If there are any topics you would like to discuss, please email chapmanprssa@gmail.com with "Blog" in the subject line. Send us an idea for a blog or a post that we can add.
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August 13th, 6:38 pm
I just finished my London travel course. It was one of the best experiences ever! We met with AECOM, LOCOG (London Organizing Committee for Olympic Games) and Buro Happold, and worked on projects to promote the park and games. All these companies are working on the Olympic branding and park. The 2012 London Olympic Games are the greenest games ever, which is awesome!
Jeff Bryant's August quotes:
Professional..
“Some people live in a dream world, and some face reality.
But there is a third group – those who turn one into the other.”
- Kevin Eikenberry - Power quote Editor
Personal..
“The minute you choose to do what you really want to do, it’s a different kind of life.”
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July 10th, 10:30 pm
I am currently in London, England!!! (yayyyayyayyyay!!) I am taking a travel course through Chapman to study that branding of the 2012 London Olympic Games. We have been in London since Saturday afternoon, and have been exploring and learning since! Today we met with AECOM, and learned about the Olympic Games site.
Jeff Bryant's July quotes:
Professional quote:
“Aim for success, not perfection. Never give up your right to be wrong, because then you will lose the ability to learn new things and to move forward with your life.”
Author Unknown…
Personal quote:
“You may learn more things from life by accident than on purpose”
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June 12, 2010 1:45 pm
Jeff Bryant's June quotes:
Professional Quote:
“Make your decisions principle-driven so you do what is most important to you at the time.”
Author Unknown
Personal Quote:
“If you think you’re too small to have an impact, try going to bed with a mosquito in the room.”
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May 4th, 2010 1:32 pm
Tonight Bateman Teams presens! How exciting! They got an honorable mention, which only 16 out of 68 teams got. So in other words, they are awesome!
Jeff Bryant's May quotes:
"Bad times have a value. These are occasions a good learner would not
miss."
Author - Ralph Waldo Emerson
Personal quote:
A building is only as high as its foundation
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April 22, 2010 9:56 am
It has been a while since I have been on here to update the site and the blog. I have been having lots of computer problems, and I have taken it into the Apple Store twice already and I have to take it in a third time and leave it there for a week to get some hardware stuff replaced... ugh. So sorry for the lack of updates on the site!
Jeff Bryant's April quotes:
“A Goal is created three times:
First as a mental picture, Second, when written down to add clarity and dimension
and third, when you take action towards its achievement.”
“Author unknown”
Personal quote,
“The challenge of every organization is to build a feeling of oneness, of dependence on one another…because the question is usually not how well each person works, but how well they work together.”
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March 11, 2010 5:00 pm
This past Sunday was Red Carpet | Black Tie. It was awesome, and thanks to everyone who was able to come to the event. And for those of you who couldn't make it, don't worry, because next years will be even better! Thanks to everyone who helped put on the event, including PRSSA and the Chapman Alumni Association.
Also, today is my dad's birthday! So happy birthday to him!!
Jeff Bryant, the human resources representative at OCTA, has graciously sent us a few quotes that we think will serve as great resources for you. Each month, he will send over a few words of wisedom so stay tuned! These are the March quotes:
Professional quote:
“Persons of high self-esteem are not driven to make themselves superior to others; they do not seek to prove their value by measuring themselves against a comparative standard. Their joy is being who they are, not in being better than someone else”.
Nathaniel Branden
Personal quote:
“There is only one thing more painful than learning from experience and that is not learning from experience”.
Questions to Ponder,
What have I recently learned from experience?
What haven’t I learned (in other words, what mistake have I repeated)?
Which was more painful?
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March 5, 2010 5:529 pm
Hey everyone! I'm here with Simon working on updating the PRSSA website. Right now I am watching him edit the blog logo so that is says Blog'n wit Becca with my face in the bubble. I am taking over the blog. Nathalie's blog was amazing, and she was kind enough to let me take over. Simon says hello to everyone!
-Becca
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December 3, 2009 12:23 am
Jeff Bryant, the human resources representative at OCTA, has graciously sent us a few quotes that we think will serve as great resources for you. Each month, he will send over a few words of wisedom so stay tuned!
"Take the most difficult challenge you are now facing and turn it into the greatest opportunity to grow simply by changing how you see it. Dead ends then become turning points". - Bob Perks
"Don't let life busyness keep you on the treadmill of life, you'll find yourself off course going nowhere and eventually miss out on opportunities." -Jeff Bryant
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December 1, 2009 5:59 pm
I'm sitting in the Chapman Coffee House with Becca and Simon. Becca and I are learning the interworkings of Dreamweaver so this blog can get going this year!!
-Anna, Becca and Simon
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November 10, 2009 7:48 pm
It's election time! Really, though. PRSSA is having elections as we speak. So far Miss Amy Chase, former director of communications, is our new president and we're seeing who will be elected vice president. The suspense is killing me.
I'll be tweeting through out so hopefully you are paying attention.
Woo!
PS: Be ready for a lot of news from the people who attended National Conference. I've heard a lot of stories...
PPS: Nobody has guessed the mystery member yet! Get on it!
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November 6, 2009 9:07 pm
Hello PRSSA friends! I'm back and ready for action. Sorry there was such a dry spell. My computer crashed right at the beginning of the school year and I wasn't able to get Dreamweaver back on my computer until now. And there you go.
Anyway, I'm writing from Orange. Meh. Everyone is having such a fun time in San Diego at National Conference. I guess I'm not going to miss out on ALL the fun. I'm driving down tomorrow afternoon to meet with 5 lovely members from the East Coast, Nick Lucido from Michigan State, Debbie Ebalobo from University of Georgia, Harrison Loveall from University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point, Jessica Lawlor from Temple University, and Melissa Jones from Rowan University, to work on a social media toolkit that has been in the works since the summer. More updates to come.
