@OurWestern
Life through the eyes of Western students and, occasionally, alumni.
In 2015 Matthew Anderson, Nicole Shapiro and myself created an Instagram account called @ourwestern through Western Washington University's Office of Communication and Marketing. We wanted a new way to engage with current and prospective students that didn't feel like a carefully curated admissions view book. We also wanted to highlight student life and all the different ways 15,000 students go about their lives.
@ourwestern launched on January 12, 2015 and is doing well four years later.
The account has showcased a range of students from different backgrounds and different stages in their lives.
Through this account, we've studied abroad, went on some beautiful hikes and learned from alumni.
As one of the creators of the account, I became the first student to run it. We had 800 followers before any picture had been posted and only continued to receive more as the first week went on.
I ran the account two more times afterward. Once in the summer when I traveled to Taiwan to visit family. And again the first week of class in the 2016-17 school year, running it as the Associated Students President.
https://storify.com/ourwestern/see-wwu-through-the-eyes-of-stephanie-cheng
https://storify.com/ourwestern/stephanie-cheng-s-view-of-western