On behalf of PRSSA Kent we would like to wish everyone Happy Holidays and safe travels. Join us this Wednesday for our end of the year party.
PRSSA is asking everyone to please fill out this survey. It should only take up a few minutes of your time. Also, don’t forget about the meeting tomorrow.
Come get educated at tomorrow’s general meeting in Franklin Hall room 213. Ben Brugler, executive vice president, AKHIA public relations and marketing, and Brandi Neloms, sales and marketing manager, Digital Color International, will be educating students on ways to handle different personalities in the real world.
The meeting will begin at 7:30 p.m. Make sure you get there early to network with other PR students. We look forward to seeing everyone tomorrow night.
PRSSA Kent had a special reason to celebrate this year’s Homecoming festivities on Oct. 15. Two senior public relations majors,
Darian Thomas and Lisa Gulasy, were honored with representing their respective sponsoring organizations and the School of Journalism and Mass Communication on the 2011 Kent State Homecoming Court.
Gulasy, from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania is involved with TV2 and the Tannery Communications while Thomas, from Elyria, Ohio is the online media manager for PRSSA Kent and works in the marketing department for the Kent State Ice Arena.
Thomas and Gulasy were two of the six students who were chosen as this year’s Homecoming Court. The group of outstanding seniors, chosen by a panel after an application and interview process, participated in several events during Homecoming weekend including the parade on Saturday and a philanthropy project benefitting Hattie Larlham.
“I was honored to have the opportunity to represent Kent State University as a member of Homecoming Court,” Thomas said. “It didn’t really hit me until the Court did our philanthropy project together. We all volunteered at Hattie Larlham and after interacting with the rest of court I knew this whole experience would be special.”
Gulasy also had a unforgettable experience as a member of Homecoming Court.
“I didn’t anticipate enjoying being a member of Homecoming Court as much as I did,” she said. “I know it’s generic to say, but the Court members got along so well, and we all genuinely liked one another. The only thing I would have done differently would be to dress more warmly the morning of the Homecoming parade. I was so cold after riding the float in the parade that I couldn’t feel my feet!”
Despite the chilly autumn weather, Thomas and Gulasy participated in the parade and ceremony before Saturday’s football game that culminate Kent State’s Homecoming festivities. Both said that they made many memories and new friends while representing the class of 2012.
Congrats Darian and Lisa!
Darian and Lisa during the Homecoming Parade
PRSSA Networking Opportunity at Ursuline College
Ursuline College Public Relations Student Society of America invites PRSSA Kent students to attend “Managing Reputation in a Social Media World” on Wednesday, Nov. 9, 2011 from 6:30 – 8:30 p.m. The meeting will be held on Ursuline’s campus at 2550 Lander Rd., Pepper Pike, OH, Pilla Center.
The event is a panel discussion featuring Bill Sledzik, Kent State University; Kelly McGlumphy, Roop & Co.; Samantha Fryberger, JumpStart Cleveland. Resume critiques, networking and, of course, dessert is included. The cost is $5, and RSVPs can be sent to lhammel@ursuline.edu. If you’re interested, please contact Heather Thomas (hthoma3@kent.edu) or RSVP directly to Ursuline PRSSA.
2011 PRSA Cleveland Student Day: Friday, Nov. 11
Learn the ins and outs of the public relations profession in a full morning of interactive panels and discussions lead by leading public relations professionals — from landing an internship to succeeding at your first job and developing your online persona. Students will also have the opportunity to learn pertinent interviewing and networking skills as well as tips on perfecting their resume.
The event will be held in the Wolstein Center at Cleveland State University from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. The cost of admission is $35, but we will pay $20 of that total to the first 20 PRSSA members who register and bring us their receipt. Again, you have to be a member for the reimbursement to apply (so you have to pay your dues on Wednesday!). If you need a ride to the event, we will be coordinating carpooling to Cleveland.
PRSSA students gather for a social
For more information or to register, click here.
Join us on PRSSA Kent’s social networks to keep up with all the latest information about meetings and internships.
PRSSA Kent presenters Lindsay Ridinger, Erin Orsini, Sarah Lack, Taylor Titus and Christine Morgan
Now that PRSSA Kent has presented fundraising best practices and ideas to some National Conference attendees, we want to hear from you.
How does your Chapter raise money throughout the year? Do you collaborate with other organizations or do you generate a lot of member support? How have you been successful, and how do you cash in on communication?
Use PRSSA Kent’s blog to share your fundraising experiences with other us. Please contact PRSSA Kent Co-President Lindsay Ridinger at lriding2@kent.edu for more information.
If you missed our presentation, scroll below to watch a video we’ve created about the dos and don’ts of fundraising.
Conference attendees can tune into our Chapter Development Session presentation at the 2011 PRSSA National Conference
this Friday in Orlando.
On Oct. 14, PRSSA Kent will deliver its presentation titled, “Cash In on Communication: Reaching Your Fundraising Goals.” PRSSA Kent’s presenters, Sarah Lack, Christine Morgan, Erin Orsini, Lindsay Ridinger and Taylor Titus, will present five fundraising best practices at National Conference. The presenters are not only excited to spend a few days in the Sunshine State but to also share some fundraising ideas and advice with other Chapters who attend the session.
PRSSA Kent members have the opportunity to hear our presentation at the next PRSSA Kent meeting on Wednesday, Oct. 19 in Franklin 213. We’ll also share highlights about the 2011 National Conference in Orlando and information about the 2012 National Conference in San Francisco.
