEW
The Washington University Department of Art History & Archaeology is within the School of Arts & Sciences. Headed by Dr. William Wallace, the department teaches individuals about the history of art and architecture.
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Over the course of two years, I served as the Recruitment & Engagement Corrdinator for the department, with responsibilites to raise department awareness, raise major/minor declaration rates, and popularize the discipline across campus.
RESPONSIBILITIES
01| EVENT PLANNING
To increase engagement and awareness of the Art History & Archaeology department, I organized various events. Given our department's location and discipline, we strategically emphasized our connection to Arts & Sciences School while showcasing our eclectic and whimsical character. For instance, our fall 2023 mixer celebrated the 432nd birthday of Renaissance artist Michelangelo Caravaggio, featuring a piñata representing his notorious past, Italian cuisine, and engaging outdoor activities. Additional events included holiday parties, study sessions, and end-of-semester gatherings.
02 | SOCIAL MEDIA
​I led the relaunch of our online presence, creating visually appealing templates and guidelines for our Instagram account. By overseeing the content creation and copywriting, we achieved a cleaner, more engaging aesthetic that highlighted our department's focus on visual investigations. My daily tasks included managing social metrics, designing graphics, and coordinating omni-channel communications such as direct mail and newsletters.
A Calder inspired poster for the Art History department Spring 2024 listings
Annual George E. Mylonas Lecture
Promotional Spring 2024 flier
A Calder inspired poster for the Art History department Spring 2024 listings
03 | PUBLICITY, OUTREACH
04 | OVERALLS
My publicity efforts centered on grassroots initiatives to raise awareness of our department and its offerings. We regularly tabled in high-traffic areas like dining halls, specifically targeting underclassmen to encourage interest in Art History courses and majors. Additionally, I spearheaded the Coffee Chats program, connecting upperclassmen with prospective students to share experiences and advice related to the major.
Through these combined efforts in social media, publicity, and events, we achieved significant growth in interest in our department. Over the two-year period, major and minor declarations reached an all-time high, and our department's Instagram account became one of the most followed professional department accounts on campus.
