PRSSA National Conference Blog
Washington DC had a lot more to offer this year than world-famous museums and national monuments, especially for PR students. This year’s PRSSA National Conference gave students across the country access to a wealth of information, networking opportunities and, of course, sightseeing.
As fun as all the extracurriculars are, learning is the focus. Professionals in many different fields of PR hosted sessions and panels, covering areas such as:
• Sports
• Entertainment
• Fashion
• Travel and Tourism
• International
• Green PR
• Nonprofit
• Public Affairs
• Corporate vs. Agency
• Crisis Communications
• Social Media
• Ethics
In addition to PRSSA sessions, there was also a career fair and opportunities to attend sessions at the PRSA National Conference.
In my opinion, there is no better experience than attending a national conference while you are a member of PRSSA. Where else are you going to find that many PR experts and students in one place, each and every one an open book ready to share their knowledge? Where else are you going to find that many companies looking for bright, young interns?
What I gained from my experience likely doesn’t mean anything to anyone but me. What I can say though is that if you any interest in any of the fields listed, or any interest in finding an internship, this is the place to be! Go every year you can, get all the information you can, and make all the connections you can. You’ll never just how much the experts you meet and friends you make can do for you until you go.
See you in Orlando! National Conference 2011!
Hillary Shipman
Monday, November 29, 2010
Monday, April 19, 2010
Boost Grant
This was an eventful year for PRSSA!
We:
• restarted our blog
• created a Twitter
• took seven members to national conference
• hosted a fundraiser at the International Equestrian Competition
• created promotional materials (poster, table toppers, calendars, etc.) for Wellness Week
• sent one member to National Assembly
• developed Web content for the Honors House Plan
• assisted GCS with their High Heeled Leader Event
• attended a PRSA conference in Mid-mo
We also are working on our website (yes, AP Stylebook no longer calls it Web site http://bit.ly/c58hNU) and have been brainstorming ideas on how to improve our chapter next year.
I am so proud of everything that SC PRSSA has done this year. I was proud to write about our past achievements and our goals for the future in the AAB (alumnae association board) Boost Grant application. I was excited to sit in a room with AAB members and share a bit about our chapter with them. I was honest when I told them what we would happen if we didn’t receive the money, and how we would like to create scholarships for those who don’t have the financial background to pay for membership. And I was shaking last night when they announced that SC PRSSA had won a $500 grant.
Ladies, you are fabulous.
Thank you.
Rachel
We:
• restarted our blog
• created a Twitter
• took seven members to national conference
• hosted a fundraiser at the International Equestrian Competition
• created promotional materials (poster, table toppers, calendars, etc.) for Wellness Week
• sent one member to National Assembly
• developed Web content for the Honors House Plan
• assisted GCS with their High Heeled Leader Event
• attended a PRSA conference in Mid-mo
We also are working on our website (yes, AP Stylebook no longer calls it Web site http://bit.ly/c58hNU) and have been brainstorming ideas on how to improve our chapter next year.
I am so proud of everything that SC PRSSA has done this year. I was proud to write about our past achievements and our goals for the future in the AAB (alumnae association board) Boost Grant application. I was excited to sit in a room with AAB members and share a bit about our chapter with them. I was honest when I told them what we would happen if we didn’t receive the money, and how we would like to create scholarships for those who don’t have the financial background to pay for membership. And I was shaking last night when they announced that SC PRSSA had won a $500 grant.
Ladies, you are fabulous.
Thank you.
Rachel
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
InDesign Workshop
Wednesday, March 3, PRSSA hosted an inDesign workshop in the Mac lab. Barbara Sott-Dawdy assisted PRSSA members with building a resume on inDesign, and gave out pointers for shortcuts in the program. The pointers included fast ways to use the keyboard instead of the mouse, how to bold type, how to send a piece from the front to the back, etc. It was a basic inDesign run down, and helped with questions on what everything does.
