It's Not the End, It's Just Another Beginning!

It's Not the End, It's Just Another Beginning!

I could not have asked for a better college experience. Period. Let's just say that the first year of college here at OU was completely dedicated to have a good time, being in a sorority, meeting as many new people as possible, and create a good academic foundation for myself. After having successfully achieved all of those goals as a freshman, I decided to enter into an internship that just so happened to fall in my lap, starting my sophomore year.

Public Relations was my major from the beginning, or at least I wanted to be somewhere at Gaylord. But honestly I didn't have a strong definition of what the field really was about until about two years ago. I said "sure" to being offered an internship working for the Athletics Department in Media Relations. As a sophomore, I totally thought that doing something "career-like" was distracting me from my social life/social development in college, but I found a way to balance it out, considering I only volunteered for 10 hours a week. Two years later, I stepped it up to 30 hours a week, paid, and in charge of covering a sport. As strange as this sounds, I got to the point where the more responsibilities I was given, the more I liked my job and the more I craved more challenges.

I am so blessed to have taken my internship that I took so blindly in the begging. I always say I had no idea what the heck I was doing when I first started, and I didn't know what sort of direction I wanted to head into in public relations. Luckily for me, God always does, and that's why I'm only excited about my future. Although I'd love to continue on about my crazy-good college experience, here are the top-three things I've learned through chasing my ambitions in public relations:

1) Always do what's right. PR is all about ethics, right? I have to say this is the most important item I hold on my list of things to do when it comes to my work. Doing what's right is a universal ideal that's honest and can put all of us to the test at one point of another. Each of us has the choice to decide doing what's right.

2) Know your surroundings and pay attention. As dumb as this sounds, I have recognized most recently that this is one of my downfalls. I'm not talking about walking alone to a car at night. I'm saying do research. Read the news, especially the local news, know the trends and get in as much information as possible, whenever possible. I admit I've always been lazy at this, but I'm improving as we speak (as I blog, really). I've always heard the phrase "knowledge is power" but I never really took it to heart. All I have to say is "better late than never." If I'm in public relations, I better be more in the know!

3) Finally, always remember what matters and what is most important. SO MANY TIMES I as a younger college student, I ran into a tough issue, a challenge arose, or I have been just plain annoying/irritated with someone. I don't know at what point exactly I decided to grow up and stop about getting frustrated about things that I couldn't control, or just the petty things, but I'm glad that I did. It's a continual challenge, but staying positive helps me work towards remembering what's important, even through the tough times.

I'm so excited for my future. As corny as this sounds, I'm really excited to continue learning. All of my life I've learned things from a textbook or in a classroom setting, and now I'm learning more from people. I never expected to learn anything about myself in the process, but I'm glad I did. Bring on the future!

Picture courtesy of the University of Oklahoma Athletics Department.

My Time Has Come

My Time Has Come

by Erin Jackson

In August 2005, this time in my life seemed so extremely far away. Graduation day was definitely a goal I had in mind, but it was something I pushed to the back of my mind, behind all of the research papers, group projects and mid-term exams I currently had to focus on. Now, as I am a senior at the University of Oklahoma in my last semester, that day is becoming all the more real… as is the fact that in less than one week, I will have to face the real world. I have to admit that part of me if frightened by it all, especially in my search for a full time job. Will I do well? Will I be able to compete amongst all of the other recent college graduates?

During my time at Gaylord as a public relations student, I have been challenged in more ways than I originally imagined. I used to be hesitant to take on those challenges put before me, but I am now thankful for each one, as I know that it will only help to build my marketability when I enter the workforce. After I graduate from OU, I will head to Dallas, TX to pursue a career in public relations. I know that when I am going on interviews and when I eventually land a job, I will be prepared for whatever task I am handed.

I am very thankful for all of the experiences I have had at OU, especially in the Gaylord College. It has not always been easy of fun, but I know that every experience

A Hopeful Outlook

A Hopeful Outlook
by Shagah Zakerion

As my college career at the University of Oklahoma inches closer and closer to the finale, I am forced to answer the daunting question all seniors must face: So, what are you doing with your life come May? While I wish I had a clear answer, the truth is I am not sure. I may have a public relations degree, but my experiences in the last four years have shown me that nothing is set in stone.

I started four years ago thinking that public relations was perfect for me. I watched Samantha on Sex and the City, saw the PR girls on television and was always drawn to the fast paced environment of public relations. I knew I was meant to work with people, above all else.

But, since declaring my major, I've had so many experiences that have changed the future I see for myself. I studied abroad with Honors at Oxford as a junior. This summer I worked as a Ewing Fellow in a congressional office in Washington, D.C. Now, I am working as a PR coordinator at the Norman Arts Council. Not only do I have a passion for politics that I didn't have four years ago, but I'm also driven by this desire to change things and give back to my community in a way I was not before.

Although I still love the thrill of a PR and the idea of working in communications, my passions have changed immensely over the last four years. While I sometimes question my decision to go with a PR major, the truth is that PR has given me so many skills that will only take me further in whatever path I take. My future might be a big question mark right now, but I'm confident and hopeful that my university experiences have prepared me for what ever I take on.

Photo by Lauren Harned

It's Been Fun

Time Well Spent

By Aaron Vossen

Throughout my time at OU I have ventured in many different directions. I have thought I would have been a doctor by now, an astronaut, an FBI agent, and at some point in my life I even thought I might be a SWAT guy. But none of these ever seemed to work. None of these were my passion; none of these seemed to fit. Then I began looking at what I do enjoy, conversation, public speaking, and fighting for what I believe in. The answer was Public Relations.

Public Relations had always been in the back of my head because of what my father does, but I had never taken it seriously. Now I look at my life, and I know it where I want to be. I have had a great time learning new skills, and honing in on skills that I never new I had but that I already had.

