About two and a half years ago, psychology and social work sophomore Jeffrey Wisenbaugh began posting videos as “Kool Jeffrey” on his YouTube page for fun.
Wisenbaugh said he never thought many people would see his videos, until people he never met approached him to say how much they liked his work.
Wisenbaugh’s YouTube profile quickly gathered 201,565 channel views and helped land him a job as a segment contributor at the Big Ten Network.
“It’s awesome,” Wisenbaugh said. “Going from YouTube to mainstream media — it’s a good thing.”
Now, as YouTube is in its fifth year of operation, Wisenbaugh is just one of many at MSU using YouTube as a means of self-promotion.
A university presence
YouTube allows not only the world, but the MSU community to become boundless, able to internationally address audiences in the areas of academics, technology and entertainment with the MSU YouTube Channel and student posts, said Rachael Zylstra, electronic media communications specialist for University Relations.
“On the MSU YouTube Channel, we’re uploading videos to show news, academics and research, athletics, outreach, campus and MSU on TV,” Zylstra said.
“We’re posting research using multimedia videos on what we’re doing — it’s not just a written story or a news brief anymore. We’re taking part in social media, joining with the alums, professors and students that are already there in order to instill a sense of community.”
Spreading throughout campus, many colleges and on-campus organizations, such as the colleges of Engineering, Music, Agriculture and Natural Resources and the MSU Public Relations Student Society of America have a YouTube channel.
“Several faculties use it in courses to get material out to the students,” said Cliff Lampe, an assistant professor in the department of telecommunication, information studies and media.
“Dozens of videos are out there that explain technology with tutorials. Students can look up a new topic and not only learn about it, but see how to do it.”
Carving out a niche
Although student videos often are non-serious and informal, many MSU students have been carving careers out of the new frontier of social media.
Before his first year at MSU, Wisenbaugh commented on MSU’s YouTube Channel saying, “Go Green! I’m an incoming freshmen for fall 2009. If you guys ever need help on YouTube, just let me know!”
Wisenbaugh’s work has been well-received. With 14,470 subscribers, others like it as well.
Using campus and the incidents of daily life as inspiration, Wisenbaugh puts his own spin on storytelling and relaying the life of an MSU student, said Jim Peck, a Big Ten Network executive producer and MSU director of University Photography and Videography.
“Jeff went from playing around to making this real,” Peck said. “I like so much what I see in him, and I want to help coach him, but not change him. He’s already good.”
Recording videos expressing his feelings about Miley Cyrus, an impromptu dance routine or a useful dorm tour, Wisenbaugh started out making his videos to entertain others.
In return, he began developing his own voice and form of storytelling, Peck said.
“This is a reflection on MSU, a reflection on me as a person, a reflection on how I can get hired in the future,” Wisenbaugh said.
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Other students, such as communication senior Tyler Oakley, have become household names across campus and the world due to their YouTube posts.
Making videos to keep in touch with his high school friends during his freshmen year, Oakley said he now receives texts from people such as gossip blogger Perez Hilton.
“I got my first Mac and it came with iMovie and a camera,” Oakley said. “My first video was of me rambling on to my friends from high school and then it started to get fun.”
Expressing life through his eyes, Oakley has received more than 1.3 million channel views, 67,165 subscribers and has been featured on the main page because of his free-thinking voice and unique video topics.
“YouTube has been the driving force to my career, major and internships,” Oakley said. “I work at My Spartan Career in career services, (and) I have two internships this summer in West Hollywood with (connections) from YouTube.”
Winning the Human Rights Campaign Foundation video contest and national acclaim for his “Come Out and Vote” video in January 2009, Oakley was awarded two tickets to Washington, D.C., and an interview on an XM radio show.
He also was asked to be the keynote speaker of the Trevor Project, a national organization dedicated to crisis and suicide prevention efforts among gay, lesbian, transgender and bisexual teens, at the University of Illinois.
“It felt really good to know that my videos were making a difference,” Oakley said. “I got this long e-mail from this person that had attempted to commit suicide. Instead of making another attempt he said he watched my videos. It makes it worth it. When I think of all the mean comments, I can say ‘whatever,’ because my videos are reaching somebody.”
Not only opening doors to professional avenues, Oakley used YouTube to promote his week-long 21st birthday bar crawl, and sold more than 150 T-shirts reading “Queen of the Night” to MSU and national subscribers.
But the most rewarding benefit that YouTube has provided isn’t the fame, he said.
“It started as a fun hobby, now it pays the bills and I’ve made so many connections,” Oakley said.
“It’s so bizarre, that people give a s—-. It’s empowering. I wish everyone at MSU would do it, it’s fun.”
For Wisenbaugh, the opportunities he gained from his YouTube channel have changed his life and helped him develop skills for a new career, he said.
“I’ve met so many people,” Wisenbaugh said.
“It’s a great way to express yourself.”