A follow-up workshop will take place Wednesday, April 21, at noon in the Mac lab. It will be a quick review of what was learned at the last workshop, and will address whatever students are having problems with. They can bring in their resume, writing samples for their portfolio, or just something fun to do on inDesign.
I will be sending out a save the date for everyone on April 5, with a reminder on April 9. Look for other updates on our PRSSA blog.
Meghan
A follow-up workshop will take place Wednesday, April 21, at noon in the Mac lab. It will be a quick review of what was learned at the last workshop, and will address whatever students are having problems with. They can bring in their resume, writing samples for their portfolio, or just something fun to do on inDesign.
I will be sending out a save the date for everyone on April 5, with a reminder on April 9. Look for other updates on our PRSSA blog.
Meghan
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Do people care what you have to say?
Do you have anything to say?
You’re on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. You read blogs at least once every couple days and think you know a little something about social media.
But are you adding anything to the conversation?
Many students create accounts online and then end up using them to contact friends or let them die out.
What college students need to remember (and I am as guilty as anyone) is that companies want people who are active. Those who take the information out there in the socialsphere and do something in response. Post a comment on a blog. Have a conversation on Twitter, reactivate that old LinkedIn account that you haven’t touched in three months (uh…that one’s for me). Our generation is expected to know social media and be able to teach our supervisors/colleagues and others about it.
If a job description mentions social media, they want to talk about interaction, measurement and what original content you’ve created.
Challenge of the day. Go read two blogs, seriously think about the material, and post comments. You’re an overachiever? Good. Write a blog in response to one of those blogs, or a recent article you read.
Send it to me. I’d love to add it to our PRSSA blog.
Rachel McNeal
rachellmcneal@gmail.com
You’re on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. You read blogs at least once every couple days and think you know a little something about social media.
But are you adding anything to the conversation?
Many students create accounts online and then end up using them to contact friends or let them die out.
What college students need to remember (and I am as guilty as anyone) is that companies want people who are active. Those who take the information out there in the socialsphere and do something in response. Post a comment on a blog. Have a conversation on Twitter, reactivate that old LinkedIn account that you haven’t touched in three months (uh…that one’s for me). Our generation is expected to know social media and be able to teach our supervisors/colleagues and others about it.
If a job description mentions social media, they want to talk about interaction, measurement and what original content you’ve created.
Challenge of the day. Go read two blogs, seriously think about the material, and post comments. You’re an overachiever? Good. Write a blog in response to one of those blogs, or a recent article you read.
Send it to me. I’d love to add it to our PRSSA blog.
Rachel McNeal
rachellmcneal@gmail.com
Friday, March 12, 2010
Branding Yourself
I learned a very important tip @PRSSA National conference in November, and that is to know who you are. You can’t be confident in what you do unless you know who you are and where you have been. Confidence is a vital necessity on your resume, in interviews and in person as it aids in landing that first job. Going into the marketing and public relations field you need to know how to sell yourself.
As I listened to the keynote speaker, Mona Pasquil, she mentioned that you need to know your story and know what defines you as a person. Asking yourself questions such as, “where do you want to be in x years? What do you want to give back? And what do you stand for?” help in aiding oneself to figure out who they are and what their stories are. Other questions such as “what do you represent?” would be good to ask yourself. You need to know where you have gone to know where you want to go. Don’t ever sell yourself short. Be confident and sell yourself because you are your own personal brand.
Natalie Stezovsky
As I listened to the keynote speaker, Mona Pasquil, she mentioned that you need to know your story and know what defines you as a person. Asking yourself questions such as, “where do you want to be in x years? What do you want to give back? And what do you stand for?” help in aiding oneself to figure out who they are and what their stories are. Other questions such as “what do you represent?” would be good to ask yourself. You need to know where you have gone to know where you want to go. Don’t ever sell yourself short. Be confident and sell yourself because you are your own personal brand.
