Social Media Weekend at Columbia School of Journalism

I spent the weekend at an incredible event: Social Media Weekend, at the Columbia School of Journalism. Hosted by Sree Sreenivasan, I was fortunate enough to be able to assist in the planning, serving as a “social media doctor,” and moderating the panel with Mashable.

The event ran from Friday evening to Sunday, with an incredible cast of those in journalism who are leveraging social media in powerful ways. Okay, let’s dig into the photos:

The ever-bucolic Columbia University. Clearly, dealing with a red balloon infestation:
Social Media Weekend at Columbia School of Journalism

The Columbia School of Journalism. Jefferson guards the doors:
Social Media Weekend at Columbia School of Journalism

At the sign-up table, you are required to put your Twitter handle on your badge:
Social Media Weekend at Columbia School of Journalism

Our host, Dean of Student Affairs & Professor Sree Sreenivasan:
Social Media Weekend at Columbia School of Journalism

Ernest R. Sotomayor Assistant Dean/Career Services & Continuing Education at Columbia Journalism School sets the stage:
Social Media Weekend at Columbia School of Journalism

Attendees at the event came from more than 50 cities and 12 countries:
Social Media Weekend at Columbia School of Journalism

It’s hard to underestimate the power of a white board. Throughout the weekend, Twitter handles from speakers were thrown up here, which made it super-easy to Tweet:
Social Media Weekend at Columbia School of Journalism

Tweets flew by on screen, the latest updates to the event hashtag #smwknd
Social Media Weekend at Columbia School of Journalism

Sree kept checking in on a site called Hashtracking, which told us the reach of all the Tweets coming out of the event:
Social Media Weekend at Columbia School of Journalism

The audience, taking notes and Tweeting away…
Social Media Weekend at Columbia School of Journalism

The keynote for Friday was delivered by Fred Wilson, venture capitalist who writes the influential blog http://avc.com and has invested in many of the biggest social media companies.
Social Media Weekend at Columbia School of Journalism

*insert words of wisdom here*
Social Media Weekend at Columbia School of Journalism

The audience oohs and ahhs…
Social Media Weekend at Columbia School of Journalism

Fred explains how he uses Twitter to engage with his community:
Social Media Weekend at Columbia School of Journalism

Explaining how he feels social media is changing:
Social Media Weekend at Columbia School of Journalism

Q&A time. This journalism asked Fred how journalists can remain financially viable in a world where non-professionals will work for free:
Social Media Weekend at Columbia School of Journalism

The crowd seeking wisdom, and perhaps some venture capital:
Social Media Weekend at Columbia School of Journalism

The Friday night mixer, food and drinks provided by Facebook:
Social Media Weekend at Columbia School of Journalism

Vadim Lavrusik of Facebook talks about journalism and Facebook:
Social Media Weekend at Columbia School of Journalism

Some good tips on what engages:
Social Media Weekend at Columbia School of Journalism

An interesting timeline of the evolution of Facebook as a platform. Farm animals, it seems, are to blame:
Social Media Weekend at Columbia School of Journalism

The Saturday session. Here Dorian Benkoil takes us through the ROI of Social Media for Business:
Social Media Weekend at Columbia School of Journalism

Dorian talking about ROI:
Social Media Weekend at Columbia School of Journalism

I believe this was the new social media tools panel:
Social Media Weekend at Columbia School of Journalism

The halls were indeed packed:
Social Media Weekend at Columbia School of Journalism

Here, Google ran a Google Hangout with 10 journalists from around the world. The guy on the screen is the Googler in charge of a bunch of products, including Google+
Social Media Weekend at Columbia School of Journalism

I really loved capturing this moment of Sree and Ernesto taking a stroll down the hall to discuss the event so far:
Social Media Weekend at Columbia School of Journalism

An incredible bonus was that professional photographers were on hand to snap FREE headshots that all attendees could use as their social media profile images:
Social Media Weekend at Columbia School of Journalism

They also had “social media doctors,” of which I was one. Basically, if you needed advice on your usage of social media, experts were on hand to give personal advice:
Social Media Weekend at Columbia School of Journalism

The doctors at work:
Social Media Weekend at Columbia School of Journalism

Me working with an attendee on her social media presence:
Social Media Weekend at Columbia School of Journalism

I was so impressed to see Mashable’s Meghan Peters and GigaOm’s Mathew Ingram serve as social media doctors:
Social Media Weekend at Columbia School of Journalism

It was cool to see Craig Kanalley, Social Media Editor at NBC News Tweeting away:
Social Media Weekend at Columbia School of Journalism

Me moderating the session: “Mashable’s Secrets” with Meghan Peters and Christina Warren:
Social Media Weekend at Columbia School of Journalism

Questions for Meghan and Christina after the session:
Social Media Weekend at Columbia School of Journalism

All in all, an incredible weekend. I could not attend the Saturday party at Foursquare headquarters, or the Sunday sessions. Coming off of 9 days at 3 conferences, I needed some quality family time.

Thanks!
-Dan