Homecoming
PRSSA Kent would like to thank everyone who donated for the Homecoming Raffle. This week there will be a table set up in Franklin Hall where two PRSSA officers will be sitting and selling raffle tickets. The Homecoming celebration will start at the alumni reception on Friday Oct. 15 and will continue into Saturday at the brunch in Franklin Hall. This year’s grand prize is an iPad. Anyone looking to help out with this year’s Homecoming festivities is encouraged to contact Co-VPs of Fundraising Hallie Pendergast (hpenderg@kent.edu) or Trent Chavez (tchavez1@kent.edu).
Dues
Future and current PRSSA members; Don’t forget about dues. If you are a returning PRSSA member and you paid your dues last fall semester, they are due again this semester. Anyone who paid their dues last spring semester won’t have to pay their dues until the spring. Submit $50 by cash or check (made out to PRSSA Kent) to VP of Membership Stephanie Neumann or any PRSSA officer. Fees can be paid until the Darrow Meeting on Oct. 12. Anyone with questions is encouraged to contact sneuman@kent.edu for more information.
Aaron Brown Re-cap
- The U.S. PR industry has more than 7,000 companies that account for more than $8 billion in revenue
PR is a growing field here in the U.S. Job duties are changing and more people are looking to move in to the PR industry. This results in an influx of entry-level professionals looking for jobs. It’s essential for applicants to stand out to potential employers.
- PRSSA is a worthwhile organization for students
Don’t just join PRSSA; Get involved as well! Help with as much as possible. Make sure you pay your dues. $50 isn’t that much after you take a look at how many networking opportunities you get when you join PRSSA. Ask parents or family to contribute if possible.
- Keep your resume simple
Make sure your resume is organized and easy to read. Focus on your strengths and make them standout in your resume. Superfluous details detract from the information future employers want to know.
- Read the newspaper everyday (or at least scan the headlines!)
Stay up to date with current events. The last thing you want to do is come into an interview and not know what is going on in the world. If you want to work in PR, you have to know what’s happening.
- The best agencies are the ones that are growing young professionals
When thinking about applying for internships and entry-level jobs, look for agencies that recognize the value of young professionals and encourage them to contribute. Agencies that challenge their young employees and allow them to grow through experience will be most successful in the long-term.
Homecoming Reception
The friends of JMC will invite Kent JMC alumni and friends to a Homecoming Reception Friday, October 14 to recognize alumni award winners and host a Homecoming celebration brunch on Saturday, October 15.
Kent Chapter of PRSSA
The Kent State chapter of the Public Relations Student Society of America works in conjunction with its parent organization, the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA, www.prsa.org), to cultivate mutually beneficial relationships between students and professional public relations practitioners. Activities of Kent PRSSA include:
- Professional meetings hosted by regional PRSA chapters, including annual Student Days.
- National PRSSA conference, a forum for students to meet PR professionals and students from across the nation.
- Networking event with regional PR professionals, an opportunity for students and professionals to discuss internships, job hunting and PR careers.
- Bimonthly educational programs featuring presentations by PR professionals.
- Annual scholarship for an annual scholarship for an outstanding PR student.
2011 Homecoming Raffle
Kent PRSSA will host the JMC Homecoming raffle. Proceeds raised from the raffle will help public relations students attend the PRSSA National Conference in Orlando, Florida in October and provide other educational resources for members. PRSSA would like to obtain the following prizes. We welcome other prize donations, too.
- Adventure: Hot air balloon ride, sky diving, plane ride, amusement park and zoo tickets, and other adventurous activities
- The Arts: Tickets to museums, area theaters and other cultural venues
- Golfing: Equipment, greens fee certificates, lessons and tickets to PGA/LPGA events
- Music: CDs, MP3 player, free I-Tunes pass and other musical items
- Weekend Getaways: Vacation packages, concerts, dinner and spa certificates, and other entertainment/relaxation activities or items
- Sports: Tickets to professional games, autographed merchandise, special seats and other sporting activities
Direct Donations
Kent State PRSSA
Michele Ewing, Associate Professor
School of Journalism & Mass Communication
301F Franklin Hall
Kent, Ohio 44240-0001
Phone: 330-672-4288
The first general meeting for PRSSA had a very good turnout. Approximately 50 students filled room 213 in Franklin Hall for the first General Meeting last Wednesday to find out more information about PRSSA. The students who attended majors ranged from public relations, advertising and broadcast journalism. All of the officers were very excited to see new unfamiliar faces but also some familiar ones as well.
The officers went to each table and talked about each of the topics they were assigned. There wasn’t a seat left open in the room. All of the officers had to rotate around instead of making all of the students have to get up each time since there were so many. Pizza, snacks and pop were on hand making the experience that much better. One student who attended said that this was better than all of the meetings he had been to this week because it was well organized and he got to eat for free.
The next general meeting won’t be for two weeks, but there will be a Darrow Meeting next Wednesday. Students are encouraged to bring friends who might not have been able to make the first meeting to the second one. Feel free to stop in during office hours if you have any questions or just want to learn more about PRSSA.
Make sure you reserve your spot for National Conference in Orlando, Florida before it’s too late. For more information talk to Tom Crilley, PRSA/PRSSA liaison, who will have all of the details for you.
PRSSA will be having its first general meeting at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday Sept. 7, in 213 Franklin Hall.
Students will get the
opportunity to network with current PRSSA officers who will be there to answer any questions. This event will have a tropical theme to it. Snacks and drinks will be provided. Prepare yourself for icebreakers and networking opportunities not only with PRSSA officers but with other students looking to join too.
There will be tables set up throughout the room where officers will be stationed at allowing students to ask questions and listen to their stories. Each table will have a different table topic to talk about.
The table topic discussions will include:
- Elevator Speech
- About PRSSA
- Internships
- Buddy System
- About Me
- Your PR Story
- PRSSA Committees
This is a great opportunity to meet more PR majors like you. Don’t let this opportunity pass you by. We look forward to seeing everyone here.