Natalie Stezovsky
Thursday, February 25, 2010
Society, teasers and my early drive.
This morning I heard an ad on the radio (giving up my iPod and books on CD for a brief second). The ad had several different students and faculty members talking about a specific school. They didn’t name it, but you could tell it was a smaller school with “hands-on” learning. Because of my interest in Stephens and other colleges in the area, I sat at my destination and waited the entire commercial (30 seconds-ish) to learn where in the world they were talking about.
It was Metro Business College. I could sing the catchy “a small college can make a big difference” jingle (did you just do it?). But the name of the school - which is so great according to my blaring radio - wasn’t mentioned until the end.
What do you think about this strategy? Holding information till the last possible second to keep listeners (viewers) hooked? If I didn’t have an active interest in advertising I would have never listened to the entire commercial. But I’m not really that important.
What about their target market? Do you think a person considering college will listen to that commercial to learn the name of this amazing school?
TV shows do it, radio stations do it. They tease you with what’s coming next to keep you around.
But with the short attention span of our society, will this strategy continue to work?
Rachel
It was Metro Business College. I could sing the catchy “a small college can make a big difference” jingle (did you just do it?). But the name of the school - which is so great according to my blaring radio - wasn’t mentioned until the end.
What do you think about this strategy? Holding information till the last possible second to keep listeners (viewers) hooked? If I didn’t have an active interest in advertising I would have never listened to the entire commercial. But I’m not really that important.
What about their target market? Do you think a person considering college will listen to that commercial to learn the name of this amazing school?
TV shows do it, radio stations do it. They tease you with what’s coming next to keep you around.
But with the short attention span of our society, will this strategy continue to work?
Rachel
Thursday, February 18, 2010
Stop being boring
What captures you? What type of copy draws you in, makes you want to keep reading and reading and reading?
And how in the world can you write like that? Well I’m no expert, but I like to think a thing or two has sunk in over the past couple years…
1. Don’t be too fancy.
Avoid long, pretentious words that no one uses (or understands). It makes you look like a donkey. And nobody will like you. Seriously. Nobody.
2. Benefits over features
People don’t care how many watts your new tanning bed has. They care how sexy they will look after they visit. Focus on the benefits in your writing.
3. Be specific
Vague clichés are so last season. You’re going to make “my dreams come true” ? Huh? A bank can do that? No. Really. What can you do for me, and why should I care?
4. Study copy
Read, read, read. Seths Blog,
The Daily Blur and Fuel Your Writing are some of my favorites
5. Be authentic
Don’t fake it. The bs monitors out there will get you.
As students, we tend to write in clichés. It’s what we know. It’s easy. Do you really want to be easy? This is my discovery of the day. How to Use Clichés Hope you enjoy. I hope you go buy Dictionary of Clichés too. I did.
Ok, that’s what I know. What don’t I know? What are other copywriting tips for students?
And how in the world can you write like that? Well I’m no expert, but I like to think a thing or two has sunk in over the past couple years…
1. Don’t be too fancy.
Avoid long, pretentious words that no one uses (or understands). It makes you look like a donkey. And nobody will like you. Seriously. Nobody.
2. Benefits over features
People don’t care how many watts your new tanning bed has. They care how sexy they will look after they visit. Focus on the benefits in your writing.
3. Be specific
Vague clichés are so last season. You’re going to make “my dreams come true” ? Huh? A bank can do that? No. Really. What can you do for me, and why should I care?
4. Study copy
Read, read, read. Seths Blog,
The Daily Blur and Fuel Your Writing are some of my favorites
5. Be authentic
Don’t fake it. The bs monitors out there will get you.
As students, we tend to write in clichés. It’s what we know. It’s easy. Do you really want to be easy? This is my discovery of the day. How to Use Clichés Hope you enjoy. I hope you go buy Dictionary of Clichés too. I did.
Ok, that’s what I know. What don’t I know? What are other copywriting tips for students?
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