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Dec. 17

Generating hype on social media

By Max Horn
Graduate assistant of client and student services

Due to the higher degree of saturation and usage rates of social media, posting content can sometimes feel like shouting into a noisy room making it seemingly impossible to penetrate the algorithms of your ideal target audience. A technique that can be used to combat this challenge is to generate ‘hype’ across your social media platforms. Hype is defined as intensive publicity or promotion. It is a tactic that has been proven to boost engagement rates, interactions and impressions, and overall brand loyalty.
 

“In my opinion, one of the best ways businesses can generate hype on social media is by making sure their content is specific, visually enticing, and not overwhelming,” said Chelsea Siegal, the Reading Royals’ marketing and social media manager.
 

Think about incorporating that ‘WOW’ factor in your content. An ideal starting point is considering what encourages you to visit someone’s website, follow their social media platforms, and ultimately purchase their product, service or experience. Once you determine that, the strategies that you can use to execute this technique for your own media are easily accessible and relatively inexpensive. Six strategies to generate hype around your brand are as follows:
 

Hone in on your target audience

Connecting with and grabbing the attention of your followers is integral to their experience. When you are launching campaigns or putting together social media strategies, be sure to research your industry and what ultimately engages your ideal audience. What books do they read? What other brands do they follow? How do they consume information? Put yourself in the follower’s point of view and cater the content accordingly.
 

Tease your future content

Launching a teaser campaign can facilitate excitement leading up to an event or announcement. It can grab the audience’s attention and build anticipation. The Energy in the Room podcast launch is one example of this. We shared a “coming soon” post with the date of when viewers can expect it as well as stories, and a post on the date that was listed in the coming soon post.  
 

Incorporate videos in your content strategy

Videos create a more significant impact than written content because of the visual aspect. Putting video content together may take more effort and time to put together, but it will pay off in the end. When your followers see videos that are 30-60 seconds, they are more likely to watch the full video and get them to click onto your other social platforms or your website. When videos are not possible, try creating animated graphics.
 

Go LIVE

Facebook and Instagram LIVE build engagement and allow you to connect directly with your followers while sharing important news or updates. On our channels, for example, the graduate assistants have gone LIVE on Instagram, where the audience is primarily ����ԭ�� students. A teaser and an interactive story were posted leading up to the LIVE for followers to contribute their questions. During the LIVE, they discussed what experiences the Fellows Program can provide prospective students and how it could benefit them.
 

Create a hashtag

Developing a few branded hashtags to use consistently across your social media platforms is a clever approach to get the audience excited about their involvement and engagement with the company or event. For example, our External Communications Committee, attended Social Media Day through Slice Communications this past year and used the hashtag #SMDAYPHL. You can also use your own branded hashtags in most or all posts to help them gain traction.
 

Tell your story  

A compelling story is another powerful way to get people engaged with your organization or brand. In addition to garnering attention like many of the other tactics listed, storytelling can foster long-term brand loyalty over time as well as strengthen your brand as a whole. This can be done through photos, captions, blogs, videos, infographics, or any combination of those elements.
 

“And, of course, make it fun! Everyone loves fun content – and memes,” said Siegal.

Dec. 13

Harnessing the power of networking

By Mackenzie Maurer
Digital Design Fellow

Networking is an essential tool for developing professional relationships between colleagues, clients, and within the community that an organization resides. With that, our team not only encourages the Fellows to engage in networking to prepare them for graduating and entering the job market but also works toward fostering networking and collaboration within the community.
 

There are many events that our partners hold as well as events that we host where Fellows, staff, and clients can interact with each other and with other professionals in the Reading and ����ԭ�� communities. For example, O’Pake hosts monthly educational programming for business incubator tenants and clients as well as six best practice seminars through the Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership.
 

“Ever since starting with O’Pake, my networking experience has been taken to the next level. I’ve been able to meet new people and get to meet the clients we host in our business incubator located at CollegeTowne,” said Adonis Fleming, graduate assistant of community outreach.
 

In addition, the team sends out various other networking event opportunities as they are presented by ����ԭ�� and our other various partners and sponsors to the undergraduate and graduate Fellow team to attend within their course schedules.
 

Ashley Abbey, the graduate assistant of student and client services, has experienced many networking opportunities throughout her college career. She said that her position as a graduate assistant has especially facilitated many of those opportunities. O’Pake offers a mentor program where each Fellow obtains a mentor in addition to getting to attend various events and working directly with industry professionals.
 

“For the students, it is more about growth. They can connect with people who have more experience and knowledge, and they can pass that valuable information onto the students through these experiences,” said Abbey.
 

In addition to exposing students to networking opportunities, part of O’Pake’s mission is to serve as a connector in the Reading community whether that be business to business through our professional service providers sector, referring a client who needs services outside of our expertise to one of our many partners, etc.
 

“Within the community, we can see clients that can be assets to each other, and we have a lot of opportunities to network with people that are high profile within the Reading community… it is all about naturally beneficial relationships and how the clients can benefit each other,” said Abbey.
 

Fleming expressed that he garnered his ability to connect with the community of Reading through networking from growing up right in Downtown Reading. He was able to become quite active and get to know a lot of the local businesses in the area, which has complemented his graduate assistantship.
 

He explained that one of the many values of networking in the community is that word of mouth communication has served to be instrumental in spreading the news about the Reading CollegeTowne strategy to local businesses and other residents in the community. The connection that can be fostered through networking whether it is in person at an event or through a zoom call, has been instrumental in the development of O’Pake’s role in the Reading CollegeTowne strategy.
 

“Our mission at O’Pake and ����ԭ�� is to be good neighbors to those that were here before us and to not step on the toes of any of the existing businesses. We are trying to focus on partnerships in our network, and how we can revitalize the city of Reading together,” said Fleming.

