Written by Grace Cortez Our chapter won the PRSSA Star Chapter Award for the 2019-2020 year. This is the first time in our chapter’s history to win this award, which shows our organizations’ determination for continual growth and excellence.
Dr. Jacquelyn Shaia, UAB PRCA/PRSSA’s faculty advisor, said, “This kind of recognition is important--the professionals in this field understand how much work, skill and talent goes into winning this kind of award.” Over 9,000 students from 375 different colleges are members of PRSSA. These students help to make up a total of 30,000 members in PRSA, our nationally recognized parent organization. Winning awards is nothing new for UAB PRCA/PRSSA. Our organization and students regularly win awards, but this first-time award is a new milestone for our chapter. The PRSSA Star Chapter Award is a highly esteemed award. The award recognizes students for completing goals such as chapter leadership, relationship building, student-run public relations firms, local high school outreach and positive media exposure. It is one of the highest achievements that a chapter can receive from PRSSA. Isabella Henke, Courtney Cole and Kiara Harris, executive officers and members of the PRSA/PRSSA, were three students who worked tirelessly to write and submit the application for the award. Many thanks to them for pushing our chapter to exceed and win this award! Tehreem Khan, the current chapter Co-President said, "I am proud of my team for winning this award. I am so grateful to be part of this hard working, professional, and ethical group. We will make sure that we continue to hold the high standards we have set for ourselves." UAB PRCA/PRSSA has had many successful achievements this past year that qualified us for Star Chapter. Chapter members volunteered with Holy Family Cristo Rey Catholic High School, a high school in the Birmingham area. UAB News also featured a story about one of our members and her work in PRSSA. Continually, members also created multiple student-run public relations firms to assist local non-profit organizations. Student-run firms are something the PR program does each year and prides itself in doing so, as it provides students with “real-world” PR practice. Congratulations again to everyone, this is a great success! Written by Erica Jackson Audrey Coates is the Digital Coordinator for Go To Team. Go To Team is an organization that staffs its own camera crew to create excellent features for places like ESPN, and other major production companies. Audrey is a member of this elite team that creates all types of digital content for their clients. She has a really exciting job and I’m very lucky to have had the chance to speak with her about her career and school experience. She followed her passion and gets to do what she loves! Audrey gave me a lot of great insight for those of us about to graduate and get out into the world. Check out our conversation! EJ: First, what drew you to the media industry? AC: I have had a love for television and movie premieres from a very young age. I used to daydream about interviewing movie stars on the red carpet. EJ: Was that your major? Did it prepare you for your career? AC: I went to Elon University and majored in Broadcast Communications. I am now pursuing my Masters in Public Relations from Southern New Hampshire University. EJ: What would be your advice to those about to graduate? AC: My advice to those who are about to graduate is you'll be told no a million times before you're told yes. You might have a few crappy jobs before you get to your dream job, but don't give up. Keep striving and know that you are worth every bit of success! EJ: Is there anything you wished you learned or had more practice within school? AC: I wish I learned more about the working environment and what to expect from different positions in the communications world. EJ: Would you say there is a certain project or campaign you’ve created that you’re most proud of? AC: There are several projects that I hold very dear to my heart, but one of my favorites is when I got to report and do social media for Charleston Fashion Week. There's nothing quite like the deadline rush of fashion week. Another favorite was when I wrote my very first press release about a new service for my current company, Go To Team. It was awesome to see my work broadcasted all over the internet! EJ: Do you have any advice for a time when things didn’t go as planned? How did you handle it? AC: In the communications world, you have to always be mentally prepared for something to not go as planned. My advice is to have damage control steps prepared. One time I posted an image of an interview that wasn't broadcasted (we sometimes promote shows before they happen, but I didn't realize the client signed an NDA). I always have additional content prepared, just in case, and I sent an apology out to the client. EJ: What’s your favorite part about the work you do? AC: My favorite part about the work I do is that it is immediately rewarding. I am constantly receiving engagement on social media and communicating with clients internally. I'm behind the scenes most the time so no one publicly knows it's me posting or developing press releases. It's also great to see a company positively affected by my efforts! I’d like to thank Audrey for taking time out of her schedule to speak with me, it means so much to us as we continue our education and prepare for life outside the University