Meet Cayla, Ringling College’s first-ever Social Media Specialist.
Cayla Miraglia earned her BA in Communications (2019) from the University of West Florida with specializations in Public Relations and Social Media Marketing. During her time at UWF, she worked as a social media intern for the University and was the Public Relations director for the 2018 University of West Florida’s Homecoming. She also acted as graphic designer and was an on-air personality at Cat Country 98.7 in Pensacola. Following graduation, Cayla moved back to Sarasota and started as Digital and Social Media Assistant at iHeartRadio Tampa Bay. She then joined Ringling’s Communications Strategies team in 2020 in the inaugural social media position.
Why do you enjoy working in social media?
C: Social media really shows me that creative possibilities are endless. I enjoy crafting different kinds of posts for all kinds of reasons, then watching people connect with, and enjoy them in real time. There is no better feeling than seeing people enjoying what you’re posting and making a positive impact – sometimes instantly!
What was the most fun campaign you’ve ever worked on?
C: When it comes to social media, I think all campaigns are fun because they’re always so different! Recently I enjoyed working on the Ringling College Giving Challenge 2020 campaign. It was amazing to see how the community came together during the 24-hour fundraiser all in support of our student scholarships. It feels good to know I played a part in that. Other past campaigns that stand out include iHeartRadio’s 2019 FLZ Jingle Ball and several live concerts.
How do you hope to take Ringling’s social media to the next level?
C: My goal is to transform our social pages into something that no one has seen Ringling do before. I want to streamline them and really focus more on current and prospective students. Our students are creating so many amazing things and I really want to showcase that. I want to dive deeper into what Ringling College is, but also why it’s the best, or as Dr. Thompson would say, pre-eminent!
I am really proud that since I have come on board, Ringling’s social accounts have grown exponentially in a few short months – even amidst the pandemic. From mid-February when I started to present, our Instagram account has increased by 682 followers (and counting!), Facebook interactions are up by 57% and Twitter responses/shares are up 26%. Reports claim that approximately 3.5 billion people are actively using social media worldwide; the majority of users being Millennials, Gen X, and of course, Gen Z which is our target audience.
In today’s world, social media in my opinion is the best, fastest, and most tailored way to advertise a brand, or in Ringling’s case, allow everyone to see what the College and its students are really capable of achieving.
When you’re not concentrating on social, what else do you enjoy?
C: I love to explore new places, shop, go to theme parks, and learn new things about myself. The beauty of my chosen career is, I always end up posting everything on social media anyway! I love to connect with, and inspire people; it’s so important to me to try and help them see that social media can be utilized in so many positive ways.
I mainly got started in social media because I wanted people to see its beauty and opportunity the way I do. A lot of people think social media only has negative effects and cannot contribute any good to the world, but I want to show people the exact opposite. I hope I can use my skills and passions to help Ringling College transform their social presence by releasing all of the creativity and talent on campus out into the social world – people need to see the incredible things that are happening at the College, every single day. When we make this content available to everyone, all they have to do is follow us and the impact will be amazing!