Nov. 2

Highlighting the Faces of Your Organization

By McKenzy Lilliock
Graduate assistant of human resources

If you are proud of the work your colleagues or employees have been completing but are struggling with ways to show it, we compiled a list of ways to show your appreciation and demonstrate the great work that comes from your organization.
 

The employees of a company are the face of an organization. Employees are applying countless hours, maybe even years, behind the scenes making the company what it is. Employees are providing a significant commitment of time. Thus, providing them with an employee spotlight can provide them with recognition for their commitment.
 

It is also a critical employer branding strategy. Outside candidates tend to search for real experiences and information regarding what it is like to work for a particular organization, especially when it comes to aspects such as organizational culture. Employee spotlights foster that insight.
 

When highlighting your employees, it is essential to note their name, role at the company, a photo of them, and even a direct quote when applicable. Whether you choose to capture them in a video or an article, you can ask them questions about the company’s culture, their professional growth, passion projects, something unique about the company, or even a success story.
 

You can also take this approach with new hires and spotlight the journey of how they found their new job and what made them pick this company. Furthermore, you can feature the story of a veteran employee and encourage the audience to follow them along through their journey with the organization.
 

Whichever route you choose, try to capture a genuine response that includes a representation of the employee’s personality and/or the organizational culture. This can be done by recording them in a place that they are most comfortable, asking pointed, but open-ended questions, and taking steps to build rapport with the interviewee.
 

This approach can be used for both video, audio, and written testimonials and all of which will highlight the faces of your organization. When you have adequately captured these timeless moments of the employees in their element, it is time to promote them on your channels.
 

This can be done by incorporating short quotes in social media captions, full blogs or case studies for a more expanded employee experience, and even a recorded interview that can be longer form or edited down into smaller clips whether it is video or audio. No matter which medium the spotlight is captured in, it can be used on various platforms in various ways to showcase your employees. It is now time to put these practices into action to both recognize your employees’ hard work and showcase it to a broader audience.  

Oct. 18

How to Start Your Professional Portfolio in 5 Steps

If you were waiting for a sign to start building your portfolio, this is it!
 

If you are here, it is because you need to build your professional portfolio. Luckily for you, I have some experience with that, and I am eager to teach others how to build theirs. I am Ana Perez and I graduated in May 2021 with a bachelor’s degree in digital design and media art from Wilkes University. I am currently the graduate assistant of digital design at the O’Pake Institute, and I help clients with anything related to logo and branding, web design, and interactive design.  
 

In college, I had to build not one, but two professional portfolios. One was when I graduated with my two associate degrees at Luzerne County Community College, and then one was when I graduated from Wilkes University. I know the importance of having a portfolio and because of that, I want to encourage you today to start building your own. I will provide you with 5 tips that will help you to get your feet wet. Let’s start!
 

Step Number 1: Get Inspired!

Check out what professionals in your field are doing and start following them on social media to get inspired by their work. Create a folder and start putting your inspiration there. Look for examples of work you want to re-create and look for color palettes and styles that you would like to incorporate into your own portfolio. You can start by checking out these websites:

• Fashion Portfolio
• A Tour for my Graphic Design Portfolio
• Paula Ruiz Portfolio on Issuu
• Roseline Portfolio on Issuu

Step Number 2: Choose Your Portfolio Pieces

Choose at least 8 projects. Make sure these projects represent your values, principles, and, of course, your skills. Your portfolio should have your best work. With that, make sure that you are proud of everything you are displaying, and that grammar and punctuation are accurate.
 

In my case, I wanted to demonstrate two skills; one my ability to utilize specific Adobe suites programs such as Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, Premiere Pro, After Effects, XD and some other programs such as Wix and Artivive. The second skill I wanted to demonstrate was my ability to speak two languages, for this I created a bilingual animated infographic and a children’s book.  

Ask yourself: What is the main purpose of your portfolio? What is your objective? Then, choose the portfolio pieces that represent your purpose and objective.

Step Number 3: Create A Production Schedule

After you decide what projects, you want to display, and the purpose of your portfolio, make an action plan to make it a reality. Production schedules are great to keep you focused on your goal. Be specific, be realistic but challenge yourself.

The easiest way to create a production schedule is using Google Sheets or Microsoft Excel. The medium you use to complete this process is not as important as the content you will put in there.
 

Step Number 4: Create An E-portfolio (And A Portfolio Book)

You need to have an e-portfolio, period. There are so many template-based website builders out there and it is super easy to create it. I personally created mine on Adobe Portfolio, but you can create yours on Wix, WordPress, or any other platform you feel comfortable using.
 

An e-portfolio should have 5 essential elements: 

• At least 8 projects.
• Some preliminary work.
• Brief description of the project.
• Final design.
• Contact page.
• At least one dedicated social media platform.
• A brief biography.
• A downloadable resume. 

Having an e-portfolio is essential but having a portfolio book will set you apart from the rest of the candidates when applying for a job. We live in a world where there is too much digital so showing a portfolio book will make your clients and employers remember you. So yes, have fun and go and create one.
 

Step Number 5: Do Not Forget To Build Your Resume And Business Card

If you are a designer like me, you should design your own personal brand, business card, and resume but if you are not, you can use Canva or another platform to design your resume and business card.
 

Remember!!! The main purpose of a professional portfolio is to aid you in your job search. A portfolio will not be enough, so you also will need to have a business card and resume.

For more information on what to put and what not contact some of the professionals from Career Development at ����ԭ��. They will help you to perfect your resume in order to find the job you want.  

One extra piece of advice: Do not procrastinate. Your portfolio deserves your time and attention. Build it with purpose and with intention. Start now and do not hesitate to ask others for help. Express your intentions with your portfolio to your professors or mentors and ask them for their assistance.

