GREAT new position in Vancouver

Social Media Coordinator

Vancouver Film School programs focus on industries that use moving images, graphics, sound and text as fundamental components for communication, information and story. VFS programs regularly and continually evolve in response to the current industry methodology, technology and need. VFS offers world recognized, full-time, one-year programs in Film Production, 3D Animation & Visual Effects, Classical Animation, Digital Character Animation, Sound Design, Writing, Acting, Makeup Design, Digital Design, Game Design, Foundation Visual Art & Design, and Entertainment Business Management. These one-year programs are intensive, focused on the field of study and immerse students in industry-like settings and situations in order to best prepare them for work in their chosen field.

VFS is currently accepting applications for the newly created position of Social Media Coordinator. Reporting to the Advertising and Public Relations Coordinator, the Social Media Coordinator will be responsible for designing, developing, and maintaining a wide range of online and social media campaigns, requiring extensive knowledge of specialized, multi-faceted design concepts and media. This position is key to the development of Vancouver Film School?s brand presence.

The Social Media Coordinator must be highly organized and thrive as a positive and flexible self-starter who succeeds in an evolving and fast-paced environment The incumbent will be heavily involved in social networking websites utilizing: Facebook, Twitter, Hi5, Bebo, MySpace, and any other relevant social networking channels including blogging communities. The incumbent is someone constantly on top of the latest trends in popular culture. The ideal candidate is passionate about Marketing and will take pride in their work representing the VFS brand. As this is a constantly evolving position, the incumbent must be proactive and able to adapt well to changes in their core responsibilities and identify new trends and patterns in the field of Social Media Marketing.

Core Responsibilities:
? Create and maintain social media and networking sites (Twitter, Facebook, MySpace, YouTube, LinkedIn, etc.) in order to promote the brand.
? Actively engage in consumer and industry blogs, online chats, and review sites to improve the VFS reputation.
? Develop relationships with and keep track of innovations in blogs, social networks, UGC (user-generated content) outlets, social bookmarking sites, and other appropriate social media destinations relevant to the project's audience.
? Strategize and recommend optimization of all digital channels, including: SEO, SEM, linking campaigns, and blogs.
? Create opportunities to leverage UGC across company digital marketing.
? Recommend and champion testing of new digital channels and tactics.
? Manage relevant digital agency and vendor relationship(s).
? Prepare and present results to senior management and stakeholders that outlines all digital marketing activities, the results of each, and recommendations for testing and improvement.

Knowledge:
? Online Media Knowledge: Experience communicating with influential, active, and niche bloggers and in blogging communities.
? PC literate with knowledge of and a proficiency in Microsoft Office applications.

Skills
? Organization: Must be a great multi-tasker with the ability to handle multiple campaigns simultaneously while adhering to tight deadlines.
? Communication: Strong written and verbal communication skills, capable of transmitting detail-oriented information and reports.
? Social Media Expertise: Experience with major social media outlets (MySpace, Facebook, Twitter), niche social media environments, popular message boards/forums, social bookmarking outlets (Digg, Delicious, Stumble Upon), video portals (YouTube, MetaCafe, Vimeo), knowledge place sites (Mahalo, Yahoo! Answers, eHow), etc.

Abilities
? Strategic: Ability to apply long-range marketing and business strategies to web presence; successful experience in leveraging digital tactics to achieve lead generation and brand goals.
? Poised: Mature and trustworthy spokesperson for the company. Able to navigate difficult customer experiences and online issues with forethought and consideration.
? Self-starter: Ability to work well independently as well as with a team.
? Ability to work as part of a creative and results-oriented team.
? Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with clients, and staff.

Job Qualifications
? Degree, diploma or equivalent certification in Marketing.
? 1+ year experience working in an office environment.
? Highest standards of customer service with focused attention on our customer, the VFS student and graduate.
? An expressed enthusiasm in the preparation and distribution of digital media art for online social networks.
? Excellent communication and interpersonal skills with an attention to detail and accuracy.
? Highly organized team player with a flexible approach and attitude.
? Demonstrate organizational and time management skills.
? Exceptional task management skills with a respect for timelines and deadlines.
? Ability to present a professional and positive image of VFS at all times.

How to Apply

If you meet the profile above and would like to be part of our growing organization, we invite you to email your cover letter and resume in either MS Word or PDF format indicating the position in the subject line to: Human Resources. Please include salary expectations in the cover letter.

We thank all applicants for their interest but only those selected for an interview will be contacted.

To learn more about our company, visit our website at www.vfs.com


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Halifax Book Camp

Hey Everyone, check this out. One of the organizers is Kimberly Walsh, a grad of our program. She tells me that it'll be especially interesting for students interested in social media because there'll be lots of talk about connecting with readers and online communities.

This is the blurb:
Welcome to BookCamp Halifax

The first unconference dedicated to books and the publishing industry is coming to Halifax on Saturday, June 5th, 2010 at Saint Mary's University.

BookCamp Halifax is a user-generated unconference designed to bring print publishers, educators, community builders, and the tech community together – for free! BookCamp Halifax is an opportunity to explore the present and future of books and book-like technologies. It’s open to anyone interested in the publishing industry and the potential dynamics of the reader/creator/publisher relationship.

Join us for a day of sharing new ideas, radical notions and engaging conversation! We’ll consider the future of the book as an object; examine its ongoing role as a delivery mechanism for stories, information and entertainment; and examine how publishers can leverage themselves for success in the digital age.

