ECEDENT PR Public Relations Student Society of America
Issue 1 • September 4, 2013 • University of Georgia • Drewry Chapter • ugaprssa.org
PRSSA UGA 2013-2014 Executive Board
Welcome Back!
To our new and prospective members, welcome! And to our returning members, welcome back! It’s an exciting time to be a member of the John E. Drewry Chapter of PRSSA. Among 300 chapters across the United States and one chapter in Argentina, we stand alone as the largest PRSSA organization in the world. Further, with more than 250 members, we are currently the largest student organization in Grady College. Congratulations! I feel fortunate to be involved with such an incredible organization that is made up of unbelievably talented individuals. An organization does not get to where we are by chance. It takes dedication, skill and hard work. Fortunately, our members possess all three. We’re excited about where we are. But we’re even more excited about where we’re going. This year’s executive board has been working hard to ensure that our members enjoy all of the benefits PRSSA offers, and we are confident that this will be a successful year. We have put together an impressive lineup of professional speakers from across the industry, including integrated marketing firms, national corporations, nonprofits and agencies. We are making the meetings interactive and are exploring options for networking events among students to create a meaningful experience for all of our members. We are looking for ways to provide you with even more information about scholarships, internships and job openings. Last summer we had
members complete internships with companies such as Coca-Cola, Southern Company, National Geographic, the Home Depot and Jackson Spalding. We want to add to that list. We want our members to grow professionally. As a result, we offer leadership and committee positions to our members. From social media to publicity and beyond, you can be involved in real public relations work for one of the largest professional organizations on campus. Through PRSSA, you have the opportunity to make some of your greatest friends, to progress personally and professionally and to build relationships that will last long after you’ve graduated from UGA. The executive board is committed to assisting you and bringing you a beneficial experience with our organization. Please know that there are always open lines of communication between our members, our advisor and our board. We hope that you will take full advantage of all that PRSSA has to offer. It’s never too early to begin creating a portfolio, building relationships with professionals, networking with other students interested in public relations and learning as much as you can about the profession. Start now, and prepare your future today. Cody Nichelson Chapter President
Intern Q&A: Megan Deese, The Home Depot What was your official job title at The Home Depot, did you work full-time or part-time, and where is their corporate headquarters located? I was a Communications Intern with the Merchandising Execution Team (MET), The Home Depot’s in-house store service team. It was a 12-week, full-time internship. The Store Support Center (The Home Depot’s corporate office) is located in Atlanta.
Megan sporting a Home Depot apron
Explain a day in the life of an intern at the Home Depot. (What were your daily tasks, was the work predictable, what was the work environment like, etc.) Each intern is given a project at the start of the summer. Working on my project was the main focus of my day, but I also sat in on meetings, attended information sessions and lunches with vice presidents and the executive leadership team and wrote various articles. I knew what to expect and what was on my calendar each day when I came in, but I always jumped at the opportunity to attend events I was invited to. The work environemt was open; I felt like I could go to anyone in the office with a question and they would be willing to help me.
Did you work on any big projects? (If so, explain) Yes, my summer project was to research and analyze the communication vehicles produced by the MET Communications team, which included newsletters, an intranet page, a weekly publication, and a quarterly broadcast. MET is a relatively new organization within The Home Depot and a communications analysis had never been conducted. To complete my project I had to become familiar with the communications team, the publications, and their target audience. My project included writing and publishing surveys, conducting focus groups in four different cities in several Home Depot stores, and then analyzing the feedback received. At the end of my project I did a final presentation in front of my manager, senior leadership and the Executive Vice President of Merchandising for The Home Depot. What was your favorite thing about interning at The Home Depot? My favorite thing about my internship was that it wasn’t typical. I enjoyed having ownership of my project and seeing it through from start to finish. It was also exciting to be able to interact with the executive leadership team, like the CEO and CFO. How did your experience at The Home Depot change or shape your future career goals? I had the opportunity to talk to several people outside of my department and get their career advice. It was great to hear different perspectives and know the different paths people have taken. It opened my eyes to all of the opportunities out there and helped me determine what jobs I could pursue after graduation, and also where I could see myself in the next five to 10 years.