Sept. 28

You Don’t Need to Be a Graphic Designer to Create Engaging Content

By Wyatt Hessler

Steve Jobs was perhaps one of the most influential designers, yet he was not an artist by trade. However, he understood the importance of design and its ability to reach the consumer.
 

The purpose of design is to be a vehicle for consumers to understand the product as well as garner their attention and trust to your brand. With that, Apple’s simplicity in designing their products is intentional and in order for anyone to be able to identify and use their products.
 

“Design isn’t just what it looks like and feels like. Design is how it works” -Steve Jobs.

Design continues to be an essential tool of any business, and in response, technology has evolved. More affordable design programs such as Canva have given people who may be unfamiliar with design or those who wear many hats in the business the ability to here are some Canva design basics to help you maximize your external communication.
 

Keep It simple

Try to stick to a branding guide and limit the variation of your elements. As a rule of thumb, decide on 1-3 primary colors, 1-3 contrasting colors, and 2 fonts to develop consistency in your designs. The audience recognizes a brand based on that consistency and how it stands out among other brands. Additionally developing new color schemes and designs can be time-consuming. Maintaining a consistent font and color scheme can help in alleviating stress and maintaining a professional feed.
 

If every element of your design is different, it can be difficult for a consumer to find the subject of the design. In that time, when they are trying to search for the subject, there is a greater chance that they have already lost interest and scrolled past it.
 

Scaling & sizing

A lot of times, scaling is something that can be overlooked when looking at fonts and colors. Leveraging the size of the elements of a design to get a certain message across can guide the audience’s attention. You can use Scaling to help get across the importance of an element in relation to the others. For example, you may want to put the word “FREE” in capital letters when stating: “contact us for a FREE consultation” on a graphic making it much larger than the rest of the sentence and allowing it to stand out.

It will attract the attention of the consumer and get your main message across first, hopefully hooking them in to read the rest of the post. When you are scaling your elements, you can also take the placement and composition of your elements into account for the message to be translated as well as serve as something that is visually appealing to the audience. The templates in Canva offer many examples of scaling, placement, and layering and serve as a great starting point when getting inspiration for a design.
 

Space is your friend

“White space is to be regarded as an active element, not a passive background.” -Jan Tschichold
 

Jan Tschichold was a calligrapher and designer in the 20th century and was noted for his significant role in the development of what’s known as modern graphic design. It is clear in his work, that he valued and understood the advantages of negative space.

One of the hardest to do when you first start designing is refraining from filling every single space with a photo, text, or element. Empty space can give emphasis to the subject and can balance out a design. Try to think of empty space as an element you must place in the design. If there are too many elements to a design, it can be distracting and confusing to the viewer.
 

Have fun

The most important part of designing is to be creative and enjoy yourself in the process. These are the basic tips to help you get started, but Canva has many features that can allow you to use your creativity to take your designs to the next level.
 

Spend some time finding what design elements and styles you like, and which reflect the brand and compliment the message you are trying to convey. Try implementing animations, photos, and audio to grab the audience’s attention even more. You can even upload your own photos and audio and use them in your designs or choose from the thousands of copyright-free photos and audios that Canva has right in the design hub.  
 

Use these basics to make your own designs and feel free to tag us at @Opake.institute on Instagram and @OPakeinstute on Facebook if you use tips from this blog.

Aug. 19

Prioritizing a strong online video marketing presence

By Wyatt Hessler
Communications and marketing fellow

In the last five years, the number of businesses using video marketing has increased by 41%. Even though video is an established medium, how and where creators and social media platforms display it has evolved.
 

Companies now opt for personalized videos on their websites, to drive traffic, and social media to increase engagement. According to a report from Cisco, a networking software solutions company, online video consumption is expected to make up more than 80% of all consumer internet traffic by the end of 2021.

“Video is a medium that can be delivered that lives indefinitely. Once it is created, the ability to be searched and viewed makes it a piece of marketing that provides exceptional short- and long-term positioning,” said Dr. Scott Ballantyne, professor at ����ԭ�� and YouTube content creator.
 

Video displays emotions and personality in a more life-like way to the audience compared to other marketing tools. At times, businesses can be viewed as a rigid, robotic entity online and video allows them to leverage authenticity in their content and fosters a relationship with their audience.
 

The audience reacts positively to content that they relate to and perceive as real, which can garner trust and facilitate brand loyalty. At O’Pake, the external communications committee uses videos to showcase the team’s personalities, establish values, reinforce our mission and present the audience with significant information as well as encourage clients to do the same.
 

Additionally, it is common for the audience to be skeptical of products or services that they discover on the internet due to fear of fraud. A well-produced video can be the key to getting through and establishing that level of trust. According to Wyzowl’s yearly video marketing report, 84% of consumers say they have been convinced to purchase a product or service after watching a video.
 

In the same Wyzowl study referenced earlier, 69% of people prefer video when being educated about a product. Video is an effective tool to grab people’s attention and supply information in a convenient manner. Video has prevailed in engaging consumers so much so that consumers retain about 85% more information from video than text-heavy content.
 

The human brain is naturally able to interpret visuals faster than text and thus, humans are psychologically more engaged by complex visuals. In a similar vein, in 2014 Scott Macfarland of Huffington Post noted the shift to digital video marketing in his article “If a picture is worth a thousand words, what is a video worth?”
 

Finally, as search engine optimization (SEO) is the key to achieving traffic to your website, studies have shown that websites that include videos are 53 times more likely to reach the front page of Google. The algorithms of search engines like Google tend to prefer pages that have a mix of media, including video.
 

