Boise State announces social media creator certificate program

This week Boise State announced it will launch a social media creator certificate program starting in the fall of the 2023-24 academic year. Boise State deans and the Idaho State Board of Education recently approved the certificate and the courses involved. The certificate program is open to all Boise State students but it also provides opportunities for athletes at the university to potentially improve their name, image and likeness education and opportunities.

“Our thanks to Boise State Online and Dr. Roger Munger for moving this program forward,” Boise State athletic director Jeramiah Dickey said in a news release. “This online certificate program provides the flexibility of digital learning for our student-athletes but is also open to anyone seeking skills to navigate today’s constantly-changing social media landscape.”

At the NIL Awards that were held at the inaugural NIL Summit last summer at the College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta, Boise State received the award for Best Institutional Program.

The social media creator certificate program features three online courses that students can take independently, without any prerequisites. The three courses are name, image and likeness, creating digital value, and social storytelling and leadership.

The university will offer two courses in both the fall and spring semesters. “Two summer courses will likely be offered starting in summer 2025,” according to the news release.

“This certificate provides students a quick start in understanding NIL opportunities and creating a content strategy that aligns with their values,” Boise State professor in the Department of Writing Studies and its NCAA Faculty Athletics Representative Dr. Roger Munger said in the release. “At its core, this three-course undergraduate certificate helps students create content that engages people, inspires action and makes a difference in their communities.”

Boise State provides creative NIL education, opportunities

Boise State and the Boise, Idaho, community have found numerous creative ways to maximize the NIL and related educational opportunities for Boise State athletes, including the certificate program.

“One of the greatest points of pride for our NIL program is that the educational components are supported at the highest levels of the university,” Boise State associate athletic director for strategic communications and business development Mike Walsh said in the release. “The development and implementation of the social media creator certificate is the most poignant example yet. We are incredibly appreciative of Dr. Munger and his fellow university leaders for believing in the value of these courses and the opportunities that will come to students who take advantage.”

In March, Walsh served as a volunteer for the Internal Revenue Service’s (IRS) Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program. It was open to all qualifying members of the community but it allowed Boise State athletes who have participated in NIL opportunities to receive accessible tax guidance and services.

Recently, NIL collective The Horseshoe Collective partnered with a brewery called Western Collective to brew The Horseshoe Golden Ale. Western Collective will donate $0.10 per pint sold to the collective.