In my future I would like to work for a corporate company such as AT&T or some other big corporate office such as Devon, Chesapeake, or Conoco Phillips, but as far as I am concerned I would take anything at this point in my life because I have been trained and I can achieve these things but anything is better than nothing for a college graduate.

The last thing I would like to look at is my alternative. Here recently I have found myself wanting to practice law. I don’t know why this ambition has come to mind but for whatever reason I really, really want to. I would love to visit KU and get this because I am a huge Kansas fan. If it doesn’t work out then I have still had a fun ride and I hope others enjoy the ride as much as I have, no matter which ride they choose.

Only Time Will Tell

Photograph by:

Jacqui Latimer

Only Time Will Tell

Like everyone else reaching the end of their adventure as a college student, I wonder what comes my way as a new PR professional. Luckily, when I look back at what I’ve gained during my time at OU, especially Gaylord College, I gain a sense of comfort and confidence that I will be just fine.

Though I was pretty confident public relations would be the right degree for me, it is only natural that I sometimes questioned if I made the right choice. Thankfully, Gaylord and my professors put a stop to the questions and led me through the best three years of my life thus far. With client work in classes, study abroad and pressure to obtain an internship, I gained the knowledge and skills that will help propel me into a career as a PR professional.

Not only has Gaylord proven to me that PR is what I need to be doing, but it also helped me find my passion in PR. Having worked with several non-profit organizations now through classes and my internship, I have a newly discovered passion to work in the non-profit sector of PR, working mainly on human rights issues.

To help me prepare for such a career, I plan on attending grad school at the University of Denver for an MBA in international relations. After completing my master’s, I hope to serve 27 months in the Peace Corps and return to begin international relations work worldwide.

While this goal is just that, a goal, I believe Gaylord has equipped me with the right tools to accomplish this goal and to become a well-established PR practitioner in the near future.

Yes, the future is scary. Yes, it is unknown. We can hope for the best and work our tails off to get where we want to be, but the truth of the matter is: only time will tell.

ANGEL LOVE

By: Alison Lambert

Today, I was surfing the blogosphere and checking out current trends for an interesting topic to write on. As I was perusing the many fashion sites I have saved under my top favorites, I thought about fashion PR and its emerging trends and landed upon my topic. Alltop is a website where you can go to find the most current PR blogs on any topics. From Alltop, I went into a fashion site called PR Couture. It has information from fashion PR and online trends to finding the right fashion agency for you.
The one guest article that caught my eye was Show Me The Pretty, which highlights the indie fashion PR component to top fashion PR. Each PR Couture blog features an interview with a successful indie fashion artist. The industry expert provides advice and feedback about their own fashion PR strategy. This week featured an interview with Angel D’Amico. Angel is a freelance artist designer and illustrator from Chicago who has a unique sense of style and a wide range of skills. She is talented in just about anything including: drawing, painting, digital art, graphic design, playing and composing music, and hand screen printing onto shirts, bags, and scarves. She also created her own magazine, Entire Truestar Magazine, an urban magazine dedicated to keeping teenagers off the streets with an after school program that gives them real life experience in working for a magazine. She has an online store as well called ADLOVE for fans to buy her apparels and designs. Some of the artist’s clients include: Burger King, Timberland, YRB magazine, PEEL magazine, Los Angeles Journal, Lollapalooza, and Dance for Peace. D’Amico’s background is in design and illustration, but she ventured into apparel because she loves learning and experimenting with new techniques. The designer also mentioned in the interview that fashion has always been a love of hers. When asked what inspires her to create, D’Amico said, “Every day life. It is something inside of me that I can’t get away from, If I don’t create something for a few days, I feel like I am missing something.” To stay connected with Angel, follow her on her blog and see what inspires her daily.

No More Questioning

No More Questioning by Katie Whittern

As I look back on my four years here at the University of Oklahoma, I sometimes wonder what my life would be like had I taken a different route. What if I decided to go to Oklahoma State University and major in Fashion Merchandising like I had originally planned? What if I had stayed a business major here at OU? What if I had decided against taking my internship at AT&T this past summer in Dallas?

I could sit for days and wonder how different my life would be had I chosen a different path. But to be completely honest with you...I'm glad I chose the path I did.

I'm glad I chose OU over OSU... all of my best friends and now roommates are from OU.

I'm glad I strayed away from the business college... honestly I probably would have failed out of all my classes and switched to public relations anyway.

I'm glad I put on my big girl panties and interned AWAY from home this summer... I grew up a lot, learned so much and met a lot of awesome people.

There are probably hundreds of decisions I have made over the years I could question. But, I don't. Why waste your time? As cliche as it might be, I believe that everything happens for a reason. I believe you make the choices you make for a reason. I believe everyone is right where they are supposed to be. Pardon the motivational speaker moment I just had by the way.

So, as I look back on my last four years of college, I am happy with the decisions I made. They led me to this exact apartment with these exact friends on this exact computer writing for this exact class for this exact major at this exact school... and I would not have it any other way.

As I bring this sappy post to a close, I have a few words of wisdom... if you want to call it that.

1. Be happy with where you are in life and if you are not, do something about it. 2. Always try new things to add some spice to your life. Don't let your life get repetitive and boring. 3. Don't waste your time questioning your past decisions. They are made. Move on and make the best out of where you are right now.

Bring on the sports and the people!

by Scott Sauer

Public Relations.

What an interesting choice of major. It's such a vague term and can lead to very frustrating thought processes when contemplating life after OU. My internship with an event planning firm and a PR firm, inferno, quickly slammed the door with my passion for either of those routes. So now I am left with the "creating mutually beneficial relationships" road of PR.

Yeah OK.

This is my ultimate dream job, and my PR degree is gonna have to work.

I wanna throw t-shirts at sports games ... OK maybe not that simple, but I aspire to do promotional work for a sports team. And if that means I need to start out throwing t-shirts and running promotional events during halftime of a Memphis Grizzlies game, then so be it!

