Indiana University East will host Blog Indiana: Richmond beginning at 6:30 p.m. on Monday, March 15, in the Graf Center, located in Springwood Hall.  

Blog Indiana hosts an annual summer conference in Indianapolis aimed at promoting social media and blogging education, innovation, and collaboration.  Richmond is among the first communities in the state to host a Blog Indiana regional event. 

The event will kick off with networking and a free coffee bar from Bear Creek Coffee, sponsored by Summersault, and hors d’oeuvres from Classic Catering and desserts from Ghyslain, both sponsored by IU East.

The keynote speaker is Brad J. Ward, Chief Explosion Officer for BlueFuego, which helps colleges and universities effectively utilize web-based tools for admissions, marketing, and more. Beginning at 7 p.m., Ward will present “What’s Next on the Social Web?”

 “The social Web is exploding, and tools like Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube are becoming more powerful all the time,” said Rob Zinkan, executive director for External Affairs at IU East.  “We are excited to bring Blog Indiana to Richmond, where we have an active community of bloggers and organizations who utilize social media tools. Brad’s presentation will be useful to anyone with an interest in technology and new media.”

Registration is free and is limited to 50 participants. To register for the event, go online to www.blogindiana.com. For more information, contact the IU East Office of External Affairs at (765) 973-8316.

Students, educators, non-profit executives, hobbyists and professionals are encouraged to attend to network and learn.