PS: We have a new mystery member contest. New member every Tuesday. Member reveal on Tuesdays. Tuesdays are just amazing, right?
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Oct. 1, 2009 10:00 am
Jeff Bryant, from OCTA (Orange County Transportation Authority) Human Resources and Organizational Development emailed me these quotes.
"The goals you set for yourself and the strategies you choose become your blueprint or plan. Strategies are like recipes: choose the right ingredients, mix them in the correct proportions, and you will always produce the same predictable results." - Charles Givens
His own personal quote: "A good business strategy is not just about thinking big, it's about getting big. What are you waiting for?"
Thanks Jeff!
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Aug. 26, 2009 10:59 pm
I cannot believe school starts in less than a week. I feel like PRSSA has a lot of good stuff up its sleeves so you better be watching your email, twitter, whatever. It's going to blow your mind.
The National Conference is in San Diego this year. I don't think we have a better chance to have a grand Chapman turn-out. Usually a one or a few members fly out to who-knows-where across the country and represent Chapman, but how cool would it be if we had a whole flock of people? Luckily for our members, the first 15 members to register gets $65 paid for by our chapter. So get on it!
Another thing I'm looking forward to is the Angels vs. Mariners game that PRSSA is planning on going to. We want more bonding time to not think about meetings. Or at least that's what I want! Haha. Anyway...
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Aug. 18, 2009 9:07 pm
Wow time really does fly by. I can't believe we have less than two weeks of summer left. I'm actually getting pretty excited. I don't have any "filler" classes this semester so I will look forward to each day, hopefully.
Anyway, have you checked out the new website? I must say that Simon has done a stellar job.
There's some new additions, including the internship page. Hopefully I will be diligently updating that page so you know all the new opportunities that are out there for you.
Enjoy your last couple of weeks. Don't forget your sunscreen!
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July 27, 2009 11:07 pm
Ahhh I am so sorry. I'm really dropping the ball with this blog thing. Anyway, it's Monday which means I am supposed to have a blog for you to read. Unfortunately, I don't this week. I'm so sorry. It's been kind of a crazy week/weekend - I turned 20. I'm no longer a teenager, which means I don't have time dilly dallying on the internet. Hahaha, who am I kidding. Of course I spend all my time on the internet.
Actually, I have been reading a whole lot lately. In fact, I think the ratio of reading to being online has drastically changed to about 3:1. Impressive huh. Currently, I'm reading Pride and Prejudice and Zombies by Jane Austen and Seth Grahame-Smith. I don't even like the original and I think this one is strangely comical.
So I guess the blog I will give you is one that is on my favorite list, and I'm sorry to say, I am a Perez Hilton regular. I mean, I read this blog religiously. In no way does Chapman PRSSA endorse my recommendation, just to make it clear. I'm just saying, if you want to know what's going on in celebrity-world, EVERYTHING you need to know is on Perezhilton.com.
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July 20, 2009, 9:43 p.m.
Okay, who could have guessed that the next blog of the week would be on the topic of FOOD?! Check out OC Register's own food guru: THE FAST FOOD MAVEN.
http://fastfood.freedomblogging.com/
I'm always looking for a good new bite to eat in Orange County and I often seek wisdom from her blog entries. She's in the know of which restaurants have closed, ones that are newly opened, when you can snag a good deal (July 27, Ruby's Diner has a burger and fries meal for only $2.95!). Sounds delicious to me!
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July 13, 2009, 5:13 p.m.
Happy Monday. Yesterday, I had a really hard time saying goodbye to the weekend. But this morning I embraced the day, and now I only have good things to look forward to, including finishing my book!
Anyway, here is the BLOG OF THE WEEK:
http://www.pr-squared.com/index.php
Finally, something PR-related for you! This blog is exactly what it's tagline says: "Conversations about social media and marketing"
I truly recommend this blog if you are at all curious about PR in today's society. Things are changing rapidly, and this blog nails it.
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July 10, 2009, 10:27 a.m.
I feel horrible for not writing this sooner, but I wanted to be able to spend a good deal of time on this entry.
A couple days ago I received an email from Janell saying that Mardesich has resigned from teaching at Chapman. An overwhelming response came through mediums of Facebook, twitter and conversations and I have to say, I agreed with everything people were saying. We are truly sad that Mardesich is leaving.
Mardesich was one of those teachers who really cared about his students -- I mean REALLY cared. He put so much time into each of us, from remembering comments we had said earlier in the semester, to projects we did a year ago. I was fortunate to have two classes with him: Principles of PR and Business Presentations-- two classes that I really enjoyed. He made sure that we visited him during office hours to make sure we were doing okay in his class, but would really talk to us about anything --life, job, friends, Chapman--for an hour even though our time was slotted for 15 min. He was one of the FEW teachers at Chapman who even cared that we won NSAC regionals, let alone got fourth in the nation.
As for PRSSA, he always strived for progress. He wanted to go above and beyond but with a level-head to make sure we didn't have too much on our plates. We knew he had a busy schedule, but he seemed to find the time to come to meetings and listen to our crazy ideas for an hour or two. On behalf of the board, I'd like to say that we will miss his leadership and assistance.
Mardesich, if you're reading this, we just want you to know that you were appreciated and we wish you all the best in whatever you do.
Thanks. :)
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July 9, 2009, 7 p.m. --Guest blog: Sam Roper, member and wonderful person in general
Living out my summer in my small hometown in southern Idaho, I've been missing Disneyland and the beach and having a purpose in life immensely. I work a few nights a week at a theatre that's been showing The Hangover since it opened, and yes, I have the whole movie memorized now. I mostly work nights, so I've got a lot of daylight hours to burn on the interwebs. Since deleting my Facebook account, I've discovered the most outrageous web pages that make me wish that I had come up with them and want to share them with you, the wondrous PRSSA devotee. Not that they have all that much to do with PR, or professional development, but I feel like they're relevant to the college-student that wants to waste time on a site other than Facebook.
