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This feature is one of the many profiles we are doing to showcase our diverse CoSIDA membership during 2017 CoSIDA Membership Recognition Week. To see all the feature stories, please click HERE.

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Rachel Pincus: University of Kansas
Strategic Communications Manager

by Nathan Yacoviis, University of Dallas Sports Information Manager
CoSIDA Recognition Week Committee member
 
Rachel Pincus has worked at the University of Kansas athletics department for two years as the Strategic Communications Manager. In her role, she is over all the social media strategy for main athletics accounts and the Jayhawks sport-specific accounts. Content creation is a huge part of her responsibilities as she works with staff photographers, videographers, and graphic designers. Pincus orchestrates the social media content for all KU athletics accounts and also works with the department’s sponsored partners to aid the execution of sponsored content.
 
Before her current position, Pincus worked as the director of marketing & communications at Hilton Head’s Junior Sports Corporation for a year. She formerly did sports information work at Stevenson University, an NCAA Division III member of the Eastern Collegiate Athletic Conference (ECAC) and Middle Athletic Conference (MAC).
 
Do you have a favorite social media campaign you have done with the Jayhawks?
 
One of my favorite campaigns thus far is our #KUpostcards campaign. One thing that Kansas prides itself on is the fact that no matter where you go, there’s always someone sporting KU gear and shouting “Rock Chalk” to otherwise strangers. To embrace and celebrate this, we began soliciting fan-generated content of people far and wide around the world in their KU gear to visually illustrate the places that KU touches.

 

How do you combat negativity on social media?
 
The first step is to embrace the reality. Whether it’s negativity because a program is struggling or negativity simply because people “love to hate” on social, we as social media managers have to embrace it. I coach my team to be able to recognize the difference between the negativity that does not deserve response, and the negativity that can be handled with grace and ultimately shift the course of the conversation.
 
We will always put protection of our athletes first, above all else. That said, using our athletes and humanizing them is often the most successful way to combat negativity. It’s easy to knock and entire program but negative individuals are far less likely to be negative when you place emphasis on the hard-working student-athletes.
 
What advice would you have for professionals when it comes to strategic communications? Any ideas that you have learned at the Division I level that could be applied in smaller Division III departments?
 
The biggest thing I can tell people in the industry is to learn something from every single person you meet. This industry is so rooted in connections and establishing connections with everyone you have the chance to meet is critical. Aside from creating connections though, it’s important to figure out what each person can teach you because you never know when it will pay off.
 
One of the most valuable things I learned while at DIII Stevenson University was from the associate AD of communications – the way that he handled time management with juggling numerous sport responsibilities was one of the key reasons I am able to oversee social strategy for 18 varsity sports at KU. If I were ever to return to the DIII world, the one thing I learned from KU is that no matter how big your institution is, if you work smarter not harder, you make life much easier and you get creative in the process. 

 

Can you talk about the adjustment that you experienced when you left college athletics for the Hilton Head’s Junior Spots Corporation (JSC)?
 
Leaving the college world for a privately-owned and operated corporation was an adjustment not only because it was a geographical move but because creativity had very different parameters. I went from being bound by NCAA rules to being bound by rules established by the corporation. I think it was a really good challenge for me though, because JSC was a rare organization that had their own rules while also we still abided by NCAA rules since we were feeding elite golfers into the college school systems. I think this is similar to the old “start at the bottom and work your way up” because I was able to get a feel for every possible angle.
 
We all have a great mentor(s). Who are some that you look to or have looked to?
 
Cheri Baker is a family friend turned life-long mentor for me. What is most valuable about Cheri is the fact that she invested in me at the raw age of 16 and continued to teach me new things as they became relevant to that point of my career. Someone willing to be hard on you because they know you can be better is the best thing I could ever have asked for.
 
Todd Kober, my current supervisor at KU went from being the guy who gave me a shot to an instant and valued mentor. His desire to “be the change” serves as inspiration and motivation behind everything I do here at KU. Being enabled to push boundaries and strive for success is something I am beyond grateful for.
 
What are some ways you disengage from work responsibilities?
 
It sounds cliché but putting the phone down. I stare constantly at my phone and/or a computer and while it’s super tempting to want to see everything, I quickly learned that it’s not possible. Embracing that behavior and using it as a valid reason to disconnect actually allows me to be creative without relying on technology.
 
Exercise also is huge for me. Being able to disconnect while exercising allows me to really step away from it all and relax in a healthy way. I find that I come back a better version of myself, renewed almost. 
 
Professionally, what do you see yourself doing in the future?
 
I probably will look to pursue something a bit more administrative but still on the creative side of things. A lighter travel schedule would allow me to explore a possible family of my own but the creative piece is something I know I want to keep in my future.