Social media has brought an entirely new dimension to education. Colleges are using Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Pinterest and blogs to connect students with each other and with their schools in unprecedented ways. The social web has also created an amazing global quad for students to meet each other and learn about colleges near and far.

With more than 700 campus bookstores nationwide, including Harvard, Point Park, University of New Hampshire, Indiana University, Texas A&M, Vanderbilt, and University of Mississippi, Barnes & Noble College is writing the book on igniting word of mouth on campus, especially in the social realm. (Click here to view a list of the hundreds of B&N Colleges and their social media channels.) In fact, no one believes in the power of social media as much as BN College and their campus partners -- that’s why they’ve created the Shorty Award #BNCollege.

The #BNCollege award will be presented to the Barnes & Noble College campus that most effectively uses social media to drive campus engagement with students, faculty and the entire campus community while, most importantly, celebrating the school’s authentic spirit and attitude. Accounts nominated in this category must be a B&N College partner.

If multiple accounts associated with one Barnes & Noble partner college make it to the top seven by the end of the nomination period, the accounts will be combined as one consideration for the Academy and the next account with the most eligible tweet-nominations will also be sent to the Academy for evaluation, so that there are six distinct Barnes & Noble colleges being considered by the Academy.

The reigning champion, West Virginia University, will be vying for the top spot again this year (watch West Virginia University’s #BNCollege 5th Annual Shorty acceptance speech here. But who will come out on top for the 6th Annual Shortys in 2014? Help your university join Conan O’Brien, Ricky Gervais, and Suze Orman as a Shorty winner!