Krissy Buck, program director at WSU Tech, faced the challenge of rebuilding a digital marketing program from scratch for the higher education institution. After she integrated Agorapulse into her curriculum, she empowered students to gain real-world experience in managing social media for nonprofits and local businesses. Students could now use Agorapulse’s intuitive tools and AI-driven analytics to create, manage, and evaluate social content. This experience contributed to the growth of the program and helped nonprofits reach their audiences more effectively.
The results: WSU Tech experienced a massive increase in student engagement and industry-ready graduates, transforming the Wichita, Kansas, community along the way.
About the Customer
Krissy Buck’s programs at the technical community college WSU Tech focus on equipping students with hands-on digital marketing skills. They work with real clients who range from small businesses to nonprofits.
The Challenge for WSU
In 2020, when Krissy took the position of program director, WSU Tech’s digital marketing program was struggling. The program was hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic. Enrollment was low.
Krissy faced the task of rebuilding the department with a limited budget. A key hurdle was providing students with real-world experience while ensuring the content they produced was professional and impactful. Moreover, she needed tools that were cost-effective, easy to use, and capable of teaching students such crucial skills as social media management, strategy development, and analytics.
“Without proper tools, students would have been creating content in Word documents or Excel sheets, with no way to understand how well their work resonated with an audience.” (Krissy Buck, program director of WSU Tech)
The Journey to Agorapulse
Having worked with Agorapulse in a previous role, Krissy knew the social media management tool was the solution that could bring clarity and structure to her program.
“I knew Agorapulse was a great product from my time in the tech industry. Social listening and analytics were game-changers for me then, and I wanted my students to experience that same level of insight.” (Krissy Buck, program director of WSU Tech)
Agorapulse’s user-friendly interface and robust social media management tools made it the perfect fit for both beginner students and seasoned professionals. So, Krissy reached out to Agorapulse, leveraging her industry connections to bring the tool into the hands of her students.
The Transformation
Agorapulse has become an integral part of the digital marketing curriculum at WSU Tech. Students now use the platform to create, schedule, and analyze social media content for real clients, including nonprofits and local businesses. In the program’s capstone class, students are assigned a nonprofit client for whom they act as social media managers, developing campaigns, engaging with audiences, and providing monthly reports using Agorapulse’s analytics features.
Example
“This student, who was just learning the ropes at the start of the semester, managed to help us achieve our highest registration for Accessibility Summer Camp—over 1,500 participants—by the end of the term. And she did it all using Agorapulse.”
Agorapulse’s features, such as post scheduling, social listening, and performance analytics, give students real-world experience. It also allows students to see the immediate impact of their work.
“By using Agorapulse, students can actually see how their content performs in real-time, which brings instant gratification and valuable learning that goes far beyond turning in an assignment on paper.” (Krissy Buck, program director at WSU Tech)
Impact on the Community
Using Agorapulse has had a ripple effect, going beyond the classroom and through the local Wichita community. The nonprofits and small businesses that partner with WSU Tech’s Shock Starter program benefit directly from the students’ social media work. This hands-on experience has led to improved visibility and engagement for these organizations. It has driven higher attendance at events like Accessibility Summer Camp and built stronger relationships within the community.
Unexpected Benefits of Using Agorapulse
Agorapulse’s AI-driven features have been particularly useful in overcoming language barriers for some students.
“The AI component has been invaluable. Students who struggle with English nuances can play around with different tones and styles, helping them refine their content to match the client’s voice more effectively.” (Krissy Buck, program director at WSU Tech)
Plus, the ability to generate professional reports using Agorapulse’s analytics has empowered students to deliver high-quality results to clients, boosting their confidence and setting them apart in the job market. One student even landed a social media role by showcasing their experience with Agorapulse during an interview.
Krissy’s Advice for Educators
Krissy encourages other educators and industry professionals to consider partnerships with companies like Agorapulse:
“Tools like Agorapulse give students a real-world edge. Without it, they’d be guessing if their work was good enough. This tool shows them exactly how their work is performing, preparing them for the demands of the industry.”
Conclusion
For Krissy Buck and the students at WSU Tech, Agorapulse has been more than just a tool. It is a pivotal element in rebuilding the digital marketing program, transforming chaos into clarity. The result is a program that equips students with the skills they need to succeed and also delivers tangible value to the Wichita community.
Are you ready to take your social media strategy from chaos to clarity? Let Agorapulse be your partner in success.
