By Brandon Cortés
Features Editor
When university students move into campus housing each fall, they are greeted not only by hall directors but also by business marketing majors Murielle Myrtil and Chakour Biao, juniors, the student managers of Residence Life’s social media.
Together, the pair are redefining what campus community looks like, one Instagram Reel at a time.
The role itself almost did not exist.
After the pandemic, the media manager position was dissolved, leaving a gap in how Res Life connected with students living on campus.
Biao was encouraged by a hall director to take on the challenge and bring the position back.
“She thought it would be nice to have someone running it again, and she believed I’d be a good fit,” Biao said.
Not long after, Myrtil joined him after contributing creative ideas for the department’s social media. What began as an experiment has grown into a vital piece of campus culture.
Their daily work goes far beyond posting on Instagram. They plan video shoots weeks in advance, coordinate with departments and make content designed to inform and entertain.
“Sometimes, it’s hard to believe—like, are we really reaching people, or are they just swiping past our stuff?” Myrtil said. “But then, a student came up to me on move-in day, excited because they’d seen my countdown. That made it worth it.”
Engagement, they said, is the biggest challenge Res Life faces. Orientation starts off strong, but many students retreat to their rooms within weeks, unsure how to get involved.
“It became a comfort thing,” Biao said. “It was scary for them to try new things, so they stuck to what was comfortable—staying in their rooms—even if they didn’t really want to.”
By putting information on the platforms students already use every day, the team hopes to make involvement less intimidating.
For Myrtil, the biggest benefit of living on campus is the sense of connection it provides.
“Living on campus helped me build connections with my RAs, my hall directors and even roommates who started out as strangers but became like family,” Myrtil said.
Both students said Res Life also works to promote inclusivity. They pointed to diverse staff hiring and programming as key ways students feel represented and supported.
Looking ahead, they hope to see Res Life expand its efforts. They want more funding, more building-wide events and new creative strategies to keep the “honeymoon phase” of community life from fading after the first few months.
“My freshman year, the honeymoon phase lasted all year,” Myrtil said. “Now, it feels like it ends by October. I want to see that energy last until students move out.”
The work already feels rewarding. Their videos not only resonate with students, but also with staff and parents. Biao recalled walking into the Res Life office after posting a video with a staff member and hearing everyone laughing about it.
“It was the talk of the town for them,” Biao said. “That was rewarding because it showed we weren’t just reaching students, but the entire community.”
At the heart of their work is a desire to make campus feel like home. Biao said he often reminds orientation students of the importance of growth during their college years.
“If you leave college the same person you came in, then you didn’t do, necessarily, a good job,” Biao said. “College should influence you, challenge you and help you grow.”
This story was amended on 9/22/25.
