This fall, we welcomed three new student co-creators to our team. Deanna, a social media whiz who specializes in research content, is helping us make science social across CSU’s platforms. Lily, an outgoing and outdoorsy mathematician, is joining our TikTok team along with Taylor, who hopes to not only build a large TikTok following, but buildings, as well.

We sat down with Deanna, Lily and Taylor to get to know them better. Check it out ⬇️

Where are you from?

Deanna Driver: I’m from Harrisonburg, Virginia, which is nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains about two hours outside of Washington D.C.

Lily Coughlin: Cincinnati, Ohio (who dey!).

TaylorShamar Tarver: Denver, Colorado.

What’s your major?

Deanna: I’m currently a graduate student pursuing a master’s degree in addiction counseling, and I’ll graduate from CSU in May 2025.

Lily: I am a mathematics major, minoring in English, and I anticipate graduating in the spring of 2026.

Taylor: Interior design and architecture, graduating in spring 2026. I choose this degree because growing up I loved designing and building things with my own imagination.

Why did you choose to come to CSU?

Deanna: I visited Colorado a few times before moving here, and being someone who loves the outdoors/hiking, having the Rocky Mountains an hour away from CSU was a huge draw. I was also really drawn to the specific master’s program I’m currently enrolled in. The coursework was tailored specifically to an area of psychology I’m super passionate about, and I will graduate as a candidate for two credentials that will put me in a position to be at the forefront of supporting individuals who struggle with mental health and reducing the stigma around therapy/counseling services.

Lily: I first came to CSU because I knew I wanted to be somewhere I could have access to the outdoors, and being from Ohio, it was the “safe out-of-state move,” because my older sister went here. But as I have lived here, CSU has grown into a place I’ve found so much community, and I’ve absolutely fallen in love with it.

Taylor: I chose CSU because it was the most affordable option and convenient for my family.

What’s your goal for the future?

Deanna: After graduating (and getting all the supervision hours I need), I will be a licensed addiction counselor and a licensed professional counselor, providing direct counseling to individuals struggling with mental health concerns. I hope to move to an urban area to help populations that may be underserved in these crowded places.

Lily: I get this question a lot, and I am still not sure. All I know is that whatever I do, it needs to require me to be both analytical and surrounded by people.

Taylor: Start my own business in flipping houses and becoming a well-known influencer.

What’s your favorite part about TikTok and creating content for TikTok?

Deanna: I like how you can find anything on TikTok. Though it is super entertaining, it’s also extremely resourceful, as well. Personally, I get tons of outfit, recipe and gift ideas from the app, and having all these ideas in one place is so easy. Creating TikTok content is fun because it is such a creative process; you can take an idea in a million different directions with TikTok and any one of them can be successful with the wide audience on the platform.

Lily: What I love about TikTok is that it is really unique in its ability to make almost any video “blow up.” You do not need to establish a big audience to have a video that reaches people.

Taylor: You can be yourself and really make anything that comes to mind on TikTok, and it has a chance of going viral.

What are you most looking forward to during your internship with the CSU Social and Digital Media team?

Deanna: I think the coolest part about this internship is just seeing the breadth of information covered by this team. CSU is a massive institution, and seeing how so many different aspects of the university can be covered through this one entity is super cool. It will be exciting to be knowledgeable about so many different parts of CSU.

Lily: I’m really excited to make content interviewing people and to see how making content from a university differs from a private TikTok account.

Taylor: Building connections and the opportunity to be involved and experience things that I wouldn’t if I wasn’t a part of the team.

What do you use to film and edit your videos?

Deanna: Currently, I typically just use the iPhone and TikTok app to edit videos.

Lily: I keep it simple with gear. I really only use my phone to record videos, and if I’m interviewing people, I’ll use a microphone. In terms of editing, it depends. If it is a simple video, I will use CapCut, but I dabble in Adobe Premiere when the project calls for it.

Taylor: CapCut, iPhone, and my computer.

What’s your favorite social media platform that you use personally?

Deanna: My favorite app right now is BeReal. It is SO fun. A lot of my friends are back in Virginia, so this is a fun way that I can see what they’re up to every day — even from 1,500 miles away. Plus, the concept of it is super cool…as long as you’re actually being real. 😉 I also really like Instagram, mainly for the Stories (I shamelessly scroll through Instagram stories at least 10 times a day).

Lily: YouTube has a special place in my heart. It was the first social media platform I used and it was one of the first platforms where you see people actually having successful jobs on the internet. I know the era of “YouTubers” has died down, but I still find a lot of comfort in the platform.

Taylor: TikTok, Instagram and YouTube, because they are the most entertaining and I am on them the most.

Favorite TikTok creator?

Deanna: Okay, I have two favorite TikTok creators right now. One of them is Brett Neustrom. He is incredibly hilarious…I will never skip one of his skit videos. I also love the creator @niamhmackinnon. She does a lot of “day in my life videos” (which I love pretty much any variation of these), and she’s from a Scottish island, so her videos are all so aesthetic and cozy, and so beautiful.

Lily: Britney Broski is an absolute genius. She is not only  hilarious and relatable, but she seems incredibly authentic.

Taylor: I couldn’t decide, so I’m going to go with who I think is the most entertaining, which is @grantbeans.

What’s something interesting most people don’t know about you?

Deanna: I’ve traveled to 18 countries, and my favorite place on Earth is Iceland. It is the most beautiful place I have ever been, and I would jump at the opportunity to return in a heartbeat!

Lily: I am an avid backpacker and outdoorswoman! Despite being a social media intern, I spend the majority of my summers completely “unplugged,” leading wilderness trips for children in the backcountry.  Last summer, I led a two-week, 115-mile, backpacking trip for a group of 8th graders in Isle Royale National Park. Isle Royale completely has my heart because while it is the least visited national park, it is also said to be the most revisited.

Taylor: I can be a conspiracy theorist sometimes.