2018 Social Media Recap

Social media as a whole had its ups and downs in 2018, as the likes of Mark Zuckerberg, Jack Dorsey and Sheryl Sandberg answered some tough questions before Congress. Snapchat faced its own turbulence seeing its public stock lose two-thirds its value.

Perusing through the year’s most-seen and engagement-inducing posts for the University of Utah, it was not all smiling faces and thumbs-up. As was the case across the U community and beyond, the tragic loss of Lauren McCluskey was felt far and wide through the university’s Instagram, Twitter and Facebook channels. The one-year mark of ChenWei Guo’s death also brought solemnity to the U’s social media.

Of course, some great things happened in 2018, too. Ruth V. Watkins was named the University of Utah’s first female president. The U welcomed its largest, most academically qualified and diverse class in its history. And 8,568 students earned a degree, also a university record.

As always, accolades for students, faculty and the institution poured in; Utah Athletics continued to thrill crowds; and a (big) critter or two loped onto campus. And, the beautiful photos of sunsets, sunrises and stunning vistas of any time of day from Instagrammers across campus was a constant source of serenity and inspiration on U social media.

Highlights & Accolades

Another beautiful day in #SaltLakeCity. ❄️?? ?: @randyosiel #UofU #universityofutah #UofUwinter #utahisrad #SLC #Wasatch

A post shared by The University of Utah (@universityofutah) on Jan 24, 2017 at 6:13pm PST

To the weekend. ?: @sskofoed • #UofU #universityofutah #UofUsummer #SLC #Utah

A post shared by The University of Utah (@universityofutah) on May 13, 2017 at 7:39pm PDT

A fresh coat sure makes the gazebo pop. ❄️ ?: @sanfilipino #UofU #universityofutah #utwx #UofUwinter

A post shared by The University of Utah (@universityofutah) on Jan 22, 2017 at 2:34pm PST

A beautiful sunset captured by @jeez_luism. • #UofU #universityofutah #UofUsunset #Usunset

A post shared by The University of Utah (@universityofutah) on Nov 2, 2017 at 8:52pm PDT

❤️❄️ • #UofU #universityofutah #utwx

A post shared by The University of Utah (@universityofutah) on Dec 4, 2017 at 9:37am PST

#GoldenHour —————– Thanks to the @slcpl for rooftop access! ? #UofU #universityofutah #GoUtes #utahisrad #slclibrary #SLC #utah #SaltLakeCity

A post shared by The University of Utah (@universityofutah) on Feb 24, 2017 at 6:54pm PST

#fridaynightlights

A post shared by The University of Utah (@universityofutah) on Nov 3, 2017 at 8:17pm PDT

Afternoon sunshine sneaking through. ☀️ #UofU #universityofutah #utwx

A post shared by The University of Utah (@universityofutah) on Feb 19, 2017 at 8:34pm PST

Views & Vistas

Scenes from #UtahGrad17. See more photos from commencement, convocation and everything in between at the LINK in our bio. ??? #UofU #universityofutah #utahgrad #worththeclimb

A post shared by The University of Utah (@universityofutah) on May 6, 2017 at 2:49pm PDT

This time tomorrow, the Class of ’17 will be poised for the procession, ready to grace the stage and receive their degree. Congrats to you all—you’ve earned it! ?: #UtahGrad17 #UofU #universityofutah #WorthTheClimb #?

A post shared by The University of Utah (@universityofutah) on May 3, 2017 at 5:00pm PDT

#FlashbackFriday — #ClassOf2021 class photo day! ?? • #UofU #universityofutah #GoUtes #FlashTheU #FlashTheUFriday

A post shared by The University of Utah (@universityofutah) on Sep 1, 2017 at 2:46pm PDT

That feeling when you win a #NationalChampionship. ⛷? ?: @flyingpoint —————— #UofU #universityofutah #GoUtes #ncaachamps #SkiUtah #tfw

A post shared by The University of Utah (@universityofutah) on Mar 14, 2017 at 7:45pm PDT

Thanks to everyone who represented the U in today’s #SLC #PrideParade! ???️‍? • #UofU #universityofutah #SLCpride #pride2017 #Utah #GoUtes #?️‍?

