UWW PR Alumni Helping Students

Hearing insight from UWW alumni can be a helpful resource to better determine if you are on track for your chosen career path. After listening to 14 videos of UWW public relations alumni sharing their experiences and offering their advice, three individuals from those videos gave insight that really stood out to me.

Al Krueger, a partner from Comet Branding, discussed  how he benefitted from the more than helpful public relations department at UWW. He made the point that professors at this university, especially within PR, will always take the time to help you work through classwork which is not always a guarantee. I found this insight very interesting because I experienced and came to the same realization in my public relations courses. I have yet to hear, "I'm sorry but I don't have time to answer your question," from a professor at UWW. When I took a few courses at a larger school, that was not the case. You were just a number and did not get the one on one attention that UWW offers.

James Listug, who works in communication at the American Cancer Society, offered some valuable commentary on classes he wishes he would have taken while attending UWW. He stated he wished he would have taken some graphics design courses because that is really becoming a new face of public relations. Before he touched on this, I never thought that graphics design was an important aspect of public relations. Now I realize I need to find a way to take some of these courses before I graduate next fall so I can grasp the basic concepts of the subject.

Anna Janusz, a project leader at Red Arrow, discussed how many public relations firms focus on specific industries. She worked for a firm that specialized in agriculture and stated that when looking for a job in the public relations field it is important to try and find your right area. She has been placed in many positions focusing on different things, all of which have benifeted her in the long run. When I graduate and starting looking for a position, I would like to focus on a firm or agency that specializes in governmnet relations as a career goal. I will have to take other positions on my path to this goal, but I believe someday I will reach it.

Overall, I have extremely benefited from the insight and advice of these successful alumni. I appreciate the time they have taken out of their schedule to help us better understand the path to a successful public realtions career of our own.

Facebook as a Tactic

When you think about trending tactics in the public relations world it is hard to forget about Facebook. Facebook has been a major player in many organizations promoting any important message they would like to share. I went the UW-Whitewater career fair two weeks ago and talked to many people from the communication departments of various organizations. When I got home that night and looked at all the organizations I started looking them up on Facebook where one organization caught my eye, Sentry Insurance.  Sentry Insurance offers a summer internship program in which I am very interested in and their Facebook account is very helpful in updating applicants about upcoming deadlines and procedures. On a daily basis the organization will send out reminders through status updates of exactly where they will be for the day so you can talk and network with their representatives. The nice thing about this organization is the have the same clear information on all of their social networking accounts and websites with links to each of them. You will see some public relations agencies such as Edelman have engaging and informative Facebook accounts that also link you to all social networking accounts, which is extremely helpful in an application process. I feel organizations have really grabbed a stronghold on using Facebook as an effective tactic especially from the side of interested applicants for employment. Since I am going to be graduating in a year, it is reassuring that Facebook is there to be used by employers to communicate their employment opportunities and company background.

The PR World

AP style is considered the standard of the public relations and journalism field. According to Cubreporters.org, the style was developed and is maintained yearly by the Associated Press. AP style is the standard way writing anything from numerals, state abbreviations to street addresses. It is important to follow AP style because of its standard use in the PR world. A news editor is much more likely to print your press release if it is already written in AP Style. They do want to have to rewrite everything in AP Style, so your press release will most likely see the trash can if not written in standard format. Sandy Young expresses similar feelings on news editors in her blog. She states that it is unlikely, whether or not you write in AP style that you’re your press release will ever be printed verbatim. When you write in AP Style it saves editors an incredible amount of time on conversion to the standard, so it is more likely your client’s info will make the print deadline at the end of the day. If you don’t understand AP style it will be challenging for you to maintain a job in the realm of public relations, plain and simple!!! It is a must to understand it conceptually if you practice PR, and also sets apart your writing apart from those who choose not to write in AP style. According to Nancy Edwards, a professor in the University of Minnesota system, the practice of AP style adds an enormous amount of credibility to your work, showing that as a writer you just didn’t throw something together last minute. If I went into an interview for a position at a PR agency and I was asked to take an AP style quiz I wouldn’t be very surprised. These agencies expect you to understand the basic concepts of PR, AP style is one of them. Before I got involved in PR classes I did not know the PR field had a standard way of writing. I am actually excited to continue this semester by taking our quizzes because it will prepare me to be a better writer in the future.

The PR Student

My name is Dale Lucassen and I am a junior who is double majoring in public relations and political science at UW-Whitewater. Over my college career I have completed many communication oriented internships such as a constituent relations intern in the State Capitol for former state representative Kim Hixson. I wrote many of his press releases and responded too many of his constituents by writing response letters. I also recently completed the Disney college program in Florida where I worked in merchandising. In this position, positive communication was essential because I was constantly interacting with guests.

                I am currently working as a page in the State Senate where I deliver the proper materials needed to legislate to the Senators such as certain law books and documents. I also spend time on the Senate floor explaining to lobbyist, organizations and citizens how to submit testimony into the record. I also am currently a PR intern a startup company entitled REDSTAR. This company is a modeling agency that contracts out models to events and appearances. I am responsible for their social networking and some press releases.

                Because of my experience in the internships I have completed and along with my double major, the door is wide open for me to take several different career paths. My ideal goal is to eventually live in Washington DC working for a large PR firm or lobbying agency. At this the end of this school year I plan to enroll in the Washington Center program which places you in professional internships in DC along with class based material. I hope to finish out my undergraduate degree online through Whitewater while in DC next fall and get ready to launch my career.