How can universities harness the power of social media to elevate their institution, engage students, and build lasting communities on and off campus? Geisha Garcia, Executive Director of Social Media at the University of Miami, knows the impact of strategic content, influencer partnerships, and community-driven storytelling. In this episode, we dive into how Geisha's team creates authentic, high-performing content, fosters collaboration with students, and integrates social media into broader institutional initiatives. From student creator programs to major brand activations, Geisha shares how social teams can claim their seat at the table and drive meaningful engagement.

Full Episode Details 

Geisha Garcia joins host Jason Keath on this episode of Social Pros to share how the University of Miami is redefining higher ed social media through authenticity, collaboration, and strategic content creation. She dives into the impact of student creator programs, how her team balances institutional messaging with relatable social-first content, and why engagement is just as important as content itself.

With brand activations playing a bigger role on campus, Geisha explains how social teams can proactively integrate into broader marketing initiatives—rather than reacting after the fact. She also breaks down the power of influencer partnerships, why micro-influencers often outperform big names, and how community management on TikTok is a game-changer.

Geisha also shares how her team stays ahead by fostering collaboration, testing formats like carousels, and pushing for social’s seat at the table—ensuring it remains a strategic force within the institution.

Stay tuned after Geisha's interview for a conversation with Jason, Zontee and Sunny about Convince & Convert's new newsletter, The Trend Line.

In This Episode:

• 1:55 - UMiami's social partnerships with other universities
• 7:15 - Successes and lessons learned from UMiami's TikTok account
• 8:31 - UMiami's new student creator program and how it operates
• 15:24 - How Geisha and her team found the current students in the creator program
• 17:54 - How the student creators benefit from the program
• 20:30 - The social strategy for UMiami's centennial celebration, and how it's been executed
• 24:40 - Community management on TikTok
• 26:05 - Choosing the right partnerships that will resonate with your audience
• 26:56 - How to correctly collaborate with brands on university socials
• 29:57 - Geisha’s advice for aspiring social pros
• 32:30 - Zontee, Jason and Sunny discuss C&C's new newsletter, The Trend Line

Resources:

• Follow University of Miami on TikTok
• Follow University of Miami on Instagram
• Follow Geisha on LinkedIn
• Follow Geisha on Instagram
• Visit the University of Miami website