Officer Bio: Stephanie Mathias

Name: Stephanie Mathias

Officer Title: PRSA/PRSSA Liaison

Class Standing: Junior

Hometown: New Philadelphia, Ohio

Expected Graduation Date: May 2011

Are you involved in any student organizations? Phi Sigma Pi

What do you like do in your spare time? I love to read, watch bad reality shows, hang out with my friends and listen to music.

What is your favorite movie? Forrest Gump and Wall-e

Where would you like to travel? Ireland

If you were an ice cream flavor, which one would you be and why? Cake batter, because I’m so sweet

What was your favorite childhood toy? A soccer ball.

What are your goals for PRSSA this year? I hope to successfully take over the PRSA/PRSSA Liaison position.

What type of job do you hope to have as a PR practitioner? I hope to work in a corporate or healthcare setting.

Public Relations Campaigns

After four years of classes, students in one class must put everything they learned to the test. Senior public relations students in a class called Public Relations Campaigns will present their campaigns Wednesday, Dec. 9 from 4:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m. for their client: Cleveland Plus. The students were split into groups and then worked all semester on their campaigns. After the presentation, the judges will ask the group questions about their campaigns. So come and cheer on your fellow PR students as they give their campaigns presentations. It is also a great opportunity for students to learn what the class is really like.

The presentations will be given at The Tannery, which is located at 138 E Main St., Suite 203, in downtown Kent. The building is across from the Kent Stage, next to Acorn Alley. Hope to see you all there!

Officer Bio: Amanda Hayes

Name: Amanda Hayes

Officer Title: PRSA/PRSSA Liaison

Class Standing: Senior

Hometown: Champion, Ohio

Expected Graduation Date: December 2009

What do you like do in your spare time? I like to work out, read and watch old movies.

Where would you like to travel? Italy

If you were an ice cream flavor, which one would you be and why?

Vanilla is my favorite flavor, but I think of myself as more of a rainbow sherbet girl.

What was your favorite childhood toy?

A turtle with a sailor hat that rolled around on a string leash or my Glo Worm.

What are your goals for PRSSA this year?

Strengthen relationships between PRSSAKent and local PRSA Chapters.

Have you had any internship experience? Delphi Corporation and Goodyear Tire & Rubber

Describe what you do in your internship?

I do employee relations, internal communications, generate intranet content, work with teams in other countries, media relations and I help other departments with communications projects.

What type of job do you hope to have as a PR practitioner?

I love the corporate environment and would like to pursue an international or law-based aspect of PR.

National Conference Recap/Thanksgiving Dinner

This week’s meeting will be a fun Thanksgiving themed get-together. So head to Mary Jo, Rebecca and Shantae’s house at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 18 for a night of food and fun! During the meeting, PRSSA 2009 National Conference attendees will share their experiences, and we will also be making Christmas cards for troops serving overseas.

Bringing a food item to share is appreciated but is not required. If you would like to attend, please e-mail Mary Jo Spletzer at mjspletze@kent.edu, Rebecca Odell at rodell1@kent.edu or Shantae Rollins at srollin2@kent.edu. Please e-mail Mary Jo, Rebecca or Shantae to let them know what you’d like to bring, and they will give you directions to their home. And contact an officer if you need a ride!

2009 PRSSA National Conference

Last Thursday, seven students from PRSSA Kent’s Executive Board arrived at the PRSSA National Conference in San Diego. We were among 1,000 PR students at the conference. PRSSA Kent was able to learn more about PR, network with professionals and learn from fellow PR students from around the country.

The PRSSA National Conference had sessions on career prep, corporate vs. agency, crisis communication, diversity, employee relations, entertainment and sports PR, environmental public affairs, etiquette, event planning, fashion PR, financial communications and ethics, health care, networking, nonprofit PR, portfolios, public affairs, resumes, social media and tourism.