1. Cursebird.com -- the best dedication to foul-language tweets that I've ever seen. The live feed of potty-mouths offers up obscene bursts that rival textsfromlastnight.com on the inappropriateness scale.
2. Engrish.com -- presents the best example of why you should have an extra set of eyes look at that plan/brief/mock-up/etc. before you sent it to the printer. As PR/Ad kids, this site is especially relevant to us (to be fair, a lot of it is poor translation from one language to another...in that case, further proof of why we need socially- and culturally-familiar translators).
3. The Soup blog (http://www.eonline.com/uberblog/the_soup/index.html) – Probably better-known in some circles, but I just recently discovered that The Soup has an online blog. It helps get me through the week until I can get my Joel McHale fix after Friday night (if only I had DVR at college).
There are plenty more, a simple Google search can help you if these aren't your type of humor.
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July 6, 2009, 10:07 a.m.
It's Monday again and I'm feeling the funnies. My friend Carl showed me this week's blog:
Historical Tweets
And it is basically what it means.
Well I hope everyone had a safe and fun 4th of July. I sure did.
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July 2, 2009, 10:18 p.m.
After the PRSSA meeting tonight, some of us went over to Anna's to hang out and eat all her food. Or at least I eat all her food, including her strawberry cake. Simon gave me a tutorial of photoshop and illustrator, which was very helpful. I used to know how to use photoshop when I was in digital photography in high school but it was good to get a refresher course. I've played around with illustrator but now I know the true tricks of the trade. Here's something I threw together: my first official project after Simon's little lesson...
Anyway, it is so nice having talented friends. But instead of getting them to do everything for you, like I used to do in high school (my younger brother was in my web design class and he basically helped me through out the entire course), I am now learning how to do things on my own. I can't wait to use my skills for "real" projects but now I will just have fun practicing.
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June 29, 2009, 3:12 p.m.
My apologies! I was in Seattle last Monday and didn't bring my laptop so I was unable to blog. But, as it is Monday, I will share with you this week's blog:
http://www.chapmancouture.blogspot.com/
Created by Chapman Couture's president, Alissa Lentz, you'll be up-to-date on her various where-abouts and what-abouts concerning everything fashion. I thought it would be nice to support a fellow Chapman PRSSA member. :)
Can you believe June is almost done?
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June 15, 2009, 10:53 a.m.
Monday. Blog of the week.
The Daily What: http://thedw.us/
The provider of some of the most humorous and random images I've seen on the internet. Look for the lunch updates. They're pretty great as well.
WARNING: language and humor can sometimes be offensive..I apologize ahead of time. **nor does it reflect PRSSA's attitudes and opinions....
Sorry if this offends you...you can find other pictures like cat DJ's and grills shaped like the death star.
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June 12, 2009, 1:38 p.m. -- 67 degrees and cloudy
New additions to the website coming soon!
Do you receive the many wonderful emails that Amy, our director of communications, sends out? Well, many of those emails regard cool internship opportunities that fall into the hands of PRSSA. The Chapman PRSSA website will soon add a new internship page that will list various opportunities that arise. Just another way to keep you connected.
So keep your eyes PEALED!
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June 11, 2009, 8:29 a.m.
I suggest you go see Up (in 3D!) and rent Role Models.
On another note, I was at Anna's house last night with Simon working on re-branding PRSSA and brainstorming our brains out. We've decided that6:30p.m. on Wednesday nights at the Chapman Coffee House, we will host PRSSA meetings to go over the calendar, who we want to target, new logos, etc. It will be quite exciting and I hope to see you there (if you're in town).
On another note, how are you liking the June gloom? Yeah, me neither.
On another note, if you are feeling hungry in the morning and you just don't know what to eat for breakfast, try an english muffin (I prefer the multigrain with flax from Mother's Market) with peanut butter and banana slices. YUM-O.
That is all.
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June 8, 2009, 10:47 a.m.
I hope you are all having a fun and productive summer. Sorry that I've been a little inactive in the past week. I was in Washington D.C. for NSAC Nationals. Chapman won 4th place, following Syracuse University, University of Alabama and UC Berkeley. We also won the Getty Images award (the only other award given at the competition) for best use of images. With the award we received $1500! Let's just say that we were very very very very happy.
Anyways, it is Monday so that means BLOG OF THE WEEK! I have to thank Zach Reusing for this one. If you don't know me, I am OBSESSED with fonts. It's a little geeky, but you wouldn't imagine how may times font choice and identification comes up in conversations. Nonetheless, this next blog is called Papyrus Hunters, where the author searches out various places and items that use the font "Papyrus." It's pretty funny because there's a lotand I hate the font. Sorry. I think Cafe Lucca uses it. Ugh.
So here you go. Enjoy.
Papyrus Hunters
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June 1, 2009, 5:32 p.m.
It's Monday and here's your blog of the week
Gen Next (from Ad Age)
It's basically little tidbits from people our age who are kind of in the same boat many of us are in. Here's sample headlines of recent posts:
1. Congratulations, you're an intern. Now what?: use summer internships to find your direction
2. Personal branding further inflates our sense of entitlement: It's time for a reality check
3. Now's not the time to be picky: recent grads, be willing to move to land a new gig
4. Tools for the gig economy: how web technology is improving work life for free agents
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May 28, 2009, 1:05 a.m.
Have you been following the rebranding of PRSSA?
