By Onastacia Roe
From the time I was a young girl, I have dreamt of living the fabulous life of Samantha Jones from Sex and the City or Andy Sachs from The Devil Wears Prada. Watching these fictional, yet iconic characters on my television screen planning large-scale events or developing campaigns for fashion brands and companies, I knew what I was born to do. I have always been fascinated by the peculiar nature of fashion and am inspired by the public relations industry serving as a creative outlet in the representation of self-expression. When beginning my journey as a young professional, I recognized my strengths as a creative and innovative storyteller with a “passion for fashion.” I tediously researched the programs offered by the University of Northern Iowa in pursuit of a path that would land me in New York City with my dream career in fashion public relations. During my freshman year, I declared a public relations major with an emphasis in special events and never looked back. Later in my collegiate journey, I realized that my interest in fashion was more than a side hustle or hobby and passionately declared textiles and apparel as a minor. After taking my first TAPP (Textiles and Apparel) course at UNI, Fashion Promotion with Belle Duchene, I decided to turn my minor into a second major. Becoming a show producer for UNI Fashion Week and learning to execute various public relations activities within the fashion industry, this course changed my life forever. I knew it was vital for me to combine both of these burning passions into my college journey and into my future profession. In addition to being a double major in special events public relations and textiles and apparel, I chose to join various student organizations that suited my two interests. I joined UNI PRSSA within my first semester at UNI and soon fell in love with the organization. UNI PRSSA allowed me to build a network with not only those in the PR program at UNI, but also with professors, advisors, and industry professionals. It allowed me to hone in on and develop the skills and leadership experience necessary to thrive in the public relations industry. Joining Uprising Magazine and UNI Fashion Week later in my college journey allowed me to explore my love for textiles and apparel, especially in the editorial and runway production sectors. Being a part of these organizations has allowed me to gain experience in my preferred industry. What is fashion PR? According to PR Couture, fashion public relations is the promotion of fashion to a “clothing-conscious” public. This is done through earned media channels including broadcast, print, and online media outlets. As stated by TOP Agency, “Fashion PR targets editors, producers, reporters, and writers at influential mass media outlets like Vogue and Elle, but an increasing amount of fashion PR work focuses on bloggers, YouTube vloggers, and social media stars.” Day to day, fashion PR includes a variety of promotional activities such as content creation and digital marketing, writing and dispersing press releases and pitches to media outlets, and planning high-profile events related to the fashion industry. For most fashion PR professionals, a majority of their career is focused on the planning and execution of Fashion Week, as it is the most stressful, yet exciting time in the fashion realm. What skills are necessary in order to pursue Fashion PR? As is the case for all public relations professionals, there are a few major skills individuals in the industry must possess. Being able to develop strong branding for your client or organization, and then being able to successfully promote that brand, is vital in fashion PR. With that being said, as someone practicing public relations, especially with the fashion industry now focusing highly on celebrities and influencers, it is absolutely essential to carry strong risk management skills. As PR Couture puts it, “You must be ready to put out fires.” Being on trend and understanding what's popular in the media is another skill all prominent fashion PR professionals cherish and work to hone. When working in fashion PR, a major responsibility consists of interviews, press releases, and conferences, while ensuring that your client or organization is gaining continued media attention. One of the most important skills for those in the world of fashion PR is possessing innovation and creativity, yet still valuing organization and time management. What career opportunities are available for those pursuing Fashion PR? Within the world of fashion public relations, there are a multitude of career paths to choose from. Much like general in-house public relations, what aspect of the industry you focus on is dependent on your niche and passions. For those wanting to emphasize event planning within their professional journey, runway production is the perfect fashion industry to work in. As mentioned previously, Fashion Week is the most prominent event in the fashion industry, which means event planners are always needed. If social media is a professional’s calling, they are most likely to pursue digital marketing for a fashion brand or company, creating campaigns and managing social platforms. For those who love writing or graphic design, working in editorial on a fashion magazine would be the perfect fit. Those who love the more creative side of editorial can work in styling, hair and makeup artistry, set assisting, or photography. All interests within textiles and apparel have direct careers associated with them, providing a whole world of opportunities. For those interested in pursuing a career in both the public relations and fashion industries, receiving an education in both fields is encouraged, but not necessarily required. Implementing your passion for fashion into your PR projects, as well as seeking PR internships associated with fashion companies or brands, are great ways to incorporate both your love for textiles and apparel and public relations into your professional life.
