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When the 2025 Social Media Strategies Summit for Higher Education convenes this month, Illinois Eastern Community Colleges (IECC) will once again have a voice on the national stage. Chris Forde, IECC鈥檚 Program Director of Marketing and Communications, has been invited for the second consecutive year to serve as a conference speaker, joining communications professionals from some of the nation鈥檚 most respected universities.
Forde will be part of a panel discussion titled 鈥淭he Building Blocks of a Social Media Campaign: From Planning to Results.鈥 The session explores the art and strategy behind building effective social media campaigns that align with institutional priorities and deliver measurable impact.
Joining Forde on the panel are Kristen Pope, Associate Director of Social Media at Harvard University鈥檚 Division of Continuing Education, and Kayla Ooms, Digital and Social Media Specialist at Purdue University Northwest. The discussion will be moderated by Jason Boucher, Director of Social Marketing at Cookson Communications.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a real honor to share the stage with colleagues from institutions like Harvard and Purdue,鈥 Forde said. 鈥淏ut even more meaningful is the opportunity to represent a community college system like IECC on a national platform. It reinforces that some of the most innovative and strategic marketing work in higher education is happening right here in rural Illinois.鈥
Sharing Strategy and Collaboration
The panel delves into how marketing teams can connect creative campaigns to institutional goals and foster collaboration across departments.
During the session, Forde and his co-panelists will explore how content pillars can guide campaign planning, how to communicate strategies to campus partners, and how to gain buy-in from leadership, faculty, and students. They鈥檒l also discuss managing deadlines, creating campaign briefs, evaluating results, and learning from campaigns that don鈥檛 go as planned.
鈥淔or us, everything begins with our mission,鈥 Forde said. 鈥淲hen we plan a campaign鈥攚hether it鈥檚 promoting one of our programs, sharing alumni success stories, or encouraging students to register for classes鈥攊t鈥檚 not just about engagement metrics. It鈥檚 about helping more people see how accessible and life-changing community college education can be.鈥
He said collaboration is a key ingredient. 鈥淭he best campaigns are the ones where everyone has a voice鈥攆aculty, staff, students, and leadership,鈥 he said. 鈥淲e鈥檝e worked hard to build relationships across departments so our messaging feels unified and authentic.鈥
National Recognition for Local Innovation
The Social Media Strategies Summit, hosted annually by Global Strategic Management Institute, draws marketing and communications professionals from colleges and universities across the country to exchange ideas, case studies, and best practices.
Forde鈥檚 participation, he said, highlights the growing recognition of IECC鈥檚 marketing approach, which focuses on storytelling, data-driven strategy, and creative campaigns that resonate with students and communities alike.
鈥淚ECC has shown that you don鈥檛 need a massive budget or a huge team to create impact,鈥 he said. 鈥淵ou need clarity, creativity, and consistency. The fact that we鈥檙e part of this conversation two years in a row shows that the work being done here matters nationally.鈥
Under Forde鈥檚 leadership, IECC鈥檚 marketing team has launched several large-scale initiatives, including the Best Decision Ever campaign, a long-term storytelling effort featuring students and alumni whose college experiences transformed their lives. The campaign, which runs through 2026, has helped humanize the college鈥檚 message and strengthen enrollment outreach across the district鈥檚 four campuses.
鈥淪ocial media gives us the ability to connect our stories directly to the people we serve,鈥 Forde said. 鈥淲hen students see someone like them succeeding at IECC, it builds trust and inspires action. That鈥檚 the heart of every great campaign.鈥
A Platform for Continued Learning
Beyond representing IECC, Forde said participating in the summit is also a chance to learn from others and bring new insights back to the college system.
鈥淏eing part of this event is a reminder that higher education marketing is constantly evolving,鈥 he said. 鈥淟istening to peers from across the country helps us see where the field is headed鈥攚hat鈥檚 working, what鈥檚 changing, and how we can keep improving.鈥
Representing the Community College Mission
Ultimately, Forde said, the invitation is about more than professional recognition; it鈥檚 about showcasing the value and creativity that community colleges bring to higher education.
鈥淲hen IECC is part of a national conversation like this, it helps elevate the perception of community colleges everywhere,鈥 he said. 鈥淲e鈥檙e proving that innovation doesn鈥檛 just happen at the biggest universities. It happens in communities like ours, where the work we do every day directly changes lives.鈥