A post shared by The University of Utah (@universityofutah) on Jun 4, 2017 at 1:02pm PDT

Thank you to the Ute Indian Tribe for sharing a part of their culture during Saturday night’s beautiful halftime performance. See our Facebook page for more images from the evening. • #UofU #universityofutah #UteTribe #UteProud

A post shared by The University of Utah (@universityofutah) on Sep 20, 2017 at 12:25pm PDT

.@utahvolleyball is headed to the #SweetSixteen after a thrilling victory over Purdue at the @huntsman_center! #GoUtes! ?? ?: @utahvolleyball • #UtahVolleyball #ncaavolleyball #UofU #universityofutah

A post shared by The University of Utah (@universityofutah) on Dec 1, 2017 at 10:05pm PST

So, that was pretty cool. ??☀️ • #UofUeclipse #SolarEclipse17 #UofU #universityofutah #partialeclipseoftheheart

A post shared by The University of Utah (@universityofutah) on Aug 21, 2017 at 12:05pm PDT

Morning! This is the @bennioncenter, and we’re taking over the U’s Instagram and Snapchat today for Legacy of Lowell. This event is the biggest service day of the year at the U and the best way to kick off home-coming week! #bctakeover #mybennionstory

A post shared by The University of Utah (@universityofutah) on Sep 30, 2017 at 6:15am PDT

Campus Scenes

In the last five years, our graduation rate has increased ? percent. Thanks to all the faculty, staff and, most importantly, our recent grads who helped make this happen! #GoUtes! • #UofUbtn #UofU #universityofutah #highereducation

A post shared by The University of Utah (@universityofutah) on Nov 28, 2017 at 7:33pm PST

Our students don’t slouch in the summer. Last year, they volunteered 9,280 hours of service through the @bennioncenter! 9️⃣2️⃣8️⃣0️⃣ • #UofUbtn #UofU #universityofutah #servicelearning

A post shared by The University of Utah (@universityofutah) on Jun 28, 2017 at 9:55am PDT

By the numbers: Our first-year student retention rate from fall 2015 to fall 2016 was 9️⃣0️⃣percent. #UofUbtn #UofU #universityofutah

A post shared by The University of Utah (@universityofutah) on Apr 27, 2017 at 11:34am PDT

#ByTheNumbers: 2,251 students are enrolled in our @uofuhonorscollege. 2️⃣2️⃣5️⃣1️⃣ • #UofU #universityofutah #UofUbtn

A post shared by The University of Utah (@universityofutah) on May 11, 2017 at 2:18pm PDT

#ByTheNumbers: 651 students participated in #LearningAbroad programs last year. Learn more about our university global experiences at the LINK in our profile. ??? #UofU #universityofutah #UofUbtn

A post shared by The University of Utah (@universityofutah) on Mar 28, 2017 at 10:30am PDT

#ByTheNumbers —-> We have 15 faculty members who are fellows with the #Guggenheim Foundation, which recognizes those who display exceptional creative ability in the arts. 1️⃣5️⃣??? • #UofUbtn #UofUarts #UofU #universityofutah @uofufinearts @uofuhumanities

A post shared by The University of Utah (@universityofutah) on May 23, 2017 at 10:38am PDT

#bythenumbers: More than 700 startups have been launched from our @lassondeinstitute since its inception in 2001. #UofUbtn

A post shared by The University of Utah (@universityofutah) on Apr 5, 2017 at 10:59am PDT

#ByTheNumbers: More than 225 students received interviews after attending fall career fairs on campus.?#️⃣ Check out @uofucareerservices for more as they host Career Development Month! ——————- #UofU #universityofutah #UofUbtn

A post shared by The University of Utah (@universityofutah) on Mar 22, 2017 at 1:32pm PDT

Reppin’ the U

“The first time I gave CPR I had to carry the patient through three feet of water to a boat. That was how my first 24 hours of volunteering for the American Red Cross in Texas after Hurricane Harvey went.” -Emalee Egelund, freshman honors student, pre-med major Read the rest of Emalee’s story at the LINK in our profile. #HumansOfTheU #UofU #universityofutah

A post shared by The University of Utah (@universityofutah) on Dec 4, 2017 at 7:33pm PST

