Libsyn Directory

Are online friends real?

Release Date: 02/15/2023

Josie and the Podcast

We’ve made it through another season of Josie and The Podcast – and as we celebrate the end of Season 6, we’re also celebrating my birthday! To commemorate these milestones, I wanted to use this final episode to reflect on this past season and this era of my life. One of several themes this season was technology, specifically AI. What better way to help me recap the season than by asking AI to help pull moments that sparked conversation and community for us all. Turns out, we talked a lot about change, community, and mindfulness – a few of my favorite things! Birthdays are a big...

Being a Traveler Not a Tourist with Jill Creighton

Josie and the Podcast

If you ask Dr. Jill Creighton where her favorite place in the world is, she’ll tell you it’s the place she hasn’t been to yet. As a world traveler, Jill leads organizations in global engagement, social impact, and crisis management in the higher education sector. Before starting in her current role as the Associate Vice President for Global Operations at the Institute for Study Abroad, Jill spent years working in student affairs – a passion that stretches back to her dissertation on American college students’ study abroad behavior. Jill also hosts SA: Voices from the Field, a podcast...

Little Giants: The Big World of Gen Alpha

Josie and the Podcast

Step aside Gen Z, because Generation Alpha is here and making its identity known. Born between 2010 and 2025, Alpha’s are highly digitally-integrated and are set to become the most educated generation. For insight on Gen Alpha, I brought in a diverse group of guests to speak to what’s ahead. You’ll hear from AJ Lopez, social media & media relations manager at Texas Woman’s University (and parent of two Gen Alphas); Dr. Meghan Grace, researcher, consultant, generational expert; Dr. Amber Williams, Vice Provost for Student Success at the University of Tennessee - Knoxville...

Protecting Your Light with Dr. Mike Muñoz

Josie and the Podcast

A common theme I noticed throughout today's conversation with Mike Muñoz was a focus on breathing. Whether it was metaphorically taking a breather from doom scrolling, or literally stopping yourself for a quiet moment to feel your chest move up and down. Mike’s commitment to self-preservation, his warm persona and dedication to his campus are a driving force behind his work. Dr. Mike Muñoz, Superintendent and President of Long Beach City College (LBCC), is a nationally recognized leader, passionate about closing the equity gap, creating inclusive environments, and driving innovation....

In My AI Era

Josie and the Podcast

Diving into the world of Artificial intelligence (AI) can be intimidating. Or maybe you’re unsure about using it at all. No one is an expert in these tools right now (unless, maybe, you happen to be one of the tool creators), meaning there is so much room for playfulness and exploration open to those willing to try. In this episode, I’ll cover the importance of staying updated with changing AI trends, discuss possible concerns and benefits of integrating AI in higher ed, provide practical and effective steps for experimenting with AI, and recommend several (several)...

Leading With Hard Work and Heart Work with Shea Kidd Brown

Josie and the Podcast

It is so difficult to be mindful online these days. The apps and algorithms are just not designed to keep us in the present. And with so much curation necessary to creative our idea of a “perfect profile,” how can we make sure we are showing up in our digital accounts and profiles in a heartful way? Well, my guest today has mastered the art and science of being her whole self online. Whether she is weaving the values her grandmother taught her into presentations, or sharing the intimacies of her adoption journey on social media, Dr. Shea Kidd Brown consistently stays true to her...

Talking Human-Centered Tactics with Dayana Kibilds

Josie and the Podcast

Dayana Kibilds sees content as a tool for equity, and strives to help students access the educational institutions they deserve to be a part of. She is also living for unapologetic joy and keeping her work in marketing and communications human-centered. Dayana, or Day, is strategy director at Ologie, an employee-owned marketing and branding strategy built for education. Prior to Ologie, Day led enrollment and digital innovation work at Penn State, Cornell and Western University in Ontario, Canada. Day is also the host of Enrollify's Talking Tactics podcast, and is co-authoring a book about...

Building Community vs. Facilitating Community and the Work of Belonging in Digital Communities

Josie and the Podcast

If you know me, you know I talk about community - all the time. Reflecting on the work of , I spend this episode diving into the roles we all play in community, and how we can all evolve together. We’ll discuss how we can show up and be active advocates for our communities, defining belonging as a facet of community and how this all translates to student success. But we’ll also dig into what a community really is. Is it though the memes we share on our schools’ social media account, the campus itself, the culture the students share, or the staff we bring on at the higher...

Bringing Swiftie Energy to Higher Ed with Rachel Putman

Josie and the Podcast

With this episode kicking off our new year, I’ve been thinking a lot about time and energy. Balancing time between your work life and home life, investing time in students, time with family, and all the time we lost to the pandemic. Our guest has also been thinking about it today, as she reflects on grief and prioritizes time spent in different places. But also the fun and freeness that being a Swiftie brings. After graduating from UNC Chapel Hill, Rachel Putman close to a decade as a journalist, and joined the world of higher education in 2014, finding her passion at the intersection of...

Should We Stop Hiring Students to Help with Social Strategy?

Josie and the Podcast

Our tree is up, the lights are lit, and the annual gingerbread house competition has been scheduled. It is officially the holiday season. As I reflect on the past year and look ahead to what's coming in 2024, this year theme as been all about students. My work approach and philosophy are centered; on who we are here to serve, and usually in higher ed, that is, our students. My work approach and philosophy are centered on the people we are here to serve, and in higher education, that is, our students. In marketing and communications, students are integrated in all formal and informal...

More Episodes

The people that you meet online aren't real. It's not lasting. It's not impactful. Blah, blah blah.

We’re constantly surrounded by people who invalidate or don't believe that friendships or connections online count as real. But if you’re like me, I’ve met so, so many of my friends and colleagues on Twitter, in seminars, and in other online spaces.

So today I want to talk about the intersection of friendship, community, networking, and how that shows up online and in all of life, as well as how this translates into our approaches to marketing and communications.

In this episode, we dive into my early struggles with friendships and being bullied — plus how hard it is to make friends as adults. We also discuss the increased levels of loneliness and depression, the difference between friendship and parasocial relationships, and some tips on maintaining these bonds, both in person and online.

Finally, I'll dig into how all this matters to our work in higher ed marketing and communications.

Please note: This episode touches on topics like depression. Take care while listening.

For all notes of this episode head to: https://www.josieahlquist.com/podcast/are-online-friends-real/

Connect with Josie:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/josieahlquist/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/josieahlquist
Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/josieandthepodcast

Twitter: https://twitter.com/josieahlquist

Podcast Twitter: https://twitter.com/JosieATPodcast

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DrJosieAhlquist/

Website: www.josieahlquist.com

Email: [email protected]

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