Megan Deese Senior
Getting Engauged Making the switch from intern to full-time employee
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fter visiting Engauge on the PRSSA Agency Tour I knew it was the perfect agency for me. The digital marketing and advertising agency was like no other– I met passionate and creative-minded people, the agency’s campaigns were exciting and engaging and the office was a place where employees weren’t just working, they were having fun. I applied for their internship program and was lucky enough to get the job! Having a public relations background, I expected to be a Social Media or Account Management intern but I was chosen to be a Project Management intern. I had no idea what that meant but I was so excited to be at Engauge I didn’t ask questions. That is the same as Account Management right? Well not exactly. During my internship I learned the ins and outs of planning, budgeting, reporting, resourcing, and testing for projects. As part of the Project Management team I worked alongside Account Managers but was responsible for the internal process of each client project we completed. It is the Project Manager’s role to see a project from beginning to end as the client envisions while working within the planned budget, keeping to the timeframe, and communicating internally throughout. As an intern, I got thrown into projects quickly and got a variety of experience. I got to make project plans for infographics, social playbooks, and social whitepapers we created– planning out how much time each step would take and assigning resources in the office to work on them. I played around on iPads and mobile devices, checking that the applications we created were functioning correctly and social shares were working. I researched Twitter and Blogger Influencers to reach out to during client Twitter chats. I did industry monitoring to keep clients updated with social and digital trends in their business sector. I provided audits for blogs and created presentations to use for client project recommendations. And I got to touch projects for top brands like Cisco Systems, UPS, Wells Fargo, and Chick-Fil-A. I also got a great sense of the Engauge culture. From Friday beer carts and beer pong tournaments to our
Engauge summer interns enjoying Chick-Fil-A Cow Appreciation Day office wide “Lunch and Learns” and team fundraisers, Engauge encourages networking beyond daily client work and provides an energizing workspace where something is constantly going on. Even though I had no idea what to expect from the internship it turned out to be a rewarding experience. As a public relations major I didn’t learn all of the skills I needed for Project Management in school, but in addition to my knowledge of budgeting and GANTT charts, I had been taught strong communication skills and a desire to learn. My internship challenged me to learn new skills and programs but because I was willing to do so I became a huge asset to the team. I was given more responsibilities throughout the three months of my internship and at the end I was offered a full-time position! I could never have predicted that I would be doing Project Management after college but my internship really opened a new opportunity for me and I’m beyond excited to start my career with such an innovative agency.
Jessica Neville 2013 Graduate
Where was PRSSA U Georgia
Alpharetta Rachel Butler – Dodge Communications Julie Clark – Accu-Tech
Athens Dana Balch – Georgia Museum of Art Elizabeth Bertrand – UGA College of Pharmacy External Affairs Lauren Bovard – UGA School of Law Office of Communications Mary Grace Griffin – Jackson Spalding Stephanie Pham – Athens Banner Herald Online News
Atlanta
Key Internship Trainee Entry-Level Fellowship
Erin Abernathy – Coca-Cola Corporate Danielle Armour – Chick-Fil-A Bowl Megan Beavers – Edelman Christine Boddy – Coca-Cola Tana Bosshard – North America Coca-Cola Group Cari Buchwald – Omnicom Steven Coulombe – Georgia Acquarium Jordan Crofton – Pharmaceutical Sales Angelene Crosswell –MSL Megan Deese – The Home Depot Conley Findler – Crown & Caliber, LLC Joy Glaze – Coca-Cola Jamie Gottleib – Turner Kristen Heetland – MSL Julia Hemingway – Cookerly Public Relations Abby Jensen – Intercontienental Hotel Groups Sabrina Lewis – Crown & Caliber, LLC Jennifer Linke – Omnicom Lauren Mayo – WNBA, Kohl’s Selby Meritt –Simply Charming Socials Allison Moder – Omnicom Alexa Munford – Engauge Jessica Neville – Engauge Cody Nichelson – Southern Company Colleen Pinto – Green Olive Media Alexandra Prather – Children’s Health Care of Atlanta Lauren Schuster – AT&T Haileee Sosnowski – William Mills Public Relations Anna Szambelin – Engauge
UGA this summer? United Kingdom London
Ainsley Holyfield – Redleaf Polhil Public Relations
Washington D.C. Whitney Jinks –National Geographic Meghan Kanter – Porter Novelli Will Linto – Edelman Ally Montemurro – Fed Scoop Jade Thomas – Edelman Mary Walker – Porter Novelli
Texas Dallas
Caroline Meadors – Edelman
South Carolina Greenville
Samantha Slappey – Erwin Penland
New York New York City
Elyse Tremble – Ketchum
GIVE BACKPACKING:
the alternative internship
The Give Back(packing) crew kayaking in St. John Virgin Island
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areer, service and adventure… what more could a college student ask for? Two years ago I was sitting in a sorority chapter meeting and thought, “Renee, what are you really doing to get yourself a job after graduation?” The fearful answer was – not much. Then, like a prayer from above, Eli Harris, the CEO and founder of Give Back(packing) walked into my sorority house and made an announcement that answered all of my questions. Eli spoke about this program and it was the answer to how I was going to get to where I needed to be in my career. Eli described the program and in awe I turned to my friend and said, “I must do this, I have to do this.” However, as life got in the way and I got busier and busier, I did not apply to the program. Give Back(packing) is a month-long professional development program geared toward internship experience, service and travel. The program travels to St. John Virgin Island, Washington D.C., New York City and San Francisco. In these cities participants immerse themselves into the culture by participating in various job shadows and gain professional experience, go on adventures – such as a three-day camping trip to Yosemite National Park and also give back to the community through service projects. A year after I heard Eli speak about the program, I applied to be on a Creative Consultants team for PRSSA. Creative Consultants gives PRSSA members the opportunity to work with a company and provide them with hands-on public relations services. The companies that members may work with range from huge corporate giants like Porter Novelli and Chick-fil-A to smaller local companies like Books For Keeps. While interviewing to be a Junior Account Executive for any one of these companies, I stumbled upon Give Back(packing) and remembered what an impact Eli’s four minute introduction had on me one year ago. I did not think about which client I wanted to work with before the interview but once I saw the list, without hesitation I said, “I’ll take Give Back(packing).”
