castleton.edu - Next Level Storytelling Castleton University's innovative new Content Lab seeks to take experiential learning to the next level.

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Innovative Content Lab Focuses on Storytelling · Castleton University News & Media Calendars Library Directory Alumni & Giving Castleton MenuWell-nighCastleton Quick Facts Our Campus President Karen Scolforo Our Leadership Our Faculty Our Academic Philosophy Host a Conference or Event on Campus Public Disclosure Employment Opportunities Academics Undergraduate Programs Graduate Programs Our Faculty Professional Development & Continuing Education Study Abroad Research Educational & Cultural Events Career Services & Internships Community Engagement Academic Support Academic Resources Campus Life Campus & the Region Residence Life Clubs & Activities Arts & Culture Student Resources Campus Safety Religious Life Inclusive Excellence International Student Office Castleton Store Community Community Engagement Center for Community Engagement Sustainability & Green Campus Initiatives Spartan Arena Fitness Center Arts The Casella Theater Arts Facilities Art Galleries Arts Reach Performing Arts Calendar Becoming a Fine or Performing Arts Student Supporting the Arts at Castleton Contact Us Athletics Become a Spartan News & Updates Athletic Facilities Sports Camps & Clinics Hall of Fame Spartan Shield SocietyRequiteto Athletics Spartan Arena Athletic Bands Admissions Request Information For First-Year Students For Transfer Students For International Students For Graduate Students For Veterans Early College & Dual Enrollment Visit Tuition & Fees Financial Aid & Scholarships Contact the Admissions Team Home News & Media Innovative Content Lab Focuses on Storytelling This Section Innovative Content Lab Focuses on Storytelling News The Office of Marketing & Communications Social Media Hub Make a Web Request Submit an Event or Story The Castleton Spartan Press Room Share Your News or Event! Want us to help spread your news or event? Tell us more, here! Submit Newsletter Archive Did you miss one of our monthly newsletters? Catch up, or largest yet sign up to get the next one! Browse the Archive Innovative Content Lab Focuses on Storytelling February 20, 2018 Share on Twitter Share on Facebook Print This Castleton University’s Media and Communication Department is creating a university-first “Content Lab” that will pair students with zone businesses and non-profits to tell their stories and reach larger audiences for their products and services. The thought overdue the lab, equal to department chair Michael Talbott, is that people love stories – but hate reading and seeing ads. “We teach students to tell stories. It unifies all our concentrations,” Talbott said. ”That’s exactly what this is. It’s telling stories that resonate with people that relate to local organizations.” Netflix is a master at this sort of content, Talbott said, referencing how the visitor sponsors investigative stories well-nigh women in prison or narcotics trafficking – with mentions of its “Orange is the New Black” and “Narcos” shows included in the text. They read like stories, not ads, but serve an razzmatazz role that Netflix was seeking – and in respected publications like The New York Times. The Content Lab concept is in its infancy stage this semester with a partnership between Castleton students and The MINT in Rutland. The MINT, the region’s first and only makerspace, is a large, high-tech equipped workshop and classroom space with high-end machinery and tools too expensive for most people and small businesses to buy. Businesses or residents looking to use the tools and space pay a monthly membership fee for access, Talbott said. The idea was hatched when Lyle Jepson came to Talbott looking for interns to help spread the word of The MINT’s offerings. Talbott was hesitant, saying students in internships need to be learning from professionals in their respective fields, not simply working for clients. But it got him thinking well-nigh the content lab idea. That led to him to ask professors Andrew Wilson, Stephanie Wilson, and Bill DeForest if they’d be willing to incorporate an work for The MINT into their respective video production, public relations and graphic diamond courses. They agreed, and as part of the semester, each will be producing content to help get the word out well-nigh the fledgling not-for-profit business. “This is the incubator for the content lab that we hope to launch in the fall,” Talbott said. The hope is that some students in the classes will love the idea and want to take on leadership roles with the content lab in the fall and get credit for the work through self-sustaining studies or practicums, he said. He said he’s hopeful students will requite preference to telling stories in the content lab well-nigh not-for-profits and campus organizations, but he said he doesn’t want to determine who they segregate to work for. “I want them to decide who their clients are,” he said. Stephanie Wilson said her PR Campaigns matriculation visited with The MINT officials seeking input on what they want potential clients to know. “We will start with research, then come up with goals and objectives. The second half will be tactics, like writing news releases, media kits, and maybe plane planning special events for the makerspace,” she said before the visit took place. Wilson’s husband, Andrew, said he plans to use a portion of his Video Workshop matriculation to create video content for the project, to be used to promote The MINT. That could come in the form of stories on the biweekly Castleton news magazine showed on PEGTV or video news releases sent to zone TV stations with hopes of walk them as news stories – or both. “I think it’ll be a unconfined wits for students,” Andrew said. “I just had one student who is in both of our classes and the first words out of her mouth were ‘we’re going to The MINT next week.’” Jepson, executive director of the Rutland Economic Development Corporation and Castleton dean of Entrepreneurial Programs, said he’s excited by the plan. He said The MINT wants to aggressively market itself within a 30-minute momentum radius of Rutland. “We have a specific regulars and we’re excited to have the students working with us,” he said. “This is far increasingly than we could have expected. It’s an outstanding opportunity for students too.” Share on Twitter Share on Facebook Print This Share Your News or Event! Want us to help spread your news or event? Tell us more, here! Submit Newsletter Archive Did you miss one of our monthly newsletters? Catch up, or largest yet sign up to get the next one! Browse the Archive Castleton Castleton University, Castleton, VT 05735 (800) 639-8521 info@castleton.edu Resources VSC Portal Contact Us Maps & Directions Employment Castleton Store © 2018 Castleton University. All rights reserved. A-Z Index Privacy Policy Emergency Information Accessibility Twitter Facebook Flickr Instagram LinkedIn youtube MeritWell-nighCastleton Academics Campus Life Community Arts Athletics Admissions News & Media Calendars Library Directory Alumni & Giving