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By Maddie Inman
When transferring to UNI in the midst of a pandemic, I thought I would never get any hands on experience in the world of public relations. I was only taking one class pertaining to public relations during my first semester and I was trying to think of ways to put myself out there and get acquainted with the PR world. During one of my first days in my Principles of Public Relations class, the President of UNI PRSSA came in and spoke to us about the organization. Some of the opportunities she spoke about included speakers that have experience in public relations as well as agency tours. It sounded like a perfect fit for me, so I decided to jump at the opportunity. When attending the first meeting, it almost felt like going to your very first day of class at a new school. I had no clue where to go or who to talk to, but everyone in the organization was very welcoming and I felt at home almost instantly. After attending a few meetings, I knew that this organization was a good fit for me. Although all of the meetings were beneficial to me, there was one that stood out to me the most. At one of the meetings in October, we Zoomed with Shelby Cravens, Director of Media Relations for the Iowa Cubs. This meeting assured me that I was going in the right direction with my major. Cravens described her job and it was very similar to where I want to be in the near future. I had always loved sports because I grew up watching them with my dad, but I never knew how to acquire a job in that area without actually being on the field as a player or a coach. I went into college as an elementary education major, then switched to marketing and public relations. Right before I transferred to UNI, the transfer coordinator mentioned that the public relations major at UNI included three different emphases and the sports one obviously piqued my interest. That is how I came to be a sports public relations major with a minor in marketing. I recently added on the marketing minor because that is the direction I wanted to go initially, and then I discovered public relations, but still wanted to incorporate the marketing aspect in my studies. Joining the Newsletter Committee After being in PRSSA for a while, they asked who would be interested in writing for their newsletter, The PRogressor. I wanted to do more than just show up for meetings, so I jumped at the opportunity. At first I was nervous because I have never written anything that was published, but the members that produced the newsletter were more than willing to help me when needed. Knowing that others are able to see your work is an exciting feeling, especially because I hope to one day acquire a job in the sports industry where people will see my work. Joining the newsletter committee not only helped me become more involved in the organization, but it helped me feel more comfortable with my writing skills. Becoming the VP of External Communication I never thought that I would get the chance to be on the Executive Board my first year of being in the organization, but a position opened up at semester that I applied for, and was granted the position of Vice President of External Communication. It is exciting to see my work on our social media platforms and be able to work with other people in the same major as me. Having this position has given me many learning opportunities while teaching me to stay organized. As a transfer student, or any student in general, I would recommend becoming involved as much as you can. All of these opportunities will help you out in the long run. I would never have all of the opportunities I have been given or be confident in my career path if I wouldn’t have ended up joining UNI PRSSA. Wanting to take advantage of all the opportunities UNI PRSSA has to offer? Attend our meetings every Monday at 4 p.m. in Maucker Union Ballroom B. *Meetings subject to change. Please refer to our event calendar on our website and socials.* By Riley Fridinger
When switching my major to public relations as a junior in college in the midst of a worldwide pandemic, I never thought I would have the opportunities, excitement, and growth that I have been fortunate enough to experience in such a short period of time. In the time that I have been a part of UNI PRSSA, I have gained friendships, insights, involvement, and so much more. One of the most influential opportunities I have been able to grab hold of was attending a virtual PRSSA District Conference hosted by Temple University in March. This conference provided me with more insight into the public relations industry than I could have ever imagined. Oh, the Insight I Gained:“The day you stop learning is the day you stop living.” Meghnaa Tallapragada, an Assistant Professor in the Department of Advertising and Public Relations at Temple University, said this during the conference and it has stuck with me ever since. Learning is a vital aspect to any goal an individual is trying to achieve, especially when it comes to “stepping into success” as a PR professional. I began this conference feeling inadequate because I felt I had so much to learn. However, this quote from Meghnaa recentered me and showed me that needing to learn is not a bad thing and is not something to be ashamed of. The breakout session, “The Future of PR,” focused heavily on web analytics. I had little knowledge on this topic, however I left the session filled with new knowledge on the topic and an eagerness to continue learning. Within the topic of web analytics, I learned how crucial research is for the PR