Ever wondered how to create your own website at Penn State using WordPress? Whether you’re a student, faculty, or staff member, setting up a WordPress site can help you share your ideas, build a portfolio, or connect with others on campus.
Understanding how to use Penn State’s WordPress platform is key to making your online presence shine. In this article, you’ll find a simple guide, clear steps, and helpful tips for getting started.
Related Video
How to Use Penn State WordPress: A Complete Guide
If you’re a member of the Penn State community, you have access to a powerful website creation tool powered by WordPress. Whether you’re a student, faculty, or staff member, you can easily build your own website—perfect for class portfolios, research projects, blogs, and more.
Let’s break down everything you need to know about using Penn State’s WordPress service: from what it is, to tips for building a great site, and common questions.
What Is Sites at Penn State?
Sites at Penn State is an official web publishing platform for Penn State students, faculty, and staff. It uses WordPress—a popular and user-friendly content management system (CMS). This allows you to create modern, fully customizable websites without needing to know HTML or coding.
With Sites at Penn State, you can:
- Create personal portfolios.
- Host class projects or course sites.
- Launch research and academic blogs.
- Build small organization or club websites.
- Share files, media, and announcements.
Getting Started: Creating Your Site
Creating your own site is straightforward! Follow these steps to get started:
1. Log In with Penn State Credentials
- Visit the Sites at Penn State portal.
- Use your Penn State Access ID (such as abc123) and password to log in.
- You instantly gain access to your personal dashboard.
2. Set Up a New Website
- Click on “Create a Site” or a similar button in the dashboard.
- You’ll be prompted to choose a site name. This will be part of your site’s URL, so pick something clear and relevant.
- Decide if your site should be public (open to the internet) or private (only visible to certain users).
3. Choose a Theme
- Select from pre-approved WordPress themes.
- Themes control your site’s overall look and layout. Today’s themes are responsive, meaning they look good on all device sizes.
4. Add Content
- Create pages (like “About,” “Projects,” or “Contact”) using the easy visual editor.
- Start posting blogs, adding images, uploading files, or embedding videos.
- Use categories and tags to organize your content.
5. Customize Your Site
- Add widgets like recent posts, calendars, or menus.
- Explore the customization options, such as colors, fonts, and page headers.
- Set up navigation menus to help visitors move around your site.
6. Publish and Share
- When you’re ready, make your site live.
- Share your site URL with classmates, peers, or the public—depending on your privacy settings.
Key Benefits of Using Penn State WordPress
Why choose Sites at Penn State for your website? Here are just a few standout advantages:
- No cost: Sites at Penn State is free for active PSU community members.
- User-friendly: Easily create and update content with no coding skills.
- Collaboration: Add other Penn State users as contributors or editors.
- Secure and Managed: The platform is maintained by Penn State’s IT, so you don’t worry about hosting or security updates.
- Accessible: Many themes and widgets meet digital accessibility standards, helping all users, including those with disabilities.
- Scalable: Suitable for personal websites or larger project sites.
Essential Features and Tools
Here’s what you can expect from Sites at Penn State’s WordPress environment:
- Pre-installed Plugins: Useful tools are available for adding contact forms, image galleries, document uploads, and more.
- Media Library: Host images, PDFs, slides, and videos directly within your site.
- Page and Post Creation: Easily make new pages or regular blog-style posts.
- Built-In Analytics: Track visitor statistics for your site.
- Privacy Controls: Choose if your site is public, Penn State-only, or private.
Challenges & Limitations
While the platform is robust, there are some things to keep in mind:
- Limited advanced customization: You can’t install outside plugins or themes—it’s a managed environment for security and support reasons.
- No e-commerce functionality: You can’t use Sites at Penn State as an online store.
- User management is PSU-focused: Only Penn State users can be added as editors or contributors.
- Storage quotas: There are storage limits per site—keep media optimized.
Accessibility: Building Inclusive Websites
Penn State is committed to web accessibility. Here are some tips to ensure your site is usable for all:
- Use descriptive alternative text for all images.
- Choose themes with high contrast and readable fonts.
- Organize content with headings, lists, and clear navigation.
- Provide captions or transcripts for audio and video content.
These steps help visitors who use screen readers or other assistive technologies.
Practical Tips & Best Practices
To make the most of your Penn State WordPress site, consider these practical suggestions:
Planning
- Sketch out your site’s purpose and key sections before you start.
- Identify your target audience.
Content
- Keep pages clear and concise.
- Update content regularly to keep your site relevant.
- Use images and media thoughtfully, optimizing file sizes for faster loading.
Layout & Design
- Stick to a consistent color scheme and font style.
- Use whitespace—avoid cluttered pages for better reading.
- Make navigation intuitive with menus and links.
Maintenance
- Check for and fix broken links.
- Review site analytics to understand your visitors’ interests.
- Adjust privacy settings as your site evolves (e.g., keep student project sites private for FERPA compliance).
Collaboration and Academic Use
Sites at Penn State is particularly popular for collaborative work:
- Group Projects: Teams can work together, each posting updates or content.
- Course Sites: Instructors can create class blogs or resource pages.
- Research Showcases: Labs or research teams can share results and updates with the world.
Remember to coordinate roles—site administrators have full access, while contributors and editors have more limited permissions.
Cost and Storage Considerations
Good news—there’s no charge to create and maintain a site if you’re part of Penn State. However, be mindful of a few things:
- No shipping or transaction fees (since sites aren’t stores or sales tools).
- Storage caps: Each site has a file storage limit. If you plan to upload lots of media (like images or presentations), optimize files and check your quota regularly.
Keeping Your Site Active: What Happens When You Graduate or Leave?
Your site exists as long as you have an active Penn State account. If you graduate or otherwise leave the university:
- You’ll receive a notice about your site’s scheduled removal.
- You can export your site content using tools built into WordPress.
- Plan ahead: Save archives of your work or migrate to another hosting service if you want to keep your site after Penn State.
Security, Privacy, and Policy Notes
- Follow Penn State’s acceptable use policies—no prohibited content or copyrighted material without permission.
- Choose a privacy level that matches your content and needs.
- Regularly review who has contributor/editor access to your site.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. Is there a cost for using Sites at Penn State WordPress?
No, the service is free for all current Penn State students, faculty, and staff. There are no hosting fees, and you don’t pay for themes or basic site features.
2. What kind of sites can I create with Penn State WordPress?
You can build personal portfolios, project sites, class blogs, organization websites, and research pages—anything for academic, professional, or educational purposes within the guidelines.
3. Can I use custom themes or plugins?
No. The system provides a set of pre-approved themes and plugins to ensure security and compatibility. If you need a feature that’s not available, contact site support, as they frequently update available options based on user needs.
4. How do I make my site accessible to everyone?
Use accessible themes, add alternative text to images, structure your content with headings and lists, and provide captions for videos. Penn State offers resources and guidance for building accessible web content.
5. What happens to my site after I leave Penn State?
Your site will be deactivated once your Penn State account is no longer active. You’ll get advance notice and instructions for exporting your content if you wish to save or migrate it.
Summary
Sites at Penn State makes it easy for anyone in the university community to build a personal or academic website. You get a no-cost, easy-to-use, and secure WordPress platform. With some thoughtful planning and attention to best practices, you can create a professional and accessible site that showcases your work. Just remember to keep content updated, manage your privacy settings, and plan for site export before you graduate or leave the university.
If you have more questions, Penn State IT and support staff are ready to help you make the most of WordPress on campus. Happy site building!