Not knowing what she wanted to do with her life was a key factor in Lauren Conforti’s decision to enroll at the University of Delaware as an undergraduate in 2015. Five years later, she reenrolled at UD as a continuing education student because she knew exactly what she wanted to do, how she wanted to do it and what provider she wanted to do it with. 

A native of East Hanover, New Jersey, Conforti said she was aware of the University’s strong reputation and found it to have an attractive campus with friendly people when she visited as a high school student.   

“It is a nice starting place for people who might not know exactly what they want to pursue because there are so many options and avenues you can explore,” said Conforti. “I am glad that I chose the University of Delaware. It was a good playing ground for taking different classes.” 

Conforti’s classes led her to a bachelor’s degree in English in 2019. As an undergraduate, she gained valuable experience outside the classroom by participating in a variety of activities, including serving as a UD social media ambassador. In this role, which she was honored to be chosen for, she shared her experiences at UD with fellow and prospective students on Twitter and Instagram.  

Returning to UD from Afar 

Following her graduation, Conforti moved back to New Jersey and continued to increase her social media proficiency through several part-time jobs. Looking to further develop her skill set and add to her credentials, she “returned” to her alma mater in fall 2020 and then again in spring 2022 as a virtual student in social media marketing programs offered by the University of Delaware Division of Professional and Continuing Studies (UD PCS).   

New in 2024-25, students can enroll in three redesigned advanced social media programs tailored for LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook.  

“The virtual format was great, and I couldn’t have imagined it being in person because the nature of social media work is all online,” said Conforti. “It was still personal and focused, and I always joined the Zoom office hours. 

“For my assignments, I was sending my instructor posts for my company’s real-live social channels,” continued Conforti. “This was a real-life application. I took her honest feedback and worked it into my current role. There is no price tag on that.” 

UD’s Name Recognition  

Though there were many organizations offering social media training to choose from, it did not take long for her to decide that UD would be the best option for her. 

“Some people tout professional development from places I never heard of,” said Conforti. “If there is going to be time, money and energy involved, I want it to be at the school that I trust.”  

Shortly after completing her program, Conforti began a new full-time position that leveraged her new social media skills and now works part-time as a social media and communications coordinator at Montclair State University while also managing her own business called Main Street Social Media.  

Committed to Lifelong Learning  

Rather than waiting until she was established professionally, Conforti felt it was important to engage in lifelong learning throughout her career and has no plans to slow down. 

“That’s kind of who I am; I am always learning,” said Conforti. “I am very adamant about lifelong learning for everyone, regardless of what field they are in and what interests they have. The second you stop learning about new features, updates and industry news, you are out of the game essentially. You have to keep learning and keep on moving, and UD helped me continue after I graduated.”  

Classes Open for Registration 

Learn more about our noncredit professional development programs, most of which are offered online, by signing up for our upcoming virtual information session. Alumni will earn digital badges when they complete a PCS noncredit certificate program, which they can use on LinkedIn and other social media sites to document their learning.