Exploring Fundraising Options for National Conference:
FIRM OF THE ISSUE
What are best practices to get your members to Atlanta?
Diversity at Work:
BY TRENT OSTROM
A Closer Look at PRSSA’s
Peruvian Student-Run Firm
UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA, OMAHA
BY SARAH JOHNSON
PRSSA VICE PRESIDENT OF PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
In less than 18 months, The
Firm at the Universidad de San
Martín de Porres in Lima, Perú
has become one of 29 student-run
firms to receive PRSSA National
Affiliation. How? The Firm’s 12
motivated staff members focus
on embracing both the benefits
LESSONS
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
available at retailers and
drugstores.
3. You are the one in charge of
your experience.
During my first week, I
had coffee with an account
executive who really emphasized this point. While your
supervisor is there to offer
you guidance and filter your
projects, you are ultimately
the one in charge of making the experience what you
want it to be. Throughout
the rest of my internship, I
kept that in the back of my
mind. Sometimes it paid off
and other times it didn’t get
me as far as I’d hoped. But
in the end, it was because of
the advice from my co-worker that I was brave enough to
raise my hand and join in on
some remarkable opportunities, such as brainstorming
strategy with the Nike team
and conducting social media
monitoring for OREO’s new
product launch.
4. Work-life balance should
be BAE.
At an agency, there always
will be more work to do. But
I don’t think we’re able to
function at our best when the
center of our lives is work
alone. I believe the focus of
our lives belongs elsewhere:
family, faith, helping others,
exploring the human spirit,
love, being a good neighbor
or picking up hobbies that
feed our soul are things that
come to mind. While work
plays a huge role in my life, it
is not my whole life. And as
an intern, I didn’t want to set
an unrealistic precedent for
the future. So for that reason,
I didn’t abide by the “first
person in, last person out”
mentality. I learned to work
my tail off while in the office,
but also to seek meaningful
experiences outside of work.
My hope is that those who
are facing an agency internship this fall will be able to
glean knowledge from your
PRSSA peers and have the
best experiences you could
hope for. Don’t forget to check
out our Internship Center in
the process, and best of luck!
and the challenges that come with
their international home.
“We have the competitive
advantage of being the only
Nationally Affiliated firm in
Perú and in Latin America. That
makes us unique, but it is also our
biggest challenge,” said Hedmi
León Ramos, firm director. “We
all focus on the same objectives as
a family, and that is why we constantly make the best efforts.”
The Firm was founded in
March 2014 and gained National
Affiliation eight months later.
Currently it provides pro-bono
services to three local businesses:
Aniquem, which helps burned
children; Voluntades, which provides opportunities for vulnerable
populations; and Global Mapping, a cartography enterprise.
With each campaign, the staff
members place special focus on
benefitting the local community
through social responsibility and
sustainable development.
During its establishment and
growth, members have had to
pull together to overcome the
barriers of being an international
student-run firm. PRSSA is not
as well-known in Perú as in the
United States, and members work
hard to build a reputation for
Members of The Firm, the Nationally Affiliated Student-Run Firm in Perú, working on pro-bono client
services. Photo courtesy of PRSSA USMP.
both The Firm and PRSSA.
They also have the challenge of
limited access to PRSSA events,
and are planning to increase virtual networking to better share
experiences with other Chapters
and firms. Despite the distance,
support from the Universidad
de San Martín de Porres allows
members to attend most national
events each year.
As firm director, Ramos recognizes that the perseverance of
her staff has made The Firm the
successful operation it is today.
“Though our firm does not work
for a monetary compensation,
our staff is very committed to its
work and they exhibit professionalism at every moment,” Ramos
said.
“We all focus on the same
objectives as a family, and that
is why we constantly make
the best efforts.”
Hedmi León Ramos
Firm Director
The Firm is not only an impressive display of diversity in PRSSA,
its staff is intentional about representing themselves and their heritage well. Since Perú is a multicultural country, members avoid
approaching each client with the
same mindset. Rather, they create
campaigns based on the traditions
and customs of the client and its
location within the country.
