Communication Department at Mississippi College Hosts Social Media Workshop

Mississippi College graduates Lorin McAlpin and Ashley Cockerham Rea, staff members at Laurel-based Sanderson Farms, attended a social media workshop at their alma mater in Clinton.

Social media’s explosive growth around the globe shows no signs of slowing down.

The Mississippi College Communication Department gave students a glimpse into the rapidly changing social media world at a workshop on the Clinton campus.

The September 30 event attracted a solid lineup of speakers and industry professionals. Nearly 200 people looked on and came away with valuable insights on the latest trends.

Today, more than 70 percent of the USA’s population maintains a social media profile. Other reports show that 71 percent of America’s on-line adults use Facebook, while Twitter continues to soar in popularity.

“Social media has radically revolutionized the way that businesses communicate with their employees, customers and stakeholders in today’s 24-hour new cycle,” says MC graduate Ashley Cockerham Rea.

Rea, communications manager with Laurel-based Sanderson Farms, attended the social media workshop. She commends her alma mater for hosting the program for the second straight year.

“It is an excellent example of how the university strives to offer cutting-edge instruction on industry advances that continue to impact students’ employment outlook,” says Rea, an Ellisville resident.

One of her Sanderson Farm colleagues, Lorin McAlpin, believes the workshop supplied vital tips to students and professionals on a noteworthy topic.

“Now that social media has become part of the standard practice for many of us, I’m using today’s new platforms to reach more people and make more personal connections than ever before,” McAlpin says. “I realize that if you want people to be thinking of you, you have to be thinking of them.”

A graphic designer at Sanderson Farms, McAlpin is a 2014 MC graphic design graduate. Rea earned her bachelor’s degree at Mississippi College in communication in 2012.

MC communication instructor Ryan Capell says the workshop touched on subjects as fresh as today’s headlines.

“This is very important because more and more communication and marketing related jobs are requiring employees to use social media to reach out and interact with clients and customers,” Capell said.

Breakout sessions were led by Joe Stradinger of EdgeTheory, Tara Lytal and Anna Boyd of Main Street Clinton and Emily Alexander Moore of the Cirlot Agency.

Other workshop speakers included: Valerie Cox of HigherVisibility of Memphis and David Nichols, the sports information director and assistant athletic director at Mississippi College.