walls. Written by Erica Jackson Lindsey Watts is a Public Relations Coordinator at the Atlanta Convention and Visitors Bureau. She is apart of the team that makes Atlanta a top place to visit by sharing all of its many events and things to do along with showing writers who visit the city why it’s the place to be. What she does is a very real possibility for those of us about to graduate with our pr degrees, so I reached out and interviewed her about life after school. Here’s our conversation along with a few questions just for fun! Erica Jackson: First, what drew you to the public relations field? Lindsey Watts: Growing up, I always got an “N” for Needs Improvement on my progress reports for talking way too much. I knew I wanted to enter a field that allowed me to interact with people and use this “talent” for good and during college, I was told I was a decent writer - so you put those together and you get PR at its core. I also enjoy that it’s a fairly fast-paced field and no two days are really the same. It keeps me on my toes and that’s what I like! EJ: Was that your major? Or, did you start somewhere else and find this field later? LW: I am very fortunate that I graduated with a degree in public relations and now work in the industry. It doesn’t always work out that way, but I know several people who started in something different and transitioned to PR and love it, so it’s definitely not impossible! EJ: What would be your advice to those about to graduate with a degree in PR? LW: When looking for a job or trying to find your perfect fit, don’t be afraid to try your hand at different sized agencies, on an in-house PR team, or in different industries when interning. You may figure out you love working at a large firm with a non-profit client or would prefer representing a lifestyle brand in-house. You never know what you excel at or what clicks, and it doesn’t hurt to have a variety of experiences under your belt. EJ: Is there anything you wish you’d learned or had more practice with in school? LW: Maintaining and improving your writing skills is always vital, so more writing practice would have been great (I never would have said that three years ago) but I never had any experience with crisis communication/management and I realize, now how vital that is no matter where you end up working. I think that course scared me in school, but having experience makes entering a crisis situation less intimidating, so I would probably go back and tackle that if I had the chance. EJ: Would you say there is a certain project or campaign you’ve created that you’re most proud of? LW: It’s so hard to choose! I recently hosted a FAM (familiarization) trip for three writers focusing on all things wood for one of our clients that brings a lot of business to the city. This was a little intimidating seeing as I normally work with travel writers and didn’t know what type of personalities to expect. The trip ended up being a big success and all the writers commented that they saw a whole new side of Atlanta despite coming here almost every year for their annual conference. It’s very rewarding to share a city that I love with so many different people and give them a great experience. The coverage I’ve received so far is also fantastic and seeing that printed proof reminds me why I love my job! EJ: Do you have any advice for a time when things didn’t go as planned? How did you handle it? LW: Be patient, trust the process and get creative when necessary. If you’re going through something stressful or things go off course, take a second to breath and collect your thoughts. Reach out to any resources you may have and don’t put pressure on yourself to solve everything alone. If you’re not getting the outcome you’re looking for, don’t be afraid to dig a little deeper to end up where you want to. I think this can be applied whether you’re looking for a job or dealing with a difficult client/situation. Here are some fun questions: EJ: If you could have dinner with anyone famous, dead or alive, who would it be? Why? LW: I’m a big history fan, so there are a ton of historic figures I would love to sit down over a plate of pasta with, but Benjamin Franklin immediately comes to mind. Not only was he an inventor and international diplomat, but his writing helped shape and influence the creation of our country and he helped draft the Declaration of Independence. As someone who deals with the art of words on a much smaller level, it’d be pretty impressive to sit down with someone who wrote something so powerful it created an independent country. EJ: If you could be a superhero, who would you be? LW: I found out Captain Planet has a female counterpart named Gaia who is the Spirit of the Earth and that sounds like perfect superhero to be! She senses environmental problems and summons the Planeteers to fix them. I'm all down for helping the planet! We’d like to thank Lindsey for taking time to answer our questions and further our education outside of the classroom! Written by Erica Jackson