Simon and Anna have come up with some pretty neat stuff.
I'll leave you late-nighters with this: "Videotape" by Radiohead
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May 27, 2009, 9:30 a.m.
Ok, so if you're like me and you've spent hours and hours searching craigslist and Panther Connect for a job, I've got news for you!
I've created a jolly playlist to make your searching a little bit more enjoyable. So here you go:
1. Time to Pretend by MGMT
2. I Turn My Camera On by Spoon
3. Skinny Love by Bon Iver
4. Love You Madly by Cake
5. Yellow Taxi by Matt Costa
6. Somewhere Only We Know by Keane
7. How Lucky We Are by Meiko
8. We Sleep in the Ocean by The Cloud Room
9. Robots by Flight of the Conchords
10. E-Pro by Beck
11. Hypnotized by Notorious B.I.G.
12. Sing Again by Chris Walla
13. Spanish Town by The Beautiful Girls
And if you're feeling kind of down because the search has been unsuccessful...
14. Lies by Glen Hansard
15. Seven Swans by Sufjan Stevens
16. Keep on Runnin' by Cat Power
17. 9 Crimes by Damien Rice
And if you're feeling like you'd rather just not think about it at all...
18. Wouldn't It Be Nice by The Beach Boys
19. Escape by Enrique Iglesias
20. Come Sail Away by Styx
And if you haven't yet, check out PRSSA's new message board and let us know your thoughts on the potential PRSSA logos. Anna's been working hard on them, so make sure you check it out.
Happy job hunting!
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May 25, 2009, 1:37 p.m.
I am going to try something new. Every Monday, I will introduce my chosen "Blog of the Week."
So for my first pick, here's...
Awkward Family Photos
Here's two sneak peeks from the website:
Enjoy!
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May 22, 2009, 8:41 a.m.
Whoever came up with this fundraiser was a genius:
According to Us Magazine (I know, super credible source),
photo from Us Magazine website
Twightlight star Robert Pattinson, 23, auctioned off a kiss on he cheek to the daughter of the highest bidder to raise money for Cinema Against AIDS benefit in Cannes, France, on Thursday. In the end, he offered up two kisses, raising $28,000 each!
Holy moly.
I wish my kisses were worth that much.
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May 20, 2009, 6:16 p.m.
So what do you do if you're trying to create a campaign for a product that is on the taboo list? Here's what P&G did to boost sales for their feminine products. The poor speaker, middle aged male, had in talk to about 13-year-old girls, cramps and other problems. Check it out:
P&G boost sales using Social Media
--article was found through Advertising Age
PS: How is everyone doing? Are your finals over? Mine are! wooooo...
PPS: did you know that the sex product industry has increased because of the recession? Supposedly, we have no money, so instead of business-oriented, we're relationship-oriented, which leads to brooooohaha.
Here's the article for that nugget of truth:
Is recession sex even better than makeup sex?
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May 20, 2009, 8:13 a.m.
Problems in the twittersphere?
Kanye west knows what's up! Recently on his blog, he wrote, IN ANGRY ALL-CAPS, that he was very upset with the twitter imposters who pose as him. This is seems to be a great problem for not just West, but for many companies as well. There's even a twitter for "the REAL Suri Cruise" and it's actually kind of funny.
Anyway, I was reading an article called "Brandjacking & Social Web Imposters" and I began to wonder if the people/companies I'm following are truly who I think they are. I'm following the magazine Real Simple (really!) but it could just be some mom giving me tips on how to redecorate my home.
Check it out:
Brandjacking & Social Web Imposters
Now will the real Slim Shady please stand up?
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May 14, 2009 11:46AM
So I've been encouraged to follow "PR news" twitter-flies so that I can share all their good insights on my blog! So today I was guided to an article about twitter conduct and how social media has reshaped the business of reporting news. "The e-mail concludes by reminding them that 'business and pleasure should not be mixed on services like Twitter.'"
Check it out!
Dow Jones Writers Get Served New Twitter-Specific Conduct Rules
It's kind of funny how we have all these mediums to express ourselves but once again, there's rules to confine our hyper fingers. I JUST WANNA TYPE! But it is important to realize that these channels of communication are extremely powerful. Cory O' Connor showed us that our twitters are the first thing that show up when our names are "googled." Kind of crazy. We're being watched. BIG BROTHER. Or we're making ourselves easy targets.
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May 13, 2009 10:22AM
The best thing about internet communication? The fact that I can still keep in touch with people without my cell phone. Granted, it's not as good, but it still works. Between my twitter, Tumblr blog, email and Facebook, I've successfully communicated my sad story of how my cell phone fell into the toilet. Yes, I am without a cell phone and it probably couldn't have come at a better time. During finals week I will be disconnected, until I turn on my laptop. Bliss?
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May 8, 2009
Oh you know, just a typical day for a PRSSA member...
Eight of us visited Ketchum today. We met some Chapman alums, got a tour and listened to overview of various departments within the agency. I never thought about working for an agency until today. I guess I assumed that I would just jump into in-house PR but now that I think about it more, working for an agency would be a lot of fun and learning as well. Ketchum has this corner office that is called their "library" but is actually a room filled with the latest publications of a TON of magazines. I have found home!
Afterward we went to an Italian restaurant called C&O on Venice Beach. Anna, our PRSSA president, treated us all to a fabulous dinner and probably tomorrow's meals as well. If you had seen the size of bowls, you would understand. They also give you free garlic bread knots every 5 minutes. We were in heaven.
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May 6, 2009 4:30 pm
Thanks Simon for putting that picture EVERYWHERE on our website. Not.
We have less than three weeks left of school. I'm kind of scared because I need to find a job, like many other people I know.
Next Tuesday is the big meeting. Everyone should be there. We have big news. Big news.
