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.

PR on a Budget

By Rachel Forsyth

PR on a Budget by Leonard Saffir is a very interesting and entertaining how-to guide; a must read for all public relations professionals. The book is structured as an informal guide for ‘free, cheap, and worth the money strategies for getting noticed.’ This book seemed like an interesting choice based on the premise of ethics in public relations because conducting public relations in a cheap or free way, should always be ethical.

The strategy the book discusses that I found most interesting is the effective use of media and media lists. Saffir states the importance of forming a media list as the crucial “blood line of public relations.” The book explains to the reader about how to find media contacts that are important to each specific market.“There’s more out there than the New York Times,” the book preaches. Local television, radio and newspapers can be the most beneficial when used effectively.

The book also discusses the importance of social media, or “internet PR.” The Internet makes it possible for the “small practitioner [to have] the same opportunities for success in public relations as the giant companies.” As I near graduation, I too have found that social media is a major element to every public relations arena, big or small. Doing research for an organization seems to most frequently be done online. ‘Wikis’ such as Wikipedia, are “web applications that allow users to add content." Although research is efficient online, there are no ethics police or accuracy police online. It is important to be weary of any and all information retrieved online on behalf of a client. The Internet is a never-ending portal to all businesses, people and networks; therefore ,when using it, the golden rule is important.

PR on a Budget was an excellent book for anyone interested in entering either non profit or for profit public relations. The book offers lots of real-life success stories about businesses that have used public relations effectively ‘on a budget.’

Non-profits Find Ownership

Non-profits Find Ownership
By Tabitha Brown
May 1, 2008

Bridges, a United Way sponsored organization, is located in Norman, Oklahoma where roughly 100,000 people reside. Because it is such a localized not for profit organization, much of the research High 5 Public Relations conducted was primary. Although there was some secondary research conducted as well. Bridges is a very unique organization with no other association like it. Of the organizations found that were somewhat similar, many of them were in Canada or the UK. Bridges is definitely one of a kind.

Norman is a town full of young people with an ever changing young population. With over 25,000 college students coming in and out of Norman every four years because of OU, the number of solicited volunteers is constantly changing for many non-profit organizations.

Bridges, however, seeks out the assistance of young professionals, people who are already in a career in the Norman area. Prior to the organization being named Bridges, it was called Independent Living Services for Youth (ILSY). It was found that those individuals who lived in Norman and knew of the organization were very enthusiastic about it. I believe a woman at the Norman Next meeting I attended put it best when she said, “Those of us who have made Norman our home really hold ILSY very dear to our hearts.”

In all of the primary research conducted it was discovered the name was not conducive to the organization and its purposes. Therefore, a name change would be necessary. It was also discovered that, although the organization’s name would help, the awareness of the group needed to increase as well if more volunteers were going to donate their time and money. The research validated the many of the thoughts the organization already had.

The Job of My Dreams

When I was a little girl, my parents always told me that “when you grow up, you can be whatever you want to be.” Although this is true in our country, it takes a lot of hard work and dedication to eventually get the job you have always dreamed of. As I am nearing the end of college, I am now faced with the reality of finally deciding exactly what I want to do. With a degree in Public Relations, I feel like there are so many opportunities for me in the real world. There are many different types of PR to choose from and many other jobs that are related to the field of PR.

There are actually two different types of public relations that I am considering: sports PR and PR in non-profit organizations. These two fields of public relations are very different from one another, but they are the most interesting to me.

I have always dreamed of working for a sports agency because I grew up in a family that loves sports. I actually held a job here at OU my freshman and sophomore year at Sooner Sports Properties. I got to help with some game-day operations and work in the suites at the football games. Sports have always been something I have loved, especially all OU sports, so my ultimate goal would be to hold a job in the sports department at OU.

The other public relations job I am interested in is non-profit organizations. I would love to give back to a non-profit agency such as the United Way or Habitat for Humanity. Going to a job every day where I feel like I am making a difference in the world would be an amazing feeling. I know the money for non-profit is not that great, but that is not important to me if I am fulfilled with what I am doing.

Hopefully in a couple of months when I am looking for jobs, I will stumble upon a great job in either a sports agency or a non-profit organization. Right now, either one of those would be the job of my dreams.

Following Your Dreams...Or Are You Really?

Following Your Dreams...Or Are You Really?

By: Amanda Pardee

     When I think of the phrase "dream job," several different images flash through my mind. Of course I, as most people do, dream of the expensive cars and mansions, but do those desires really bring you the happiness of life?

     As graduation approaches, and the "what are you doing after you graduate?" questions get more frequent, I continue to weigh the pros and cons on what exactly I want to achieve and do with my degree in public relations. Although I am very indecisive, I think the true definition of my dream job is to work in the non-profit field of public relations. I know that this area is stereotypically viewed as low paying and hard to move up in, but in the end I do not think this will matter me. The more I debate over the issue, I am reassured that the way I was raised and the morals I hold are drawing me more and more into the realm of non-profit PR.

     Growing up I was constantly around mentally challenged individuals because both of my parents chose careers in this area. My dad worked for United Cerebral Palsy much of my early years, and my mom is still an educator for the Special Ed. Being surrounded by this, I found a love and passion for these individuals and overall I think I want to give them all the attention they deserve. Saying so, I would love to work with Special Olympics of Texas or a hospital to boost their public relations departments. I plan to move back to the Dallas/ Ft. Worth area and I know that both of these jobs could be fulfilled there. Working with an organization like either of these two would provide me with a sense of personal satisfaction knowing that what I doing is in turn helping others.