The PRCA/PRSSA blog is a great area to share what you've learned in your own classes or through internships with your peers. Writing for the blog is also a way to be published which is awesome on its own, but for some being published may mean the difference between a passing or failing grade in a class. On our site, you can write about anything that falls in the umbrella that is public relations, including your own journey to this career field. If you've already landed a job, tell us about your successes and failures because all of those things can be great learning experiences for those reading our articles. Take a look at the images below which act as guidelines for publishing with us and then write away. E-mail us your work and we'll post it here and, of course, send you the link for your own purposes and whichever class you might need it for. This blog is a great outlet for those in our field of work and study so we're offering it to all of you as a resource and as a tool. Written by Rachel Higgins As budding professionals, we can quickly find ourselves overwhelmed by the prospect of creating our business materials from scratch. Not to worry, read below for my quick tips for acing these important materials! Tools First and foremost, I want to touch on two invaluable tools for easily creating these materials. The first is Canva.com, a free designing website that will allow you to browse templates or create your own. This user-friendly tool is great for all graphic materials. Another tool to keep in mind is Vistaprint.com for printing your business cards at an inexpensive price. The website always has a coupon on top of already low prices, and their customer service ensures 100% satisfaction. For website creation, Weebly.com is my favorite and allows you to create a free website under their domain. Business Cards As students, business cards can be confusing because many people do not know what is appropriate to put on them. I suggest keeping it simple with your name, phone number, professional email address and your LinkedIn url (if you have one). The design should be easy to read and tailored to your personality so that people associate the card with you. The most important part is finding a balance between expressing your unique style and remaining professional. Avoid multiple bright colors and wacky fonts, and take a look at Canva’s free templates. Resume Your resume is a billboard for your accomplishments. Be sure to highlight your internships and job experiences as well as your special skills, awards or affiliations. If you do not have a robust variety of experience that relates to your field, you can choose to include volunteering or coursework to show your skills. With each position, mention your accomplishments in that role using quantitative data where possible. Your writing should be free of typos in active voice using only one style; Associated Press (AP) is the standard for public relations. In terms of format, avoid flashy colors or overpowering graphics to create an interesting, one-page document. Portfolio Showing off your work is important, and a portfolio can help you showcase your deliverables. Whether you choose to have a hard copy binder or a personal website, a portfolio should be easy to understand and draw attention to your best skills. Include pieces of your writing, especially if you have created communications materials like press releases or memos. Graphic design pieces, social media results or photography samples apply to the portfolio as they related to your desired field of work. These tips give you a nice starting point for creating your business materials. Feel to reach out to UAB PRCA/PRSSA, ask professors or conduct online research to help you craft these important pieces! Written by: Erica Jackson Not everyone majoring in public relations is an ace at graphic design and that’s ok because there are tools available to help. If you need to make a social media post, a flyer, a brochure, a resume, a business card or anything else you would need graphics for, Canva.com is your best bet. Canva is an easy to use site with most of the services at no cost. We are going to give you a how-to on using the site but you can always contact one of your officers for more information. Begin your journey on Canva by signing up which you can do through setting up a username and password or using your Google or Facebook accounts, which can sometimes be easier. Don’t worry, Canva does not post for you on your accounts. After you are signed up, you can browse the different templates available through their service depending on your needs. You will most likely use all of them at some point along the way. Once you select the type of media your project requires, Canva will allow you to look at layouts of theirs but you can also start from scratch and create your own. Here are a few different ways the site looks when you choose different methods. The first image shows examples of the layouts Canva provides which you can choose and rearrange by your needs. The second image shows shapes which can be added to the background in order to create your own layout. In the third image, you can see some of the background colors available for your creation. Canva allows you to upload images and logos of your own to finish your work and give it the look you intend on. This site is easy to use and the product is outstanding considering its free to use. Canva has features that do cost money but most of the time, even if you find something like that, you can create something like it yourself. Once you finish, you’ll have a great product for school, work or maybe a fun personal project. The last image is an example of a completed creation. We hope you found this information useful and like we said above, if you need anymore assistance with Canva or have more questions, contact us. We are more then happy to help. Written by: Price Visintainer
