It was my summer between my sophomore year and my junior year and I had an internship with Can I Get A Man With That? I had the responsibility of finding content to put up on the Facebook and Twitter page – it had to be newsworthy and applicable to our readership. I spent a few hours every morning looking for news, which led me to follow a couple hundred new people on Twitter and found some new favorite websites – one of them being Her Campus.
I had never heard of Her Campus until CIGAMWT and instantly loved it! I read their content religiously, added them on Facebook, followed them on Twitter and entered to win a free giveaway. Then I got an email from someone from Her Campus and I was so excited, I had never won anything! But that’s not what the email was about – it was even better.
The woman who was emailing me was asking me if I wanted to, or knew anyone who wanted to, start a branch at the University of Iowa (in the application for free things you put down what school you are from). I was so excited! I immediately said yes and started to ask my other journalism friends who wanted to help me write for the site. Then for a few hours every day after I had finished my first internship I had started gathering, writing, and setting up our page.
Throughout the year we went from 50 weekly reads to as much as 800 weekly reads. Our team went from 4 people to as much as 17 at one point. And it went from one article a week per section to multiple updates. I am so proud of our branch, it may not be as big and full as other branches, but it definitely is interesting and pertains to Iowa.
Now as we reach the 1st birthday of Her Campus UIowa branch (August 31), I am stepping down. It is my senior year, and I am graduating early in December and I have a full plate. I made the decision to step down so I wont get so stressed out and so I can pass on the opportunity to Peter, who is now in charge.
I want to give a big shout out to those who supported me along the way, the ones who joined the team and to Peter for taking on a lot of responsibility – and for being the only guy on the team for a collegiette™ publication. I will occasionally write a piece or two for the page, but I am sadly saying goodbye! Thank you everyone!