Main Article: Celebrating 100 Years of Storytelling
Revamping the Punahou Bulletin’s website became one of Diane Seo’s ’85 defining moments during her tenure as magazine editor, which began in 2018. She pitched the idea early on to Kathy Nelson, then vice president for institutional advancement, and found enthusiastic support. “We got the green light right away,” Seo recalls. “It was pretty amazing – I had the opportunity to channel my love of creating new things and bridge it with my passion for print and online journalism.”
The Punahou Bulletin already had an established online presence, but it was antiquated and was quickly being outpaced by newer, more sophisticated platforms that were expressly designed for journalistic storytelling. Readers sat squarely at the center of Seo’s endeavors – they always have throughout her distinguished 35-year career in journalism. “I love readers and am willing to go the extra mile if it helps them have a better experience when they consume stories,” Seo says. “They are my north star.”
The new platform enabled Punahou’s Communications team to showcase stories more dynamically – leaning into visuals and immersive design that brought their storytelling to life. Another major advantage: the platform was mobile friendly, allowing readers to access content on the go. “Having a strong mobile-use capacity was key,” Seo says, “I know a lot of the Bulletin’s alumni readers are young and the research clearly shows that those constituents like to consume digital content from their phones.”
The readers also gained access to more user-friendly and expansive story and image galleries. The new platform significantly strengthened the Bulletin’s digital capacity, making it possible to publish a greater volume and variety of stories online. “One thing is certain: there is never a shortage of vibrant stories to tell about the Punahou community,” Seo says. “Unfortunately, the print magazine doesn’t have the capacity to publish all of the news because of space and financial constraints – so having this enhanced platform was a game-changer.”
For Seo, one of the most gratifying outcomes of the new platform was being able to cross-pollinate content from the print magazine onto the digital website. She vividly recalls the Punahou Bulletin from the Fall 2020: the world was navigating the COVID-19 pandemic, and the magazine’s cover story was about “kuana‘ike” or perspective.
The feature showcased 10 photographers, each selecting a photographic piece that reflected perspective – along with an accompanying essay to provide context. The images were remarkable, from Clark Little’s ’87 iconic waves to Kathleen Connelly’s signature images of friendship on campus.
“Luckily, we had a platform that did justice to these beautiful works of art,” Seo notes. “We were able to maximize the power of these images and uplift the community during a challenging time.”
