Cotton Incorporated
Student journals

WSU student journal project

In early 2007, Wichita State University rolled out a complete redesign of its Web site, Wichita.edu. So, now the university had a snazzy new site with lots pages focusing on student recruitment.

But those pages were written by staff and administrators -- of course they're going to say Wichita State is great.

Lacking on the site were the voices of real students and their Wichita State experiences.

The interactive marketing department on campus chose to tackle the problem with a student journal project. As student assistant, I was handed the entire task.

Research, research, research
I educated myself on the blogging practices of other universities, their recruitment process, whether or not they offered incentives, etc. I also learned the legalities of blogging. Further, I read lots of blogs and sought just what makes a good blogger.

My compiled research resulted in a detailed project plan outlining the specifications the process would entail.

• Student bloggers would post a minimum of one blog per month for one year.
  
• Students would receive a camera to use for the duration of the year to encourage posting photos and video on their journals.
• Successful and satisfactory completion of the project would earn the students a $100 scholarship or gift certificate to the University Bookstore and we'd let them keep the camera.
  
• I would serve as a gatekeeper -- editing for grammar, spelling and all that jazz -- before the posts were published.
• We didn't want to censor the students unless absolutely necessary. Doing so would reduce the credibility of the project.

It was approved by the vice president of marketing for the university. And so recruitment began.

Wanted: real students who can write
It would have been easy to select a bunch of high-achieving student ambassadors or honor students. But we wanted a diverse group that all potential students could relate to. Still, as a commuter school we faced the problem of many students that go to class and leave -- spending little time on campus.

In the end we looked for:

• Good verbal and written communicators
• Active students: on campus and in the community
• Students who would be around for one year
• Students who understood our mission -- student recruitment -- but who could balance that with their voice and opinions

I posted fliers in spots on campus that I thought would reach students that were spending time on campus, outside the classroom. Not high traffic areas like our student center, but tucked-away nooks and crannies of the university.

In the end of our recruitment process, we ended up with about 10 applicants for four positions. After reviewing writing samples and letters of application, five applicants came in to interview with the director of interactive marketing and myself.

It's go time
Before the recruitment process began, I created a Web site that included the terms of the project as well as step-by-step guides on how to post a blog, edit and use photos, and upload videos. The site also included safety tips and a brief overview of good blogging practices.

I rallied our troops together over appetizers to go over the process of creating entries, distribute cameras and to get to know each other.

That was that. I was ready for a smooth process.

Confrontation becomes my friend
We stressed balance to the students before hand -- talk about the concert you attended last weekend. But in your next entry, try to focus in on something Wichita State - academics, a campus event, etc. But when the students seemed to forget they even went school, it was my job to draw them in and refocus their attention.

I had to continually remind some students that although we didn't want to shape their messages or force them to write about a certain topic, we are a marketing department. Talking about going to Lawrence every other weekend isn't giving Wichita a great image. Posting a St. Patrick's day entry in April isn't timely. One post in three months once isn't exactly what we had in mind -- or what they had agreed to.

Still, these were problems I faced throughout the process. It made me face the students head on and make demands -- turn your act around or we'll replace you. I had to be harsh. I had to step out of my comfort zone. I'm a better leader because of it.

Measuring success
Near the end of the year commitment, I took a step back and analyzed the project. Google Analytics, showed us the numbers on the project.

• Student journals homepage received 4,000 unique visits in a seven month period, and 905 unique visits in March 2008 alone.
• Student journals provides the university's second-most prolific cornerstone with 3,000 unique page views in its history (surpassed only by a Forbes Top 10 Cities promo).

The numbers show the project has legs and we decided to continue the project, with the following changes:

• To reward outstanding performance, students would be treated to small incentives through the duration of the project. Movie tickets, lunch on us -- something to encourage them throughout the process.
• A systematic way of determining performance is needed. Perhaps a recurring 60-day evaluation. A clause in 2008-2009 contract will state if students don't post for 60 days (two months), we'll pull the plug on their blog.

What I learned
Putting this project on my shoulders meant I was accountable for everything the students did -- and didn't -- do. All eyes were on me when things didn't weren't going as planned.

As much as I hated it in the beginning, I had to mother these students when they didn't meet expectations. All my communications with them had to had to strike a balance between forceful and encouraging. It was imperative to keep these students engaged and into the project, while enforcing the stipulations they had agreed to.

Besides the management skills, the project offered my first look into analyzing traffic on the Web. I'm no Google Analytics expert, but I can find my way around it.

This project is my baby. I took an idea and made it come to life. I think I have a knack for managing people and finding solutions. Despite the confrontation that surfaced, I'd repeat the process over again for the sense of pride and accomplishment it brought me.