A new Portland State blog, PSU Chronicles, debuted in early April at www.psuchronicles.com. Freshman Kenny Katz, junior Atziri Sanchez and senior Richelle Beck are using smart phones and video cameras to capture events around campus.
The launch of the blog was a long time coming for the Office of University Communication. The social networking trend transformed the idea into reality.
“The blog was a part of the bigger plan for PSU—the student voice needed to be heard and we wanted to get their stories out there for other students to see,” said Associate Vice President of Communications Chris Broderick. “We looked at other university blogs around the country for ideas. Some were good, entertaining, and some were just generic. We wanted an unedited, personal student blog that reflected the students’ experience here.”
Though Broderick assists the bloggers, students have the main control in what they post. Blog topics so far have ranged from TriMet commuting to ideas for cheap activities around campus to Portland State student groups.
“It’s been interesting sharing my experiences in a casual and informal manner. I hope that when
students read it, they hear the voice of a fellow classmate,” Sanchez said. “I write what I hear from my friends and classmates at PSU, as well as any interesting experiences or observations here on campus.”
With over 27,000 students currently enrolled at PSU, the blog aims to keep a range of PSU students connected, according to Broderick.
Social Media Specialist Christian Aniciete said that online social networks create a sense of community and school spirit among PSU students. When a new entry appears on the blog, he spreads the link throughout other social media websites.
“We try to integrate,” he said. “I direct traffic to the page by posting the link on Twitter and Facebook. I try to make sure the bloggers are getting as much readership as possible.”
The ideal blog goes beyond just opinion, according to Broderick. He hopes that PSU Chronicles’ posts are personal stories that represent the voices of the bloggers as they come together to create the online community that characterizes PSU.
“The fact that we have bloggers from different walks of life, with different interests and experiences, will give people a range of topics to read about in our blog. I truly hope that students find it useful, if not at least entertaining,” Sanchez said.
PSU Chronicles is looking to add more student voices this fall. ?