By: Averie Nurmi
On move-in day last August, while first-year students were moving into their dorm rooms, Cannon Miller and Eliza McIntyre were starting something that would become more popular than they expected. Now, the two serve as Concordia’s official Social Media Ambassadors, creating high-energy videos that highlight campus life and bring different student groups into the spotlight.
And the craziest part? It all kind of just… happened.
Miller had just met campus photographer Penny Burns. Around the same time, Burns approached McIntyre, whom she already knew through family connections and Trollwood Performing Arts. Burns told McIntyre she wanted her to be on camera for a move-in day video. McIntyre’s response? Immediate yes.
But Penny wanted another “theater kid” to join her. McIntyre pointed her straight to Miller.
Their first videos, move-in day and homecoming, were mostly for entertainment. They interviewed students, made jokes, and captured the excitement of big campus events. The videos gained online traction with the Concordia community, the move-in video gaining 11,200 views and homecoming amassing 16,200. Soon, they were invited back to film more. Eventually, they were officially hired and given titles: Social Media Ambassadors.
Informative Entertainment
One of their first, more structured projects was filming with Concordia’s trap shooting team. That’s when things started to shift. Instead of just being funny, their videos became what Miller calls “informative entertainment.” They were still joking around, but they were also promoting clubs and showing what students could get involved in.
McIntyre sees their role as something even bigger.
“I kind of view it as a community builder,” she explained. “We show up to these spaces and people get excited. They start giving ideas, and then they get excited for the video to come out,” she said.
That excitement goes both ways. Whether they’re filming cheerleaders, opera rehearsals, or boot hockey games at the Cobber Winter Classic, Cannon and McIntyre don’t just stand on the sidelines; they jump in. Literally. They’ve tried trap shooting, participated in cheer stunts, and put themselves in situations that push them out of their comfort zones.
For Miller, that’s one of the best parts. “I get to go places and do things I’ve never done before,” he said. “And I get to talk to people. I’m a big yapper.”
Chemistry
Their on-screen chemistry feels natural, and there’s a reason for that. They credit a lot of their bond to RA training over the summer. They were assigned to sit next to each other and constantly had to have partner discussions. Even though they had known each other before, that time forced them to become close friends.
Now they’re involved in many of the same activities, Residence Life, choir, social media, and they’re both elementary education majors. Spending that much time together definitely helps when you’re filming.
How it all comes together
Behind the scenes, though, it’s not just the two of them. They work with student videographers like Emma Claire McColm and Mirra Lysne, who help film and think through more cinematic shots. Professional editors Ta’mia Hedlin and Addy Kollman take all the raw footage, sometimes up to an hour of it, and somehow turn it into polished two- to three-minute videos. Penny Burns helps manage the process, and Marketing Director Kelly Heyer oversees the whole operation.
“It’s about an eight-person operation,” Miller said. “Small, but we get work done.”
The process usually starts with brainstorming. Sometimes clubs reach out and ask to be featured. Other times, Miller and McIntyre come up with ideas based on what’s happening on campus. McIntyre handles most of the emails and scheduling. Once everything lines up, they grab the microphones, meet up with their camera team, and start filming.
They don’t usually script much. Instead, they show up with a general idea and build off whatever happens naturally. That’s part of what makes their videos feel real. Sometimes it means awkward moments or silly clips, but that’s kind of the point.
One of their most memorable videos was Homecoming, which ended up being their best-performing post. It also gave them an unexpected catchphrase. During filming, Cannon said, “Friendship is friendship,” and now students still quote it back to him or McIntyre on campus.
“It kind of throws me off,” she admitted, laughing.
For McIntyre, one of her favorite parts is seeing how excited people get when they’re featured. She loves running into students from the videos later and hearing how much they enjoyed it
“Even though I have nothing to do with these clubs, it makes me feel like I’m part of them,” she said.
As for what’s next, they already have a long list of ideas. They’re especially excited about filming with Special Olympics and continuing to show different student organizations. They both said they would love to continue as Social Media Ambassadors next year if given the opportunity.
“We’d love to continue,” Miller said. “Bring us back.”
What started as a random move-in day opportunity has turned into something that impacts the entire campus. Through humor, energy, and being pushed out of their comfort zones, Miller and McIntyre have helped make Concordia’s social media feel more personal and connected.
