Illinois Wesleyan Assistant Dean Publishes Article on Event Publicity

December 8, 2004

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. - Kevin Clark, assistant dean of students at Illinois Wesleyan University, is the author of an article on creating events that compete successfully for students' attention in the November/December 2004 issue of Campus Activities Programming, the journal of the National Association for Campus Activities.

Entitled "When Competing with High-Tech Distractions, Clever, Effective Publicity Is Crucial," Clark's article describes initiatives that he has instituted at Illinois Wesleyan to increase interest in campus events.

Wrote Clark: "[I]t is becoming evident that standard fliers, sidewalk chalks and other traditional publicity methods are no longer enough to get the audience to leave their high-tech comfort zones."

As one response to the challenge, Clark describes the T.I.M.E. method of providing the Titan Film Series. T.I.M.E. stands for Totally Involved Movie Experience and is designed to create a movie-going experience that is different from what students get at their local movie theatre. One example of the technique that Clark cited involved creating a wedding experience, complete with invitations and free wedding cake, for the screening of My Big Fat Greek Wedding.

"It's often the little things that make an event memorable and involving for an audience…" he wrote. The key, he added, is to leave a lasting impression so that students will return to future events.

Clark holds a bachelor's degree in communications from the University of South Florida and a master's degree in college student personnel administration from Illinois State University.

Contact: Jeffery G. Hanna (309) 556-3181