Social Media at SSW

Share your story — get featured by SSW

Tag, hashtag, or submit your photos, videos and stories so we can showcase the best of our campus life across Instagram, X, Facebook, LinkedIn and YouTube.

Quick how-to:

Why tag us?

  • Get more visibility: Featured posts reach alumni, prospective students, and the wider community. Reach over 4,700 followers on Facebook, 3,700 on X, and 2,500 on Instagram (and counting).
  • Celebrate achievements: Share awards, research breakthroughs, events, student life and everyday moments.
  • Connect the campus: Your story helps tell the broader SSW story.

What we love to feature

  • Student life: events, clubs, creative projects and community service
  • Research & innovation: photos, fieldwork, discoveries and faculty-student collaborations
  • Success stories: awards, scholarships, alumni highlights and faculty spotlights
  • Campus culture and Impact: community engagement, sustainability efforts and cross-campus partnerships
How to make your post feature-ready
  • Tag correctly: include our handle in the caption and tag the account in the photo/video.
  • Use the hashtag: include #UMSSW or #SSWResearch in the caption or first comment.
  • Location matters: enable location tagging for campus or event locations.
  • Quality counts: bright, well-framed photos or steady, well-lit videos perform best.
  • Keep it short and clear: concise captions with context (who, what, where, why) are more shareable.
Photo & video guidelines
  • Orientation: Instagram, square or vertical; Reels, vertical (9:16); YouTube, horizontal for longer videos
  • Resolution: high-quality images and HD video when possible
  • Captions & subtitles: add captions for videos to improve accessibility and engagement
  • Avoid overlays: minimal text on images; if you add text, keep it legible and unobtrusive
  • File types: JPG/PNG for images, MP4/ MOV for video
Permissions, privacy & consent
  • Ask before you post: Get permission from anyone who’s identifiable in a photo or video, especially minors or people in private settings.
  • Student privacy: Do not post personally identifying education records or information.
  • If someone asks to be removed from a feature, contact us and we’ll promptly address it.
Accessibility
  • Add alt text to images when uploading to platforms that support it.
  • Provide captions or transcripts for videos.
Do’s and don’ts
  • Do: Tag official handles, use the hashtag, check lighting, include captions and location.
  • Don’t: Post copyrighted music without permission (platforms may mute), share private student records, or tag in ways that violate platform rules.
  • Don’t: Expect every tagged post to be featured.

What happens after you tag us

  • We monitor tags and hashtags regularly and curate content for our feeds, stories and website.
  • Featuring is at our discretion, we’ll credit your account whenever possible.

Questions about social media guidelines or featuring: Communications@ssw.umaryland.edu 

  • Facebook

    Follow us for campus news, events, stories, and opportunities to be featured, stay connected with your community.

    Facebook

  • X

    Campus news, research highlights, event updates, and chances to be featured, join the conversation.

    X

  • Instagram

    Campus photos, student and faculty stories, event highlights, and a chance to be featured, share your moments with #UMSSW

    Instagram

  • Linkedin

    Alumni stories, faculty and research highlights, career and networking opportunities, and professional events that connect our entire community.

    Linkedin

  • Youtube

    Lectures and research talks, campus events, alumni spotlights, and student stories, content to keep you inspired.

    Youtube

Ready to be a Changemaker?