Yep.
And did I mention that Circle Advertising, Chapman's Ad Agency, won first place at the NSAC District 15 competition? We beat USC, UCLA and many other schools.
So now you know.
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May 2, 2009, guest blogger, Jessie McDaniel, secretary of PRSSA
Tuesday night Adam Brady, director of publications and new media for the Anaheim Ducks and Honda Center, was our speaker and it was an AMAZING night! The room was packed and Adam energized us all with a group discussion.
Just in case you guys are wondering what makes Adam's job so great, he gets to travel with the team, attend all of their games, helps run the Web site, oh and he writes an awesome blog for the team! Where can you find this super cool blog you're wondering? Well you can click on this link and check it out:
http://ducks.nhl.com/team/app/?service=page&page=NHLPage&id=12887
I think my favorite part of the night was when Adam talked about violence in hockey and almost got into a fight with a student!! Just kidding! He was asked to build on his point about the ethics of violence in hockey by a student and resonded, "You want to fight?" as a joke. This is just a great example of how entertaining and informative the night was. I hope you were able to be there because it was great!
Jessie
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April 29, 2009 4:30 PM
So Simon, our webpage creator, and Anna surprised me with the PRSSA homepage. What an awkward picture of me. I guess this is now called 'Blogn wit Nath.' Welcome.
There's only a couple more weeks of school left and I'm getting kind of stressed with everything that is going on. I think many people have the same sentiments.
Registration began. I'm slowly watching my classes fill up. It's kind of scary. I hope everyone gets into the classes that they need. It's always really difficult when there's only one section of a class that is mandatory for all students in a particular major. I guess we can't be too picky with our class times. I'm most likely going to have some early mornings and late nights.
I wasn't able to go to the PRSSA meeting/speaker last night but I heard the room was packed. Good to hear! I think that sports PR is pretty popular so it was good that we were able to have a speaker in that field come to talk to all of us. :)
By the way, are you following us on TWITTER? you really should. In fact, I've been hearing about twitter everywhere. It's like the Joshua Tree effect.
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April 28, 2009, 9:37 AM
Ok this will be short since I have my Writing for PR class in 20 minutes.
This past weekend I got to experience the craziness of "behind-the-film-festival." I was in Seattle for the National Film Festival for Talented Youth (NFFTY), a festival for filmmakers 22 years old and younger, that was co-founded by my friend Jocelyn. Let's just say it was a busy busy weekend with running around, trying to promote events and programs here and there, selling merchandise (yes, I even took a role of a merch girl), handing out free Chipotle burritos, etc.
But now I'm back to school and feeling the heat, but not literally, because it's only 60 degrees out.
Spring Sizzle is today so everyone should visit our PRSSA booth where you can water gun duel your friends.
Tonight, Adam Brady is speaking about sports PR. Cool huh.
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April 21, 2009, 10:13 PM, guest blogger: Anna Duffy, PRSSA president
I think that one of the main things that I noticed tonight was the desire to expand the chapter and its energy to get more people involved. It has been recognized over and over that there are many more paid members on our roster than at the actual meetings. This isn't new. So we have initiated steps in order to improve upon this. We want you to want to come, and that can only happen with change in our chapter. I think that one of the most difficult tasks has been making the transition from recognizing that we want more involvement to actually morphing our group to fit the needs of the members of Chapman PRSSA. Hopefully, we can do something about this.
My goal is to make PRSSA more structured in order to keep things simple and organized. On May 12, we will have an end-of-the-year party and crazy brainstorming session. This is the day that plans for next year will be made and solidified. We want YOU to be a part of it. Join the revolution. Big ideas have surfaced and there's no sinking them.
We have quite an exciting month ahead of us. Adam Brady will join us on April 28, spring sizzle kicks off earlier that same day, our Ketchum visit is on Friday May 1 and Jennifer Fader of Rogers & Cowan will join us on May 5 (Woooooo I LOVE social media!). So many opportunities in our last month of school, I think I'll call it our PRSSA EXTRAVAGANZA!!!
Anyway, I know I can't wait to get going on all we have discussed. I think that the hardest part will be developing a structure (committees, etc.) for it all. Please help us figure out these types of things and bear with us! We may do a bit of trial and error, but with no doubt, it will be beneficial once we get everything organized!
Gracias!
Anna Duffy
El Presidente de PRSSA
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April 21, 2009, 10:13 PM
I need to write my advocacy speech for business presentations but there is so much that needs to be said before I can start anything else.
Our PRSSA meeting was very very very very insightful. Yes, that needed 4 very's. I think everyone who attended agreed that there's some big changes that needs to take place if we want PRSSA to take it to the next level. Here's so ideas we chewed on and we'd like to know your thoughts.
General ideas and comments:
1. PRSSA needs to have an incentive. People want something to do other than just see speakers. One member said that she enjoyed the event planning that went along with the Knottscars but after the event there was nothing to do. There wasn't a reason to come to meetings anymore.
2. PRSSA needs to be branded. Do people even know we have a website? Do they think it's just a place where people listen to speakers? We need to market ourselves.
3. There's a disconnect between active and disconnected PRSSA members. People feel that meetings are not of priority or importance. What can we do to get people feeling involved?
So how can we fix this?
Some suggestions brainstormed:
1. Form committees. Example: on-campus clubs focus, community relations. Committees would draft event ideas and pitch them to the rest of the club. We'd have weekly status reports to keep people accountable. This also gives people experience with event planning, giving pitches, promoting events, etc. Having duties makes people feel included.
2. As for branding, do a TON of guerilla marketing during orientation week when the freshmen are on the prowl for new clubs to join. Get the PRSSA name out there.