world because it investigates what the user goals are and how they can relate to the overall organizational goals. This is information that can also be related to my minor in marketing because marketing focuses on consumer wants and needs compared to what a company is trying to achieve. This was very insightful because it stressed the importance of doing your research as a public relations professional and how it can impact your success. I attended another breakout session on event planning. Event planning is right up my alley as I am an event planning major, so this breakout session was one that was more comfortable and felt more natural. Even though this topic of event planning came more naturally to me, I was still able to learn a great deal of wisdom from this breakout session. The biggest insight I had during this session was that event planning can still thrive in the middle of a global pandemic. There was an example given of a virtual Santa Claus visit for kids last Christmas season in order to bring holiday cheer amidst the chaos. The children loved this and the parents were able to give a glimpse of joy to their family in hard times. This was an amazing story that opened my eyes to the vast ways one can make event planning successful during different situations of life. Event planning has the potential to bring light into a dark time and this is one of the many reasons why event planning gives me such happiness to be a part of. These were the two different learning situations I found myself in throughout the conference. During the analytics breakout session, I was soaking in as much knowledge as I could in a short period of time with a curiosity to learn more about something I was not yet comfortable with. In another, I went into the “Virtual Event Planning” breakout session with quite a bit of background knowledge and an excitement to enjoy this topic with others who have similar interests as me. I am equally thankful for the chances I had to learn about topics that I had both very little wisdom in, as well as a good deal of background knowledge in. Both experiences were valuable to my journey of “stepping into success” as a PR professional. Community and Connections:I was a bit hesitant to participate in my first virtual PRSSA District Conference because of the fear of a lack of community building and involvement due to its virtual presence. However, this conference was completely opposite of what I thought it would be. The conference was set up well and was easy to navigate. Chat boxes were heavily utilized for engagement during the sessions. All the speakers were personable and extremely willing to have conversations with anyone who was interested. I logged onto the conference in the morning and finished up eight hours later with so many new connections and friends. As a college student with large ambitions for a career, I urge you to try anything even when you may have hesitations at first. This is the best way to “step into success” and pursue your goals. I was the only midwestern participant, but if I had listened to the doubts I had due to the conference being virtual instead of in person, I would have missed out on so many new connections. I left that day with over 10 new LinkedIn connections that I could personally connect and reach out to. The amount of knowledge a person can gain in just eight hours of time at a conference such as the Temple PRSSA Conference gives me curiosity into how much more we can learn throughout our lives and careers as professionals. This conference gave me an eagerness to continue seeking these opportunities to learn and grow to be the best professional that I can be. I am so thankful that I was able to take part in this informational and stimulating PRSSA conference. For more information on how to take advantage of these amazing opportunities through UNI’s PRSSA Chapter, visit uni-prssa.weebly.com. By Shelby Reicks In the world of sports public relations, it is essential to stay up to date with the creative emerging trends. Now more than ever, it is important for PR professionals to have a knowledge base that consists of marketing, social media, selling, and data analytics. Knowing these tools will allow for a holistic approach to tracking the overall ROI of a business. So, let’s talk about artificial intelligence (AI). In the most simplistic way, AI is a machine intelligence software that is programmed to think like humans and mimic human actions. It is already being used in 2021, but will only continue to grow and have a stronger presence as technology evolves. By becoming aware of this trend, sports PR professionals can be better prepared for the future as technology advances and competition increases to create the best fan experiences. Within the sports PR and marketing world, AI provides many benefits such as:
All of these benefits can better assist in planning of campaigns within a sports business, make tasks more efficient with automated assistance and tracking, and help PR professionals save time and increase workplace productivity. I find it easiest to explain AI through examples. Below, you can find videos of different ways the sports industry uses AI. 1. A Bot That Tells You Where to Park or Eat at the Game https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B1pTAItwgOw&t=3s 2. PIQ- Raise Your Game https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KJlsvRGpQpU 3. IBM Serves Up AI at Wimbledon https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EzrF7d3xKUI&t=1s Artificial intelligence will become more widely used in the coming years due to it’s beneficial advantages. It will provide personalized, accessible, and well designed experiences for its users. With AR/VR, fans have the opportunity to immerse themselves in 3D graphics, watch in-depth replays of sports shots, and even virtually do tours of stadiums. It will continue to make its presence in the sports business industry and is already being used in the healthcare, automotive and architecture industry. Public relations professionals should keep AI in consideration as they enter the PR field and understand its advantages within their place of work. Written by Lakota Lackey
