Undergraduate Student Government Downtown’s newly appointed director of public relation’s agenda for the year includes revamping the USGD blog and increasing communication between students and their government.
Savannah Harrelson, a junior studying public relations and event planning at the Cronkite School, said she wanted to update the USGD blog to make it more user friendly.
Harrelson plans on ending the video logs that are currently being uploaded every two weeks.
“While it was a great idea in theory, it didn’t pan out well in practice,” Harrelson said. “Students didn’t want to watch a video for every USGD member.”
Harrelson said the improved blog would give students access to all of the members’ posts at once.
“Now we can state the same things presented in a way where members can write posts or anything they want the students to know, and it will all be in one place.”
Harrelson also said she wants to implement a “News” section with links to USGD articles and press releases, as well as a “Get Involved” feature where students can access information about open positions with student government. Within “Get Involved,” Harrelson hopes that the blog could serve as a platform for students to interact with campus, local and state governments.
“Right now, it’s a little difficult for students to figure out how to get involved because we have added so many new positions,” USGD President Corina Tapscott said. “I’m excited for this new one-stop shop type of page for the roles students can take on.”
Harrelson said that her main goal is to increase interaction between USGD and students, stressing the importance of students voicing their concerns to their representatives.
“We are pursuing the initiatives that students request … We want to make sure whatever were doing is what the students want,” she said.
Harrelson, former USGD Director of Local Affairs, has been involved with USGD since January. She is replacing sophomore Nursing major Erika Pascua.
“(Harrelson) has dived into the opportunities of reaching out to local businesses and planning events,” Pascua said. “I think she will really stand out.”
Tapscott thinks that Harrelson stands out due to her particular dedication to improving USGD.
“She’s really good at getting people to collaborate and she’s very much accepting,” Tapscott said. “When you’re already thinking about changes you want to see, and you already have those ideas, it shows you’re the type of person who’s really dedicated to that position.”
Harrelson thinks that her previous USGD involvement in addition to studying public relations and event planning has prepared her to take on this new role.
Harrelson has worked as a media relations intern for Visit Phoenix. In 2013, she won the Idaho Journalist of the Year Award from the Journalism Education Association.
Contact the reporter at jeanne.gallagher@asu.edu
