Submission Guidelines
Thank you for your interest in contributing to The Hype. Throughout the week, we’ll feature different students, organizations, and opportunities plus fun content to engage readers. The main purpose of The Hype is to provide a space for multicultural students to use their voice and share their experience. Please see the guidelines below for the different Hype features.
Download Club Spotlight Guidelines
Guidelines for Submitting a Club Spotlight Post
THE MSA HYPE
BLOG CONTRIBUTOR INSTRUCTIONS
CLUB SPOTLIGHT
Club/Organization posts will be shared every Monday and feature a new student organization every time. The club spotlight is an opportunity for your organization to promote your organization to a wide audience. The goal of your post may be increasing membership, promoting an upcoming event, discussing the history of the group or sharing information about a philanthropy or cause that is meaningful for your group. It is space to truly spotlight your organization.
How to Write Your Blog Post
- Plan to write 500-700 words about your organization (generally, 1 page of less) or create a video that is 2-3 minutes in length.
- If videos have music, it should be music to which you have rights or royalty free music (as available through YouTube and other sources)
- We will use the name of your organization as the title of the post unless you specify otherwise.
- We encourage you to include a photo if it fits with your story. It should be a photos you own or have permission to use and we will blur out faces of others in the photo unless you share you have their permission for it to be posted.
- Photos taken at large, public events are often free from this restriction
- The average Generation Z'er has an attention span of eight seconds; attention is grabbed early using creative images.
- We also encourage you to use titles or Pseudonyms for non-public figures (i.e. my professor vs. Dr. Sam Smith or my friend instead of Joe Jones)
- While we will not change what you write without your permission, we hare happy to provide assistance with editing.
- Submit your blog post here
- You will have the option to submit anonymously or to connect your name to the post. If you are connecting your name, we encourage you to upload a photo of yourself for inclusion if you're comfortable.
Tips for Writing Engaging Blog Posts
- Think about content you enjoy reading and emulate that
- Share your personal experiences. Why? Readers connect with stories.
- Use short paragraphs and simple sentences.
- Use lists with bullet points when appropriate
- They create fascinations your readers can't resist
- They're easily scannable so you can make multiple points quickly
- They look different from the rest of your text and provide a visual break for your reader
- Still stuck? Reach out to Denise or another member of the MSA Staff.
Download Adventure Post Guidelines
Guidelines for Submitting an Adventure Post
THE MSA HYPE
BLOG CONTRIBUTOR INSTRUCTIONS
ADVENTURE POSTS
The adventure posts will be featured every other Wednesday and provide an opportunity for students to share the story of their adventures off campus. This may include highlighting a study abroad trip, sharing about an internship, discussing attending a conference or other off-campus adventures in which our multicultural students are engaged. The purpose of these posts is not to necessarily convince others to do it, but highlight your adventure and what you gained from the experience.
How to Write Your Blog Post
- Plan to write 500-700 words about your organization (generally, 1 page of less) or create a video that is 2-3 minutes in length.
- If videos have music, it should be music to which you have rights or royalty free music (as available through YouTube and other sources)
- Think of a title that is interesting and provocative (if you need assistance, Denise can help)
- We encourage you to include a photo if it fits with your story. It should be a photos you own or have permission to use and we will blur out faces of others in the photo unless you share you have their permission for it to be posted.
- Photos taken at large, public events are often free from this restriction
- The average Generation Z'er has an attention span of eight seconds; attention is grabbed early using creative images.
- We also encourage you to use titles or Pseudonyms for non-public figures (i.e. my professor vs. Dr. Sam Smith or my friend instead of Joe Jones)
- While we will not change what you write without your permission, we hare happy to provide assistance with editing.
- Submit your blog post here
- You will have the option to submit anonymously or to connect your name to the post. If you are connecting your name, we encourage you to upload a photo of yourself for inclusion if you're comfortable.
Tips for Writing Engaging Blog Posts
- Think about content you enjoy reading and emulate that
- Share your personal experiences. Why? Readers connect with stories. We chose you because we know you have important and valuable experiences to share.
- Use short paragraphs and simple sentences.
- Use lists with bullet points when appropriate
- They create fascinations your readers can't resist
- They're easily scannable so you can make multiple points quickly
- They look different from the rest of your text and provide a visual break for your reader
- Still stuck? Reach out to Denise or another member of the MSA Staff.