Imagine you decided to run a marathon. You’re not exactly sure why you decided to do it, and you’ve never really been a great runner, but everyone else is doing it, so why not. Your friends are practicing and preparing for the race, but you’re not really that worried. Some people are even joining running clubs and finding people to run with during the marathon. But not you - you just want to run the marathon and get it over with. Then marathon day comes! You’re running the race! Starting out, you’re doing pretty well, keeping an even pace, but as the race goes on, you start to get tired. You begin thinking to yourself, “This kind of sucks. Why did I sign up for this race?” Then people start to pass you, some faster than others, and you’re falling behind everyone else. A few people come alongside to try and motivate you, but you don’t want to listen to them, you just want to get it over with. Before long, you’re too tired. You can’t continue. So you give up, and you don’t finish the race … Now after a few years, another marathon is announced, and you’re thinking about running. You’re hesitant. You’re afraid to fail again. But you can’t stop thinking about how much you wish you would’ve crossed that finish line. What will you do to succeed? This has been my experience since graduating high school. At the end of the fall 2017 semester, I received a letter from UNI that I was suspended for not meeting the minimum required grade point average. I failed. My college education was over. This sent me in a downward spiral over the next year and a half due to my guilt and shame. But one day I decided enough was enough and started to turn my life around. After making many significant changes in my life and encouragement from friends and family, I decided I would return to UNI. The thought of going back was exciting, but also terrifying because I knew the pain of failing once, I couldn’t imagine the pain of failing twice. I remember telling myself that failure was not an option. I needed to reevaluate and make changes to my previous student life to be successful. To do that, I observed my college friends who I considered to be “good students.” I watched what they were doing, how they managed their time, and especially what they were involved in. My first time at college, I tried to do it all on my own. But this time, I decided to be like my “good student” friends. I wouldn’t just go to classes, I would become involved. I would make connections with others who were on the same path as me. One of the most influential decisions I made during this time was joining UNI’s Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA) chapter. At the Starting Line To figure out which major was right for me, my academic advisor had me take a quiz online. One of the top recommendations was public relations. I had no idea what public relations was, but I liked that the average annual salary was much higher than the rest of the options that were recommended. Even during the first couple weeks of being a public relations major and taking classes, I didn’t know what a public relations career would look like. I liked what I was learning, but I didn’t know where my major could take me. The end of the path I had started walking on became foggy because I didn’t know where I was going. All of this started to become clear when I learned about PRSSA. The Chapter President at the time, Lexie Warth, came to my class one day to inform all of us about PRSSA. She told us how PRSSA helps you to strengthen your professional skills, gain leadership experience, and connect with other students and professionals, which sounded like exactly what I needed to be involved in if I wanted a better understanding of how this major would result in a career. I was nervous about putting myself out there and meeting new people - something I’ve never been good at on my own - but I knew to be a good student, I had to do it (and there would be free cupcakes, so that made it easier). The first meeting I attended was a LinkedIn workshop with Amanda Mulcahy. On my way there, I was a little nervous and thought I might feel out of place, but all of that worry was gone once I walked in the room. Everyone was so easygoing and welcoming! You could tell that with every new member that walked in the door, the executive board members were excited to see them there. The purpose of PRSSA is to help students, so of course, they were happy to see new faces! I knew I would have to keep coming back for more, and not just for the free treats. The Halfway Point I believe that I have been to every PRSSA meeting since my first one. There is so much valuable information that I don’t want to miss any of it! A typical PRSSA meeting has an industry professional, usually on Zoom with COVID-19 precautions now, but sometimes in person. The importance of hearing from these people who are out there doing the work that you will someday be doing is huge. If you wanted to be a famous pop singer, you’d probably take the opportunity to meet with