DALLAS, Pa. — There are a number of reasons students might apply or transfer to study at Misericordia University in Luzerne County's Back Mountain, but the university's president, Daniel Myers, never thought his comments on a TikTok video would be one of them.
"Never ever dreamed of such a thing, but this is the reality that we're in now. And, you know, we've really put a lot of muscle into social media here at Misericordia in the last couple of years. And it's really making a difference," said Myers.
It's making a difference for students at the College of Saint Rose in Albany, New York, who found out last week that their college will close at the end of the school year. That led some of them to go on TikTok and make videos.
Myers thought the best way to reach out to these students was on social media.
"It was Dan's idea because he's from Albany, New York. He grew up in that area, and when he heard about it, it really hit home for him," said Alicia Stavitzski, the university's social media strategist. "He wanted to create a message to those students and to everyone in that area, just saying how we feel for them and how we're here to support them in any way we can."
Myers answered students' questions in the comments of the video.
Leaders at the university say the response has been overwhelming.
"It's been incredible. I mean, that that video has been viewed, I think 400,000 times now. And there's been all kinds of comments from our alumni saying, 'Yeah, Misericordia, great place for you.' And comments from those students, and we've had a number of them.' We've already admitted four or five students to Misericordia as a result of their comments on the TikTok, and then we followed up with them to actually get them into the system," said Myers.
University leaders hope the next step will be welcoming them to their new home in northeastern Pennsylvania.