New Social Media Club explores professional benefits of networking

The new Social Media Club at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln isn't just another group to add to the plethora of student organizations on campus. It combines the utility of social media and networking (YouTube, Twitter, Facebook, etc.) with the relevance it has in the professional world.

The organization already exists nationally, as does a local chapter for professionals just established this past summer. With the help of Phil Willet, club adviser and College of Journalism and Mass Communications assistant professor, and prompting from the local city chapter, a student group has come to UNL.

SMC recognizes that social media has become an essential device for today's professionals. With 96 percent of Generation Y already involved in some kind of social network, the club sees value in the average college student's Internet literacy.

It's as easy as applying what you already know about social media and turning it into a skill employers seek. The club is for anyone looking for enduring professional benefits through social media.

Andrew Ciaccio, a senior advertising major and president of SMC, said the organization has no certain profile for its members.

"It's for everyone – literally the entire university," he said. "SMC reaches beyond just the College of Journalism and Mass Communications. It's for musicians, actors, writers, business majors too."

Ciaccio said many companies use social media as a form of communication, in and outside the business.

SMC plans to work with members of the professional chapter and provide speakers that have social media experience.