My love for sports has been growing since my Dad and I used to watch Cincinnati Bengal football games in our kitchen in Ohio when I was only 3 or 4. Dad and I loved the Bengals, and watching those games with him will be one of favorite memories I will always share with him.

That's who I want to impact. So much of PR at OU has been put in to research and campaigns, writing and publication. To me this is skewing our view of PR.

As PR people, we should thrive to understand people and how they interact with each other. We should thrive to impact the lives of everyone we work with in a positive way. It is important to keep this in mind as we begin to search for jobs.

I have come to terms with the idea that many of us are gonna be starting at the VERY bottom wherever we work. PR is going to be a tough field to find work in, but if we remember the reason we chose our major, the passion behind the degree, I think we will be all right.

We are very fortunate to have had the opportunity to earn our degree from the University of Oklahoma. Now it's time to take our spin on what we've learned and impact people in ways we would have never imagined were possible. Even if that means making them stand and scream ... all for an oversized t-shirt.

Never Forgotten

Never Forgotten

By: Shayla Boone

Kari Watkins is the executive Director of the Oklahoma City National Memorial. The Oklahoma City National Memorial is a museum/memorial that was created to honor those who were affected by the act of violence that was committed on April 19,1995, by Timothy McVeigh. For those that do not remember or may not have heard of this event, Timothy McVeigh created a bomb and targeted the Alfred P. Murrah federal building. As a result of his act of violence there were hundreds of Oklahomans that were killed, injured, and affected by this act of terrorism.

The Mission Statement of the memorial is "We come here to remember those who were killed, those who survived and those changed forever. May all who leave here know the impact of violence. May this memorial offer comfort, strength, peace, hope and serenity."

It is Kari Watkins job to make sure that this mission statement and message is upheld as well as delivered everyday.

Watkins received her degree in Journalism from the University of Oklahoma. While obtaining her degree she worked with news station KFOR to gain hands on experience and knowledge in the field. Upon graduating from the University of Oklahoma she continued to work at KFOR in their news production department.

From there she decide to go into corporate public relations by joining the ranks of the Sonic Corporation. She worked for Sonic during the years of 1989-1994. She decided after working in corporate PR for awhile that she wanted to take a break and focus on getting her MBA at Oklahoma City University.

Watkins began her career at the Oklahoma City National Memorial in 1996. She stated that a friend of hers told her about big things that were happened regarding the creation of the memorial. Even though Watkins had taken a break from the corporate world of work to focus on her MBA she couldn’t resist seeing what the big things were!; She has worked there ever since.

Watkins states ‘In my life as a PR professional no two days are alike. The most difficult part of my job is sometimes seeing the big picture; making sure that all rocks have been looked under and the unexpected assessed in every situation.’

Watkins stated in the PR world that media relations are key to holding successful events and also spreading an organizations message. Also she stated that to be successful making a personal connection can make all the difference. ‘In today’s time younger generations are used to just sending emails to contact people. The problem with that is in this business and the world there are generational gaps, so there are people that don’t use their computer for social communication and a phone call is more effective. Also it just adds a personal touch to the person that you are trying to reach to show them you want them to attend an event and you thought specifically about them.’

The advice that Watkins gives for someone wanting to pursue a career in Public Relations is that ‘There are no 40 hour work weeks! When people need you, you have to respond.’

· Oklahoma City National Memorial website referenced for memorial facts.

www.oklahomacitynationalmemorial.org

Nalgene's Tides of Change

Nalgene's Tides of Change

By Jeff Siddons

Up until a few years ago, Nalgene, a U.S. plastics manufacturer popular for making reusable drinking containers, manufactured the majority of their products with Bisphenol A (BPA) laden polycarbonate.

However, recently, speculation regarding the potential health risks of BPA and human contact has come to light. In 2008, the Journal of American Medical Association (JAMA) published a study created by Iain Lang and his colleagues. After conducting a cross-sectional study of approximately 1,500 humans, Lang concluded that elevated BPA levels
were associated with heart disease, diabetes and an uncommon escalation of liver enzymes.

The aforementioned research, coupled with a handful of BPA-related health studies, posed a serious threat to the present image and future existence of Nalgene as a company.

As the message spread, large retailers began pulling BPA based Nalgene products from their shelves. At first, only a few small stores removed bottles, but after camping supply giant REI went BPA-free, Nalgene found itself standing on the edge of a cliff.

As a reaction, Nalgene halted the production of BPA bottles and began using BPA-free copolyester. To avoid a PR image disaster, the public affairs people at Nalgene created the "Nalgene Choice" information center on their website. By addressing BPA concerns, explaining the phase-out of old bottles and introducing the BPA-free "Everyday" bottle, Nalgene aimed to minimize the consumer backlash and retain customers.

To this day, Nalgene is a fully functioning manufacturer operating out of Rochester, NY. If those in charge had blinked and not reacted forthwith, they would have found themselves drowning in consumer disapproval.

All Sports. All the Time.

By: Kati O'Kelley

When I first arrived in college, I had no idea what I wanted to do. I knew I liked working with people and planning events. I also loved to write and had a strong background in journalism. After trying many different majors, I finally decided on public relations and haven't looked back since. One of the first things I was told about being a public relations major was the importance of internships. After working a small internship at the Harn Homestead Museum in Oklahoma City, I applied and got my current internship at Oklahoma City All Sports.

In my year with Oklahoma City All Sports, I have learned and grown as a public relations student. On my first night with All Sports, I worked the All College Basketball Classic and fell in love with sports PR. Working with the media and seeing behind the scenes of a sporting event was exciting and even though I am no sports expert, I was having a blast. Since then, I have worked numerous event with All Sports ranging from the Women's College World Series to the Big 12 Basketball Tournament.

