Tell Us Your News
The mission of the Media Relations Office is to encourage the mass media - general-circulation newspapers and magazines, radio and television stations and widely used news Web sites - to publish and broadcast news of Minnesota State University, Mankato.
What Counts as Newsworthy?
- Innovative new programs or unusual equipment;
- Innovative teaching methods that promise to improve learning;
- Human interest stories (e.g., a program has its first graduate who happens to be a 71-year-old non-traditional student; or a faculty or student who might have overcome odds to succeed;
- Events that are open to the public (conferences, speakers, concerts);
- Special activities (i.e., Homecoming, Commencement);
- Large donations (monetary and in-kind);
- Student news (Deans List, scholarships) for hometown newspapers;
- Faculty and/or student research projects that promise significant advances that could affect the public.
Submit News
If you have a newsworthy event or activity to publicize, contact the Media Relations Office at daniel.benson@mnsu.edu or at media@mnsu.edu.
Information to Include:
- Name of event or program
- Date, time and place
- Name and phone number of contact person or coordinator
- Information e-mail and phone number for public
- Any link to URLs where public can find more information
Tell Us About Your Research
Faculty and student research is an important means of explaining the University's role to the public and to opinion leaders. But not all research is newsworthy; faculty and student researchers must be able to tell the media and the public how their research could change the way we live in the future.
To qualify as "newsworthy," your research must be explainable in non-scientific terms, and you must be willing to discuss its potential impact.
If your research is newsworthy, send a brief description to media@mnsu.edu. Include a comment about how your research could affect human life in the future.
Experts List
The Experts List is a tool that reporters and editors use to find faculty and staff experts who can provide background and opinion about stories that they're gathering.
To ensure that the list is convenient and useful, information is highly abbreviated.
If you'd like to be on the list - or if your Experts List information needs to be changed or updated - please contact the Digital Initiatives Librarian, Heidi Southworth, by emailing heidi.southworth@mnsu.edu or by phone at 507-389-5066.
What If the Media Contacts Me First?
Sometimes a reporter may call you seeking information about a sensitive topic. Don't hesitate to tell the reporter that you don't have time to talk at the moment, but that you'll call him or her back soon. Then call the Media Relations Office (507-389-2523), and we'll help you generate a response that's accurate and thorough.
Our guidelines about "What to Do When a Reporter Calls" offer an in-depth explanation about the importance of consulting with the Media Relations Office before answering questions from the press.
