Sharing your stories

It’s often noted that “public affairs” is strived for by so many universities, so what sets Missouri State University apart? Your students may be asking the same thing! Since September kicks off several of the signature public affairs events for the University, it’s a good time to talk about ethical leadership, community engagement and cultural competence, and what it means at a grass roots level.

How does your department embody the ideals of public affairs, or how do you integrate or connect to the public affairs theme “Global Perspective: Why it Matters”? This would be a great topic to explain in a blog this month:

Global Perspective: Why it Matters – that’s the public affairs theme for Missouri State University in 2013-14. You’ll hear it a lot throughout the year, and we encourage you to get involved during Public Affairs Week Sept. 16-20 and Stomp Out Hunger: All Collegiate Shoe Drive Sept. 28-Oct. 19. More importantly, we want you to know that our field/department lives this mission by teaching our students (fill in how your department is connected).

Reading the Common Reader for this year, “Start Something that Matters,” is a great way to get inspired and to feel a part of a bigger movement. The author, Blake Mycoskie, founder and chief shoe giver of TOMS shoes, will be on campus to discuss how TOMS got its start later in November. 

Blogging tip

Incorporating links into your blog allows you to give your readers access to the newest, most complete information about events without having to maintain it yourself. We recommend hyperlinking the text (as seen above) rather than pasting URLs into the text.

Learn more blogging tips by attending our one-hour workshop at 9 a.m. Sept. 25 in Meyer Library 205. If you haven’t already, register now.

Points of pride

Your blog is a fantastic way to showcase the points of pride for your department – the things that make you great! For September, consider highlighting:

• Interesting service learning projects that have your students touching lives in the community
• Students who have been nominated or selected as Citizen Scholars

These students are shining examples, and who doesn’t love a great story?

Looking forward

Sharing upcoming deadlines, trips, presentations or University events make great blog posts, too, since they’re relevant information to your audience. Here are just a few important dates you might wish to highlight:

• Public Affairs Week Sept. 16-20, 2013
• Stomp Out Hunger: All Collegiate Shoe Drive Sept. 28-Oct. 19