It is not only the events that I love about sports PR, it is the work that goes into the events that is the most exciting. All Sports has shown me that these things are not put together over night, but it takes months and months of hard work to put on a successful even of any kind. Be that a Board Dinner or a Baseball Tournament. I have also learned that working together makes for a better product.

With the combination of my education and my real world experience, I feel confident moving forward into the world of working professionals. I am currently working two internships; the first at All Sports and the other at The Brides of Oklahoma Magazine. My advice to other public relations majors would be to get as much experience outside of school as possible. Through all of my outside experiences, I have learned not only about public relations but about myself. I have learned that, yes, it can be scary out there but if I work hard, I can do anything I put my mind to!

Photo: Lauren Burkholder, Natalie Beasley

Life After OU

Life After OU is a class offered to senior students at the University of Oklahoma to teach them how to perform the everyday tasks required of college graduates. The actual course is a crash course that teaches students about the legal aspect of employment; money, banking and finances; insurance; mortgages; estate planning as well as how to interview and civic involvement. Virtually, all the tasks one needs to succeed when presented with the daunting task of making it in the "real world." I am currently enrolled in this class for next semester but I have mixed feelings as to what to expect.

When I think of how my life after OU will be, my concerns are do not encompass the legal aspect of employment or how to interview for a job. I worry about the fact that there may not be a job available for me when I graduate and that I may just not be ready to grow up.

It is debatable that all college students develop a routine and pretty much stick to that routine throughout college. My routine has been work hard during the week so I can play hard during in my free time. One could say that I have had quite the college experience and some would agree that I am not ready to close the book. Don't get me wrong, I am not some wild child who lives to party, I have merely made to most of my college days. I enjoy being as involved as possible on campus as well as with my greek organization. I have never turned down an opportunity to go on a road trip with the friends and am actually studying abroad over winter break. I make pretty good grades but could teach a course on having a good time.

For me, Life After OU will not only be a class but it will be a concept for me to ponder during my last semester at OU. I'll admit, the criteria of the class will be helpful but at the same time I feel that most college students would benefit more from a crash course in breaking out of our college routine. The things I am dreading most are not finances, insurance, and legal obligations. My concerns are working 40 hours a week while my friends still go out three times a week, where I'm going to work, or where I'm going to live.

I will admit, I am looking forward to the things that will be thought in Life After OU. I truly think this class will benefit me greatly. But I think the class should touch on "how to grow up" or "how to move on from the college life." I may be speaking for myself but I think most students would benefit this as well.

Figure out what you love and DO IT!

By: Alex Marcus

They say the most satisfying job you can have is one that you love, and for me that would involve working in the entertainment industry. Before college I had no idea what field I wanted to study, but having strong communication and writing skills and an interest in the media and entertainment, I decided to pursue public relations.

Although I enjoyed my public relations classes, I was still not satisfied. I wanted to dig deeper and learn more about public relations specifically in the entertainment industry. That is when I researched internships. It was my second semester sophomore year and I really knew nothing about obtaining an internship, so I got help from Heather Spencer. She provided a brief demonstration on how to search internships on HIRESOONER and that is where I saw a posting for the Oklahoma Film and Music Office.

I had a resume although it was not very extensive, but did not have a cover letter. Feeling somewhat less than confident, I thought I would send the internship coordinator an e-mail and take my chances. To my surprise, I got a call within a few weeks, and was hired as an intern. I was overwhelmed with excitement because I would finally get experience working in the industry I love.

My role as an intern enabled me to develop proficiency in social skills, organization, creativity, and event coordination. In addition, I was able to fine-tune new skills quickly and efficiently. I was assigned a lot of tasks that really challenged my public relations abilities including press release writing, extensive research on bands and music venues, regular website postings and providing assistance in planning events. One of the greatest experiences for me was being assigned the task of planning a music video screening for the City Arts Under the Influence event. This task required me to make contact with Oklahoma bands, like Starlight Mints, Cecada, Mama Sweet and The Flaming Lips. I then obtained music videos from them for the first music video screening the office had ever initiated.

Aside from daily office tasks, I was able to participate in and help out at various events including deadCENTER Film Festival, the Oklahoma Creatives Event, the Norman Music Festival and Another Hot Oklahoma Night, which was the dedication for the Oklahoma Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Not only were these events a blast, but also a great source for networking. In fact, at one event I met a man who took interest in my hopes to pursue a career in the music industry and invited me to attend a concert set up for Kenny Chesney, where I learned all about what goes on behind the scenes.

Throughout my three semesters working at the Oklahoma Film and Music Office, I learned a lot of valuable skills, which will help contribute to my success as I start to travel down an exciting career path.

My advice to you is:

1. Figure out what you love and go after it! Knowing that I had a love for the music industry really encouraged me to seek out an internship in that field. Although I’ve learned a lot in my PR classes, I would never have had the opportunity to experience the industry in which I hope to work without applying for my internship.

2. Just because you have skills doesn’t mean you can’t strengthen them. I already had strong communication and writing skills going into my internship, however the position really enabled me to expand those skills within my chosen field. It is really beneficial when you can use your skills outside the classroom.

3. Don’t pass up any opportunities for networking! Whether you have an internship or not, attend events in your chosen field. It is amazing how many people you can meet and how many are actually willing to talk to you. They may not necessarily offer you a job, but those people you meet know other people who know other people and it keeps going from there. Networking is the key to new opportunities.

