SCENE SPOTLIGHT
If Bill Blackburn looks somewhat shy and unassuming, it's because he is. But don't be deceived â€" even though Blackburn is approaching graduation this June, he will continue to make his presence known around the Santa Clara campus.
The Louisville, Kentucky native's legacy to the school may perhaps be best embodied in Santa Clara's DogEars website, located online at http://scu.dogears.net. The site, designed to be an online communication hub for students, is part of the greater DogEars Network, which was created by students at Colombia University and currently serves 14 different schools across the country.
As the Services Vice President for Associated Students of Santa Clara University (ASSCU), Blackburn acts as the site administrator for Santa Clara's DogEars site. His duties include approving posted teacher evaluations, organizing the chat board, and maintaining postings of upcoming campus events.
Although Santa Clara first obtained a contract for the site with Colombia University last winter, Blackburn has done a lot since September to bring the site to the attention of Santa Clara students. "I want it to be used by students more regularly," he says. "I want it to be used as a resource for people to see what's going on around campus."
Blackburn has worked all year to build the popularity of the resourcefulness of the site by posting fliers and banners around campus. So far, his efforts have helped to make DogEars an early success here at Santa Clara.
"I always hear positive things said about it," he reports.
Beyond his involvement in ASSCU, Blackburn also dabbles in drama at Santa Clara â€" he is stage-managing an upcoming student play called "The Book of Liz" and is a member of a comedy improv troupe called the Dum Dum Band.
His motivation? Beyond serving fellow Santa Clara students, a desire that will serve him well even beyond graduation, Blackburn says: "I like working with people and sharing ideas with people and being around people with a lot of ambition."
â€" Written by Nate Seltenrich