Oh The Places You'll Go...

Oh the places you’ll go…
By Sally Swafford

I think it’s safe to say that the last semester of my college career has been anything but calm. I’ve not only had 15 hours of school, but I’ve been planning a wedding and have participated in Sooner Scandals. But don’t feel sorry for me because it’s been an absolute blast!

As for what the future holds, I have no clue. I am graduating in May with six hours remaining. I am taking advantage of a class offered by Gaylord to travel to London for three weeks. What a way to go out, right?

Post London, I will stay in Norman to work for an oil company and save money for my future marital status. I am moving to Austin, Texas in August and will find a job there (any job there) doing God knows what.

My dream job in the public relations field is to work in the Arts. There is a particular children’s art museum in Austin, which would suit my passions best. Not only would I be working in the field of journalism but also I would be around children, whom I love.

If I don’t get a job in the Arts while in Texas, I may look for a job at an art museum when my future husband and I come back to the Oklahoma City area in two years. In particular, I would love to be the media liaison at an art museum. Working with the different mediums of journalism would be very fun for me.

Also, anything with event planning would be good for me as well. After planning my own wedding, it seems interesting and exciting to plan someone else’s. I would love to surround myself with creative people.

To my classmates: Good luck in all your endeavors and hopefully after graduation we will see each other again!

Norman Organization to Implement Name Change

Norman Organization to Implement Name Change
By Sally Swafford What’s the name again? What does it mean? Is it a cow? Isn’t that some sort of dairy product? These questions, along with many others are asked when the name “ILSY” comes to mind. Independent Living Services for Youth is far from being a dairy manufacturer.

ILSY serves as one of the few organizations that houses high school students. Many have lost their homes due to different circumstances, whether it is abuse or simply turning into a legal adult and being kicked out of the house by their parents. About half of the 200 students involved in the organization have the opportunity to live in the apartments, which are owned by ILSY. The other students are given the assistance of finding homes and managing their finances. Through ILSY, many students can find a positive influence or mentor, which may be lacking in their lives.

The story of ILSY begins in the early 1990s with a few high school counselors. Noticing many students could not attend school without a parent signature, the issue of homeless high school students was brought to their attention. These counselors, and many other passionate volunteers helped get the OU School of Social Work helping with this case. Though this organization may be striving in many ways, it is certainly lacking in one major area: its name. Many people when hearing its acronym don’t immediately know what the organization does. The name isn’t catchy and is often confused with the Department of Human Services, which is government funded. ILSY, on the other hand gains its funding from the United Way of Norman and other independent donors such as churches and families.

Advertising and Public Relations

Many people not in the journalism field get advertising and public relations confused. Aboutpublicrelations.net claims one of the main differences between public relations and advertising is the extent of the message control. Public relations practitioners differentiate themselves from advertising by controlling their message after it has been released to the world. Advertisers, however, cannot control their message once it has entered the wide world of media, or the sales it produces.
A specific way both advertisers and public relations practitioners can get their message out, is by using other events to promote their product or organization. For instance, just recently were the Academy Awards. Havaiana Shoe Company paired with the film awards show to promote their casual footwear. Each award nominee was not only hoping for a chance to win the “Gold Man”, but also received a golden pair of sparkling Havaiana flip flips in a gift package which give homage to the 65 years of Oscar.
These baskets can add up to quite the hefty price. Companies send these freebie gifts to nominees in the hope they will be photographed with a famous star or starlet. By directly giving the gifts to the stars, it ensures that it will go directly to the hands of the person intended. Though, celebrities are not the only ones who desire these pricey baskets. Auctions for the gifts can go on sale more than six months before the event and can cost up to twice the net worth of the items.
Public relations practitioners can use big events, such as the Oscars to promote an object or company if needed. By attracting celebrities, certain organizations can obtain their end goal.