4. Have fun! Whatever career you choose, have fun with it and be passionate because happiness leads to ultimate success.

Photo provided by Alex Marcus: Me pictured with Wayne Coyne of The Flaming Lips

Fashion PR: 5 Steps to Land Your First PR Internship

By: Alison Lambert

Today, I was surfing the Internet and checking out current trends for an interesting topic to write on. As I was perusing the many fashion sites I have saved under my top favorites, I thought about fashion PR and its emerging trends and landed upon my topic. Alltop is a website where you can go to find the most current PR blogs on any topics. From Alltop, I went into a fashion site called PR Couture. It has information from fashion PR and online trends to finding the right fashion agency for you. The website provides top fashion PR must-reads with links to blogs and online fashion media. Some are Fashionably Marketing, The Fashion Feed, and Fashionista. Those who are interested in fashion PR and want to know more can listen to PR Couture Radio.
The one guest article that caught my eye written by Vianka McConville, a recent University of Florida grad with a B.S. in Public Relations. The article "Fashion PR Intern Series: 5 Steps To Land Your First PR Internship," Vianka talks about how she obtains and utilized internships, which ultimately lead her into her career in the fashion world. She spent her freshman year at the University of Florida taking classes to decide her career path. After realizing she wanted to practice PR, she had four internships in three years. She worked with two small agencies, a credit union and a student-run firm, leaning invaluable lessons that made her more marketable. Through the experience she gained at her internships, Vianka was able to get a job in fashion PR when she graduated. Through the article, Vianka (pictured above at work) gives five “words of wisdom” on how she successfully acquired a fashion PR internship.
1. Build a portfolio: The hardest part of completing internships is landing the first one. Many agencies expect you to already have experience. Ironic, since that is why people are applying for the internship…to gain experience. Be proactive and publish pieces in the student or city newspaper, local magazines, credible blogs and newsletters. If those outlets are not available, create your own blog or newspaper.
2. Personalize your search: Ask friends, family, professors, mentors, teacher’s assistants, co-workers and everyone else you may know about opportunities. It is always better to have a personal email address, phone number or accurate salutation for your cover letter than to send out a rough resume. You never know who might know someone who knows someone who is looking.
3. Find the right fit: Have a vision for your career and find companies that fall in line with your goals. Look for internships that will prepare you to work at your dream company. If you are lucky enough to live in the city where your dream company is, don’t wait for an available internship. Instead, introduce yourself to the company in question, and don’t be afraid to let your passion (and knowledge) shine through in your cover letter. Also, get the names of former interns and invite them to coffee. It does not hurt to get an opinion from someone who has already had former experience.
4. Learn to love the interview: Calm your nerves and do your homework on the company. Find out the name and background of the CEO, know about how many people are on staff, how much the firm bills in a year, mission, vision, goals, and its clients. Researching these facts will help you make a personal connection during the interview. In addition, coming prepared with a few questions of your own or anecdotes will help you to interview the agency at the same time that the employee is interviewing you.
5. Don’t let the “U” word turn you away-Unpaid: Yes, working for nothing can be overwhelming, and if you are like most, you will have another job to pay the college bills. But the experience will be worth it. Plus, you will have a greater understanding and appreciation for journalism and reporters. The temporary monetary sacrifice led to higher pay and other rewards at future positions. Consider it.
Work it- Once you earn the internship, share your opinions. Don’t be afraid to apply what you learn in class or to ask questions, doing so shows that you are paying attention. Most employers will notice when you thinking critically. It shows your intelligence, dedication and eagerness to learn. By looking for problem solving opportunities or taking on responsibility, you leave a good impression on your supervisor and solidify yourself as a valuable employee and team player. Plus, if you do these, you might get hired on full time in the end!

The Million Dollar Question

The Million Dollar Question

By: Kelsey Wray

Most children see 22 as old, a big person, grown up or adult. Most adults see 22 as a child, a blank canvas with all the time in the world as well as chance to create whatever they want in life. I see 22 as a ticking time bomb, no time to waste with the pressure to decide right now what it is you want be as an adult.

As I continue to get closer and closer to that dreaded graduation date, I am continuously forced to answer the million dollar question, "What is it that I want to do after graduation?" I have always liked to think of myself as the girl with a plan. I have tried to avoid the feeling of doubt and uncertainty by figuring out what it is that I want to do with my professional life ever since I began my first day of college. Three different majors and 4 1/2 years later I continue to re-evaluate what I've learned over the years in specifically the PR field and every day I've been trying to incorporate that knowledge into my goals and dreams. Like most people, I have dreams but as far as visualizing my dream job goes, it's a bit fuzzy.

In every PR class that I have taken, the importance of applying for and doing internships has always been stressed. It is within these experiences that we shall learn the "on the job training" as well as figure out what it is that we want to specialize in and pursue. I have had many internships. I have been given several opportunities to work for what I considered cool companies. Over the past few summers I was blessed with the opportunities to work in New York and Los Angeles. In New York I worked for Potomac Hudson Media, a prestigious PR firm, where I just knew I would have all my questions answered. It was such a positive and interesting internship, but I left the experience knowing what I did not want to do rather than knowing exactly what it was that I did want to do.

I continued pick the brain's of several PR professionals. The general consensus that they kept telling me was that soon all of my don'ts would narrow down and lead to my do's, which will then reveal my passion or the thing that I have been searching for all along. I took the advice and began to apply for more future internships.

Last summer I got a job to intern for KLW Entertainment, a talent management company based in Los Angeles. This was by far one of my favorite internship/job opportunities I've had. Every day the tasks would change and be filled with something new and exciting for me to do. Even the days that were still very fast-paced but considered "slower" were entertaining. I loved it! However realistically, I did not see a passion/future for me in becoming a talent manager for actors and actresses. Though I did discover that I have a major passion for something in the entertainment industry. Again though, that is something....nothing specific in terms of what I want to specialize in or which path I should take.

One day I was speaking with one of my best friend's aunts aka "Aunt Pam." We were both discussing with her that after these different experiences we've had, we still have no clue what career path we would like to choose. I then was asked a very important question. Aunt Pam asked us, "If you could do anything in the world and be guaranteed that you will succeed and not fail, what is it that you would like to do?" As simple and as silly as this question sounds, it transformed my muddled career thoughts into clarity. It hit me like a ton of bricks! I want to be an entertainment television anchor and one day for ET aka Entertainment Tonight or E! News. It incorporates all of my interests in one from fashion to entertainment etc.