During the conference, PRSSA Kent received the Teahan University Service Award. The Dr. F. H. Teahan Chapter Awards Program recognizes national chapters’ outstanding achievements. PRSSA Kent received a plaque and $300 for its accomplishment. PRSSA Kent’s application for this award included voluntary projects that benefited Kent State over the last year. It also included fliers, brochures, photos, screenshots and documents that portrayed service to the university.

President of PRSSA Kent, Mary Jo Spletzer, said she was shocked when Kent State University recieved the award.

“When Kent State University was announced as the winner of the University Service Teahan, I was shocked and excited,” Spletzer said. “Our hard work paid off, and it was wonderful to receive national recognition.”

Attending a National Conference or any professional conference can help to steer your career in the right direction, help your networking skills, give you professional skills and will leave you with an unforgettable experience.

November Members of the Month

Congratulations to the PRSSA November Members of the Month, Allison Brookes, Beth Vietmeier and Heather Thomas. All three girls stepped it up during homecoming. All three attended both events on Friday and Saturday and were a huge help. They weren’t afraid to go and talk to strangers or ask what needed to be done. They took on responsibilities both days and did it with flying colors. Great job, ladies! If you would like to nominate a member for recognition, please fill out this Member of the Month Nomination and submit it to Brittany Wasko at Bwasko@kent.edu.

Integrated Communications and Health Care Meeting

This Wednesday, stop by room 213 in Franklin Hall at 7:30 p.m. for PRSSA Kent’s Integrated Communications and Health Care Meeting!

The meeting will be a great way to learn more about a career in integrated communications and health care public relations. Ralph Davila, director of public relations at Keathley Advertising, and Erinne Dyer, assistant director of public relations at Cleveland Clinic, will discuss careers in these fields.

Also, don’t forget about the Greater Cleveland PRSA Student Day. PRSA Student Day is a great place to learn the ins and outs of public relations while building relationships and networking with professionals. The Greater Cleveland PRSA Student Day Friday is Nov. 13 from 8 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. at the Wolstein Center. Come and get tips on your resume, learn how agencies and corporations operate,  learn about event planning and social media and learn how to land an interview. Student Day is a great way to expand your network, especially if you’re looking for an internship or a job.

Registration is $35, but PRSSA Kent will refund $10 to the first 10 dues-paying members who register. To register and learn about carpooling opportunities, contact Stephanie Mathias at smathias@kent.edu or go to http://prsastudentday.eventbrite.com/.

And, stop by room 213 at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday in Franklin Hall to learn more about career in integrated communications and health care public relations!

Officer Bio: Jenn Yokley

Name: Jenn Yokley

Officer Title: Intercampus Liaison

Class Standing: Senior

Hometown: East Palestine, OH

Expected Graduation Date: Summer 2010

Are you involved in any student organizations? RA in Manchester/Fletcher, Kent Student Ambassadors, Mortar Board, KIC, intermural broomball and softball.

What do you like do in your spare time?

I love running, reading, being crafty and visiting with friends and family

What is your favorite movie? Drive Me Crazy or The Little Mermaid

Where would you like to travel?

Greece, Sydney, Italy, Spain, the Caribbean and South America.

If you were an ice cream flavor, which one would you be and why?

I would be Rocky Road. Surprises here and there, but is always a classic.

What was your favorite childhood toy?

My little red corvette! I would drive that electric car all over my basement and front yard.

What are your goals for PRSSA this year?

I really want to reach out to other campus organizations and find ways to collaborate with programming, events, etc.

Have you had any internship experience?

I interned at the Summit County and Portage County Red Cross, and I currently work for the Dining Services marketing team.

Describe what you do in your internship?

I helped a lot with set-up, prep work and Web development for the Red Cross. For Dining Services, I do more news releases, social media and archiving of events and programs.

What type of job do you hope to have as a PR practitioner?

I dream of the day that I work for Disney World.

National Conference Tips

Only one week separates me from sun and fun in San Diego.

That’s right. Instead of slipping on Uggs and trudging through falling leaves on a chilly Ohio day, I’ll be strolling through the Gas Lamp District in flip flops and soaking up rays of sunshine.