Furthermore, videos tend to keep people on your site longer. The average time a user spends on your webpage is referred to as the bounce rate. The better your bounce rate is, the higher the likelihood that search engines will promote it. Lastly, videos are more likely to be linked to and shared. The more backlinks a video has, the more authoritative a website appears which also supports SEO. Platforms like YouTube can allow you to seamlessly embed your content on your web page, while also benefiting from the YouTube algorithm.
 

“With the ability to embed videos on other social media platforms, YouTube becomes a powerful tool that can be used in conjunction with other social media platforms,” said Ballantyne.
 

In conclusion, a well-made video is a key component when looking at all aspects of marketing, from attracting attention to increasing buying intent. The O’Pake Institute can help you develop your own video portfolio and help increase your brand awareness. If you are interested in becoming a client, reach out to us here to complete a form to see how we can best service you.

July 20

Student Finance Series: The Impact of Interest Rates

By Allison Kirschner

Changes in interest rates can have both positive and negative effects, depending on if you are a borrower or lender. The U.S. Federal Reserve, known as the Fed, often change their target interest in response to the economic activity: raising rates when the economy is strong and lowering the rates when the economy is in a hypothetical sinkhole.
 

We can get a good idea of how our economy is performing and what the Feds are planning to do about it. When rates change, there is a ripple effect across the entire economy. The U.S Federal Reserve manages inflation, supervises the banking system, maintains the stability of the financial system, and provides banking services. We must have this structure in our government because the Fed base their decisions on economic indicators and where they envision our long-term economic goals.
 

The most visible function of the Fed is to manage inflation. One way that the Fed can accomplish its goals is through the use of monetary policy. The monetary policy is, “to promote effectively the goals of maximum employment, stable prices, and moderate long-term interest rates.” The Fed can set the target for the federal funds rate and that then guides interest rates. The Federal Reserve’s monetary policy can judge inflation by the Personal Consumption Expenditure price index (PCE).
 

The Federal Reserve System is made up of 12 regional Federal Reserve banks. These 12 federal reserve banks oversee and serve as banks for commercial banks in their region. The network of the 12 Federal Reserve Branches is under the oversight of The Board of Governors. The Board of Governors are the body inside of the U.S. Federal Reserve. This is a seven-member committee that is chosen by the President and then also confirmed by the senate.
 

To maintain the stability of the financial system, the Feds day to day activities of conducting monetary policy, supervising, and regulating banks, and providing payment services all maintain that stability. The 2008 financial crisis revealed that the regulations that were put in place for individual banks were not enough. Passing The Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act of 2010 strengthen the Fed’s ability to maintain stability in our economy.
 

The Federal Reserve is essentially a bank for banks. It provides financial services to places such as banks, credit unions, and savings and loans. They provide services to each other just like they provide for their customers, collecting checks, transferring funds, etc.
 

The Federal Reserve’s main purpose is to keep inflationary pressures under control, promote maximum employment, and support economic growth. The main tool of the Fed to achieve these goals comes from adjusting interest rates. When the economy shows signs of weakness, inflation rates will start to drop, and the Fed can lower interest rates.
 

Lower interest rates cause money to flow throughout our economy and promote spending, investing, and economic growth. Similarly, when the economy is doing well, inflation rates will increase above the Fed’s target, and that makes the central bank hike interest rates. This makes borrowing more expensive, reduces economic activity, and puts pressure onto things to increase prices.
 

The Federal Reserve is the central bank of the United States and potentially is the most influential central bank in the world. By having such an influence in the economy, it impacts all the lives of all Americans. The decisions that the Fed make influence how much interest you will earn on a savings account, or money market account.
 

Any changes will also affect interest rates on auto loans, credit cards, and some mortgages.  There will be changes in the stock market and that could potentially affect your retirement plan. It is very important to have a basic understanding of what interest rates are and how they influence our economy.

May 28

Leveraging Tik Tok from an internal and external perspective

By Max Horn
Sports management and marketing Fellow

The Covid-19 pandemic has created a space for companies to use social media to its fullest to grow sales and highlight the products and services they have to offer. While companies are still taking advantage of omnichannel digital marketing via channels like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn and YouTube, many have now turned to Tik Tok as well.
 

Tik Tok provides a new experience which catches people’s eye in a split second which ultimately keeps them scrolling on the app. Due to this, ����ԭ�� has even incorporated Tik Tok into their brand marketing strategies.
 

"When evaluating new social media platforms, brands have to dig into the subculture that is being created in that space. Tik Tok is a platform that allows its users to share trends, life experiences and sometimes just fun and goofy content with creative new video-based tools that other platforms had not previously offered before,” said Kris Nolt, director of communications and marketing at ����ԭ��.
 

Nolt mentioned that he and his team first looked at Tik Tok because they understood their users aligned with one of their main target demographics which is traditional undergraduate students. Their team wanted to figure out which pieces of their messaging would make sense on the platform and how they could add value to the Tik Tok community. Nolt realized the best way to debut on this platform would be to allow current students to share their ����ԭ�� experiences in ways they had not been able to do before.
 

“From campus activities and student dining to dance moves with the golden wolves, we wanted to share what our on-campus experience was like. We ended up helping promote the fun things available to our current students, but also giving prospective students a relaxed, informal inside look at the life of an ����ԭ�� student,” said Nolt.
 

While ����ԭ�� just started using the platform and are still learning how to leverage it, they have already seen the benefits of the platform and the students have enjoyed highlighting their experiences in this way.
 

In addition to social media platforms, omnichannel digital marketing includes mobile advertising, e-commerce websites, and offline channels like print-based advertisements, mails, storefront, billboards, and physical interaction. Despite the wide variety of marketing tools, the use of content is still integral to social media engagement.
 