So even if your an adult, I challenge you to ask yourself that magical question. Most adults see 22 as a child, a blank canvas with the time and chance to create whatever they want in life. After all, in today's world 40 is the new 20!

"If you could do anything in the world and be guaranteed that you will succeed and not fail, what is it that you would like to do?"

The Essential Non-Essential

The Essential Non-Essential

By Chelsea Klinglesmith

When trying to decide what I wanted to spend my free blog topic on, I scanned through my memory over the most important messages I have received throughout my time in college as a PR major. From the get go, in my first PR class at OU, a seed was planted in my brain that would be continuously nurtured throughout the rest of my strategic communication studies. “Public Relations is NOT publicity work; It’s not press agentry; It’s not glamorous event planning like you see on Sex and the City; It’s not what everyone thinks it is.” This is what a class of young of Intro. to PR students were told in the fall of my sophomore year, myself among them. I recall leaning over in class to one of my friends saying, “Uh oh. It’s not? I think I need to change my major.”

What I figured out over the next three years is that my first public relations professor was right. In fact, she wouldn’t even refer to the industry as “PR,” because of the negative connotation she believed it carried. Public relations isn’t JUST the things the general public commonly perceives it to be; It’s sometimes aspects of those things, but as a whole, so much more. Really, I think as PR majors we’re lucky if people have any perception at all of what our job is. I’ve lost track of how many people scrunch up their faces and as what PR is when I tell them my major. Now that I’ve actually figured out what PR is myself, I hate that it’s not more commonly appreciated outside of its immediate arena, because in all truth, it’s an important service that all kinds of professional industries NEED.

When you move away from the general public who has a foggy idea, at best, of what PR work is, and in to various professional fields with PR staff, I think the reality gets even more disappointing. Sure, all kinds of companies from big-time corporations to small non-profits recognize the existence of public relations and perhaps even their need for it. However, to say PR professionals are underappreciated would be highly understating the situation. To even be recognized as a legitimate communication-related career, PR has to jump through hoops larger than many of its closely related fields. Take advertising for example. What Fortune 500 Company would take short cuts with its advertising staff? No way. People understand how much they need someone to brand their products or services and expose it to the outside world. When it comes to specifying exactly what parts of that outside world need to be reached and how best to inform them about said product or service, that’s where the shortcuts are made.

The truth is that despite the merits of PR or the absolute necessity of it, depending on what field we want to work in, the professionals we serve may or may not recognize it. We will have to work harder to demonstrate how our job contributes to the bottom line and offers an irreplaceable service. Too many companies view PR as an optional addition to their staff or a non-essential contribution to outreach efforts. I don’t know how our profession should overcome this roadblock, but I do know that PR professionals recognize the existence of this “prejudice” and are working towards legitimizing our field, even as I type this entry. The longer it takes to gain recognition won’t be at our expense, but rather the companies we could’ve been building relationships for.

Photo courtesy of Chelsea Klinglesmith

My P.L.A.N.

My P.L.A.N.

By Kacie James

The past four and a half years of college has been a life changing experience. Not only have I met great friends, had a lot of fun, but I learned something too! I have learned that having a P.LA.N. is not always as structured as one may think.

P- PAST: In 2005, I came to college knowing my future. I was going to go to school for four years, graduate with a degree in special education, get a job at a high school in Edmond, Oklahoma, get married and live happily ever after.

L- LOST: This past plan did not stick. I found college to be way more difficult than expected, which meant I couldn’t take as many hours per semester. This is in, made me realize I would not be able to finish a special education degree in four years. Then I began questioning my decision to become a Special Education teacher because I was scared of the thought that I would attend college for over four years, to only have one option of a future profession. As I continued to battle my decision to change majors, I started to believe college wasn’t the place for me. I was officially lost.

A- ASSESS: At this point, I knew I had to make a decision. I began to assess my options. After coming to realization that having a degree is a necessity, I chose to change my major to public relations. I knew I could always volunteer with special needs children and although I didn’t even know what public relations consisted of at the time, it seemed to be the most logical major for me because of three reasons.

1. All of my credits from special education would transfer as electives, so I wouldn’t be behind or waste money on unnecessary classes.

2. My counselor explained public relations was a broad major that would provide many options for a future profession.

3. Public relations did not require more than the basic math and science courses, which was a major factor.

N- NOW: Well now in 2009, I’m not totally found, but I have a new plan. This plan coincides with the lessons we learned through the book Who Moved My Cheese. I now plan to accept changes, go with the flow and know that everything works out for a specific purpose. Even though I have enjoyed my experience in my public relations classes, I have accepted a job to work for a toy showroom as a sales representative. I know the skills I have learned through public relations will enable me to succeed in a sales career. I also know, if this job isn’t for me, I will move my cheese!

