Since its launch four years ago this week, BCnow has published more than 800 articles about students, campus events, news, and faculty achievements. To celebrate BCnow’s fourth birthday, we’ve decided to give our readers an inside look behind the scenes at our office, located behind the Boone Tavern Hotel, in the Public Relations office.

Students Zack Kocher, Carol Davey, and Austin Rathbone hard at work.

BCnow came about after BClive went offline and the Berea College Webteam decided that they wanted to create an online news portal for students, alumni, faculty, staff and anyone else interested in the “goings on” here at Berea. Since BCnow’s launch in 2004, the page has seen more than 800,000 hits and has won numerous CASE (Council for Advancement and Support of Education) Awards.

The day to day office life of our three writers and three soundslide producers can get pretty hectic, with students sometimes working on as many as five articles or projects at once. Not only are students responsible for each article assigned to them, but they are also in charge of contacting article subjects, researching events, fact checking and interviews. They are also sometimes responsible for the photos that accompany their articles. You may view each of our members’ bios on the About Us page.

BCnow and our communications manager, Jay Buckner, have also been responsible for a few other things outside of the main BCnow Web site. Over the past years, our department was responsible for the production and mailing of the campus calendar and bulletin to a sizable list of people. Last year, in order to become more sustainable, we ceased production of the publications and began to work exclusively on an online calendar. A few months ago we launched the new campus calendar which allows users to see multiple events from different areas of the college such as academics and athletics, as well as allowing them to then download these events to their Microsoft Outlook calendars.

Just for fun here around the office, we set up a poll for the best stories in various categories. The winners can be found below.

Best Feature: Students Bring More Than Memories to Campus

Best Event Article: Christmas Concert Inspires Yuletide Spirit

Best Q&A: Sears Explores Ancestry of Berea’s Founders

Best Sports Article: Who is Stephanie Corry?

Best Convocation Article: Romero Convo sets BC “On Fire”

Best Preview: Passion, Treachery, and Ambition at BC

Best Campus Development Article: Pearsons Phenomenal Progression

Best Faculty News Article: Sears Explores Ancestry of Berea’s Founders

Most Emotional: Students Bring More Than Memories to Campus

Most Exciting: Homecoming a Thriller

Most Controversial: Bereans Hold Vigil for “Jena Six”

Funniest: Got Game? Watch your Grades!

Most Important: Convocation with a Cause

Most Inspiring: Students Bring More Than Memories to Campus

Best-Written Article: Talented Students Bring Home Awards

Best Headline: Got Game? Watch your Grades!

Best First Article: Profile of Freshman Class Shows More Than Numbers

Best Illustrations/Pictures: BC Celebrates 132nd Mountain Day

Best Collaboration: Silas House Reads First Published Story

Best Lead Sentence: Sears Explores Ancestry of Berea’s Founders

“In a little office tucked away in a suite on the first floor of Draper, Dr. Richard Sears, who was voted last year as being apt to 'push the envelope and challenge students to do their best,' does a great many things."

BCnow would like to thank the Web Team, who is responsible for making sure the site stays online and is functioning correctly, its driven and enthusiastic student writers and photographers, both past and present, and you, the readers, who keep the site afloat with your visits, story suggestions, compliments and complaints. Join us in wishing BCnow a very happy fourth birthday!