Researchers estimate that people spend over 7 hours per day interacting with media and content and in a few diverse ways in which people consume content. This is one of the main reasons that content-focused apps like Tik Tok have taken off, where creators upload short 15-60 second videos. They are short and keep their attention. With that, O’Pake also promotes the use of Tik Tok with external clients to help them expand their presence.
 

“We like to expose our clients to Tik Tok because the content is so captivating. Tik Tok has been so successful that platforms like Instagram and Facebook and integrating more features to keep up and consuming video content has become the new norm,” said Ashley Abbey, graduate assistant of student and client services.
 

Features like Instagram Reels, Facebook & Instagram Live, IGTV, expansion of stories to other platforms like Twitter & LinkedIn, etc. Are example of this expansion. These features and other content-based apps have given businesses and independent entrepreneurs the opportunity to highlight their products, services, and overall brand in an innovative way.
 

“The evolution of social media marketing has created a much higher demand for engaging video content. While this content can be expensive to develop and maintain, it is also proven to be very influential and drive meaningful results. If the video and social media content can be tied back to the organization’s mission and strategic direction, it can be a valuable addition to the marketing mix,” Nolt stated.

May 17

Time, Space & the Creative Process

By Michelle Lehman
Director of student & client services

In February, I stumbled upon an article from the New York Times that reported on the surge of entrepreneurial activity amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. This surge in innovation is often referred to by researchers as an “entrepreneurial boom.”
 

There are multiple theories that back up the why behind the boom. Some of the most popular ideas include the increase in household government funding, high personal saving rates, the demand for financial independence and new gaps in the marketplace.
 

Although all these theories are valid, I have a different perspective on why the national entrepreneurial spirit is booming. During the pandemic, people were given the space and time to engage in the creative process.
 

I often hear students make statements like ‘well, I’m just not creative!’ It’s a common misconception that one needs to be born creative or have a natural gift to create. Although some research shows that creativity can be related to biology, it can also be learned by everyone.
 

According to James Taylor, an award-winning speaker and internationally recognized leader in creativity and innovation, there are 5 steps to the creative process: preparation, incubation, insight, evaluation and elaboration.
 

Let’s focus on the first step, preparation. In the preparation phase, one needs to be fully present. When preparing to be creative, it’s important to observe your surroundings and absorb all different types of stimuli from your environment. This stage gets the subconscious brain ready for the next stage of the creative process, incubation, where ideas start to form!
 

For a large portion of the population, it’s difficult to enter the preparation phase. Why? Because the world is fast moving, noisy and constantly changing. When we are inundated with too many obligations, too much technology and too little time, it seemingly becomes more difficult to be fully present. Without the mental space to absorb stimuli freely, the rest of the process just doesn’t work.
 

That brings me back to my main point. The pandemic slowed us down. Peoples’ routines were put on pause. For some of us, that pause gave us the space and time to be fully present and think. In turn, stimulating the creative process and acting as a catalyst for the entrepreneurial boom.
 

As we enter the post-pandemic world, let’s remember the power of time and space and not forget the first step to the creative process. Read more about the creative process here.

May 5

The Fellow Journal: Corporate clients, non-profit clients, you name it

By Andrea Potylycki
Math and psychology Fellow

Over the summer, I worked on math research with Dr. Prudente. He connected me with Dr. Rodney Ridley, chief operating officer of O’Pake, university vice president, and interim dean of the College of Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics (STEAM); and Michelle Lehman, director of student and client services. Ridley and Lehman then introduced me to the O’Pake Institute and its many facets. I was immediately intrigued and excited about all O’Pake would bring to ����ԭ��.
 

Throughout my time working there, I have had a truly diverse range of projects. One of my first projects involved working with the information technology (IT) department for a client. I worked with another Fellow to help them create network mapping. The goal of this project was to create a document that identified which port each phone and computer was connected to, expediting the troubleshooting process should anything go wrong. This was a completely new experience for me, and it was cool to learn something I knew nothing about.
 

On a completely different note, I have also worked on a few projects with The Camel Project, a non-profit whose goal is to eliminate bullying. The director, Pam Gockley, is so fun to work with! These projects gave me the opportunity to be creative and know I am supporting a great cause. Through O’Pake I also worked with other non-profit clients as well. I love volunteering, so being able to work with non-profits was special for me. In addition to non-profit clients, I have also been able to work with corporate clients.
 

I learned so many different things while taking on a diverse range of projects and this allowed me to learn a lot about myself. As a Fellow, I was able to attend events with Women2Women through the Greater Reading Chamber Alliance where I was able to hear the stories of amazing speakers and talk with other women. These events have made me grow professionally and personally.
 

In addition to learning and self-growth, I had the ability to form a relationship with a professional mentor through the mentor program. I was paired with a wonderful professional who told me about his journey and connected me with other professionals who gave me great, thoughtful advice. I am grateful for the experience I had with him and for all my experiences at O’Pake.
 

Overall, I have had an amazing experience working as a Fellow. The people I have met through O’Pake and the projects I have worked on provided me experiences I would never have encountered if it were not for this opportunity.

April 21

The Fellow Journal- More than just human resources

By McKenzy Lilliock
Human Resources Fellow

As I approach my graduation from ����ԭ��, I cannot help but think how unbelievably thankful I am for all the experiences the O’Pake Institute has given me. Before beginning my experience with the O’Pake Institute, I was living in a very linear professional environment. I found myself leaning towards industries I was comfortable working in and not branching outside of my comfort zone.
 

I had minimal experience leading meetings, working with external clients, and connecting my passions to my work. Once I began working at O’Pake, all of that changed for me. I started working in an entrepreneur-filled industry, which I had never tapped into before, allowing me to work on professional projects internally within an organization and externally with other clients. Being allowed to work with external clients has opened a whole new world of industries I would never have seen myself getting into if it weren’t for O’Pake. I have worked with non-profits, healthcare, and recycling companies that I certainly never would have heard of, let alone worked with, if it weren’t for this role.
 