Kellogg's in a Krispie Situation

Kellogg's Reverses Rice Krispie Immunity Claims

By Kasey Hendrix

The largest maker of cereal in the U.S. is backing away from a health claim printed on some cereal boxes.The claims emblazoned on boxes of Kellogg's Coca Krispies and Rice Krispies claimed the breakfast food "Now helps support your child's IMMUNITY." The claim had also been posted on the Kellogg's website reading: "And now each and every box is fortified with vitamins and nutrients that work together to help support your child's immunity." After being asked by critics to prove the claim and media suggestions that the company was taking advantage of H1N1 fears, Kellogg's has announced it will discontinue the immunity statements.The additional vitamins and nutrients are antioxidants that have been found to help support the immune system.
(Illinois Home Page.Net)

This public relations faux pa is an example of what happens when people in our field try to pull the age-old role of “spin doctor.” A campaign like this could further suspicions about public relations practitioners being sly sneaky business people out to get a buck because it deliberately fabricated a half-truth and distributed that to the American public. A company such as Kellogg’s should have had someone more professional than that dealing with their Rice Krispies campaign, but I am sure that they have learned their lesson. Now they will be viewed as less credible on other good health claims that are actually true about their products. I thought this news story was an interesting depiction of just why we should always stay honest with our publics!

http://illinoishomepage.net/content/fulltext/?cid=115651

Photo obtained from morethananelection.com

NASHVILLE or Bust

By: Sarah Jacober

Music has always been my passion. Whether it has been playing it, singing it, or listening to it, I am involved with music in some way, shape, or form every single day. I have playing the piano since I was 6 years old, songwriting since I was 12, and I bought a guitar that I have been learning to play on one of my numerous trips to Nashville. Even though I love music, I do not want to pursue a music career, but a career in music.

I have grown up with country music my whole life. Over the past 4 years, I have made a lot of friends in the country music industry by going to concerts all across Texas, Oklahoma, and some when I visit Tennessee. I did not know what I specifically wanted to use my Public Relations degree in, but it just dawned on me that I wanted to work in the country music industry in Nashville, Tennessee as soon as I graduated.

This past summer, I had an internship in Oklahoma City with Box Talent Agency. The firm does a lot of event planning, but has a huge department when there do a lot of booking for music. The Box Talent Out and About program started this summer, where a few of the interns would go out to concerts on the weekend to promote bands. I absolutely loved doing it. My favorite experience of the summer was when I got to work with country music sensation Gloriana, who is on tour with Taylor Swift.

I am lucky to have an idea of what I want to do, I know that getting a job may not be easy, but I am open to doing internships and any other kind of jobs until I obtain the job of my dreams. At the end of the summer, I went out to Nashville and spent a lot of time with my friend Josh Roberts who is from Norman and just joined a band, 10 Mile Town out in Nashville. I made some connections while out there and brought my resume everywhere I went, because you never know who you might run into out there in Nasvhille. It would be my dream to work for CMT in Nashville.

My advice:

Make connections: It really is about who you know. Make contacts with people and make yourself memorable. I have made so many amazing personal contacts and a lot of my musician friends are currently trying to help me find a job in Nashville when I graduate.

Internships: Do as many internships as you can. You get experience and you find out what you want to do.

Do what you love: I was once told, “Choose a job that you love and you will never have to work a day in your life.” It is so true. If you find a job that you love, you will enjoy doing it.

Marian the Librarian

Marian the Librarian
By Rebekah Husted

I am a librarian.

Every summer for the four years I've been in college, I have gone home to Prague, Okla. The first summer I went back, I needed a job. I asked around, and finally the city manager called and offered me a sweet deal: I could work 20 hours a week at city hall and 20 hours across the street at the library. Since I spent a good deal of my childhood at the library, I was thrilled to have a chance to work there.

That half-time job that summer became a full-time job the next three summers. The second year, I took over most of the event planning, and the last two years I handled all of the public relations work for the library.

I loved it. I loved planning events for the kids, chatting with the newspaper owner when she came to check out books, putting together a book signing for a local author, convincing my boss that I am a "technology guru," setting up the library's Web site and blog.

During these summers spent at the library, I've learned a lot. Some of that knowledge is unrelated to public relations (for example, never get "Cowboy," one of our favorite patrons, started on women and guns), but some of it will be very helpful in my career.

First, I learned that public relations includes a lot more than writing press releases and organizing events. Yes, I wrote a lot while I was there, and yes, I organized several events. But every time I spoke to a patron, every time I helped make it easier for them to find what they were looking for, I was doing what is at the heart of PR: I was building relationships with the public.

Second, I learned not to let failure disappoint me. Prague is a small town. Not all of the events the library held had a big turnout; sometimes we had seventy-five children at a program and sometimes it was just the kids from the daycare next door. I had to learn to accept that and to concentrate on making the experience great for those who did come.

Finally, I learned to have fun no matter what. Sure, some things - dressing up as a clown or a cowgirl for a kids' program - were more fun than others. But one of my favorite moments from last summer came from something that could have been very frustrating. Learning to see even bad experiences as "PR experience" helped me find the good in some otherwise bad situations.


And, of course, I learned how to clown around a little bit.

Photo credits: Carol Hunter, Rebekah Husted

A Different Approach to Business

By Tiffany Cunningham

Fashion has always been an interest, passion and devoted, shop-aholic love of mine. Even though I do not live in New York or have great shopping around me in Norman, Okla I imagine what it would be like to afford great fashion finds and have a closet full of different colored high heels; never having to wear the same outfit twice! If I had artistic ability I would be a fashion designer, but instead I am gifted at creativity, which is why I placed myself in PR. Luckily for me there is fashion public relations.

After figuring out the new social media site, Twitter, I came across PR Couture, "fashion PR's haute spot." I have always been interested in creating or directing things from behind-the-scenes and what intrigues me about fashion PR is the ability to work in so many different services including product placement, events, marketing programs, design consulting and retail consulting. The work is similar to designing because public relations associates design conceptually.

Working with products, clients and events is everything I am interested in right now and the public relations boutique that incorporates all of these services is Ruby Press, an agency that represents businesses in the fashion industry. What is unique about this agency is that it is based out of Berkeley, Calif., selectively chooses it's clients and the work created at the agency has been placed in top media outlets, increased brand awareness and sales of clients' products.

Ruby Press has placed their clients in Vogue, Harper's Bazaar, Elle and In Style. Television show placement includes Sex in the City, The O.C. and The Today Show. People seem to conform to their familiarities, when a fashion name appears on TV or in a magazine the awareness of that name has increased and people began to follow the fashion that name brings to our society. The name recognition comes from someone being curious and asking, then it sticks if they like what they see.

