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Shaping a Vision for Higher Education Digital Leadership | Presenting at #NASPA16

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Today kicks off the 2016 NASPA Annual Conference in Indianapolis, IN. Just coming from ACPA last week in Montreal, I am excited to continue sharing my research and connect with new and long time colleagues. 

If you are at this conference – I’d love to see you at one of my sessions I’ve listed below or even get a wave, hug or hi-five!

Digital Technology in Higher Education

One of my engagements actually happened before the official conference even started – presenting with Dr. Ed Cabellon at the New Professional and Graduate Student Symposium.

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Description: As student affairs educators, you need to know the digital space and actual student usage of social media tools. You also must have an awareness of your own digital history, also known as your Digital Identity. While perceptions and fears may exist of technology, educators must strategically approach social communication tools with possibilities to build community, student learning and even your own professional development. By learning the tools and meeting students where they are, educators pose themselves for stronger communities and careers online and in-person.

Going Viral in College | The Impact of Social Media in Student Leadership Development

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Description: We live in an era where one tweet, video, or photo could go viral globally. As educators we must serve as bridges to aid student usage for positive possibilities in this digital age. The session will share a grant funded and award-winning dissertation that explored student leader experiences of social media. Results will reveal how these leaders positively used digital communication tools and our role as digital leadership to guide them for the future.

Day/Time: Monday, March 14 (2:30 PM – 3:20 PM)

Room/Venue: Meeting Room 135 – Convention Center

SA Speaks | The Class of 2020’s SnapChat Story

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Snapchat stories connect individual snaps, creating a narrative of the last 24 hours. This talk will expand this narrative for the incoming freshman class, telling the stories of youth who will have grown up with technology tools like social media since elementary school. Tools like YouTube videos and Facebook Feeds have been at their finger tips since the age of eight. They’ve documenting middle school experiences through Instagram and most recently Snapchatted their way through high school. So what will their digital stories be once entering college?  As we prepare to welcome the class of 2020, how are we empowering these new students with the tools to succeed as positive members of their digital campus communities and inspiring agents of change on social media?

Date/Time: Monday, March 14 (3:30 PM – 4:45 PM)

Location: Sagamore Section 3-5 – Convention Center

Student Leadership Programs KC | Social Change Model Think Tank

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This gathering will pull together a number of facilitators that will look at the social change model, ten years after its formation. My focus will address leadership and social media, and how we can use and build from the social change model for leadership education. I will be joined by four other leadership educators who will be focusing on diversity, conference planning, student organizations, professional development, and student demographics.

Date/Time: Tuesday, March 15, 2016 at 8:00am

Location: Marriott Downtown, Marriott 7/8

Are you a digital explore, educator or influencer? | The New Student Affairs Technology Competency.

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August 24th, 2015, NASPA and ACPA approved the revised version of the Student Affairs Competencies. There were a number of changes, but one of the most significant was the addition of Technology. This new competency solidifies technology as an essential part of our work, not just a fad that can be embraced by some and not others. Whether you are an avid tech user or delayed adopter, this session will define and give significance to technology skills for every level of our field.

Day/Time: Tuesday, March 15 (3:30 PM – 4:20 PM)

Room/Venue: Meeting Room 135 – Convention Center

About Josie

I’m Dr. Josie Ahlquist — digital engagement and leadership strategist, researcher, author, and educator. I help higher education professionals and mission-driven organizations harness the power of digital communication to lead with authenticity, build thriving online communities, and tell their stories with purpose.

Through my consulting work, I offer tailored, hands-on support in marketing and communications strategy, executive coaching, upskilling for teams, and keynote speaking. My approach is grounded in research and fueled by empathy, helping clients lead online with clarity and confidence.

You can follow my insights and interviews on my blog and podcast, with content featured by EdTech Magazine, Inside Higher Ed, and The Chronicle of Higher Education. I’m also the author of Digital Leadership in Higher Education (2020), an Amazon #1 New Release.

Let’s connect! You’ll find me on LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, Threads, and Bluesky.

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Rebekah Tilley

Assistant Vice President, University of Iowa Center for Advancement

Rebekah Tilley is the assistant vice president of communication and marketing for the University of Iowa Center for Advancement (UICA). In that role she supports fundraising and alumni engagement efforts for the university, including its CASE Gold winning Iowa Magazine, and serves UICA in a variety of strategic communication efforts.

Previously she was the director of strategic communication for the University of Iowa Tippie College of Business, and the director of communication for the University of Kentucky College of Law. She is a Kentucky native and a proud alum of the University of Kentucky.

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