The Weeknd or Taylor Swift. Take opportunities to meet people who are doing what you want to be doing! These meetings have been great for me to learn about the career I will one day have. One of my favorite speakers was Luke Crawford from Edelman Chicago. He talked to us about how important it is to stand out from the crowd and to set yourself apart from everyone else, whether that be in a job interview, a conference, or anywhere else. Make yourself different. You might not be remembered for your name, but you could be remembered by the funky bow ties you always wear. It’s an important truth that I will never forget. PRSSA also plans group agency tours for members who want to get an up-close look at their future, as well as network with professionals. I haven’t been able to go to any of the agency tours quite yet, but I’m looking forward to this spring’s. There are also many opportunities to build your skills in practical ways. At the end of every semester, PRSSA creates a newsletter, called The PRogressor, that dues-paying members are encouraged to participate in whether that means writing an article or contributing to the design of the newsletter. Last semester, I wrote an article about a virtual event that our special events planning class hosted for high school students thinking about coming to UNI to study public relations. It was rewarding to be able to contribute to something that was being published and shared on a platform to be read by others who were passionate about the work as well. This opportunity to work on my writing skills has helped me become a better writer today. Even writing this blog post has been a tremendous help in building my writing skills. There are endless opportunities PRSSA gives its members to grow in their professional lives. The Finish Line I’m so grateful that I found the courage to put myself out there and go to my first meeting of PRSSA one year ago. This organization has helped me to grow in a multitude of different ways over the one year that I’ve been back in college. Communicating with others, meeting new people, professionalism, networking, writing, you name it. In every way that joining PRSSA has been helpful to me, it can be helpful to you too. As I said before, there is so much more to learn about the public relations industry that you just can’t learn in the classroom. Coming from someone who spent a lot of years ignoring opportunities and not being involved in anything, do yourself a favor and get involved in PRSSA. If you’re not already attending meetings, come to the next one! We’ll all be happy to see you! Maybe you’re someone who is coming to meetings, but you’re not volunteering your time. Maybe you’re scared to meet new people, so you don’t want to go to the social events. Maybe you’re afraid that if you volunteer to write for the newsletter, you won’t have enough time or someone might judge your writing. As someone who has been in your shoes, don’t worry. I know it sounds scary, but if you just jump into it and take a chance, you’ll see that it wasn’t so scary after all. What makes PRSSA an organization worth investing in is that by being invested in the organization, you are investing in yourself. Running the race towards success on your own isn’t easy. It’s good to have a coach in your corner. UNI’s Chapter of PRSSA is that coach that helps us, the public relations students, to cross the finish line. They do anything and everything they can so that we can all be successful. By Anna SmolikHagen
My mom has always enjoyed telling my sister and myself stories of her college days. One that she would share was of a professor who said undecided majors were her favorite majors. This was because they had an open mind, were willing to learn about anything, and were the most curious about their coursework. I, too, was an undecided major when I first came to college, but up until my sophomore year, my exploratory experience was a little different than what my mom had led me to believe it would be. I came into college confident based on what my mom told me — this was the best major to have. Unfortunately, as I started searching for other majors based on my interests, my dream quickly died. It was difficult doing research on every single major, the class requirements, and potential career options. I searched through all the majors that piqued my interests, and even some that didn’t because I was that curious. This process continued on for almost a year. I was sharing with a friend how exhausting it was looking for a major and how none that I had looked at seemed to “click.” This is when my friend said, “You should look at public relations. I think you’d be good at that.” Without batting an eye or even looking up what public relations was, I declared it as my major. I had no clue what it was or what I was doing, I just knew I was done with exploring majors. This journey ended up working out perfectly for me. The following fall semester, I took my first PR courses and loved them. I was truly thriving in everything that was PR. Now, I know PR isn’t for everyone, but I also know it's for more people than are in the major. Most people are unfamiliar with the public relations industry and what that profession would look like. If you are one of those individuals, here is a guide on what PR is and how and why you should declare your major as PR at UNI. What is PR? Public relations, in its simplest form, is the communication and relational side of business. To people who still don’t fully understand what PR is, it is easiest to give them this McDonald’s example: McDonalds loses business