We just really want PRSSA to be more organized and productive. I think that the events that we've held have been pretty successful so far, so imagine how cool PRSSA can be with more structure, name recognition and excitement.
Thank you Anna for getting the ball rolling.
And as always, if you have anything to say, comments or feedback, email us.
Hope you're all having a good week.
School is almost over.
Sincerely,
Nathalie
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April 15, 2009, 7:22PM
So I had a little moment of contemplation today as I ate my dinner and read my e-mail. I received some feedback from one of the professionals who e-mailed his responses to us, instead of writing it on a card and giving it to us (I think he wanted to be more specific with his critiques). He touched on the idea of being assertive. I always knew that I have a tendency for not wanting to put myself in a place of vulnerability or where I may be perceived as being a nuisance. But the thing is that being assertive doesn't mean being aggressive. I just need to keep reminding myself that. I think there's also another thing that many people struggle with, including myself: selling ourselves short. It's not arrogant. It's showing that there's a reason why someone should hire us and that's the whole reason why we're being interviewed, right? With confidence and assertiveness we are able to sell ourselves and if we do it correctly we can "brand" ourselves as successful and talented women and men who are ready to get some work done!
And that's where my head started to wander...what is my "brand?" Why do I want to go into PR? One of the professionals asked me this and I'm pretty sure I gave her a half-hearted answer. Am I really in the wrong field? I have a weird enjoyment for cranking out press releases and spending late nights in bed with InDesign. But there's more to PR than that.
My mind wanders more...(sorry this is kind of an emotional blog, which is a first here!)...I always thought I wanted to go into sports PR but reality has kind of hit me. My passion for sports is like a tea light next to a torch. I played sports in high school and I'll go to games occasionally, but honestly, is someone going to hire me over another applicant who has been a fan of a particular team since he/she was little and can rattle off every player, every game stat? So what am I passionate about?
It really boils down to two things: food and magazines. Ask any of my friends, what do I talk about most? I find myself constantly on food websites, food blogs, cooking, saying I'm Hungry, dreaming about food, wanting to go to restaurants...it's so bad I think I might have a problem. Next to food, magazines are at the top of my love list. I've had magazine subscriptions ever since I was young. I even made my own magazine-ish as a 5th grader and through out middle and high school --as some people know: The Red Book collection. I love glossy pages. The internet has NOTHING compared to the touch and look of magazines. There's something almost regal about them. After kind of an exhausting day my roommate told me that I received Vanity Fair and W Magazine in the mail and I was instantly in a better mood. Everything from the copy to the design, to the photo spreads to the feel of each page is magnificient. If magazines go out of business I think I will cry for a long period of time. So how can these passions be teamed with PR? I don't know, but I should probably figure that out.
So I encourage you to figure out what your passions are. Seriously, what do you love? And hopefully once you can pinpoint this you'll feel more confident and assertive with what you want and what you want to convey. There's no half-assing in this business. People can tell.
Nathalie
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April 14, 2009, 10:11PM
What a splendid night. Speed networking: 14 professionals and a lot of good advice. If you're like me, the thought of networking makes me a tad anxious and nervous but I am so glad I attended because it gave me a lot of interviewing practice. I think all of us came away with ways to improve our resumés, communication and articulation and overall presentation of ourselves. Hopefully this will help us in future interviews.
On behalf of the board, we were so glad to have Aleta's guidance and help with our chapter. We wish we could have been more involved with her throughout the year, but we're glad we ended with a successful bang! We're excited to team up with Danielle Alvarez and we have some great ideas of collaboration to pursue --PR alumni bbq anyone? I got to talk to her briefly toward the end of the speed networking event and even got to snap a picture (the paparazzi in me!). Speaking of pictures, they will be up soon!
While we're in high spirits, I will express some more great news: Adam Brady from the Anaheim Ducks will speak to us eager PRSSA children in two weeks and we're having a field trip to Ketchum on May 1. Space is limited so those who are interested in the journey of life should come to our next meeting (Tues, April 21 in MKS Rm. 121).
Ok everyone, take it easy. Less than six weeks until summer. Are you ready???
Nathalie
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April 2, 2009 11:09 AM
I wanted to write yesterday, but figured that since it was April Fools Day nobody would take anything I wrote seriously.
Spring break is just around the bend. I hope you all have a great vacation planned out. I'm going camping!
Get lots of rest because when we get back to school, we're going to get hit with a whirlwind-stick. Speed networking is coming up, along with a bunch of speakers and SPRING SIZZLE--be sure to visit our PRSSA booth.
More updates to come. Keep it real Orange County.
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March 25, 2009 12:18AM - Guest Blogger, PRSSA President Anna Duffy
PRSSA brings non-profit PR to Chapman PR Students
(I fit "PR" into the title 3 times)
Tonight Chapman PRSSA hosted Kim Pine, assistant vice president of communications and marketing for Special Olympics, Southern California. She talked about her job at SOSC: creating PSAs, dealing with the media and celebrities, attending the events, getting sponsors, etc. She also noted her past public relations careers: PR for the military and for the UCI Medical Center. Now, Kim is at the Long Beach SOSC headquarters that covers the entire area from Bakersfield to San Diego...AND she is the ONLY communications person. That is quite a task, but it seems like an amazing opportunity. Her stories about specific athletes show how rewarding it must be. For example, there is the woodship athlete who takes the bus from LA to Long Beach each week to bring gifts to her office.
Internship opportunities are available at the Special Olympics office too. Sounds good to me!
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March 23, 2009 3:30PM
Sorry, it's been a while. These past couple weeks have been kind of crazy! Everyone has midterms and NSAC held two promotions about a week ago, so things have been kind of nuts. I hope everyone is tackling the next couple weeks in full force before we can finally relax (hopefully!) during Spring Break.