Meeting Senator JohnnyIsackson in Washington D.C.
Four months later, I found myself registering for the program, finally. Working with Give Back(packing) through Creative Consultants gave me the opportunity to work alongside Eli and contribute significantly to this program. Talking about and promoting this program came so naturally to me; I loved telling anyone and everyone about this amazing chance to empower students. I took the leap and am so happy I did. This program gave me the edge I was looking for, especially since I am majoring in the competitive field of public relations and minoring in fashion merchandising. The program started off in St. John Virgin Islands where Eli and the Terry College of Business’s regional Director, Marc Garofalo, gave us valuable networking and personal branding workshops. This was also the time everyone on the trip became extremely close while staying in our eco-friendly cottages. St. John was filled with adventure and service work. We cleaned up national park beaches and volunteered at a children’s camp while also snorkeling and sailing the beautiful blue waters.
Give Back(packing) visits LinkedIn
Hiking in Yosemite National Park
After St. John we all began working at our mini internships. In each city we were responsible for getting to our job shadows on time and independently. This was at first a daunting task but eventually we all were able to navigate each new city, which felt amazing. On the trip, I experienced my hometown of New York City in a way I never have before. Growing up, I always dreamed of working in the city but I have never had the connections or means of achieving that dream. With Give Back(packing), I was able to intern with 360i, one of the biggest advertising agencies in the country, and Kate Spade, one of the most influential accessory designers of our time. In D.C., I was thrilled to get my foot in the door at Edelman, one of the largest public relations firms in the country. Other companies I visited were LinkedIn, Wikipedia, Dropbox, Porter Novelli and WIX, to name a few. In addition to our job shadows, we participated in many service projects together. In D.C., we helped prepare 5,000 meals at the D.C. Central Kitchen, which is the biggest soup kitchen in the country. We also went to the Raphael House in San Francisco, which is an organization that provides meals for homeless families. This summer I made invaluable connections in the professional world and also learned so much about myself. I learned how important my own personal story is to employers and how to differentiate myself. I also learned what I liked and did not like about my potential career choices, which will save me a lot of aggravation after graduation. I gained confidence in myself after having to navigate foreign cities and meet with seemingly scary professionals Renee Micheli Senior one-on-one. After the program, I went on to intern with the Brooklyn-based lingerie and swimwear company, Daisy & Elizabeth; an opportunity that I would not have received if I had never taken the leap and participated in Give Back(packing)!
2013-2014 Executive Board President Cody Nichelson cody.nichelson@gmail.com @CodyNichelson Vice President Brittnee Jones brittnee@uga.edu @BrittneeJones
Social media watch This summer, the social media world was abuzz with new advances. As a social media addict, I followed the trends and updates with a watchful eye. Here are some of the notable changes that social media users experienced this summer:
We aren’t strangers to the fact that Facebook is constantly adjusting its interface and adding new features. This summer, Facebook introduced hashtags to the user experience. Hashtags, which categorize posts, give users the ability to search and view all the hashtags available for that subject, such as #UGAProblems, and #PRMajorProblems.
Twitter and Vine Creative Consultants Director Twitter has a new feature that surfaces “the stories behind a tweet.” If a tweet Whitney Jinks is embedded into a news story, the main headline and other relevant whitney.jinks@gmail.com headlines will be displayed below the tweet. This offers context to the original @WhitJinks tweet and shows responses that a tweet may have invoked. PR Director Vine, Twitter’s add-on, faced serious danger when Instagram introduced vidTana Bosshard eo capability. To counteract this, Vine introduced “revines,” the ability to share tanabosshard@gmail.com someone else’s Vine on your own timeline, similar to a “retweet” on Twitter. @tanabosshard Treasurer Renee Micheli renee@uga.edu @reneemicheli
Secretary Megan Deese meg.deese@gmail.com @Meg_Deese
This summer, the photo-sharing giant Instagram added a feature that allows users to record, filter and share up to 15 seconds of video. It was met with positive feedback from those who didn’t want to divide their time between Vine and Instagram. It was also well-received by organizations who could now utilize Instagram to stream commercials to followers.
Stephanie Pham
PR ECEDENT
Publications Editor Reagan Fromm reaganfromm@gmail.com @ReaganMFromm
Fall Schedule: 250 MLC, 6:30 p.m. Sept. 18: Engauge Oct. 2: Agency Panel Social Media Director Stephanie Pham Oct. 16: Travel PR stephaniepham28@gmail.com Oct. 30: Nonprofit Panel @Phammy117 Nov. 13: Member Appreciation Historian Jessie Powell jolp13@uga.edu Faculty Advisor Dr. Betty Jones betjones@grady.edu
Other Important Dates: Oct. 25-29: National Conference Nov. 12: ADPR Connection
Next Issue: If you would like to submit an article for the next PRecedent, email reaganfromm@gmail.com.