Working with these clients has built confidence in myself that I never knew I had. The belief that I have found in myself is the most valuable asset I will take away from this experience. Being comfortable in my skin to work one on one with a client to assess what they need and get that job done is not an easy task. I have built up enough confidence in myself to realize that I have worked hard to earn my education and my role in this organization, and it is time that I share my knowledge with those who need it. I now feel confident planning and running meetings, creating agendas, hosting Zoom meetings, touring facilities, and reporting back to my supervisors. Inside these projects, I have found myself creating processes and procedures, job descriptions, organizational charts, conducting research, developing standard operating procedures, and tapping into content development. All these details I have provided to my clients benefit them in some way and build their company up.
 

I will never be able to thank the O’Pake Institute enough for allowing me to incorporate my passion for social media into my role as well. Over the past couple of years, social media has become a passion of mine. I have always had an eye for aesthetics, color schemes, photography angles, and designs. Those details have always been second nature to me. I incorporated them into my own personal social media pages and personal photography throughout my life and have had so much fun on my own time. When O’Pake trusted a Human Resources Fellow to assist on the External Communications Committee to help run the O’Pake Institute social media, I was elated. Putting trust in someone who only loves social media as a passion was a massive leap of faith, so for that, I am forever grateful.
 

Ever since that day, I have created social media content for O’Pake’s Instagram, Linked In, and Facebook. I have also spent time writing blog posts and planning out the content calendar for our platforms. I have even taken it a step farther in giving our Instagram a facelift with Instagram highlights and a new biography. The ECC has been such a fun journey; it does not even feel like a job. I will forever be grateful that O’Pake took a chance with me as a human resource Fellow to help run social media because I have had the time of my life, and I hope to continue a role like this in my future.
 

I have become confident in myself and my work, I have become more independent, and I have stepped outside of my comfort zone ever since I started my journey with the O’Pake Institute. I have flourished into a whole new being in such a short amount of time, thanks to the guidance and mentors in this organization.
 

I cannot wait to continue my journey with O’Pake as a Graduate Assistant after graduation. My growth here is not done yet.

April 7

The Fellow Journal: Navigating website platforms and acquiring new knowledge

By Leah Kemper

Since June 2020, I have been working for O’Pake as a marketing and communications Fellow as I am a senior at ����ԭ�� majoring in marketing with a minor in communications. I have learned so much this year working for O’Pake, and have been able to gain real-world work experience.
 

During the Spring 2021 semester, I also started an internship with O’Pake where I have been able to gain class credit for my work. Increasing my hours and working 17 to 20 hours a week has allowed me to take on more interesting projects and learn even more. For example, I am a member of the External Communications Committee (ECC) as a visual communicator and content developer. With ECC, I have developed content for O’Pake’s newsletter, social media posts, and blogs. I enjoyed working on developing content and I am glad I had the opportunity to be a part of the ECC.
 

Additionally, I was given the opportunity to work on websites for clients. Prior to this role, I had no previous experience working on websites. I was slightly nervous starting my first website; however, I was excited about the opportunity. The first website I worked on was for Entrepreneurs’ Connection (EC), which is a community of forward-thinking entrepreneurs dedicated to enhancing and promoting business relationships through shared strategy and mastermind.
 

I started working on this project in October where the original plan was to redesign pages of the site using WordPress, which was the platform that the EC used at the time. I began the project by creating new pages and selecting a layout that worked well for the website’s purpose. Every Tuesday, I had meetings with Michelle Lehman, Director of Student and Client Services, and Chuck Holder, EC president, where we discussed the website updates. I did not have any prior WordPress experience before starting this project, so there was a learning curve.
 

However, Michelle and I presented the idea of using a different website platform, Wix, to Chuck, during one of those meetings. Why? Wix is an easy-to-use site builder with flexible designs, ideal for small businesses and member websites. WordPress requires more technical knowledge and code for an interactive experience. Since EC will be managing the website and encouraging member interaction, we recommended that Wix should be used as the design platform.
 

With that, he agreed that it would be a good idea to make the change and, starting in January, we made the switch. I had never used Wix before either, so I learned how to use this platform with the help of Michelle and watching training videos on YouTube. Wix was much easier to use, so it did not take me too long to learn house to use this design platform. I am glad I had this experience of building a website using WordPress and Wix. Working on the EC website was fun. It required creativity on my end, and Wix was perfect for that.
 

To learn more about EC and to check out the final design, visit their website at https://www.entrepreneursconnection.us/.  

March 31

A Passing Rain Shower

By Michelle Lehman
Director of Student & Client Services

Change is uncomfortable. One of my mentors once told me that change is not possible in your comfort zone-it is the moment that you step outside your own boundaries when real transformation occurs.
 

I like to compare the change process to a passing rain shower. The change process isn’t forecasted but it just seems to happen unexpectedly. Just like drops of rain come and go, so do the moments that start to intentionally change you. For me, change could be as simple as accepting a new challenge, conversing with a stranger, changing a routine, or just letting go.
 

With each drop or moment of uncomfortableness, the change does not feel significant, but as the moments accumulate something special occurs. There is a new light after the storm. I like to consider this light to be one step further from the comfort zone.
 

Since receiving my mentor’s advice I’ve challenged myself to a lifelong journey of personal and professional change. I can confidently state that I am, and hope to always be, uncomfortable and changing.
 

My mission now, as an educator, is to constantly challenge our students to step outside of their own boundaries and experience many passing rain showers.  

March 19

Digital nomadism, the new norm for remote work

By Leah Kemper
Marketing and communications fellow

The Covid-19 pandemic has proven that working from home or anywhere can be done, might even make people more efficient and productive and created the biggest remote work experiment in human history.
 

