University’s History Shared in Social Media Initiative
SFU graduate Randall Frye is leading a social media initiative titled “On This Day In Saint Francis History.”
The project highlights various moments in the school’s history each day through social media posts. The initiative has been very well-received by the University community, alumni and area residents and was launched to coincide with SFU’s 175th anniversary year in 2022.
“It was a combined effort from advancement and alumni,” said Frye.
For each post, a committee reviews the information to ensure that the project is covering a mix of different stories that share part of the school’s history.
“Sometimes it can’t be on the exact date,” Frye said, referring to the different moments in the University’s history that are being highlighted.
“When we can’t find the exact date, we turn the segment into “This Month in Saint Francis History.”
Much of Saint Francis’ historical record was lost in two separate fires that destroyed the University’s libraries in 1942 and 1958.
“In order to gain some things from that period, we relied on alumni to donate pictures, books, and other archives,” said Frye.
“The 1942 fire almost destroyed Saint Francis as we know it. We almost ended up closing down permanently.”
Planning for this social media initiative began last fall.
Posts have included “Mugsy the Dog,” the school’s former school mascot, as well as a visit by Leonard Nimoy to campus in 1978.
“On This Day In Saint Francis History” posts can be found on Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn.
