Action Documentation

Throughout the last two weeks, I have not gotten much done for student recruitment. As an individual I have not contributed nearly as much as I should have. For example, I should have attended and assisted with the tabling event. I actually did not attend because I had to take my sister to the doctor. However, in these coming weeks I plan to take initiative to write a few feature stories for The Sandspur. I would particularly like to do one covering the events of All Star Weekend and one about the OMA retreat happening this weekend. Both of those articles I intend to have ready by the Monday after Spring Break. For the campus outreach project, I will work with my group to help the other groups work together and put their plans in motion smoothly. Furthermore, I will assist my group with monitoring the social networking sites for WPRK, R-TV, and The Sandspur. Using these sites and our assistant manager positions, we will assist the other groups in coordinating and communicating with each other in order to get the most out of the campus outreach project. On my own, I have already spoken to three students (two of whom are R-Journalists) to offer their writing skills for The Sandspur’s feature stories endeavor. I should have at least two articles from them on the return from Spring Break. Thus, between working with my group, writing feature stories myself, and encouraging students to write stories for The Sandspur, I have started taking more initiative towards these campus media projects. 

Train and Retain.

In her article "1 Newspaper. 3 Students.", Mary Ann Pearson addresses the issues and provides ideas from dealing with recruitment for campus publications. Pearson breaks down her article into seven strategies. Most of these were mostly directed toward recruiting from non-college sources such as high schools. However, her ideas can be modified and used for college purposes.

These ideas are for our purposes could be translated as:
1- Constructing a creative, welcoming atmosphere.
2- Evaluating the strengths/weaknesses of your team.
3- Be organized.
4- Connect with upward moving students.
5- Recruit from a variety of years (Freshman, Sophomores, etc)
6- Have an Open House event to showcase/promote the organizations.
7- Explore talents!

Using these strategies, we can definitely have a solid base for making WPRK, The Sandspur, and R-TV noticed on campus. An idea for promoting all three together rather than separately might be to have an 'open house' even where students can come, learn more, and see where they feel at home in our campus media outlets.

Individual Proposal

As managing editor for The Sandspur, I intend to encourage new and exciting articles to be written for the campus newspaper. These articles should be fresh, thought-provoking, fun, and informative. These feature articles will deal with food, movies, music, fashion, and fraternity or sorority life, among other topics of interest. They should keep students, faculty, and staff updated about pop culture and current trends on our campus and other campuses around the United States. Personally, I would like to contribute some of these articles myself, especially the ones dealing with movies and food. Another way I intend to bring The Sandspur to a new level is through building communication through social media outlets and working with WPRK and R-TV. Through this, Rollins members will see the The Sandspur as part of a functioning, coordinated media system. This will encourage students and faculty to view The Sandspur as a way to get their voices heard, to be entertained, and to get information. In addition, with the work I do for cultural organizations on campus, I would like to use The Sandspur as a way to advertise events hosted by the Office of Multicultural Affairs. The OMA office has much to offer in terms of diversity discussions and making Rollins a better campus. Not only would advertising  these events in The Sandspur make the newspaper as valuable source of information, it would also show students that The Sandspur is taking an active roll in on-campus events. 

“On my honor, I have not given nor received nor witnessed any unauthorized assistance on this work.” Ruqayyah Ali 

Media for Community Engagement

Position: Managing Editor, The Sandspur