Meet Grace Stevens ’20, the assistant director of marketing and communication for enrollment communications. For Stevens, every day is different and rewarding in its own way. Learn about her role, the Social Media Ambassador program and why she was nicknamed “Radio.”
Can you describe your role at UNC Charlotte?
I serve as the assistant director of marketing and communication for enrollment communications at Charlotte. As a team, we work to enhance student enrollment and persistence from inquiry to graduation through effective marketing and communications initiatives for enrollment management departments. Day to day, my work can be very different! Some days are spent behind a camera as I create content with our social media ambassadors and student employees. Other times, I am at my desk preparing emails regarding registration and financial aid.
What do you find most rewarding and challenging about your position?
I love knowing my impact on enrollment despite its various challenges. My work is a unique blend of repetition with constant change. I say that because there are natural patterns within the enrollment funnel and academic cycles: communications I edit, review and send each term, updates to websites and print projects, annual events to promote and more.
However, the environment I work in is constantly changing and so are the needs of the populations I serve. It presents challenges while equally providing opportunities for creative solutions through marketing and communication. Our efforts as an office in partnership with enrollment management directly impact the ways prospective and current students experience Charlotte.
What’s been your favorite memory or experience working in enrollment communications?
To date, my favorite experience has been expanding the Social Media Ambassador program. During my time as an undergraduate student at Charlotte, I worked in our office as a social media specialist and was able to advocate for switching platforms from Twitter to Instagram. For someone who doesn’t work in social, this change may seem minor, but for our efforts in influencer marketing, it was critical to the success of our program.
Since joining the team full time and becoming the program supervisor, I continue to have opportunities to better the program for our current ambassadors and the future 49ers they reach through their online presence. Additionally, spending time with my team is a highlight of the job! Among 15 ambassadors, I often feel older than I truly am as they make references to trending audio saying “I could’ve said…” and singing about corn.
What do you like to do when you aren't working?
After 5 p.m. on weekdays and during weekends, you can find me content hanging out with friends! Whether it is trying new restaurants, camping out at a local coffee shop, hosting a game night or doing mundane tasks among good company… I am not picky, I just enjoy being with people!
What's a fun fact about you many people may not know?
My childhood nickname was “Radio.” It was given to me by my grandfather who recognized early on that I liked to talk. In fact, many found it challenging to get me to stop talking, hence the radio reference. Instead of taking offense to that or the feedback left on my early report cards, I took note of it and chose to make a career out of my passion for communication.
Do you have a favorite author?
Currently, I am obsessed with Taylor Jenkins Reid! I recently read “Daisy Jones and The Six” while on vacation, and Jenkins Reid’s creativity in her story-telling captured my attention quick! So, now my Amazon cart is packed with her other books like “Malibu Rising,” “The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo” and “Carrie Soto is Back.”