As we prepare to start another academic year here at Illinois State University, we wanted to share some exciting news about STATEside, your daily campus blog.

Since 2012, STATEside has provided you—our readers—with one new story, video feature, or photo gallery every weekday from Illinois State. The blog was created to help alumni stay connected to campus between quarterly issues of our award-winning Illinois State alumni magazine.

Two years and 420+ posts later, STATEside is now starting its junior year—and we’ve decided to pick up a second major, so to speak. Starting this month, we’re adding new types of stories and videos to our blog, especially those that appeal to future Redbirds and their parents.

We’re teaming up with the Office of Admissions and its team of student bloggers to create two new sections of STATEside: Admissions and #BirdofMouth. Together, we’ll be demystifying the admissions process, providing helpful tips to prospective students, and asking our students to tell everyone what it’s like to attend today’s Illinois State—in their own words, unfiltered.

We hope you like the new STATEside! As always, feel free to contact Editor Ryan Denham at rmdenha@IllinoisState.edu if you have any story ideas to share.