Demystifying student-alumni mentorship with humorous media
What we made, and who we collaborated with.
The Careers and Employability team, Student Success, engaged Phil Shaw (Content Creator, Major Projects) and the Video and Media team to create a video for their ‘Ask Alumni’ career networking program that connects current students with University alumni for careers advice.
Understanding student concerns
After the 'Ask Alumni' program was launched in 2018, the Careers and Employability team found that students were signing up but were not taking that next step to request a meeting with an alumni mentor.
With a registry of experienced alumni from all over the world willing to mentor students, the team knew just how beneficial the opportunity could be for students.
In a proactive bid to increase participation, they decided to address the issue with an attention-grabbing video that could be sent to students if they hadn’t requested an alumni meeting within seven days of signing up.
Addressing student concerns with humour
Armed with this information, producer Phil Shaw and the Video and Media team worked with a writer to develop concepts that directly addressed the student audience’s concerns.
They saved their boldest pitch for last – a student who imagines his doubts as angel and devil characters, allowing the audience to visually see their own concerns played out in a humorous, non-threatening manner.
An actor was sourced from local comedy networks. He was relatable and funny, especially when dressed up in costume and professional make-up as his devil and angel.
With voiceover, animated visual and audio effects added in post-production to enhance the humour, the Video and Media team delivered a short, engaging video with a strong call to action.
Helping students take the next step to alumni mentorship
The Careers and Employability team were able to quickly apply the video to their student engagement strategy and re-use it in subsequent semesters.
Since its launch in June 2024, the video has been viewed by approximately 244 students and has gone on to trigger students to book an online chat with an alumni mentor.
Overall, the project was a great example of collaboration between our two teams. Careers and Employability sought to understand their student cohort's concerns, and gave the Video and Media team creative licence to give voice to them in a unique way.
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