Junior, Katie Conklin offered students a new way of staying up to date with other students, events happening around campus, and even the City of Mobile by launching the Instagram page “PurpleAlert” last fall. After transferring from another school, Conklin stated, “I was eager to immerse myself in campus life. However, I was surprised to find a multitude of Instagram accounts for Greek life events but none for the general student body. I had expected to find an existing Barstool Spring Hill account, but there was no such thing that existed. Some older friends mentioned there had been a few in the past, but they had devolved into platforms for gossip and negativity.” Although the account is non-affiliated with the school, Conklin hoped to engage all students with a page that covers entertainment and campus updates. “As a new transfer with plenty of opinions and no outlet, I felt the need for change. I felt that because I had transferred from a different school, I was kind of unbiased and could make this a chance to be “my thing”. The goal was to create a platform that dismantled cliques and enhanced communication across different friend groups, ensuring that every student, whether heavily involved or not, felt included and informed. With our school’s small size, community spirit really makes a difference. The platform was designed to welcome everyone and keep them informed, and it has even helped reunite lost items with their owners, proving that we truly support each other #badgerssupportbadgers.” she shared.
Since the launch of this account, formally known as @shcpurplealert, the page has a following of over 750 students. Conklin stated “Most of our posts get around 200 likes and we mostly post “almost Friday” carousels on Thursdays. Over the last 90 days, Purple Alert has reached 2,310 accounts, over 1,000 of them being non-followers. We have gotten a total of 878,939 impressions
and just in the last seven days we have reached 1,110 accounts and we are up 31% since last week. It goes up steadily every week and has been since day
one.”
Conklin shared that at first, the feedback was mostly negative and “hostile”
messages from both students and faculty members, but she continued to post. She stated “Feedback has become more positive as I’ve begun engaging more with students’ personal pages, promoting their interests, celebrating birthdays, and addressing their complaints and questions during significant events. I even live stream some events to ensure those who can’t attend can still participate. The type of feedback I receive largely depends on what I post, but that is dependent on what you submit to me, and the current happenings around campus.” Conklin shared how she strived to promote student-based interests and accomplishments to help engage a larger audience.
She stated, “This page acts as a hyper-local news source that students can interact with, addressing specific issues in real-time. The name “Purple Alert” has grown increasingly appropriate as it bridges the gap between school news and social events. It has become the go-to source for all things concerning Spring Hill students, offering straightforward updates without the hassle of clicking through links or reading a paper. All the essential daily updates are provided directly in your stories, continuously refreshed to keep you informed.”
Senior Nate Sobek shared how he felt about @shcpurplealert’s content, “As someone who isn’t affiliated with Greek life or sports teams on campus, this account is a great and easy way for me to know what’s going on and what’s new with people.”
Some students may recognize the name “Purple Alert” as a school code for displaying signs of unstable mental health. Conklin said she felt this way when the original account, known as @barstoolspringhill was removed for “Copyright Violation”. She shared how the new name came about, “It had to be something about Spring Hill without saying Spring Hill and something that represented something of a meme page with a serious undertone. Purple Alert was the name we stuck with. It was the funniest. Although the name is silly, there is nothing but good intentions.” Conklin stated.
Conklin shared that despite the added daily stress, and pressure to deliver the best content, she is rewarded with positive interactions from the student body. “My favorite aspect of running the page is the trust and reliance people place in me. It’s incredibly rewarding to know that you guys feel comfortable approaching me with personal issues, looking to me as someone who can
offer solutions or at least some form of support. This trust has deepened my connection to the community and gives me a sense of purpose, knowing I can make a real difference in day-to-day lives,” she said. Conklin continued, “I intend to hand over the account credentials to a select group of individuals who I believe will maintain the original spirit and purpose of the page.” Conklin shared her hope for this account as though it has already made its mark in student history. “Ultimately, continuing this page could raise overall morale, increase school spirit, and strengthen our community making sure everyone is having a good time on The Hill.” Conklin stated.
For more information on “SHCPurpleAlert”, follow their Instagram page @shcpurplealert or email Katie Conklin at [email protected].