“I’ve worked night shifts for Facilities for 40 years. I’ve always been a night person. As a kid, I would wake up in the middle of the night and try to make oatmeal cookies.” –Ray Stout, facilities nightshift custodian Read more about Ray at the LINK in our profile. #HumansOfTheU #UofU #universityofutah

A post shared by The University of Utah (@universityofutah) on Jan 25, 2017 at 8:58pm PST

“I lost my wallet after riding TRAX one day. I didn’t want to accept that it was gone for good and get everything replaced. I had gift cards in there that I didn’t want to give up on. Almost four weeks later, I was riding the train when a woman sitting near me asked if my name was Brent Packer.” ???? Read more about Brent’s good fortune, and his good Samaritan, at the LINK in our profile. #HumansOfTheU #UofU #universityofutah

A post shared by The University of Utah (@universityofutah) on Jan 17, 2017 at 6:46pm PST

“My grandmother completed her nursing training nearly a hundred years ago long before nurses could earn a college degree. Rules were rigid in the hospital dorm where nursing trainees lived. Dating was forbidden, and secret marriages, if discovered, resulted in immediate expulsion.” • Read the rest of @uofunursing professor Lauren Clark’s story at the LINK in our bio. #HumansOfTheU • #UofU #universityofutah #UofUnursing

A post shared by The University of Utah (@universityofutah) on May 25, 2017 at 2:26pm PDT

“I recently returned from leading a team of seven individuals to the North Pole. The most challenging part of of the trip was day six, the day we thought we were going to reach the pole. The team was excited about the possibility of being so close to the pole that we decided to push for 16 miles that day.” -Andrew McLeary, Class of ’15 • Read more about Andrew’s adventure at bit.ly/HumansOfTheU_AndrewLeary. • #HumansOfTheU #UofU #universityofutah @u_explore @uofuprt #GoUtes #NorthPole #Uexplore

A post shared by The University of Utah (@universityofutah) on May 22, 2017 at 4:48pm PDT

“In May 2007, I was assaulted and nearly died from a traumatic brain injury. I was placed in a medically induced coma for a month. They didn’t know if I was going to make it. At the same time my mother was in Somalia, caring for my grandfather — the first president of Somalia — as he died at age 98.” Read more of Ibrahim’s story at the LINK in our bio. • #HumansOfTheU #worththeclimb #UofU #universityofutah #meetthegrads #UtahAlumni #UtahGrad17

A post shared by The University of Utah (@universityofutah) on Apr 30, 2017 at 11:44am PDT

In the weeks leading up to commencement, we’ll be featuring soon-to-be members of the Class of ’17. Chelsea Winslow, who’s about to receive her master’s in International Affairs and Global Enterprise, is also an officer for the #UnifiedPoliceDepartment. ???‍♀️ Read more about Chelsea at the LINK in our profile. • #WorthTheClimb #UtahGrad17 #HumansOfTheU #UofU #universityofutah

A post shared by The University of Utah (@universityofutah) on Mar 25, 2017 at 3:06pm PDT

“I was born in Utah, adopted as an infant and raised in Novi, Mich., outside of Detroit. Not knowing much about my biological family, I did what curious people do — I went online, found a random post by my biological dad’s parents who were looking for me and we got linked up. When we met, I found out my biological father, Herb Jones, played basketball for the University of Montana alongside then-teammate and now University of Utah head basketball coach Larry Krystkowiak. My father died in a car accident while attending college, heading back to school after visiting Utah. I was curious, so I sent an email to Krystkowiak, who was coaching the New Jersey Nets. He emailed right back and filled me in about my father. He said, ‘Herb Jones was an amazing athlete. I once saw a sign at a Grizzlies game that said, “Larry is our bread and butter, but Herb is our jam.” Great dude and still missed.'” -Clarke Headlee, UIT account executive/facilities coordinator Read the rest of Clarke’s story at the link in our bio. #HumansOfTheU #UofU #universityofutah

A post shared by The University of Utah (@universityofutah) on Aug 7, 2017 at 8:26pm PDT

@theU

2018 Social Media Recap

Highlights & Accolades

Views & Vistas

Campus Scenes

Reppin’ the U

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