First-year student Mari Takeda (ARAD ‘20) started her position as Social Media Coordinator for ARAD this month! She is thrilled to share her thoughts about the job and the different skills she hopes to bring to the position.

 

 

What do you do as social media coordinator?

As social media coordinator, I create content, coordinate and schedule social media posts on ARAD’s Facebook and Twitter platforms and co-produce the blog, in collaboration with the program faculty and staff. The audience for ARAD social media is primarily current students, alumni, and prospective students, so I keep that in mind when I’m creating and curating content. It’s a lot of independent work and the position allows for flexibility and creativity on how the work gets done, which I really like.

 

What do you look forward to within this position?

I look forward to bringing my interests in photography and videography to the job! Coincidentally, I am taking courses in photography and video art this semester, so I’ll be able to use what I learn in class right away. You might see me with a camera at ARAD events or classes in the near future. I also love learning about and hearing from current students and alumni on what they’re up to, I think it’s a unique way for me to get to know others in the ARAD community. Plus, social media posts are a way to celebrate each other and our achievements!

 

Why is ARAD’s social media important?

ARAD’s social media helps us stay engaged with the TC ARAD community, as well as staying informed about the greater community of arts administrators. It reminds me that social media can be used to communicate important events and news, and help us stay connected to and aware of the rest of the field. I spend a lot of time researching related articles about the arts and Columbia, and try to include a variety of useful information to share to the followers.

 

What past experiences help you with this job?

Last summer, I interned at Lincoln Center in their Performance Marketing department. I primarily worked on digital marketing for their summer performances, and in particular, Facebook events and ads for their public programming. Aside from learning a lot about email marketing and Facebook ads, I worked on copywriting and tracking marketing data, which I do a lot for this job.

 

My experience as a performing artist definitely informs my work, in terms of finding relevant content to share with everyone. Having experience as a dancer and musician, it’s great to be able to spend time reading about subjects I love, as well as learning a ton about what I’m less familiar with. I’m still very connected to the new music/classical-contemporary world, and am particularly excited when I get the chance to share a bit about my community with ARAD.

 

What else are you up to this semester?

If I’m not doing coursework or social media for ARAD, I’m at my work-study job at the Institute of Urban and Minority Education (IUME) at TC. There, I also help coordinate social media and email communication, as well as for the Black Teacher Project, a nonprofit connected to IUME. It’s been an incredible experience being able to work in and learn from a different field in the nonprofit sector, while doing a similar job across organizations.

 

I also work as an assistant for Sandbox Percussion, a percussion quartet based in Brooklyn. I help write grants, organize their annual fundraising event, plan out social media posts, and whatever else they need. I love working with them since they’re a new and small organization, and I get to be a part of many important conversations as their organization continues to grow.

 

Have news you want to share with the ARAD community? Contact Mari and let her know!