If you don't already have a theme for the bulletin board display, think of something that would interest a college-student audience such as depression and suicide awareness, how to avoid plagiarism or tips on surviving college.
Purchase a foam board or measure the existing board, and buy enough fabric to cover the board plus two inches on either side. Choose ribbons and buttons to complement the fabric's design. If you use fabric with printed images on it or have a design theme in mind, make sure the theme and the topic match; for example, it would be inappropriate to use nursery-school images or a summer fun theme with a display about sexual harassment.
Use scissors and a tape measure to trim the fabric to fit. It is recommended that the fabric cover the front side of the board and extend two inches past the edge, so you have excess to fold and glue onto the back.
Use a craft glue gun to adhere the fabric to the board. Fold the excess fabric over the edge of the board, make a fold, and continue gluing the fabric onto the back of the board. This will secure the fabric in place while creating a clean, unrumpled look for the front.
Measure several lengths of ribbon to attach diagonally in both directions on the board. Starting in the bottom left corner, stretch a piece of ribbon diagonally up and over the corner edge of the board. Let the last two inches of each ribbon wrap around the back of the board, and glue the ends in place with the glue gun.
Move up the board diagonally, attaching ribbons about four inches apart. When you reach the end in one direction, repeat the process in the opposite diagonal direction to create a checkerboard effect on the bulletin board.
Glue a button over every intersection of the ribbons as an added decorative touch. This will make the bulletin board a unique wall decoration, while serving as a showcase for photos and other informative ideas.