These next couple of weeks/months are going to be great when it comes to PRSSA. We have a speaker tomorrow, so you should definitely come. MKS Rm 121 at 7p.m. Kim Pine, the VP of communications and marketing for the special olympics will be speaking with us. Previously she has worked with other non-profit organizations, so if you'd like to learn more about the non-profit sector of PR, this event is for especially for you!
Speed networking is coming up, so keep you planners open. It's a great way to meet professionals in a less intimidating way. Spots are limited and they are open to members first. If you're interestered, please email chapmanprssa@gmail.com.
Lastly, Anna has just confirmed the agency visit to Ketchum. It will be on Friday, May 1. Schedule it into your planners, it's going to be greattt!!!!
Alright, hope you have a fabulous week. The sun is out!
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March 11, 2009 11:06PM
Holy cow. TWO entries posts in one day. Know why? Because I have some pretty exciting news for all of you!
Tomorrow, THURSDAY, March 12, is the GLOW party in Argyros Forum. It is going to be a crazy fun dance party and carnival. There'll be tons of desserts, drinks, music and glow sticks! You can get your face painted, see a fortune teller, boogie and lots lots more.
And that's not it!
Saturday and Sunday, March 14 and 15, we're taking the party to Elmore Scion in Westminster. That's only 15 min. away. Basically we're turning the car lot into a green lounge where college kids can hang out, eat and listen to live music. There's also going to be a chance to win an Apple Macbook, an iPod, Sea World tickets and a lot more. It just doesn't get any better. So seriously, come to LUCKY YOU because what else do you have to do on the weekend than enjoy some quality FREE entertainment.
And the best part is that you get to hang out with some pretty sweet PR & Ad kids. Our department is just too cool.
So I better see you at Glow and Lucky You this weekend.
WOOO!
And now I must study for my stylebook quiz in Writing for PR.
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March 11, 2009 4:06PM
I want to thank all the wonderful people who came to see our speaker last night and waited patiently for almost an hour. We finally got in contact with Ms. Fader and found out that she was in the car for over 7 hours! Who knew that the commute from Beverly Hills to Orange would be so bad! We're in the midst of rescheduling because we really want to hear what she has to say. PRSSA is very sorry for the inconvenience for everyone, but don't lose hope!
We love you all.
And those who are excited for the LA Kings vs. Ducks game, more information will be coming to you soon.
And I heard there might be a Pizza and PRSSA event in the planning works for those interested in becoming members....that might just be a little rumor, but it sounds like fun!
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March 4, 2009 9:58AM
Did you know that we have a new "speakers" page on the Chapman PRSSA website? Well, now you do! You can read up about our speaker for next week. Let me tell you, I AM SO EXCITED! You should be too. Also, if you haven't checked, the Knottscars pictures are up! There's 36 pictures. If you were there, there's a high possibility that you are featured on our website. Go find yourself!
Nathalie
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March 3, 2009 8:40AM
I can't believe it's March already! We're already into week FIVE of spring semester. PRSSA has been busy busy busy with the Knottscars and now we're onto more great things. Did you know that PRSSA is planning a hockey night for members from various SoCal colleges? That's coming up soon, so you'll want to keep your eyes peeled for Amy's wonderful emails. More big news: we're looking for a new secretary/historian! We'll be discussing this at tonight's meeting, so if you are interested, I RECOMMEND YOU BEING THERE! It's a cool gig. You get to take pictures, jot down notes and hang out with some pretty amazing people.
The meeting is TONIGHT at MKS rm. 121 at 7p.m. Hope to see you all there!
Nathalie
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Feb. 28, 2009 8:39PM -- GUEST BLOGGER: PROF. JANELL SHEARER, Chapter Advisor
The social media challenge: Even though most of us use social media, understanding its strategic value and use in PR and marketing is a real challenge. I’m excited to hear Jennifer Fader, Vice President of eMedia at Rogers and Cowan on March 10. Don’t assume that just because you use social media, you know how to use it to create a competitive marketing advantage! Don’t miss this presentation.
Oscar campaigns: It was great to see the turnout for Jeffrey Godsick from Fox Marketing talking about conducting an Oscar campaign. Lessons to take away from that great presentation: targeting your audience is the first—and perhaps most important—step to success. What Godsick told us about targeting Academy members reminds us that much communication effort is wasted. You need to identify our target audience and then figure out how to hit that target or nothing else will happen.
Great stories about how they marketed Moulin Rouge, Walk the Line and The Simpsons Movie. A key message: great Oscar campaigns are won and lost in the press (that’s PR!), not through advertising.
Event success: Congratulations to everyone on the very successful Knottscars event!
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Feb. 25, 2009 11:47PM
The Knottscars was a great success! We had many people buy tickets at the door and I think everyone was very surprised by the many raffle items we had! I am glad everyone was able to enjoy watching the stars on the BIG SCREEN and converse with the beautiful people around them. There were some great dresses and I was pleasantly surprised by a couple fellows wearing tuxes! It was great seeing our weeks of hard work executed and it was nice celebrating at Cherry on Top afterwards!
On another great note, we had amazing attendance at our PRSSA meeting the following Tuesday! The room was so packed that I had to stand up in the back. The speaker, Jeffrey Godsick from 20th Century Fox, had a lot of great information about the movie marketing business.***He was probably in an extremely good mood from Slumdog Millionaire's success! ***Our next speaker is also going to be one you don't want to miss. Jennifer Fader from Rogers and Cowan is a social media expert (Anna's favorite subject!). Our generation is so influenced by various social media, so I am looking forward to see the brains behind how we're all manipulated..
Nathalie
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Feb. 22, 2009, 1:40PM
The Oscars are tonight. PRSSA is putting on a fabulous event at the film school and I really think everyone should come. People will be dressed up so I hope to see you in your suit and dress! Doors open at 4:30PM. See you there!