Many businesses, of all sizes, even have plans to completely get rid of their offices. By 2025, it is expected that 36.2 million Americans will be working remotely, an 87% increase from pre-pandemic levels, according to Upwork’s second 2020 Future Workforce Pulse Report. The survey reveals that although the sudden shift to remote working has been an adjustment, hiring managers are seeing the positive benefits from a distributed work force; they are even planning to continue leveraging remote talent.
 

Remote working brings in an increase of digital nomads, individuals who are location-independent and use technology to do their job. Digital nomads work remotely rather than being physically present in a company’s office. They may be seen working in cafes, beaches, or in hotel rooms because they are not tied down to one location.
 

McKenzy Lilliock, humans resources fellow, has worked remotely on countless occasions, her favorite spot being Marco Island, Florida. Her sister lives on Marco Island, which allows her to travel there whenever she wants.
 

“I have spent spring, summer, and winter breaks in Marco Island for weeks at a time,” said Lilliock. “When I am in that location, instead of having a short vacation, I transition my life there for an extended period.”
 

For Dustin Brown, pre-law, and biology fellow, on the other hand, had a different experience. While he was used to working remotely due to the circumstances COVID-19 had forced upon many of the millions of working-class individuals and did not necessarily mind the experience, it was not as enjoyable for him as it was for Lilliock.
 

“I would say these circumstances are not ideal and I would love to be able to have face-to-face interactions with clients and co-workers, but given the conditions of the pandemic, I believe this is the best option,” said Brown.
 

For Lilliock, working remotely from Marco Island has all-around been a positive experience for her. She explained that looking forward to sunshine and palm trees outside of her window and work near the pool motivated her more throughout the work day.
 

“An experience like this allows me to fall out of the typical pattern I was in at home, avoid burnout, and try something new while still being as productive as I would be in my hometown. “Finding a different location, whether it is poolside or maybe a snowy cabin in the woods, a change of scenery can be useful for the mind and soul to reset.” said Lilliock.
 

With that in mind, Brown mentioned explains that being a “digital nomad” is not always favorable for employees and employers and that it can also be counterproductive. He suggested that job prospects should be mindful of zoom fatigue and less opportunity to supervise activities.
 

“It becomes increasingly difficult for employers to track the amount of work completed, encourage positive work ethic, and provide the correct work environment to stimulate productivity,” said Brown.
 

Eventually, though, true digital nomads tend to settle down in the new area they travel to. If they are strategic about the location, they can even weigh the currency and cost of living differences to find an area that they not only enjoy, but where their salary goes much further.
 

According to Globetrender, Barbados and Estonia were quick to react to this cultural shift, allowing long-stay visas for people who want to work remotely from there. People are rethinking the way they work and the way they take vacations, as the benefits of combining work with leisure over a longer period will become embraced in new way. Short trips may not seem worth the risk anymore, particularly when Covid-19 testing, and quarantines are involved.
 

Twitter and 17 other companies have announced employees can work remotely indefinitely, although at least 60% of US Companies still have not shared their remote working polices with employees.
 

“I think digital nomadism should be encouraged. Personal growth is essential in this process because while these individuals are traveling, they are learning about themselves and finding out what makes them happy in the process,” said Lilliock.

March 10

The Fellow Journal: Stepping out of your comfort zone

My life began at the end of my comfort zone. I found myself turning down opportunities throughout my life because they weren’t something I had previously done before.
 

That mindset hindered me from growing to my fullest potential and experiencing all of the fantastic things that the world has to offer. I was stuck in my comfort zone, filled with worry, scared of how to adapt to change. On my first day at the O’Pake Institute, I was encouraged to say yes to any professional opportunity presented to me. I took that advice, and I ran with it.
 

I stepped out of my comfort zone, which allowed me to grow more in my time at the O’Pake Institute than I have in my entire life. I have broken out of my shell and have led client projects and team projects, met and collaborated with community members, and developed new skills I never imagined myself having. I have applied this advice to my personal life, which has allowed me to meet new people, become more adventurous, and live more freely. I have begun living more in the moment and trying things outside of my comfort zone that I would never have attempted in the past.
 

I want to pass on that advice and encourage others to step outside of their comfort zone and find solace in being uncomfortable because that is where I have found that I have grown the most. I have developed new passions, unlocked new potential, and acquired knowledge in subjects I usually steered in the other direction. I want to encourage others to say YES to more opportunities presented to them, both in their professional and personal lives. I want to push others to begin to find comfort outside of their comfort zone, and then some more. Get ready for your life to start at the end of your comfort zone.

March 4

Entrepreneurial Inspiration from The Hallyu Wave

By Anastasia Tomko
Communications Fellow

Ever since Psy’s Gangnam Style’ has swept the American media, the Korean culture has become increasingly more mainstream. Unbeknownst to many, this wave of new fascination in the west is called the Hallyu Wave. The term, originating from the Chinese word Hallyu, translates to “Korean Wave” and has created a new global attraction to Korean dramas, food, culture and above all, K-Pop.
 

In order to understand the economic impact K-Pop has created, it is important to know the entrepreneurs who started the genre first. Referred to as the “big 3,” companies such as SM Entertainment, JYP Entertainment and Big Hit Entertainment all market and manage their idols differently. Where some are more profit based, others more value based.
 

Lee Soo-Man, nicknamed the ‘president of culture’

In 1997, Lee Soo-man started one of the biggest companies that would bring the Hallyu Wave to fruition. Starting out as SM Studio, SM Entertainment has evolved into an empire. One of the first to sign on in the new millennium was artist BoA who would be one of the first to pave the way in Japan as well as America mainstream (Herman, 2020).
 

