National Institute for Social Media -

Don Francis

I was offered a scholarship by NISM in 2023. The course has probably been the best Social Media course I have even taken. It helped shaped my view on using social media effectively.

One thing that stood out for me was Strategic Planning - carving out a niche, standing by it and choosing a targeted audience. As a basic schoolteacher in a rural area in Ghana, West Africa, I have been known for just one thing - a 21st century teacher.

And for the progress so far, a few highlights...

Through social media, we got a scholarship to send 77 learners and 7 teachers on an educational trip to Accra, the capital city. We also had donors giving us an ultramodern projector, our classroom ripped off and we had people renovated it for us. These are just a few.

So, the scholarship was highly beneficial to me, and I recommend it for everyone.

Sam Cuellar

I genuinely enjoyed my time with the National Institute for Social Media (NISM) over the past 12 weeks working as a social media strategist intern for their summer program.

To just name a handful, we covered incredibly relevant topics to the social media marketing field. Some included strategic planning, project management, community management, and compliance and governance. Additionally, the internship taught us how to effectively create social media content that aligned with NISM’s mission and their target audience. It was a blast learning how to use content creation tools, such as Canva, to do this.

It was also super cool having the real-world opportunity of running NISM’s TikTok account with the goal of increasing our follower count through engaging with users who fell into our target demographic.

Lastly, the professional connections gained during this internship through meetings was second to none. Jen, our amazing boss and weekly social media strategist (SMS) prep course instructor, would invite SMS Certified professionals to the weekly meetings we had. These professionals all had very different backgrounds, so it was very insightful getting each of their unique perspectives on the various aspects of marketing.

Wrapping things up, I totally wish the internship ran longer, because my instructor, mentor, and the other interns were a pleasure to be around and work with.

I highly recommend giving this internship a shot if you would like to dip your toes into the world of social media marketing!

Natalie Despot

During 2024, I prepared for this certification exam. I chose to take the online course with the support of a tutor for each module, and I couldn’t have asked for a better experience. My tutor, Magdalena Bernhardt, was outstanding—she shared valuable insights and helped me find practical ways to apply what I learned in my current job.

The exam was quite challenging, featuring practical questions that required decision-making, but successfully passing it highlighted my growth. I also want to acknowledge Jennifer Radke, the CEO of NISIM. Jen: I sincerely thank you for the scholarship and all the assistance you offered!

I highly recommend attending the NISIM webinars as well, they cover practical topics presented by experts that are truly beneficial to our social media work!

Ben Rosenstiel

I joined NISM as a Summer Intern, and I can honestly say it was such a fulfilling experience. The whole team is passionate about social media education and they were a joy to work with. I've met so many incredible people and they each had unique perspectives for this field. If you're looking to understand Social Media Strategy at both a deeper and broader level, this is the program for you.

Joseph Scalzo

Amazing opportunity to get your SMS certification! Community is full of wonderful individuals that go above and beyond to help!

Jon Ruzek

Solid content and an engaging community to learn more about and discuss ever-changing social media and marketing trends.