Meet #hesm pros to follow: Katherine Hasenauer (@sportsgirlkat) from @BU_Tweets on social media success, challenges & tips

Katherine Hasenauer Cornetta, Assistant to the Dean of Students for Programs, Communications & Technology at Boston University, is one of the 15 higher ed professionals who presented at the 2nd Higher Ed Social Media Conference (now available on-demand).

She has helped establish one of the leading social media campaigns for a senior student affairs officer in the nation.

In this 3-question interview, Kat tells us about her most successful initiative with social media, her biggest challenge and shares some advice on how to cope with the 24/7 world of social media in higher education. Oh – and she also granted my request for a selfie!

1) What is the most successful social media initiative you’ve run over the past year?

Our most successful social media initiatives have been directed towards parents. Be it Facebook or Twitter, they can’t get enough. It is difficult not to bombard them with everything, but being exclusive with what you post and share with them is key.

2) What is the biggest challenge you face in your social media work? How do you cope with it?

The biggest challenge is trying to share best practices, give suggestions and get everyone within our division on the same page when it comes to social media. I am trying to organize us better, do regular check-ins and be assertive about our brand voice.

3) Social media work never stops. How do you maintain balance in your life & work given this constraint? Any tips, techniques or tools?

I have a second career (I’m a freelance sports writer), and having that helps force balance. It also helps, since my second career also has a huge social media component. If something pops up I need to respond to on social media for BU, I can without much interruption. In addition, I personally adore social media. I’ve met some outstanding people, overcome shyness and grown both of my careers all from my use of social media. Even if it didn’t factor into both my jobs, I would be an active user. My boss, Dean Elmore, says it best: “I’m the type of person that even if my position didn’t make it important for me to be on Twitter, I would be on Twitter because it’s interesting.”

Social media tool wise, I am a giant fan of the Twitter application for Mac. It may not be as fancy as other options, but it’s so easy to use! I use Hootsuite as well. Canva is my favorite thing to come around for social media graphics – I made this adorable Laundry Tips series using it when I temporarily oversaw our Residence Life Facebook page.