"You can't launch a new brand with advertising because advertising has no credibility. It's the self-serving voice of a company anxious to make a sale." - Melissa McElhatton Davis, founder of Ruby Press.

At the end of the day, if you love what you are doing in your career you have succeeded in life. For now succeeding is landing internships; here are 5 steps:

1. Build a Portfolio: Publish pieces in magazines, local newspapers, credible blogs and newsletters. Any interviewer will be impressed by a published collection of work.

2. Personalize your search: Ask friends, family, professors, mentors, co-workers and everyone else you may know in the industry you want to enter.

3. Find the right fit: Have a vision of the career you want to pursue and have the companies you work for fall in line with your goals you have set for yourself. Be adventerous; get out in the world and ask questions and introduce yourself.

4. Learn to LOVE the interview: Interviews are scary, but you got the interview so show your future boss what you can really offer the agency or company and research the facts before going.

5. Don't let the "U" word turn you away - Unpaid: Internships can be unpaid and you might end up finding what you want to do for the rest of your life in that internship. Take every experience you can and utilize it for all of its potential.

Picture: http://blicio.us/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/little-birdy.jpg

Contributors to a QR? That is for you to Decide.

Contributors to a QR? That is for you to Decide.

By Morgan Dickerson

More commonly today, than a decade ago, our society has unfortunately been exposed to what some communication practitioners and professionals call a ‘PR Blitz’. What is a PR Blitz, you say? Well, the problem is that there is no real dictionary definition of the term, but what I did find was an assortment of definitions for the word ‘blitz’ that may help us all better understand the meaning. A blitz is, “any swift, vigorous attack, barrage, or defeat” (Dictionary, 2009). Now, when we combine the words public relations with the word blitz we get, in my own words, this definition: The misuse and bombardment of communication tools to immediately bring attention to a story that is dramatized for the sake of media coverage wanted for that particular story. So, I am sure you all are wondering why I titled this story the way I did. Maybe some of you know what a ‘QR’ is, and maybe some of you don’t. For those of you who don’t, a ‘QR’ stand for ‘questionable reputation’. Why would pr practitioners have a QR? Because of communicators who dub their work as a pr blitz.

This brings up my next topic, the story of Pat Tillman. Tillman was an Army Ranger who died while serving his country in Afghanistan. According to reports from ABC News and the LA Times, Tillman feared that Washington would use him as a, “propaganda victory,” (Chivvis, 2009). Tillman was the man sent to rescue a P.O.W.  named Pvt. Jessica Lynch, in Iraq. Tillman wrote in his diary that he felt like Washington was going to make something out the rescue story if something were to happen to him and make him a, “false hero,” (Chivvis, 2009). Tillman noted that he was suspicious of the rescue because the number of people being sent to rescue a low ranking officer was uncommon (Chivvis, 2009). The point of this story is that Tillman knew what was going on and what would happen, and clearly was uneasy about the situation.

Tillman's story about Washington putting on a pr blitz is not the only case where our society hears those words. Fox News did a report on the 'Balloon Hoax' and in their story the term 'publicity stunt' was used. In the end, the rest of us pr practitioners are left to pick up the pieces from these stunts' and blitz', and must move forward. By moving forward progressively and aggressively, we pr practitioners can pave the way for much needed high standards, which all communicators should strive to live by. Our job is to build and maintain a positive relationship between an organization and it’s community. As pr practitioners, we must be trusted, and there are no ifs, ands, or buts about it. It is our duty and main purpose to strive for honesty and excellence. 

My three words of advice to keep a clean respectable reputation:

1. Be honest.

2. Go with your gut instinct (you know what is right and wrong).

3. Do not make promises you can not keep.

Image Information: Dishonest Female.

Web Source: Honesty Blog. 

Do Something You Love

Do Something You Love

By Melissa Chasteen

I started working when I was 16, doing everything from folding clothes at Abercrombie Kids to performing ultra sounds on patients at a hand rehabilitation clinic. Of all of the random jobs I’ve held, the most beneficial and the one that has provided me with the most useful knowledge has been my internship. I have a passion for music and I’m an avid movie watcher, so when searching for an internship I was hoping to find one where I could not only use my knowledge from Public Relations classes, but knowledge of the film and music industry as well.

I interned at the Oklahoma Film & Music Office this past summer, and for the first time I was able to utilize the skills I gained from my PR classes and apply them to my work tasks. Some of my responsibilities included writing press releases that went on the homepage of the Web site, editing the weekly newsletter and posting articles from various film industry trade papers on the press page. My primary responsibility was researching artists that were going to be performing concerts in Oklahoma and writing about them on the Web site.

The most exciting part of the internship was the external groups associated with the company. The film The Killer Inside Me was wrapping up its filming in Guthrie and workers from the set would constantly call with questions pertaining to Oklahoma lifestyle and a scene was even filmed outside of the office. Also, workers from the TNT's show Saving Grace (which is supposed to be set in Oklahoma) always called with questions about Oklahoma (how we dressed, what was the most practiced religion in the state.) I would research these inquiries and in the process I was able to learn a lot of interesting information about our state!

In regards to advice I have for excelling in your work, the underlying theme is to be FAMILIAR.

· Be familiar with the area surrounding your workplace. One aspect of being an intern is that you’re inevitably the “gopher.” Knowing the restaurants and stores around your office minimizes confusion when trying to fetch various things for your employer.
· Be familiar with various computer software and the Internet. This is a given, but your job will be a lot easier if you can easily navigate through the Internet and if you understand programs like Microsoft Word, PowerPoint and Excel.
· Be familiar with everyone in your office. Networking is vital when wanting to further your career, and having good relationships with co-workers lets you hear about other career opportunities that you may not have known about otherwise.

Photo from personal collection