To other student-run firms
striving to embrace diversity,
Ramos shares valuable advice
central to her own firm.
“It is our duty to create spaces
that we share and [where] diversity is encouraged,” Ramos said.
Five Reasons to Attend a National Event
BY NICOLE PRICE
UNIVERSITY OF CINCINNATI
Sending members to PRSSA
National Conference undoubtedly made the biggest impact within
my Chapter. Between the professional and Chapter development
available, national events provide
an opportunity that is unmatched
by any other public relations conference. Here are the top five
reasons our Chapter felt we benefited from national events, accompanied by quotes from members
who attended these events.
1
Networking
With PRSSA Conference coinciding with PRSA’s International Conference, you’re bound
to bump into professionals in the
public relations field. Taking advantage of the PRSA general sess ions during Conference can help
get your foot in the professional
door.
“National events give you the
opportunity to network with the
future leaders of our industry and
make friendships that will last a
lifetime.” – Kobie Christian, University of Cincinnati
Whether you’re connecting
with industry professionals at
Conference, or building lifelong
relationships with other student
2 WWW.PRSSA.PRSA.ORG/FORUM
leaders at National Assembly,
networking is one of the greatest benefits of attending national
events.
2
Industry insight
We love our programs and
classes, but it’s hard to beat an
opportunity to ask questions and
hear from top public relations
companies or industry leaders.
The ability to gain insight into
multiple facets of the industry is
something classes may not offer
in depth. By attending national
events, you have the chance to
converse with trailblazers and
gain additional insight.
“PRSSA national events increase your exposure to industry
professionals and peers in our
field. Making these valuable relationships is really worthwhile.”
– Anna Marsala, University of
Cincinnati.
3
Diversify your skill set
When you attend national
events, you have the opportunity
to attend sessions that directly relate to your interests, or that you
want to explore. Diversify your
skill set by attending sessions you
may not have had a chance to discuss in your Chapter meetings or
programs. “Attending [PRSSA]
national events increases your skill
set in applicable ways you can’t
always find in the classroom.”
– Anna Marsala, University of
Cincinnati.
Be sure to take this newfound
knowledge back to your Chapters
and apply it in your work. The
tips and tricks you will learn at the
Conference sessions will turn into
tangible results once you bring
them back to your Chapter.
4
Inspiration
With the number of leaders,
both student and professional, at
the Conferences, it’s hard not to
be inspired. You will feel motivated to grow in your profession and
bring back information to build
your Chapter.
When you visit National Conference, you and your members
will learn about Chapter development, leadership growth and how
to grow closer together.
When your members bond,
your Chapter will become even
stronger.
Don’t forget to send a delegate
to National Assembly and Leadership Rally.
The benefits your Chapter will
reap are priceless.
“At National Conference, attendees hear directly from com-
munications leaders. There are
sessions to learn of career paths,
improve vital skills and understand industry trends. And then
there’s the networking! Where
else will you find 1,000 students
with the same major and 2,000
professional communicators in
the same hotel?” – Brian Price,
PRSSA 2013–2014 National
President.
5
It’s an incomparable
experience
There is nothing that compares
to the national events PRSSA has
to offer. From the personal to the
Chapter development, the growth
you will see is exponential. Aside
from the professional benefits, it is
an experience you will remember
forever.
“PRSSA can benefit every
member at the local and regional levels, but national events are
where you meet people from
across the country and beyond
who open your eyes to the purpose of PRSSA and all it has to
offer.” – Adam Piccin, Otterbein
University
Make sure you don’t miss out.
Register for the PRSSA 2015
National Conference in Atlanta
today, and keep an eye open
for National Assembly, Regional Conferences and Leadership
Rally.
FALL 2015
A new semester has begun,
and while we read our syllabuses,
start our homework and hope for
another strong semester, we can’t
help but daydream about Atlanta
in November. For some members,
National Conference is an annual
must-do tradition.
