Create Your Society 08 August 2020

Sky rocket student engagement – the key to being elected

Guest Blog by Joshua Olagunju
President of African-Caribbean Society (ACS), Aston University

We live in a world of what-ifs; like what if I went to college instead of sixth form or what if the earth was flat? We do all this to question common knowledge and build an alternative to old ways of thinking.

So, one day I thought, what if societies had their own app? A way to connect students away from the congested reality we find in social networking sites, such as WhatsApp. Surely this would tackle the age-old issue of student engagement as everything would be in one place?

Through discovery, I found that my ‘what if’ was already a beautiful reality inside the app, Society®. The student app built by the students, for students, is nothing short of revolutionary, as it creates an unmatched bespoke app experience for student clubs, organizations, groups or societies under its wing.

“everything is now in one place…”

As a presidential candidate for Aston ACS (African-Caribbean Society), I used this app in my campaign to offer a solution to the age-old problem of student engagement. I received an overwhelming amount of positive responses on the potential future initiative, which gave me a huge competitive advantage to other candidates also in the running. With the help of Society® and a clear strategy, I was elected Aston ACS President.

Since being elected I have used Society® to connect our students on a whole new level, whilst also utilising its features to support student talent and student businesses. We now have increased student visibility on the latest announcements and events, which makes our job as committee members a lot easier. Students are now knowledgeable on who to contact and what’s happening around them, as everything is now in one place.

I can now provide my sponsors with unmatched promotion efficiency as my society ads demand targeted student traffic. From selling e-tickets to communicating with other students, Society has streamlined the student-club experience whilst improving student engagement in a way that uses technology that students can recognise. I couldn’t ask for a better experience!

As student organizations, I believe we have been left behind with advancements in technology, which has capped our potential year in, year out. Tools such as WhatsApp and Instagram are no longer effective in connecting our students to what they value most whilst at university or college. However, upon joining Society®, my community no longer have to conform to old ways of communication. I am now excited going into this year as ACS President, as I can bring an experience that our group has never seen before, whilst addressing the problem of student-society engagement head-on. Our potential is now limitless, and our path is a lot clearer, all thanks to Society®.

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