Newsletter / Issue #1 / Fall 2023
SOUND BITES Department of Communication NEWS
What is public relations, anyway? Students educate through hands-on work
Staff members of the Communication Department’s student-run public relations firm, Central Communication Agency (CCA), are on a two-fold quest. They’re looking to get the word out about the free professional services they offer, and at the same time help explain exactly what “public relations” (or “PR”) is.
Aleigha Dixon & Devin Guerra-Burnett, center front, with fall 2023 CCA staff.
FACULTY FOCUS Dr. Eun Young Lee
Where did you grow up? Born and raised in South Korea. My hometown is a city called Cheongyang, which is a very small town like Ellensburg. I was a country girl. Where did you go to school? I went to college in Korea and got my BA and first master’s degree in communication and journalism at the same university. I got my PhD from Bowling Green State University in Ohio. What do you do outside of work? Try to be off the grid. Not in an extreme sense, but just to turn off a mental switch. I love watching movies and TV shows. Mostly funny stuff. I love comedy and standups.
Dr. Lee teaches Communication, and she currently serves as the Department Chair. She joined CWU in 2020.
“People confuse public relations with marketing or advertising,” says current CCA Firm Director Aleigha Dixon, who will graduate at the end of fall quarter with a PR degree. “I would say those can be aspects of PR.” “But really, PR is the process of advocating for your client by creating or maintaining a positive image and communicating that to their publics,” Dixon says. Public Relations, Business, Marketing, Media & Journalism, Communication and any other students who enroll in the 2-credit CCA class (Com 481) work with local organizations and businesses to help them reach their target audiences. According to CCA Assistant Firm Director Devin GuerraBurnett, “This can involve anything from brand management to finding strategies for increasing sales or engagement, and from creating content/infographics to planning events.” Guerra-Burnett is also a PR major graduating this fall with a minor in Administrative Management. “Our goal is to maintain the client's positive public image while increasing awareness.” In Com 481, adds Guerra-Burnett, “You’ll get hands-on experience in the field you're pursuing and also a great understanding of what being a PR professional means.” For example, CCA students this quarter are strategizing outreach for their portfolio of clients through social media content, web management, event planning and branded graphics. CCA launched in 2011 and has worked with dozens of organizations, on campus and off, over its 12-year history.
ALUMNI CORNER
When Media & Journalism graduate Noah Wright took over as Editor-in-Chief of the student-run PULSE magazine in 2022, he had already been on staff for two full years. “I liked the flexible feeling the class had,” Wright says. Since graduating in Spring 2023, he’s been putting what he studied to use as a reporter for The Daily Record in Ellensburg.
NOAH WRIGHT Class of 2023
“My studies helped me at the Daily Record by giving me a good foundation to build off,” Wright says. “After going through the program, I had confidence to go into interviews or events and work on the fly when information came at me.” Now, Wright has been recruited to play Major League Rugby for the Dallas Jackals starting in January. “I was drafted earlier this year and will be continuing a dream I’ve had since I stayed playing.”
AT A GLANCE
Favorite class: Visual Storytelling. I was never good at taking photos, but after that class I have seen a change in my work. Piece of advice: Be comfortable writing about anything and everything. I originally had the goal of becoming a sports broadcaster. I still want to do that, but there are times when you have to attend a school board meeting or read through city council minutes.
Shaun Orme, a PR graduate with an Advertising minor, says it was the hands-on classes in the Communication Department that helped him the most at the start of his career. “I believe that any activities or projects related to real world experience really helped propel my career,” he recalls, citing case studies, academic clubs and internships. “I was the President of the Advertising Club (AAF), where we partnered with Live Nation on a campaign for Sasquatch music festival. It was a great experience working with a client, while managing people and deadlines, which was extremely transferable to the workforce.” Orme now works for Amazon Web Services (AWS) as an Enterprise Account Executive (companies of $100M -$1B in annual rev). He focuses on new customer acquisition (“Green Field”). “AWS is the first and the largest public cloud provider owning over 30% of the market,” he notes.
AT A GLANCE Favorite class: Public Relations, Investor Relations, PR Writing. They all gave me a strong foundation of skills and tools to apply when entering the workforce. Everything else can’t really be taught in school. Gaining experience in the work field is the only way you can truly master your role. Piece of advice: Never underestimate the power of your network. People want to help people. Never stop reaching out for informationals or career guidance. I would not be here without leveraging CWU’s strong alumni network.
SHAUN ORME Class of 2016
Senior Spotlights compiled by Abu Agyeman
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LAMBDI PI ETA Meetings: Wednesdays Faculty Adviser: Joshua.Nelson-Ichido@cwu.edu THE OBSERVER Published every Thursday Faculty Adviser: Francesco.Somaini@cwu.edu PULSE magazine Published once per quarter Faculty Adviser: Jennifer.Green@cwu.edu
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CENTRAL COMMUNICATION AGENCY Faculty Adviser: Jennifer.Green@cwu.edu
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CWU Communication Department Lind Hall 108 (509) 963-1066