The five-day Conference in
Atlanta can be expensive without
any financial support from your
Chapter or university. Depending
on where the Conference is located in relation to your campus, the
entire Conference can cost anywhere from $800 to more than
$1,000 per student. Vice President
of Professional Development Gary
Bridgens highly recommends
Conference.
“National Conference provides
members with a wealth of professional and personal growth,” said
Bridgens. “Attendees will learn
how to improve their Chapters,
network effectively and be overall
better pre-professionals.”
So if expenses are holding you
back, how do you get to Atlanta?
What will it take for you and your
Chapter to be in attendance Saturday morning for roll call? Fundraising can help you achieve your
goal. Many people are intimidated
by fundraising, but it’s actually an
excellent opportunity for Chapter
and professional development.
“Fundraising is a pillar of institutional success and allows Chapters to provide the most diversified form of opportunity for their
members,” said Bridgens. “Fundraising doesn’t automatically lend
itself to positive change, but it certainly can serve as a catalyst for it.”
So what forms of fundraising
can you do to make sure you’re in
Atlanta?
TALES FROM CUBELAND
A (Literal) Word of Advice
BY RYAN MCSHANE
ACCOUNT SUPERVISOR, TATTOO PROJECTS
There’s a single word every marketer should reflect on
throughout the workday. Consider this word before hitting
send on that internal email.
Take a moment before starting an assignment “this way”
instead of “that way.” If you
think of this word as often as
you check your cellphone, you
should be in good shape.
The word: why.
Why “why,” you say? The
word requires you to provide
a logic trail — a strategic process — of how you came to the
conclusion for the actions you’re
about to take. Another way to
put it, always approach an assignment through deliberate
steps, and in doing so, you are
likely to achieve your intended
results.
While being deliberate should
be ever present for all the activities and projects on your plate,
let’s review the application of
“why” for three key functions
within public relations.
Media Relations
The success of your big media announcement will hinge
on several decisions your team
makes well before the first round
of conversations wi th reporters.
You must be deliberate in selecting the appropriate media
contacts for your outreach list,
outlining your relevant news
hooks to capture their attention
and crafting a pitch note using
specific words and phrases that
will make them feel confident
you did your homework.
Always ask yourself “why?”
when it comes to media relations preparation, because you
can bet that reporters will ask
you the same question when you
finally get them on the phone.
FALL 2015
Social Media
You might think that something as seemingly simple as
writing a social media post does
not require much thought, especially if it’s a routine activity.
To ensure you are covering your
best practices, ask yourself why
the content is relevant to the
audience it is intended for, why
they will want to engage with
the post and why it ladders up
to a greater strategy that aims to
achieve your overall objectives
— sales or otherwise.
Always ask yourself “why?”
when it comes to social media
activities, because you can bet
that your community will ask
you the same question when
your content goes awry.
Client Communication
Once you find yourself a direct line of contact for a client,
client communication will likely
become the most scrutinized job
function in your day-to-day. You
must demonstrate on behalf
of your agency that your team
has a firm grasp on the project
at hand, and the direction your
team recommended was on
point.
Always ask yourself “why?”
when it comes to client counsel, because you can bet that
your client will ask you the same
question when you ask for that
bigger budget.
The Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) PRSSA Chapter hosting their annual speed dating fundraiser.
Photo courtesy of FIT PRSSA.
PERSONAL FUNDRAISING
Sponsorship: Many companies budget for professional development. If you are currently
working in an internship, check
if the company or organization
offers professional development
assistance.
Donation letters: It wasn’t
long ago you were in high school
and you may have written some
donation letters to family members explaining what you were
doing and how much money you
needed to raise. You can say that
what you learn during Conference is going toward your future
as a professional and you will
meet professionals who lead the
industry. It may be old school,
but let there be no shame in your
fundraising game.
Part-time jobs: Sometimes
we just need to get a steady income to help make dreams come
true. Picking up a part-time job
for a few weeknights and the
weekends can help raise those
few extra dollars you need.
