Her Campus, a women’s blog that describes itself as “A Collegiate’s Guide to Life,” launched its AU branch Sept. 13.
Three Harvard University students created Her Campus in September 2009. The site recruits writers from campuses across the country.
Students run their own campus blog and have a large amount of control over what material is published. The site says it’s a mix of “national” and “campus-specific” content, according to the Her Campus website.
The site has over 250,000 readers per month and more than 175 branches, according to a press release. Businesses are beginning to take notice of the site as well.
“Her Campus also serves as a marketing platform connecting companies with college students across the country in creative ways,” according to the press release from the national headquarters of Her Campus.
Leslie Siu, cofounder of Her Campus American and a junior in the School of Communication, first heard about the blog while writing for USA Today College.
Siu worked with her friend Lauren Reddington, a senior in SOC, to complete the required application process. They worked for two months over the summer to develop the site, Siu said in an email. Reddington and Siu work for Her Campus without compensation.
The blog currently has a profile of assistant SOC Professor Gemma Puglisi and tips on mastering the “college balancing act.”
Upcoming blog posts will focus on AU events that publicize the “ideals” behind Her Campus, such as internship fairs, Reddington wrote in an email.
“It’s a lifestyle blog and encompasses multiple facets of life at AU: on-campus events, balancing your time as a student wisely, internship/resume/employment seeking advice, fun things to do around D.C.,” she said.
Her Campus American currently has six people on its editorial board and 15 pending writer applications, Reddington said.
Reddington and Siu have been promoting the Her Campus American blog through Facebook and Twitter. Once AU’s media board approves the blog, the pair plans to host on-campus events to make itself more noticeable to the student body, Reddington said.
“Her Campus is a great opportunity for AU students to get their writing published online and gain experience promoting a new organization,” Siu said.
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