12 Jun A Week in the Life: How ASI Social Media Shaped Ashley Mayes’s Creative Career
- Social Media Lead, Ashley Mayes from ASI’s Marketing, Communications & Design department grew in her career at ASI.
- Mayes describes her “week in the life” leading a team of three social media assistants during spring concert prep.
- Mayes expresses her takeaways working with ASI and her upcoming journey as a post-graduate.
Turning Passion into a Profession
As a child, Ashley Mayes was already eager to step into the spotlight. / Credit: Ashley Mayes
As a child, Ashley Mayes proudly donned giant sunglasses, Mickey Mouse ears and a toy microphone, already eager to step into the spotlight. Mayes carries this energy and enthusiasm as an Associated Students Inc. (ASI) social media lead.
At ASI, Cal State Fullerton (CSUF) students have the opportunity to develop hands-on experience in their desired field of work. In the Marketing, Communications and Design (MCD) department, student employees have a wide range of opportunities from social media and public relations to graphic design. Mayes reflects on her journey as a student employee with ASI while preparing to launch her career after graduation.
Finding Spark in ASI
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Mayes is a business marketing major who first learned about ASI through a friend who mentioned an upcoming job opening.
“At first, I didn’t even know what ASI was,” Mayes said. “But after the interview, I realized it’s the heart of student life on campus.”
Mayes was unaware that ASI was responsible for the Titan Student Union, Student Recreation Center and the Children’s Center. However, once she discovered the organization’s dynamic role on campus and its focus on student engagement, she quickly found purpose in being part of its mission.
Initially hired as a social media assistant, Mayes’s natural leadership and enthusiasm for storytelling helped her grow into a social media lead role.
“She’s somebody that takes immense pride in the work that she does with incredible organizational skills,” Art Serna, ASI digital and social media manager, said. “She very quickly showed signs of being a strong leader.”
Mayes’s passion for social media, which began with a childhood love for performance, now aligns with her academic and professional aspirations.
Teamwork Makes the Dream Work
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From brainstorming ideas to setting deadlines, Mayes ensures every post aligns with ASI’s brand while mentoring a team of student assistants through thoughtful feedback and guidance that helps them grow into confident creators.
For the 2024-2025 school year, Mayes recalled being part of the hiring team for new student employees and looking for “characters” that would fit the TSU, the SRC and the Children’s Center.
“I knew what role they were going to fit best in, and I knew they were going to find it and learn throughout their time here,” Mayes said. “They are just the best. They are fun, crazy and they are big go-getters.”
As ASI’s social media lead, Mayes balances creativity, leadership and strategic planning. Her week kicks off with content planning meetings, where she helps guide the team on what needs to be completed.
Mayes is responsible for social media for 20 departments within ASI and covering over 70 events throughout the semester. Collaboration involves constantly coordinating with ASI departments to promote events, share updates and keep the campus community engaged.
A Week in the Life
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Behind every successful event is a team working tirelessly behind the scenes, and the lead-up to the 2025 Spring Concert was no exception.
For the 2025 Spring Concert, a social media campaign was developed to promote the event and garner engagement. Four months before the Spring Concert, the social media team collaborated with the visual media team to produce a photoshoot that would serve as inspiration for outfit choices.
Monday: The beginning of the week served as a brainstorming and planning day, pitching to the visual media team about the creative direction of the photo shoot with the “Head in the Clouds” theme.
Tuesday through Thursday involved logistics, specifically going to the ASI video studio and planning which props and clothing to purchase with the visual media team.
Friday: Mayes and her group set up for the photoshoot two hours prior and then followed the plan for the shots and poses, while incorporating new ideas made on the spot.
The work doesn’t end there. The week after is all about publishing and getting eyes on the content. Mayes explains that the Monday after begins with assigning roles and developing a content schedule. The rest of the week involves editing, captioning, posting and responding to social media comments to increase engagement.
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The photoshoot was one of many ideas brought to life. The collaborations within the MCD department and Student Programming and Engagement led to 200 to almost 1,000 likes per Instagram post specific to Spring Concert. In the end, the success of the 2025 Spring Concert social media campaign was not only a result of the creative vision but also the hard work, collaboration and dedication of Mayes’ team behind the scenes.
Learning Beyond the Classroom
Mayes’s role involves being comfortable in front of the camera. / Credit: Ashley Mayes
The MCD department at ASI helps prepare student employees for post-graduation success by offering a hands-on, collaborative and creative environment.
Serna emphasizes mentoring and helping students harness their creative energy to develop crucial skills for careers in media and beyond. Leadership, organization and storytelling are especially valued.
“Ashley from the get-go has always had a strong hunger to tell the stories in a very compelling way,” said Serna. “She’s definitely one of those students that I don’t worry about going out into the real world and into her next chapter in life”
Her natural leadership led to her promotion as a social media lead, where she continued to inspire peers and produce high-quality work.
Eyes on the Future
Mayes plans to go into higher education and pursue a career in marketing or administration after graduation, hoping to lead and inspire the next generation of creatives. / Credit: Ashley Mayes
Reflecting on her time at ASI, Mayes notes that she’s gained valuable skills in leadership, time management and social media strategy. Managing multiple platforms and mentoring others taught her to be both organized and adaptable.
“ASI prepared me for life in a personal way because things will get thrown at you in life, and it’s about how you handle it,” Mayes said. “It prepared me to be a leader and to speak up when needed.”
During her experience, she developed a passion for teaching and mentorship. Mayes plans to go into higher education and pursue a career in marketing or administration after graduation, hoping to lead and inspire the next generation of creatives.
Ready to join the ASI team? Explore our current job openings and find your next opportunity on the ASI Employment Opportunities page.