Participants and self-selected guest speakers will choose the agenda for this day-long event, which will be comprised of twenty forty-five minute sessions spread over five time-slots. Participants in these group sessions will discuss and potentially create future book technologies, workflows, and grand schemes.

Lend your passion and expertise to BookCamp Halifax by volunteering to facilitate a session.
(Contact any of the organizers for details.)

Our plan is for this to be a day of talking and doing – of rolling up the proverbial shirt sleeves and tinkering with the publishing mechanism. We’re inviting authors, typographers, designers, printers, technologists, booksellers, literary agents, publishers and geeks of every stripe to come along and consider if and how technology can transform and perhaps improve on the book.

For more information check out our Wiki.

Job postings with the NS government

One of our graduate students, Lori, sent these on to me. Check them out if you're looking for a job in
the NS Government:

http://www.careerbeacon.com/search/en/-1/-1/-1/-1/0/0/0/0/0/0/3/MB1...

http://www.careerbeacon.com/search/en/-1/-1/-1/-1/0/0/0/0/0/0/3/MB1...

Thanks,Lori!

Good luck everyone.

Clara Clorey wins Library Award

Congratulations to Clara Clorey who has won one of two Library Awards. This award is presented annually for outstanding skill in using Library information resources when completing a research assignment for course credit at the Mount. This award includes a cash prize of $200 to each recipient.

Clara's paper, Cognitive Dissonance Theory: Application Paper, was completed for Dr. Rehberg Sedo's Communication Theory and Practice course (PBRL 2013).

BRP degree stays, but the department name changes

This exciting announcement went out today to all of our current public relations students from our Chair, Amy Thurlow. It's been a long process, so I hope you'll join us in our joy.

Hello everyone,
I'm writing to all public relations students today to share some exciting news. The former department of public relations has been re-named the Department of Communication Studies. This change reflects the evolution of our department which now offers a broad range of programs including the BPR, the masters programs, a new Minor in Communication Studies and a new interdisciplinary BSc (Science Communication).

The department name change does not affect the name of the degree Bachelor of Public Relations. If you are a BPR student, you are still working on a Bachelor of Public Relations and your diploma at graduation will indicate that the degree earned is a Bachelor of Public Relations. The change is that your degree is housed in the Department of Communication Studies, along with some newly developed programs.

This evolution in our department is a result of several years of strategic planning and development. Our goal has been to create a department that offers programs which build on our expertise in public relations but also reflect a broader definition of communication. This is important to students, faculty and employers as we ensure that our learning environment keeps pace with a dynamic and complex global landscape.

For more information about the Department of Communication Studies and our new programs, please visit our department website at http://www.msvu.ca/en/home/programsdepartments/Arts_Science/professionalstudies/publicrelations/default.aspx

Please let me know if you have any questions.

All the best with your studies,
Amy



Amy Thurlow
Chair, Department of Communication Studies
Mount Saint Vincent University
phone: 902-457-5533
email: amy.thurlow@msvu.ca

Congratulations to Lia Scanlan and Sacha-Bea Robert!

This just in from the Co-op Office!
Well done, Lia and Sacha-Bea!!!

Each year deserving students are nominated by employers for the Mount Co-op Student of the Year Awards. We are pleased that so many employers invested the time in recognizing students’ contributions to their organizations. The employer nominations and students’ personal statements are very rewarding to read.

The selection committee had the difficult task of choosing the Mount Co-op Student of the Year (2009) recipients. The selection criteria included academic achievement, community involvement, contribution to the employer, and the impact co-op has had on their personal and professional development.

The four Mount Co-op Student of the Year recipients for 2009 are:

Business Administration   
Laura Smith (nominated by Nova Scotia Department of Energy)

Information Technology
Krista Quinn (nominated by Sisters of Charity)

Public Relations 
Lia Scanlan (nominated by RCMP)

Tourism & Hospitality Management  
Kyle Stubbs (nominated by Bayshore Inn)

Sacha-Bea Robert (nominated by Public Works and Government Services Canada) from the Public Relations program has also received an Honorable Mention.

The Final Selection Committee was comprised of:

Dr. Kim Kienapple - Director of Co-operative Education
Dr. Peter Mombourquette , Academic Chair Business & Tourism
Dr. Amy Thurlow, Academic Chair Public Relations
Sonya Horsburgh, Manager of Co-operative Education
Scott Daniels, Co-op Coordinator
Kirsten Somers, Co-op Coordinator

These nominations are just one more example of how “Mount Co-op Students Work!” Congratulations!

The Mount Co-op Team

Portfolio Contest

Have a portfolio put together for work term interviews? Why not use it to win money and prizes!

IABC Maritime Canada is hosting a portfolio competition for students at Mount Saint Vincent University next Thursday, February 11. This is a great opportunity to have experienced communicators provide feedback on your portfolio. And best of all, entry is free!

The student with the winning portfolio will receive an $100 prize as well as a one-year student membership to IABC. Each participant will also receive a certificate of participation that can be added to their portfolios.

The portfolio competition will take place in Seton 526 next Thursday, February 11. Participants will sign up for 10 minute presentation slots between 5 and 7 PM. Participants have those 10 minutes to explain the layout and design of their portfolios to the judges. Portfolios will be judged on content, creativity, presentation, consistency, organization of material, and overall appearance.

Contact Kira Scharwey to sign up for time slots at kira.scharwey@msvu.ca, or on her cell at (902) 483-3483. Presentation times will be given on a first come, first serve basis.