Finding the right major for college students is a process that takes time. For me, finding mine came easy. I started as a communication major and decided to concentrate on studying Public Relations. I knew I found the right major when I enrolled at UAB. From the first class up to this point, my love for Public relations has continuously evolved over time. My first class in PR was Intro to Public Relations, it was a great experience and I learned a lot from Dr. Shaia. I learned the basics of the course and my understanding of the field would continue to grow. Every semester I realize that I have to be held accountable for producing the right work. I learned that if you fail to communicate and get involved then you will not make it to the next class. Public Relations has forced me to step out of my comfort zone and build relationships that will last a lifetime. The importance of being able to communicate effectively is essential to any form of business. Public Relations taught me how to professionally express my thoughts and deliver a message to a wide variety of audiences. All of the work has not come easy. I have learned that if you are attempting to just get by, you have no chance in Public Relations. The Communication Arts and Sciences department here at UAB holds each student to a high standard and everyone is pushed to meet it. Nothing in life comes easy and you have to be willing to work for it. Countless hours spent planning, researching, and writing to produce the perfect piece is demanded. The high volume of competition in the classroom is symbolic to the competition in the working world. Therefore, I feel that I am more prepared than students at other Universities trying to pursue a career in Public Relations. There are plenty of opportunities in the field. Find what you do best and go for it; whether it’s social media, writing press releases, or strategic ways to respond to publics. This spring/summer I plan on interning for the Birmingham Barons and I am very excited to work with their Public Relations department. After graduation I plan on shadowing different opportunities in sales. Currently, I am taking classes to earn a minor in business administration. The road has not been easy, but I know it will all be worth it. My dad and my brother have taught me a lot about business, including the importance of speaking properly, presenting yourself professionally, and communicating effectively. The same concepts apply in Public Relations. If anyone has ever considered studying PR, I would encourage you to do so, but be ready to commit because you will never make it if your only partly committed. I learned that the hard way last year and it taught me a lot about myself. That being said, I am thankful to be a part of our Public Relations department here at UAB! Written by: Melissa Armstrong Bluff Park, Ala. – Elizabeth Wood, co-owner of Consider It Joy Baking, never planned to open a bakery. If someone has food allergies or follows the Paleo diet, chances are Consider It Joy Baking in Bluff Park is a frequent stop. Wood said the dream behind opening her own small business began because of a need. Her son began struggling with health issues when he was five years old. These health issues necessitated diet changes. Unfortunately, she could find no restaurant where he could eat anything on the menu. The dream for Consider It Joy Baking, which is an allergy friendly, vegan, and Paleo bakery, was born. Wood is a wife of 14 years, a mother to two sons, and the owner of three cats and a beagle. With all of these responsibilities, Wood explained that finding the ideal location for the bakery was a must. Since Bluff Park is a small, close-knit community, in which Wood and her husband have lived for seven years, Wood decided to stay close to home in case of emergencies. Wood never wanted to open a business because, “it seemed like a ridiculous amount of work.” She never baked or cooked seriously until the diet change her son went through. Yet, she is the successful business owner of a bakery that opened in January of 2015. The process of dreaming about the bakery to opening the doors for the first time took one year. Wood reflected that she is glad that the bakery started small and grew without a massive amount of debt. Customers, when they walk into the bakery, are greeted by Wood’s smiling face and welcoming spirit. Tangie Smith, a customer who turned into an employee, said when she entered the bakery for the first time she was struck by the quaintness and welcoming atmosphere. Smith said that Wood has a contagious personality. “She is caring, giving, forgiving, understanding, compassionate, and so funny.” Smith shared that Wood inspires her to be a better person. Wood said that Consider It Joy Baking has been successful for close to three years because she has always been intentional in what she does and she strives to not do everything. She focuses on her core customers and does not say yes to every opportunity. Wood’s business partner, Rebecca Wanagat, said that baking is Wood’s strong suit. “She works her tail off,” Wanagat expressed, and when she is not in the bakery chances are she is still doing something for it. Wanagat said that Wood handles the finances associated with the bakery and answers all customer questions on social media. “She is the face of Consider It Joy Baking.” As a business owner, Wanagat said that Wood is extremely flexible and does not get