RA360: Bulletin Board Design and Ideas
TL;DR
Some colleges and universities have student staff design bulletin boards for their communities. This page will give you some inspiration and tips!
This resource page curates ideas and tips for bulletin board design. It also includes examples of bulletin boards created by resident assistants and other student staff members at colleges and universities. We hope it will provide some inspiration!
Why Bulletin Boards?
Designing bulletin boards and door decs are your opportunity, as a community leader, to…
- Start developing community.
- Set the tone and seed the culture for what your community will be.
- Make your residents feel welcome and included.
- Help your residents get to know one another and learn each other’s names.
- Provide helpful information to set your residents up for success.
Roompact Bulletin Board Contest Submissions and Winners
Roompact runs a bulletin board contest every year for student staff at schools that use our software. Check these out for inspiration for your own bulletin boards and consider adding yours (and maybe win some prizes, too!). Look out for the announcement in our software.
Education, Not Just Decoration
A truly impactful bulletin board doesn’t just look nice, it can also serve an educational purpose. Instead of asking, “What is a fun, general topic?”, ask, “What specific knowledge or skill do my residents need to gain?” This approach shifts the focus from simple decoration (although that’s important, too!) to delivering targeted educational content and information. For example:
| The Goal | The Method | The Idea |
| Residents will identify two campus resources for mental health. | Focus on providing specific, actionable contact information, hours, and location for the Counseling Center and other student support services. | “De-Stress Express” 🧠 A board with tear-off sheets detailing the Counseling Center’s phone number and walk-in hours, paired with tips for managing stress during midterms. |
| Residents will locate resources for academic tutoring and support on campus. | Highlight specific academic programs relevant to common majors or first-year challenges, focusing on where and when residents can get help. | “The Study Spot” 📚 A map highlighting the Academic Resource Center, the Writing Center, and departmental tutoring schedules, emphasizing that seeking help is a strength, not a weakness. |
Tips For Bulletin Board Design
Take some time before you begin your bulletin board to think through how you can make them the most effective you can:
- Define a Clear Objective
- Consider Your Target Audience
- Eye-Catching Visual Design
- Organize Information Effectively
- Promote Interactivity and Engagement
- Create a Sense of Community
- Incorporate Multi-Sensory Elements
Cutting out letters for your bulletin board?
Use a Character Frequency Counter to determine how many of each letter you’ll need. Just type your title into the calculator and it will tell you… T: 3, C: 3, E: 2… etc.
“When designing a bulletin board, I love to create a mockup on a photo editing application or on paper. It’s always easier to go with a direction than to use too many staples. A great resident assistant also once told me to invest in a good magnet to help pick up any fallen staples and a set of pushpins for staging a bulletin board. Game-changing!”
Pinterest Bulletin Board Examples
Pinterest can be an excellent source for ideas related to bulletin boards. Many more than we could possibly include here. The following are just a few of many curated example boards you’ll find on the topic.
Questions To Ponder:
- How can bulletin boards help your residents?
- What topics do you think your residents need exposure to?
- How can you make sure the information you convey in your bulletin board is accurate? Is it achieving your intended effect?
- How can you create an eye-catching and also informative design for your bulletin board?
RA360 Outcomes:
RAs and student staff members will be able to:
- Explain the purpose of bulletin boards.
- Develop creative and purposeful bulletin boards.
More To Explore
RA360 is a set of resources organized around skills, topics and competencies relevant to Resident Advisors and similar related student staff positions in college and university residence halls.