Lee’s beginnings, although humble, were challenging. After a failed attempt at debuting a new hip-hop sound with an idol he built from the ground up in the early 90s, he had to reevaluate his marketing strategy- now often referred to as the early “modern idol star system,” new idol acts were required not only to sing and dance, but also to entertain in television programs, such as music shows and variety (Keller 2019). This model became more international as well, marketing idols not just in Korea (and in early-stage Japan), but as well in North America, Thailand, and Mainland China.
 

Before he left the company, he did an interview at the Stanford School of Business in which he urged a group of students to choose a job they really love stating: “No genius will ever come out of a life without passion” he said (Chandler, 2011).
 

Bang Si-Hyuk – nicknamed ‘Hitman’ Bang

Gobal pop sensation BTS, (translating to Bangtan Boys in Korean) started out as trainees at Big Hit Entertainment. Founded by Bang Si-Hyuk back in 2005, they unexpectedly grew exponentially in popularity with BTS’ success. From a business standpoint, Bang takes up a lot of inspiration from Jeff Bezos.  
 

He pointed out Amazon’s first leadership principle that the K-Pop industry has been considering since the start of the wave which is that: “Leaders start with the customer and work backwards. They work vigorously to earn and keep customer trust.”
 

He then goes on, “It is a huge advantage to any company if you can stay focused on your customer instead of your competitors.”  
 

This form of devoted revenue was defined by Bang as the ‘fandom economy,’ seen just in the numbers alone. In the past year, BTS has generated over 587.2 billion won (about $507.9 million- about $2 per person in the US) just in fan merchandise (Steig, 2020).
 

Park Jin- Young – nicknamed ‘The Asiansoul’

Founder Park Jin-Young, a.k.a. J.Y. Park’s, JYP Entertainment entrepreneurial outlook was presented in his desire to create a successful company “that’s not more important than my friends” he said in a recent Forbes article promoting his new book, ‘Live for What?’.  He also valued fostering a sense of community and providing a link between others.
 

“I was trying to create (JYP Entertainment) with a system that’s organic and flexible enough to withstand any variable.”  
 

His method was to nurture young talents who had potential in the business model he envisioned. JYP’s most profitable group Twice originally made it big in Japan, becoming the first overseas female group to top the total sales of 2017, accumulating 1.54 billion yen ($14 million) in their rookie status (Oricon Music).
 

This model of nurturing talent can also be applied to O’Pake’s Fellows Program. To guarantee success, O’Pake picks the brightest students with high potential and trains them in a professional atmosphere. This training helps foster skills through securing a community of like-minded and focused students to help better the economic developments of Reading as well as ����ԭ�� as a whole.

Feb. 23

R.I.S.E reaches for solidarity, bringing an inclusive environment to the collegiate atmosphere

By Leah Kemper

One of O’Pake Institute’s clients is, RISE, a multifaceted organization designed to meet the needs of, create a sense of belonging for, and provide a supportive and inclusive environment for all people of color. As a partner of ����ԭ��, the group stands together in solidarity against various injustices— to be the change.

The R stands for reaching to find your fit. It defines you and what makes you unique. Do not let others define you, be you.

The I represents intellect, as it is important to find your value or voice that makes you the person you are today. This stays in line with the Franciscan Intellectual tradition, as finding and knowing your own voice is essential to being your own authentic self.

The S symbolizes success, which is achieving and understanding the meaning of life to become an engaged citizen. Understanding what makes you successful is the first step to achieving more.

The E stands for excellence— embracing the dignity of human life and all things. It is the process of becoming better by embracing your journey and continuing to grow.
 

Founders Jaree Reid, Tyzhir Morris, and Jacob Taylor created this initiative to encourage all people of color to strive academically, personally, socially, and professionally through connecting with the campus community and each other. The mentor aspect of RISE targets men and women of color at primarily white institutions to help them grow, but is open to all students regardless of ethnicity, religion, or social beliefs.

The social aspects of RISE are the social justice, environmental, and multicultural issues, regarding personal views. It allows people to come together to have a healthy dialog that allows them to gain perspective of the world.

To learn more about RISE, follow their Instagram page, or contact Jaree.Reid@alvernia.edu.

Feb. 4

Gaining Transformational Experiences

By Michelle Lehman
Director of Student & Client Services

The O’Pake Institute provides undergraduate and graduate students at ����ԭ�� with hands-on experiential learning opportunities through the O’Pake Fellows Program. This engaged learning process occurs when students are linked with local entrepreneurs and small or established businesses.
 

Experiential learning, or the “learn by doing” model, challenges students to step outside of their comfort zones, convert theory to practice, and grow both personally and professionally. In turn, local businesses receive high-quality services that can be transformational to their business ventures.
 

Ashley Abbey, graduate assistant of student and client services, experienced student experiential learning firsthand. Now, she is sharing the opportunity with other students in the program.
 

“I encourage real-world experiential learning by providing a safe space for fellows to learn and practice new skills. I always try to make sure that fellows don’t feel alone in their journey, that we are always with them, ready to help and learn beside them,” said Abbey.
 

As a graduate assistant, Abbey is responsible for managing a team of undergraduate fellows in working on traditional and digital marketing projects. In addition, she’s responsible for cultivating and maintaining a creative workplace culture.
 

There are currently over 15 undergraduate fellows in the program who work with Abbey and three other graduate assistants. Anastasia Tomko, the very first fellow in the program, reflected upon her experience thus far.
 

“My academic focus is on writing, but through this program I was exposed to different areas of business, marketing and branding. This allowed me to step outside my comfort zone,” said Tomko when asked about her experience.
 

If you’re interested in learning more about the experiential learning opportunities at the O’Pake Institute, contact Michelle Lehman, director of student and client services, at michelle.lehman@alvernia.edu.