Nathalie
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Feb. 17, 2009 12:54PM -- GUEST BLOGGER, "The CON" aka Connor Martin, PR & Ad Student
I really want to publicly relate to you right now. I mean it is my major and it is definately a skill set that should be developed. So what better place than a website to build our relationship together. The only thing I wil say today is that, you should totally start drinking Schweppes ginger ale because it has lfe changing abilities. To see how ginger ale changed my life check out my vid on youtube at
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=59M319aJ--E
check it out and enjoy.
Peace Be With You
CON!
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Feb. 17, 2009 12:49PM -- GUEST BLOGGER, Evangeline Lyu, PR&AD Student
I'm sitting in Business Presentations class right now nervous because i haven't given my first presentation yet and i'm still trying to decide if I want to or not! But tonight's Chapman's Got Talent and I am excited for it because 3 of my friends are performing: Kody Cabreros, Hannah Thomas, and Tom Norman, so everyone should go and vote for them!
much love <3
Evangeline Lyu
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Feb. 17, 2009 12:36PM -- GUEST BLOGGER, Miss Amy Chase, Director of Communications
So today I harassed people to buy tickets for Knottscars. Okay, maybe I'm exaggerating a little, but still. I went around to each table in the cafeteria telling them to buy a ticket. Hopefully this increases sales? Or maybe a little awareness. Everyone is working really hard to make this event a success but we still need to make sure that everyone you know at least knows about it! Spread the news like wildfire!
Tonight we moved the meeting to be after Chapman's Got Talent so more people can come (8:30 in the Welcome Center). Last meeting before the Knottscars so we have to make sure that everyone comes and volunteers for last minute tasks. Oh don't you love PRSSA? I do! Can't wait to get to know everyone better at the event. Things are getting really busy - but in the best way possible. Cheers.
-Amy
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Feb. 16, 2009 10:29PM
Monday. Yes, Monday. Start of the school week. Lovely.
Tuesday. I'm meeting with my Writing for PR professor, Sir ROWE, at 7 a.m. to go over my first press release. I've never written a press release so it would make since that in my PR class we practice writing them since this is what I could potentially be doing for the rest of my life. Oye.
Seriously though. I'm not sure who actually reads this blog, but I would like to hear from any of you. So if you want to write something for the blog -- it's not just a place for me to write down my feelings, I want to here about your feelings too-- please email us! It would be nice to see someone else say something about how they are enjoying their PR classes, or if they have a fun internship story to tell. My life is rather drab so if I don't start receiving emails, you are going to find out that my diet consists of cake, M&Ms and eggs. DO YOU WANT THAT? So let me here your voice! This is a place for PR kids to network!
But most importantly....BUY YOUR TICKET FOR THE KNOTTSCARS!!! I will be looking for you...
Nathalie
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Feb. 15, 2009 8:18PM
Hope you all had a wonderful Valentine's Day. I did.
So I am sitting at our NSAC PR meeting. It's pretty cool. If you are thinking, hmmm...maybe I should join NSAC next year, you should apply! It is a lot of fun, you meet a lot of PR and & Ad kids -- as well as graphic design, communications, business, etc. --and you learn a lot about the industry. However, it is a lot of work, but it is time well spent.
HAVE YOU BOUGHT YOUR KNOTTSSCARS TICKET YET? They are on sale all week! Tickets are $5 pre-sale and $7 at the door. See you there!
Nathalie
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Feb. 13, 2009 12:13 AM
Yessss. I now have Dreamweaver on my laptop so I can update this blog from my own bed! But more importantly, HAVE YOU BOUGHT YOUR TICKET TO THE KNOTTSCARS (Oscar Party at the Film School)? It is not too late to help plan/set up the party with PRSSA and AD Club. The next meeting is on Tuesday, in Room 121 at the film school at 7pm. Feel free to join us!
See you on the flip side.
Nathalie
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Feb. 10, 2009 around 4:30PM
Hello everyone. It's Nathalie. I'm sitting with Simon who is teaching me how to use Dreamweaver. It's pretty cool the things you learn in PRSSA. Think about all the wonderful skills you will accumulate when meeting such interesting and talented people. But in any case, I look forward to updating this jazzy website that Simon has created. Hopefully you will all visit this blog and realize that one day I will actually write something important and meaningful to you all. Feel free to email us if you have the need to express yourself. I'm looking forward to hearing from you!
Cheers!
Nathalie
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President:
For people that can lead, take on majority responsibility, organize the other positions, and set goals that move the organization forward. Preferably symbolize hope and relate a feeling of general awesomeness.
Treasurer:
For people that can make sense of dollars and can manage PRSSA funds, by avoiding debt, and helping the club make heaps of money. Must be both greedy and simultaneously stingy.
Vice President:
For people that can address a room and make an impression, support the President, and engage new members and existing members in PRSSA functions. Must love crowds.
Secretary:
For people that can write well, take notes religiously, enjoy punctuality, and are savvy with computer design programs. Must <3 director of communications.
Director of Communications:
For people that love sending e-mails, enjoy contacting speakers, as well as planning and organizing events. Must like the secretary, as they will work together on managing the website.
Director of PR & Membership:
For people that can design pretty posters, flyers, and slides, as well as recruit new members and spark interest in the club across campus. Preferably someone that likes arts and crafts and people, all at once.
Alumni Relations & AS House Representative:
For people that work well in groups, can speak up, pitch ideas, and ruthlessly contact and keep in touch with alumni. Teamwork skills are key. Assertiveness and charisma are also preferred.
More details to come including responsibilities, roles, and advice from the current board on the do’s and the don’ts!
