Ball State University continues its leadership in digital technology by launching a unique, interactive student recruitment initiative using blogs -- online, interactive journals -- and podcasts.

The blogs will be true interactive, multimedia experiences with 12 students posting weekly updates of text, photos, audio and video. With audio files and text, RSS feeds will be used so the files can be podcast and listened to via computer or MP3 players, said Tom Taylor, Ball State's vice president of enrollment, marketing, and communications.

Taylor said Ball State appears to be the first university in the nation to employ the full interactivity of the digital mediums for recruiting.

"We've researched this, and it looks like we're the only ones combining media in this particular way and using it to its full advantage," he said. "What makes Ball State's blogs unusual is that the comment feature will be turned on so readers can respond to the students' entries, plus visitors will be able to download RSS audio files and view photos and videos.

"Several universities promote blogs, but they are most often one-sided online journals because they don't allow interaction. The high degree of interactivity will allow prospective students to not only gather information but also connect with Ball State in a more personal way."

The student bloggers who were recruited for the assignment received training at the beginning of the academic year. Part of their incentive to join the year-long initiative was receiving an alluring armload of the latest in digital technology. Each student was given:

• 20 GB color iPod
• iPod firewire connector (for fast transfer between between iPod and PC)
• Griffin iTalk (transforms iPod into a recorder, which can be used to create audio podcasts)
• Olympus Stylus Verve Digital camera (which has video capabilities)
• 256 MB xD Picture Card
• USB card reader (facilitates the transfer of photos to a computer)

"Each student received about $800 worth of digital equipment, which allows them to post a wide variety of multimedia," said Nancy Prater, Ball State's Web content coordinator. "They'll be able to keep all of the equipment we give them — our way of saying thanks for regularly blogging on the university's behalf."

The goal of the project is to provide prospective students with authentic, firsthand accounts of student life at Ball State, which can be found at www.bsu.edu/reallife. Their posts will not be edited by anyone other than the student making the entry, Prater added.

"This openness and interactivity makes this an exciting endeavor," she said. "We've stressed, however, that they shouldn't post items that they wouldn't want their mother and the university president to read."

(Note to editors: Interview requests for Taylor should be directed to Glenn Augustine, associate director of university communications, at (765) 285-5948 or ggaugustine@bsu.edu; Prater can be reached at (765) 285-3220 or nprater@bsu.edu.)