The Office of Communications & Marketing is dedicated to promoting and protecting the image of Bemidji State by demonstrating its value through media relations.

We cultivate BSU’s media presence, build relationships with media representatives and manage the university’s media and public relations procedures and processes. We also identify, write and pitch compelling stories that capture the unique character, events and accomplishments of the BSU community.

All news releases written and distributed by the OCM are available online at BSU News, which includes all releases distributed since 2007.

News Releases, Outreach, TV and News Clips

The OCM uses multiple methods and platforms to tell BSU’s story including news release distribution, social media engagement and multimedia production. We connect journalists working for local, state, regional and national outlets with the people, personalities, events and activities at both BSU.

As a result of this work, BSU is featured and shared in all forms of media. These clips are tracked and featured on BSU news. Our team also works closely with communicators within the BSU community and encourage departmental communicators to bring story ideas to our attention that align with OCM’s brand and strategic focus areas.

Writing Style

Material written by the Office of Communications & Marketing conforms to Associated Press writing style, while print publications and material is written for the web or print publications use a similar, but sometimes different, set of style guidelines. Our style guide is meant to reinforce certain important aspects of AP style and to point out when we use a contrary style. Our online style guide, is arranged in alphabetical order with additional information contained in appendices. To learn more about the Associated Press style, visit apstylebook.com.

The OCM style guide is just that — a guide, and not an iron-clad list of rules. Writing styles differ, often in dramatic and noticeable ways, depending on the style guide preferred by a particular group or organization. Regardless of the style you follow, consistency is the key.

Please feel free to make use of our style guide to help you when you’re writing for the campus community or the general public. Also, note that these guidelines do not apply to technical or academic writing. Other sources, such as the Modern Language Association, provide guidelines for these specialized styles of writing.

Media Relations Prep and Training

Upon request, the OCM will provide media training and specific guidance to faculty, staff, students and administrators on how to conduct an effective interview.

Crisis Communication and Issues Management

When a crisis arises at BSU, the Office of Communications and Marketing is a crucial part of the response team as the official conduit for accurate information to the media and public. In crisis response planning and preparation, our team provides expert advice for improving internal and external communications performance.

Additionally, we continuously monitor emerging issues to ensure appropriate messages are communicated both internally and externally in a timely manner.

Internal Communications

The faculty and staff list-serv is the primary way to communicate day-to-day updates and notifications university-wide and is managed by the Office of Communications and Marketing.

In addition, the BSU insider is an email and online monthly newsletter that keeps faculty and staff informed on campus happenings and news. While BSU news serves as the official campus news source and as a place to share information with the broader BSU community, the insider is an additional pipeline for news distribution.