CHAPTER FUNDRAISING
Hold an event: Be creative
and hold an event. As long as
you keep costs low and invite
friends, family and faculty, you’ll
raise plenty of money for your
Chapter. PRSSA’s FUNdraising
Playbook can help get the creative juices flowing to make your
PURPOSE
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
in their mission to educate and inspire.
The two founders met in 2000,
when Disney honored them both
as Teachers of the Year. Since
then, the school has been featured
on many prominent news networks
and has had three classes invited to
the White House to be honored for
their accomplishments. In addition
to authoring and publishing books,
Bearden and Clark serve as model
educators and travel the country
sharing their message.
The partnership between
PRSSA and the Ron Clark Academy is a remarkable opportunity for
Chapter’s dream a reality.
The New York City Fashion
Institute of Technology (FIT)
Chapter of PRSSA holds an
Annual Speed Dating event as
a creative fundraiser. Current
Chapter President Carly Rebecchi said the idea developed from
the fact that FIT is a predominantly female school and finding
a “college love story” is a challenge. For the low price of $10,
attendees enjoy food, music, entertainment and many potential
dates. “Year after year we’ve gotten great feedback from attendees and they often come back
for more fun the following year,”
Rebecchi said.This past year was
the sixth year FIT PRSSA hosted the event and there were over
300 people in attendance. The
Chapter uses the funds for various expenses such as purchasing
food for meetings and sending
members to Regional Conferences. The executive board even
plans a special dinner with some
of the funds.
“We use the funds to organize
a Connections Dinner where we
rent out a room in a New York
City restaurant and encourage
members to come and have a delicious meal with industry professionals that our executive board
works hard on inviting,” Rebecchi said.
If FIT PRSSA can fund this
many projects with their event,
then one event could make
National Conference a possibility for so many of your Chapter
members.
Hold a bake sale: An
old-fashion bake sale is almost
always a guaranteed home run.
Make a list of what you would
want to sell and for how much,
bake separately or as a Chapter, and raise some money. If
you pick the busiest day on your
campus and do it for a few weeks,
your Chapter will raise quite a
bit of money.
So as a reminder, it’s not impossible to be in Atlanta as long
as you have the determination
to raise the money for yourself
and your Chapter. In the midst
of your hard work, you may ask
yourself if what you’re doing is
worth it.
“It may mean pinching pennies, and believe me, I know that’s
hard,” said Bridgens. “However,
the knowledge, connections and
experiences are there for the taking. Do your future self a favor
and seize the opportunity.”
The University of Nebraska Omaha Chapter of PRSSA
is presenting the “Fundraising Nightmares: A Recipe for
Kneaded Dough” Chapter development session at the PRSSA
2015 National Conference. After
you fundraise your way to Conference, be sure to attend this
session to learn even more ways
to earn money for other Chapter
expenses.
members to do something memorable and worthwhile.
“One of my hopes for PRSSA
is that we wouldn’t only be a name
for making skilled professionals,
but for making a difference. The
CSI plays into this vision a lot as
we serve the community during
our short time at National Conference,” said Laura Daronatsy,
PRSSA 2015–2016 National President. “Partnering with the Ron
Clark Academy is a great way for
PRSSA to come alongside educators and students and get down to
the root of what we aim to do best:
educate.”
Members are encouraged to
pack books of all kinds in their
luggage and bring them to Con-
ference. There will be a designated donation space on-site during
Conference, and early donations
can be accommodated in a manner specified at a later date. Chapters also are encouraged to consider hosting book drives or setting up
a donation space at their general
meetings prior to the event.
Given the average attendance,
if each attendee donates just one
book, PRSSA can help grow the
Ron Clark Academy library by
1,000 books. Contact Vice President of Chapter Development
Gary Bridgens with any questions
regarding CSI donations.
Embrace the idea of giving and
please consider donating to this
year’s CSI at the Conference.
WWW.PRSSA.PRSA.ORG/FORUM
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