at the beginning of each New Year because this is when people try to lose weight and better themselves. McDonalds has a reputation for serving unhealthy food, so if one is trying to lose weight, McDonalds is not their first choice. My job as a PR practitioner would be to come up with an idea (campaign) for McDonalds to implement that displays how they are, in fact, healthy and should be a destination for people around the New Year. The ultimate goal of this campaign would be to increase customers during the month of January. A tactic to attain this goal of the campaign might be to introduce a new salad on the menu or run a sale on some of the healthier menu items, like wraps or a fruit and yogurt parfait. Public relations focuses on the maintenance of a favorable public image of a business, organization, or person. PR practitioners strive to complete these tasks for a client through social media, storytelling, press releases, media pitches, events, and more. What is PR at UNI? The University of Northern Iowa has three different emphases within the PR major. These include strategic, special events, and sports. UNI also offers a PR minor. The major course work includes four basic communication courses, five PR courses, three business courses, and four digital journalism courses. In addition to these are courses specific to the chosen emphasis. Students also have freedom to pick courses that align with their area of interest between courses like a tourism class or an event management class. Who teaches PR at UNI? With most majors, you won’t get a full 360 degree look at their professors. This is unfortunate as these are people who you will be spending the next three to four years of your college life learning from. Fortunately for the PR major, you do get to create relationships with your professors, as we have two professors who make up the PR major at UNI. Here is a full look on who you’ll get to spend your time with if you major in PR at UNI: Gayle Pohl - Dr. Pohl is an extremely bright professor with a professional background in the PR industry as well as a history in teaching PR. She is not only a professor though. She owns her own costume business, Cast of Characters, and continues to be involved in the professional world. Dr. Pohl is an intense woman (in a good way), and she cares deeply about her students. She loves having fun in class as well as having a coffee with you over her office hours. She also works diligently for the success of her students. She focuses on real-world experiences where you get to complete projects for actual businesses and organizations to increase your own skills and add to your portfolio. Jeffrey Brand - Dr. Brand is a laid-back professor who has a passion for helping his students succeed. He has received tenure at multiple different colleges, but has chosen to continue his teaching career at UNI. He focuses on the growth and understanding of his students as he works with students at their own pace. He is extremely knowledgeable and willing to be straightforward about the tough topics. Dr. Brand is also a big family man. Make sure to ask him about his daughter's Girl Scouts’ troop around cookie season! What other PR opportunities are available to me at UNI? After thriving in my first PR course, I was eager to get more experience, be more involved in PR, and meet other students in the major. I ended up coming across PRSSA, the Public Relations Student Society of America. My first activity with the organization was the Des Moines Agency Crawl. It was so exciting to tour different businesses and firms while forming lasting connections. I learned so much from this event alone. I then went on to attend a portfolio workshop and LinkedIn workshop, both of which benefited my professional development greatly. If you want a major that supports amazing student organizations like PRSSA, then PR is for you! UNI’s PR major has allowed me to discover my strengths, develop new skills, and assist me in becoming more career-ready. If there is any doubt in your mind if this is the major for you, take this as your sign to go and declare PR at UNI as your major today! Written by Samantha Goodman
In 1948, the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) was founded for public relations business professionals to find career development and support while being involved in an organization of like-minded individuals. Twenty years later, PRSA founded the Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA) for students across the world to gain insight into the public relations industry as well as more experience, education, and involvement. What is PRSSA? PRSSA is the nationally affiliated student organization of PRSA. Home to over 300 chapters across the world, PRSSA offers many benefits when joining the organization. Members pay an annual fee to have access to an internship portal, networking events, conferences, webinars, scholarships, and much more. Conferences are a memorable highlight for many members. Over the years, UNI PRSSA has hosted conferences and attended both district, national, and international conferences across the country. Conferences provide members the opportunity to interact with students from different chapters, as well as industry professionals who are speaking at the conferences. Time is typically allocated at these events for members to tour local companies or agencies where they can network even more and learn about specific career opportunities. What is UNI PRSSA? The UNI Chapter of PRSSA was chartered on January 18, 1981. This Chapter has received numerous national awards, including