Get to know: Natalie Flinchum

A member of UNC Charlotte’s Class of ‘22, Natalie Flinchum brings a fresh perspective to the Business Services marketing team. Learn more about her and how her experience as a student prepared her for her role as social media coordinator.

What is the Business Services marketing team responsible for and how does your role fit into that?

The Business Services marketing team makes content that promotes the different programs that Business and Auxiliary Services offer. As the social media coordinator, I am responsible for creating and posting photos, short-format videos and captions to our social media accounts. I also analyze and report our analytics to see how we can create more engaging content in the future.

As a recent Niner Nation alum, what made you want to work at the University?

I really love UNC Charlotte’s campus! I didn’t fully realize that until I thought I would have to leave. I also really appreciate that I can still walk to work every day and go down the road on my lunch breaks to work out at the UREC.

How did your experience as a student intern help prepare you for your role as a social media coordinator?

When I was a student, I majored in studio art with a concentration in digital media so I knew how to design and use the Adobe Creative Suite. As an intern for Auxiliary Services, I learned how to use those skills while promoting services to a college-age audience. I also learned how to analyze data to understand and improve our content creation process.

What does your typical workday look like?

My typical workday is a little different every day! Just last week I conceptualized and scheduled content like normal, took photos at two different events, learned how to properly edit photos, wrote an article and presented to a room full of parents at SOAR.

What is the most challenging part of your job? Most rewarding?

So far the most challenging part of my job has been getting over nerves when meeting new people. Ironically, meeting new people has also been the most rewarding part of my job. I learned this by asking to take photos of people at the Summer Blood Drive and the SOAR Resource Fair. Almost everyone agrees happily, and I give them my contact information and send them their photo later on, which many seem grateful for. I also learn more about them this way which is a fun surprise!

What is your most memorable experience at UNC Charlotte?

My most memorable experience at UNC Charlotte was meeting my now fiancé here as a freshman in Oak Hall. I was joking around with my roommates and shoving the nasty flavored Bertie Bott’s Every Flavor Beans under our neighbor’s door (they were friends and afterward thought it was funny). While I was doing that, my roommates took away the pillow that was propping our door open and locked me out. I was sitting on the floor, knocking on our door in my pajamas when he came into the hall and asked if everything was okay. At the time he said he came out to get some candy bars from the vending machine, but now I know he just heard my fake crying and wanted to see what the noise was. My jellybean neighbors also came out into the hallway, and we all played UNO and other games until about 2 a.m.

What is something fun you like to do in your free time?

Recently I’ve been playing the video game Stardew Valley with my friends in the evening!