Download Leadership Callout Guidelines
Guidelines for Submitting a Leadership Callout Post
THE MSA HYPE
BLOG CONTRIBUTOR INSTRUCTIONS
LEADERSHIP CALLOUT
The leadership callout will be featured every other Wednesday and will highlight leadership positions across campus and feature the stories of those individuals who have held those roles or been involved with the groups. In this post, we would ask you to briefly describe the leadership position (no more than your opening sentences) and then share what you gained from participation. You may also choose to write about advice you have for others wanting to be involved, how this leadership role/position/experience relates to your future career or the impact you saw on the community because of your participation.
How to Write Your Blog Post
- Plan to write 500-700 words about your story (generally, 1 page of less) or create a video that is 2-3 minutes in length.
- If videos have music, it should be music to which you have rightr or royalty free music (as available through YouTube and other sources)
- Think of a title that is interesting and provocative (if you need assistance, Denise can help)
- We encourage you to include a photo if it fits with your story. It should be a photos you own or have permission to use and we will blur out faces of others in the photo unless you share you have their persmission for it to be posted.
- Photos taken at large, public events are often free from this restriction
- The average Generation Z'er has an attention span of eight seconds; attention is grabbed early using creative images.
- We also encourage you to use titles or Pseudonyms for non-public figures (i.e. my professor vs. Dr. Sam Smith or my friend instead of Joe Jones)
- While we will nto change what you write without your permission, we hare happy to provide assistance with editing.
- Submit your blog post here
- You will have the option to submit anonymously or to connect your name to the post. If you are connecting your name, we encourage you to upload a photo of yourself for inclusion if you're comfortable.
Tips for Writing Engaging Blog Posts
- Think about content you enjoy reading and emulate that
- Share your personal experiences. Why? Readers connect with stories. We chose you because we know you have important and valuable experiences to share.
- Use short paragraphs and simple sentences.
- Use lists with bullet points when appropriate
- They create fascinations your readers can't resist
- They're easily scannable so you can make multiple points quickly
- They look different from the rest of your text and provide a visual break for your reader
- Still stuck? Reach out to Denise or another member of the MSA Staff.
Download In My Words Guidelines
Guidelines for Submitting an In My Words Post
THE MSA HYPE
BLOG CONTRIBUTOR INSTRUCTIONS
In My Words
In My Words posts will be shared every Sunday and feature a new student every time. “In My Words” is designed to allow a space for students of color to give voice to their experience in a forum that will have a wide reach to fellow students, faculty and staff members. We encourage you to share the good, the bad, the ugly, the challenging, the wonder, the successes and the life-savers. You may want to reflect on your experience broadly or focus on one particular incident or aspect of your experience. We’ve asked you to write the post because of one of your identities but we know that we live our lives with many identities intersecting—please share your story whatever that story is.
How to Write Your Blog Post
- Plan to write 500-1,000 words about your organization (generally, 1 page of less) or create a video that is 2-4 minutes in length.
- If videos have music, it should be music to which you have rights or royalty free music (as available through YouTube and other sources)
- Think of a title that is interesting and provocative (if you need assistance, Denise can help)
- We encourage you to include a photo if it fits with your story. It should be a photos you own or have permission to use and we will blur out faces of others in the photo unless you share you have their permission for it to be posted.
- Photos taken at large, public events are often free from this restriction
- The average Generation Z'er has an attention span of eight seconds; attention is grabbed early using creative images.
- We also encourage you to use titles or Pseudonyms for non-public figures (i.e. my professor vs. Dr. Sam Smith or my friend instead of Joe Jones)
- While we will not change what you write without your permission, we hare happy to provide assistance with editing.
- Submit your blog post here
- You will have the option to submit anonymously or to connect your name to the post. If you are connecting your name, we encourage you to upload a photo of yourself for inclusion if you're comfortable.
Tips for Writing Engaging Blog Posts
- Think about content you enjoy reading and emulate that
- Share your personal experiences. Why? Readers connect with stories.
- Use short paragraphs and simple sentences.
- Use lists with bullet points when appropriate
- They create fascinations your readers can't resist
- They're easily scannable so you can make multiple points quickly
- They look different from the rest of your text and provide a visual break for your reader
- Unsure how to begin? Consider the following prompts:
- If I was writing a movie about my time at Iowa State, the title would be…because…
- I wish the broader campus knew...about my identity group(s)
- What are the top five things I would change about how [my identity group(s) are treated or viewed at Iowa State?
- Still stuck? Reach out to Denise or another member of the MSA Staff.