Many of our previous bloggers have graduated, so I am looking for a new group of students who'd like to try their hand at nutrition-writing. Please read the blogger information and guidelines provided below and send an email to jennifer.kantola@hotmail.com if you are interested in joining the team.
Thank you ,
Jenny Kantola, Blog Editor
What is the ACSDA Nutrition Club Blog?
It is a series of student-authored articles on the topic of nutrition, hosted by The Auraria Campus Student Dietetics Association (ASCDA). The blog was created in the fall of 2013 by Metro student Christopher Shelton, who came to Metro’s nutrition program from a long career in journalism. He has since become 2014/2015 Co-President of the ACSDA Nutrition Club, and passed the editor position on to Jenny Kantola, who will proudly keep the blog going for another year. She accepts the position with the goal of upholding Chris’ original vision, which was to create an entirely student-run blog site that is interesting, accurate and superior to any similar student run blog program in the nation.
Who are the bloggers?
They are students currently enrolled in the Metropolitan State University of Denver, Human Dietetics and Nutrition program. They have chosen to write about their passion for nutrition, and are courageous enough to have those writings posted on a public forum. These students are future-minded individuals who plan to add Contributing Author to the Auraria Campus Student Dietetics Club- Nutrition Blog to their resume.
Why should I become a blogger?
You should become an ACSDA blogger if you are enrolled in the Human Dietetics and Nutrition program, have a true passion for nutrition, like to write interesting and accurate articles and feel that your written work is of high-quality. The bi-weekly blogs are announced on the ACSDA’s Facebook page where people can easily select the link and read your work. In an effort distinguishes our authors from other students in the Metro nutrition program, each blogger has their own link on the ACSDA blog-home page with a blogger biography and photograph. This is also where all articles will be archived for bloggers to link their work to other sources.
How do I become a Nutrition Blogger?
Reach out to the current blog editor by email; Jenny Kantola can be contacted at Jennifer.kantola@hotmail.com. Let her know that you’d like to become an ACSDA blogger. Aim to write more than one blog. Three separate blog posts is the minimum to be credited as a Contributing Author, many bloggers aim to contribute one new article per month during each regular school semester. A sign-up sheet will be in rotation via email to keep a full schedule of bi-weekly blog posts.
What do bloggers blog about?
Bloggers may pick any topic related to nutrition, food, recipes, diets, and wellness, assuming it is keeping with the healthful attitudes and themes of the Metro dietetic program. Creativity is welcome! The blogger should tell a story, share an experience, and make it interesting. If it’s a special recipe, write about the process of making it the first time, did it go well? If it’s a diet or lifestyle change talk about what it was like for you. Would you recommend it? Look at the archived blog to get an idea of the expectations.
One current initiative of the student blog is to create a data-base of fruits and vegetable A-Z. This format highlights one fruit or vegetable per article. The blog should include details about where the produce comes from regionally, when it’s in season, where can it be purchased and for how much, the nutritional data and suggested recipe(s) to be used for that ingredient.
What are the guidelines?
The following list should answer any remaining questions and act as a quick point of reference;
New Authors- Each new blogger will need to submit a 1 paragraph biography and photo to be added to your own blogger archive and included at the end of each new post.
Publishing- Your article will appear on the blog site's cover-page, and will be announced on the nutrition club's Facebook page with a link to go directly to it. It will remain on the blog home page for 3-7 days and then be archived under your name on the sidebar. Once you have an archive you may include the link to your personal website or resume to share your writings.
Schedule- A sign-up sheet will be in rotation via email to keep a full schedule of bi-weekly blog posts. Posts dates will be first-come first-serve. It is best to plan ahead, as the editor needs the blog one week prior to the publishing date.
Length of Article- Each blog should be about 1000 words or less, as that may be the limit of what people want to read, since they are usually viewing blogs from their smartphone or tablet screen.
Audience- Your audience is the student nutrition club and Metro faculty, so don't feel that you need to shy away from dietetic jargon, but also make it interesting to the majority of the student body.
Editing- Some editing may take place, if so; the blog editor will send the edited article back to you for your approval of the changes.
Blog Editor- the blog editor for the 2014/2015 school year is Jennifer Kantola. She can be contacted via email at Jennifer.kantola@hotmail.com. The blog editor position will be available to another student for the 2015/2016 school year.
Resume Building- Three separate blog posts is the suggested minimum to be credited as Contributing Author, many bloggers aim to contribute a new article each month during regular school semesters.
Pictures- Each blog should include at least one picture. This may be one that you have taken yourself, or from another source. Be sure to cite your source.
Nutrition Data- If you write about a specific food item include the nutrition data and cite the source.
References- If you use information that is outside the realm of general knowledge in our area of study, please reference your source. If your blog is about a particular preparation or recipe, please include the recipe or a link to it and cite the source.
Fruits/Veg A-Z- A current initiative of the student blog is to create a data-base of fruits and vegetable. This format highlights one fruit or vegetable per article. The blog should include details about where the produce comes from regionally, when it’s in season, where can it be purchased and for how much, the nutritional data and suggested recipe(s) to be used for that ingredient.