WIU Social Media Lab

05/12/2026

WIU is proud to announce that Josh Averbeck, professor of Communication and director of the WIU Social Media Lab, and Ashley Frederick, Nursing instructor, have been selected as members of the inaugural cohort of the Illinois Innovation Network (IIN) Faculty Fellows.
Read more: https://www.wiu.edu/news/newsrelease.php?release_id=21295

05/06/2026

Snippets from "Escape dead week with VR" today
if finals got you tweaking, crashing out, or staring at the wall for 3 business days
the social media lab is still open all finals week + summer 👀

come touch virtual grass w us
good luck on finals leathernecks 💜💛
Neck up!!

05/04/2026

Dead week got you spiraling? say less 😭

pull up to the Social Media Lab and touch some (virtual) grass 🌅🎮
we got VR escapes, sunset vibes, and yes… FREE PIZZA 🍕

📍 Malpass Library (Lvl 1, Room 184)
🗓 May 6
⏰ 2–4 PM

take a slice, leave the stress. see you there 💜✨

04/29/2026

Graduating? Looking for internships? You need a professional brand and to develop a network. Join the LinkedIn Literacy session on Monday May 4th 430-530!

04/15/2026

Undergrad students from Broadcasting & journalism said let’s step into another reality real quickk

Came through the lab and immediately locked in with the VR exploring, reacting, and lowkey forgetting all the HW😭
From storytelling to immersive experiences, they really turned the lab into their playground 🎮🎤
It's your turn to come have your visit!

04/14/2026

Did you know that Western Illinois Athletics own Why Western podcast is recorded here in the lab? Check it out at

Why Western is a series from Western Illinois University Athletics that highlights the stories behind our Leathernecks. Each episode features a different stu...

04/10/2026

Interested in booking a session in our podcast suite? Now you can! Go to

04/07/2026

lowkey… your next big idea starts here 🎧✨

come through the social media lab open hours
record a podcast, test out VR, or practice your elevator pitch like a pro.

📍 184,Level 1, Malpass Library
⏰ mon–fri | 1-4pm

your ideas deserve a mic 🎤

04/01/2026

Come check it out!

03/30/2026

We live in a world where we’re constantly connected,
yet often disconnected from what truly matters.

Mindless scrolling can quietly take away our time, energy, and focus.
But when used intentionally, the same device can help us learn, grow, and improve.

What we consume shapes how we think.
So let’s choose wisely, be mindful of our habits,
and take control of how we use our time.