flustered easily. Wood worked through discovering right before the grand opening of the shop that the oven she ordered had never been manufactured. Instead of becoming overwhelmed, Wood calmly corrected the issue. Wood said she grew up in Andalusia, Alabama in a family full of “strong and determined women.” Because of their influence, she never thinks about the outcome of failure but always believes she will succeed. Whether customers want a Paleo gingersnap, cake roll, granola bar, or a chocolate chip blondie, Wood bakes a wide variety of products every day. Wood said she is thinking about possibly expanding Consider It Joy Baking to a second location. Written by: Anna Sauceda Did you know that on average there are more than 1.9 billion Facebook monthly users? According to Social Media Today, that is over half of the social media users comprised on Facebook alone in 2017. Instagram has 600 million monthly users while Twitter trails behind with a solid 312 million. That is a lot of people posting their life stories on Facebook and liking cat memes on Instagram. But social media does not always have to have a stigma attached to it. Sure, it is known to host ceaseless, political internet wars and a vast amount of hashtags, but it holds far greater value. Before social media was introduced in the early 2000s (Myspace being one of the first in 2003), the field of Public Relations was known to be a "one way street." Those in PR were only able to present their message to the public with no room for commentary; how exactly was the public supposed to give their opinions or even respond, through snail mail? The game changer The lack of communication between those in the field and the consumers strained the effectiveness of any PR campaign. There was not a clear understanding of the needs of the consumer, thus there was an absence of value. This is where our handy dandy Twitter account really gets to shine. The disconnect with consumers was no longer a significant issue. These online platforms have allowed conversations to blossom and feedback is more accessible to those in PR. Anyone can interact with big named brands/companies within seconds in 140 characters or less; go ahead, tell them how you really feel. This brings the value factor back by allowing the PR practitioners to cater to what the audience ultimately wants and needs. Now, with communication comes the responsibility of keeping interest. How do you get the masses to want to come back for more? Keeping the interest of the public is important in PR. Whether it’s through posting a picture with a witty comment on Instagram or a 5 minute video on YouTube, tailoring it to the interest of your audience is essential Another perk of social media is with a simple post or tweet, responses to breaking headlines are made available within seconds. Essentially, “damage control” made easier. Social Media/Technology Social media and technology is constantly evolving. The changes arise from companies striving to give the public the best and newest version of technology available. Social media platforms are always seeking to better their applications to stay current with the competition. For example, Instagram added the story feature and more filters to keep up with one of its biggest competitors, Snapchat. Twitter has even considered expanding its 140 characters limit to 280 characters due to users complaining of the limited structure. The release of the iPhone X is nearing and there is great speculation on its appearance (Zach Epstein, @zacharye). It seems that Apple listened to what the people wanted most likely through the use of social media; which is where most have expressed either excitement or their discord. Stay on top of the latest For anyone interested in the PR field, it is crucial to always be aware of the latest trends in social media. Research and the desire to learn are the key. Watching the news and doing extensive research (trusty Google) on the latest innovations will only be beneficial to you and your career. PR is ever-changing and always adapting to what is current, so you have to too. A great place to see any significant breakthroughs is usually on the discover pages of these platforms: Instagram, twitter, facebook and snapchat each have one. You can typically find trends and current news headlines there. Also, the official websites of tech companies usually have updates on their latest products or future endeavors. “If it’s not broke don’t fix it” Despite certain changes PR has made with the use of social media, communicating (face-to-face) and the ability to relay your ideas to others, efficiently and clearly, will always be necessary. Social media is there to help facilitate your job, not there to do it. Be creative and come up with new, fresh ideas that have never been seen before. Use social media as a tool to bring your vision to life. And remember that you are potentially competing against others, so be unique in order to standout. Many may still find social media to be the curse that has overtaken the lives of millennials. But ultimately it is free and can be highly effective if used properly, especially in a field focused on relevancy and social interaction. What are your thoughts on the close knit relationship between social media and Public Relations? Do you think it holds a positive or negative relationship? Resources: http://www.socialmediatoday.com/social-networks/top-social-network-demographics-2017-infographic |