Although the mere thought of heading west was enough to convince me to attend the 2009 PRSSA National Conference (http://www.prssa.org/conference/), I know the real treasure lies in the informational sessions, workshops and networking opportunities conference provides.

Attending conference for the first time last year benefited me personally and professionally. Rachel Esterline’s blog post (http://ow.ly/vhaV) on tips for students attending conference inspired me to share my own list:

1. Sit next to someone you don’t know.

After preparing for a day of sessions at the 2008 National Conference with a large dose of espresso, Shantae (http://www.twitter.com/shantaerollins) and I headed to the Bateman Case Study session. Thanks to my caffeine fix, I decided to be bold and strike up a conversation with the young man sitting behind us. Kent State was entering the 2009 Bateman (http://www.prssa.org/bateman/) competition for the first time in a decade, and we quickly learned this young man’s university participated in the 2008 competition. He was able to offer excellent advice on his team’s successes and pitfalls, and we stayed in contact through Facebook after conference.

The lesson: We’re in public relations. Don’t be afraid to be bold! You never know what networking opportunities will present themselves.

2. Don’t skip a session you’re interested in just because your friend wants to attend another session.

The skills and information you gain at conference will benefit your chapter, but they will also benefit your future as a public relations professional. Don’t miss out on a session you’re dying to attend just because your friend wants you to tag along to their session of choice.

It’s your future: Seize every opportunity to invest your time into the sessions that interest you.

3. Take notes.

Taking notes never hurts. Once you return to class, I can guarantee one of your professors will ask you to give a presentation on conference or write a blog post.  Taking notes throughout the conference will make it easier to recap once you’ve recovered from jet lag.

4. Follow up.

Conference’s benefits don’t end after conference. Social media make it incredibly easy to stay in touch after conference, which will help you expand your network.  Send a speaker a direct message on Twitter to let them know why you liked his or her presentation. E-mail PR agency representatives to thank them for attending and talking about their internship programs. Login to Facebook and friend the West Virginia University student you met.

5. Sleep.

College students have this innate ability to think they don’t need sleep, yet they wonder why they’re exhausted all the time. (I’m guilty.) We all know how difficult it can be to pay attention when you’re sitting in the back of a warm room with three hours of sleep under your belt.  Get some sleep so you can get the most out of each session.

I wish safe travels for every student traveling to conference next week. Hope to see you there!

Guest blog post written by Vice President of Public Relations, Rebecca Odell.

Officer Bio: Melissa Sidebotham

Name: Melissa Sidebotham

Officer Title: Vice President of Fundraising

Class Standing: Senior

Hometown: Munroe Falls, Ohio

Expected Graduation Date: May 2010

What do you like do in your spare time?

Spare time? What’s that? When I have it, I like to hang out with friends and family, watch movies, shop and just normal college things.

What is your favorite movie?

I don’t really have one. I like cheesy comedy and cute animated movies.

Where would you like to travel?

I would love to go to Atlantis in the Bahamas. White sand and blue water…what is better than that?

If you were an ice cream flavor, which one would you be and why?

I know what ice cream I wouldn’t be, vanilla. I’m not plain at all.

What was your favorite childhood toy?

My yellow Blankie and my stuffed elephant Pinky

What are your goals for PRSSA this year?

I want to be the best fundraiser EVER! I want to help take this organization to places it’s never been before. Getting involved with other organizations on campus and volunteering is a big goal of mine.

Have you had any internship experience?

Akron Aeros Professional Baseball and the Alzheimer’s Association

Describe what you do in your internship?

At my most recent internship, the Alzheimer’s Association, I was the Community Development Intern. I got to focus on an event called Memory Walk. For Memory Walk, I wrote press releases and public service announcements for the eight locations that the walks take place at. I compiled media lists and helped obtain sponsors. I also ended up getting three of my PSAs recorded for 95.9 FM and an interview for their community program on air.

What type of job do you hope to have as a PR practitioner?

I would absolutely LOVE to do community outreach and event planning for a sports team, whether it’s a professional or college sports team.