Happy 2019! Can you believe it is 2019? I can’t. My 2018 calendar was filled with so many exciting events and opportunities. Can’t wait to see what is in store this year for MelanysGuydlines.
One event that I had the pleasure of organizing and speaking at was held at the beautiful Mountain Shadows Resort in Paradise Valley, Arizona. We wanted to rally the University of Arizona alumni living in the Phoenix area and showcase what is new in education at the UofA! There is a lot going on and we wanted the opportunity to share and get more alumni excited and involved.
We brainstormed ideas and I suggested that we speak about how the University of Arizona is a forward thinking school and how we offer courses in new technology and media. That idea developed into something very exciting and the name of the evening was entitled, “Technology and the Human Equation” where we discussed ways in which social media and Virtual Reality are being utilized in classrooms as an educational aid to compliment the learning process of students today! Three colleges hosted this event and there were featured professors and deans from the College of Engineering, College of Social and Behavioral Sciences and the College of Humanities. The event was a huge success and I thought I would share a little about what I spoke about.
If you weren’t able to attend….don’t worry, I have the speeches and they are posted below.
My introduction from fellow advisory board member was awesome and sounded a bit like this:
Melany graduated Cum Laude with a degree Communication from the University of Arizona in 2001. Following graduation she moved to Los Angeles to work for MTV, William Morris Agency, Irving Azoff, and Creative Artist Agency in the music industry. She later worked in Marketing and Promotions with numerous high profile tours. She saw the change shifting in music to online media and enjoyed learning about social media. It was at this time that she began her blog MelanysGuydlines, a lifestyle blog.
Melany moved from Los Angeles to Scottsdale and she began to see her social media grow substantially. In 2018 Voyage Phoenix Magazine lists Melany as a top trailblazer/social media influencer in Scottsdale. This year she was also chosen as one of three influencers to represent MillerCoors for the Arnold Palmer Spiked debut campaign at the Waste Management Phoenix Open. The social media campaign led the product to be the top selling new brand of 2018 according to Nielsen. She has won several awards as an influencer: (1) in 2017 she was featured on the award winning UA’s own Cats in the Corner Office show, who’s past guests include Steve Kerr; (2) she won the Shorty Award 2015 for the most fan nominations in a blogger category; (3) MelanysGuydlines won the Best Dating and Relationship Blog of 2014; (4) she toured the country with Cox Business as an influencer supporting startups.
In addition to writing a lifestyle blog, Melany has proven herself as a trusted brand ambassador and social media influencer. She loves giving back to her followers through partnering with brands and offering exclusive opportunities. Melany has worked with top tier brands ranging from Microsoft, Lenovo, Cox Communication, Bud Light Lime, Amazon, American Express, Disney, Overstock, USA Networks, Adore Cosmetics, Vanity Fair, MillerCoors, the NFL and many more.
She is the youngest advisory board member at the University of Arizona College in the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences. She gives back to the College by giving an annual lecture on social media to students in the College of SBS’s eSociety class, a program in the iSchool. Melany’s family created two scholarships in her sister’s name at the University of Arizona after her passing in 2010. The two scholarships are awarded to a male and female student and one of the most prestigious in the College of SBS. The Brenna Ilana Berger Memorial Scholarship covers a good portion of in-state tuition, room and board, and books. It honors her sister’s memory as an At-Risk School Counselor in Los Angeles by enabling students who have faced significant obstacles in the pursuit of their college education. Her family is very active in keeping close contact with the scholarship recipients.
Not sure if you knew that about me but there it is! That is me.
Next, I was able to kick off the event. This is what I had to say:
My Communication degree from the U of A’s College of SBS prepared me for a path in the music industry, taught me how to be a strong communicator in a difficult but exciting business, and gave me the skill set to present my ideas clearly and concisely while maintaining my integrity. The faculty in the department also cared about me on a personal level which is why I give my time and talent to the students, and why my family and I give back financially to benefit students majoring in Communication.
Thank you Rowene for giving our audience on overview of my educational experience at the University of Arizona and insight into my career. I would hire me. Did I mention, I offer consulting?
After suffering a few personal hardships, I wanted a change. I decided to become a blogger and that is when I started my blog MelanysGuydlines.com. Over time I have transformed it from a dating blog to more of a lifestyle site and micro blogs. As Rowene mentioned, my following has since grown substantially to over 330,000 followers. Scottsdale likes me better than LA and I like Scottsdale better than LA! By the way, I am known for being snarky and for having the secret sauce: posting pictures of my fluffy white dog named Teddy Brewski (after the football player) a.k.a. known as Sir Teddy Brewski on Instagram and twitter. Yes, I do monetize his following as well. I can answer questions later.
I really enjoy delivering my annual lecture in the College of SBS’s eSociety class, which prepares students to go into social media as a career. I tell students that they are fortunate to have degree options that fit with today’s workforce. The recently created degree program located in the iSchool is a perfect example. During my lecture I have an open discussion with the students about how to become a social media influencer. The students ask me questions ranging from, “How do you get paid as a blogger?” to “How many social media platforms are you on?” to “How do you keep up with all your social media platforms?” The eSociety degree helps to prepare students to go into the field of social media. My Communication degree focused more on personal communication and the study of human interactions. Today, the degrees are more focused on career development and preparing students to utilize social media as a profession and to compliment their personal communication skill. We need both to succeed in today’s workforce and society. I envy this opportunity that is presented to today’s students. For me, I went to Barnes and Noble and bought the book “How to Blog for Dummies” and then began my career as a blogger, I am essentially self-taught.
When I give my annual lecture in the spring to the eSociety students, I open myself up to learning from them as well. They have helped to keep me current in terms of what social media platforms students are currently following. For example, when Instagram was just starting out in the social media scene, the students informed me that this is the new up-and-coming social media craze and I should engage in Instagram. I now have 330K followers on Instagram. It is my biggest money-maker.
Tonight you will have the opportunity to hear from three professors on the transformation of education. And I, for one, am looking forward to learning from them about technology and how that is transforming education today.
Thank you.
And that was a wrap! Hope you join us next time!
BEAR DOWN!
**Stay snarky my friends!**
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