Sensing that things were going to be a bit different for cast members following the release of Netflix’s docu-series “Last Chance U,” the company’s public relations specialist offered Brittany Wagner a bit of advice before the program’s premiere.

At the time, Wagner and EMCC head coach Buddy Stephens were in Los Angeles for a number of press events ahead of the six-episode series, and Wagner, the school’s athletic academic advisor, was about to retire for the night when she received the tip.

“We were all together and before I went to bed, the PR person for Netflix said, ‘Hey, do me a favor: before you go to bed, write down (the number) of your Twitter and Instagram followers,” Wagner said. “So, I did it and wrote it down, and it was 171 Twitter, and 187 Instagram. In my mind, I was thinking, ‘Yeah, I’ll probably get some Twitter followers.’ I’m above 6,100 right now.”

Wagner, who is featured prominently throughout the show, has since achieved a nearly cult-like following from those who watched the passionate advisor navigate EMCC’s football players through a semester of coursework. Through “Last Chance U” director Greg Whiteley’s lens, the general public catches a glimpse into the intricacies of Wagner’s often thankless job, which isn’t just centered around ensuring that her student-athletes stay academically eligible, although Wagner can be seen in episodes following athletes to class, and checking in via phone to make sure they’re in attendance.

By the first episode, viewers come to realize that she also fulfills a role of a counselor of sorts to the many students with whom she works.

Since the July 29 release of “Last Chance U,” life for just about everyone affiliated with EMCC and the 700-person community of Scooba has been a whirlwind. While Netflix hasn’t released data on the amount of views the program has received, judging by the recent increased amount of traffic on Scooba’s roads in the past week, the college has attracted more than just a passing glance from passers-by, said East Mississippi President Dr. Thomas M. Huebner Jr.

“It’s been pretty phenomenal – the attention we have received on social media, and mainstream traditional media,” Huebner said. People driving down (Highway) 45 have stopped by to see the campus. Online bookstore sales of EMCC gear have increased – I don’t know what the number is today – dramatically. On an average of one to three online sales a week, to 70, 80, in the last week.”

New Twitter followers and more merchandise sales aren’t the only byproducts of the show’s success. The benefits have reached the academic arena, too.

“The amount of interest in our college has certainly increased dramatically,” Huebner said. “On Saturday alone, we got inquiries from students interested in attending the school who linked their interest directly to “Last Chance U.” That was last Saturday, and we know that they’re rolling in by the dozens. If they’ll matriculate or not, we’ll see, and I don’t know the timeline for matriculation for those individuals, but we know we’ve certainly seen an uptick in every indicator for interest in the institution.”

Austin Thomas has been a lifelong Scooba resident and a Lion fan for as long as he can remember. Now an EMCC student, Thomas, like many others, binge-watched the six hours of footage. He said the show painted an accurate picture.

“I guess it will put Scooba on the map,” Thomas said. “A lot of people watched it. I thought it really gave a good depiction of the football program. They didn’t fake any of it – it was the real deal. I’ve met Buddy Stephens personally, and that’s him — he likes to win.”

Dionte Naylor, also a student at the school, said “Last Chance U” will essentially serve as an extra recruiting tool in Stephens’ arsenal.

“Growing up in the South, we live and die for football,” Naylor said. “Growing up playing football, everyone wants to go to the best school. And EMCC is No. 1 in the country. I think it being broadcast all over the world will make everyone want to come to the school.”

Whiteley offered a raw glimpse into the day-to-day life activities of the many talented athletes who found themselves in Scooba. It also peered into coaching genius of the often-explosive Stephens. While no one can question Stephens’ coaching acumen, his colorful vernacular at times and sometimes questionable personal conduct — which resulted in a two-game suspension following an R-rated exchange with an official — likely alarmed some viewers of the show. Huebner said the fact shouldn’t dilute the school’s main mission.

“However, if one can look past that and look at the impact this place, this opportunity has on student-athletes, and I would say, also, that extends not only to student-athletes but to the students we have here,” Huebner said. “And it’s important to say, a series like that is a snapshot into a particular program. It’s not really designed to tell the bigger picture of the story, and all of the things that go on here to help impact students in a positive way.”

As a result of the show, Wagner’s influence as a motivator has spanned East Mississippi. The Meridian resident said her email inbox is now filled with messages of gratitude and encouragement from people around the country. Not only has she touched the lives of the many athletes she’s helped throughout her 16-year career as an advisor, her dedication to her craft has inspired those outside of the classroom.

“Two people who really stuck out – there is a man who is dying of cancer, and said, ‘I have given up fighting – I was just going to let it take me,” Wagner said. “And there was a man who is waiting on a heart transplant. He was an educator and teacher, and he can’t do it now because he is in the bed. And he said not being around his students caused him to lose himself and his ability to get well, and watching (the show) inspired him to fight to get back to his students. Those type of emails are humbling.”