Outstanding Chapter, Outstanding Chapter Firm, Outstanding Newsletter, and Outstanding Website over its years of existence. While targeted at public relations majors, UNI PRSSA is open to all majors and students. With a mission to enhance its members' educations, broaden networks, and launch careers after graduation, UNI PRSSA is a valuable commitment and resource for any college student. In addition to the benefits of being a dues-paying member of PRSSA, the UNI Chapter provides its members with even more member-only benefits. Members can attend agency tours in a designated city where they can diversify and grow their network while learning on-site about future careers. A private Facebook group was also created for UNI PRSSA members. In this group, valuable information such as access to internship postings, webinar registrations, and private information is shared with only dues-paying members. Living in a virtual world due to COVID-19 uncertainties, UNI PRSSA has also extended the dues-paying benefits to include access to recorded meetings if unable to attend the scheduled time, early access to meeting sign-ups before capacity is hit, and more. UNI PRSSA hosts weekly meetings in Maucker Union Central Ballroom B at 4 p.m. each Monday. Come join us to hear from guest industry speakers, benefit from professional development workshops, or gather for a social. Any student can benefit from the professional development opportunities, guest speakers, and networking experiences that not only the UNI PRSSA Chapter promotes, but the overall student organization of PRSSA itself. For more information about the UNI PRSSA Chapter, PRSSA, or PRSA, please click on the links below. Written by Megan Kramer
Welcome to “Setting PRecedents,” the official blog of UNI PRSSA. Established in January of 2021, the inspiration behind the blog lies in our desire to continually be pushing our Chapter and members, as well as the ability to provide new opportunities to grow and challenge our members. UNI PRSSA’s Executive Board realized a blog could be a new opportunity for our members to strengthen their skills and show off their talents. “Setting PRecedents” provides our members with an outlet to express their creative freedom in the form of writing, all while learning and growing as young public relations (PR) professionals at the same time. “Setting PRecedents” also provides our Chapter with a direct link of communication to you – our esteemed reader. The four blog post categories provide an insider’s glimpse into the happenings of our organization, news on what is going on in the world of PR surrounding us, guides and how-tos for common necessities for PR students and professionals, and stories from our very own members. This blog serves as a connecting link between the members of our organization and the friends and family who wish to learn, those who desire to dive into the depths of what PR and PRSSA are, as well as the professionals we desire to one day be. So, whatever the reason may be that brought you here today, we welcome you and are so glad you’re here. How the Name Came to Be In creating a name for our blog, we wanted to encompass a multitude of ideas – what this blog represents for UNI PRSSA, what we aim to do as an organization and as professionals in our industry, how the organization can be of benefit to a student, and more. The name, “Setting PRecedents,” symbolizes not only the examples that we aim to set as an organization, but the creativity, innovation, and inspiration that caused us to even consider creating this blog in the first place. It incorporates precisely what we strive to achieve as an organization, and the passion that drives us to do so. The “Who” Behind the Writing When setting out on this journey, we wanted to ensure that we provide our readers with the truest and most authentic writing we can possibly provide. As such, “Setting PRecedents” will be written by exclusively dues-paying members, indicating that the writer of any article featured on our blog has committed to our organization. This secures our desire that the writers of articles featured on our blog have a strong affiliation with UNI PRSSA, as well as a direct view into the inner workings of our organization. What To Expect To maintain consistency, articles will be posted every other week on Wednesdays, and will fall under one of four different predetermined categories. These categories encompass what we feel to be most centrally important to our organization and the mission of this resource. “Inside UNI PRSSA” features articles that aim to provide you with a look into what our organization is doing, where we’re headed, or organizational updates. “The PR World Around Us” contains articles about what is happening in the world of PR or what the hot topics in PR are currently. The category, “Ultimate Guides,”describes how-tos or explanations of PR necessities. Lastly, “A Member’s Perspective” includes articles depicting personal stories from our members about how they found UNI PRSSA, what PRSSA means to them, past experiences, and more. Thank you for joining us on this new uncharted adventure as we strive to bring you relevant PR information through our blog. Our hope is that you will share in our excitement and join in on our journey as we pursue this blog and grow as PR professionals in the best way we know how. So wherever you are coming from, we welcome you to “Setting PRecedents!” If you would like to be alerted when a new article is posted, please sign up for our email list! We will send you an email every other week when a new post is released. |