A question for my Fall 2012 Public Relations Writing students

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A question for my Fall 2012 Public Relations Writing students

November 26, 2012 by Les Potter

Consider for a moment what you plan to do career-wise when you graduate. With that in mind, discuss what you are learning now that best prepares you for the career of which you dream. What else do you think would help to prepare you?

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Posted in Careers, Strategic Communication/Public Relations/Integrated Marketing Communication | Tagged Jobs in PR, Public Relations Writing, Teaching Communication/PR | 35 Comments

35 Responses

on November 27, 2012 at 4:07 pm | Reply Jeane` Baker

If all goes well I plan to graduate this Spring with my bachelors in mass communication with a track in public relations. There is not a day that goes by that someone asks me what i plan on doing with my major because most do no understand what public relations is or does and their first response is “Oh you want to be behind the cameras,” and I always laugh and say “Something like that.” But really I want to do is continue to do what I have already been doing but start getting paid for it.

I started my own boutique public relations firm where I currently have five clients that I help with media coverage, press kits, exposure and a few other things. Over the summer I held three internships, one being virtual for a marketing company based in LA that I still continue to do work for and just having those networks are awesome. Through my internships and by networking I have met people all over the country and my plan is to end up moving to New York after graduation because it seems that the p.r market is better in New York than it is here in Baltimore so I definitely think moving there would be a good idea. I doubt that my business will just take off right after I graduate so I plan on job hunting in the New York area maybe for an agency to gain more experience.

This class and other p.r class have taught me a lot. I have learned that writing and non verbal communication skills prove to be the most important thing a client looks at 99% of the time. I have learned different writing styles that I pretty much use every day and although my in-class writing may not be up to par, I do believe the work I do for my clients is because I learn from the mistakes I make in-class. I am learning that the world of p.r is a tough one and that I have to make sure that my writing is always tip top shape. I am also learning how to deal with the press and the media and although I may not like them, I will always have to deal with them so I need to “play nice” and not burn any bridges especially being new in the industry.

My ultimate goal is to run my firm successfully and be able to branch out and have offices in major cities across the country. I want to be able to travel and see the world while also becoming successful. I thank your class and other classes for helping prepare me for the world I will be fully entering come May 2013. I feel that I have already started to do the things that I want to do once I graduate and I hope that I continue to take in things that will help me learn and grow.
on November 29, 2012 at 10:44 pm | Reply Brooke Bianchetti

Art is my passion and I hope to turn it into a career. After I graduate in May 2014, I hope to obtain a job as a graphic designer for an advertising agency in the Baltimore area. My overall goal is to be an art or creative director. I will be working hard to build a well-rounded portfolio over the next few years.

As a graphic design, advertising, and public relations major, I am currently taking various design courses and mass communication classes. I have taken a lot of valuable design classes this semester that have taught me how to make websites, design web layouts, and format print publications. Though I want to specialize in print design, I am also taking interactive design classes to expand my skills. Advertising agencies today seem to want people with experience in both print and interactive design.

On the mass communication side, I am currently taking a media planning class and PR writing class. Though it is unlikely that I will end up in account advertising, I will have to work closely with these people. The class is also requires working with multiple people on projects, so I have gained more experience with working in groups. My PR writing class has also helped prepare me for my dream job as an art director. The class has strengthened my writing and grammar skills, which is needed in any industry, especially in an advertising agency. I now know how to construct press kits and write memos, backgrounders, and press releases.

Overall, I have learned so much this semester that will prepare me for after college. To help obtain my goal of becoming an art director, I will continue to use Photoshop, Illustrator, Dreamweaver, and other relative software to keep my skills fresh. I will also continue to work on my portfolio so I can stand out amongst other designers. It is a competitive field out there, but I believe I have the motivation and skills to obtain a career in graphic design.
on December 1, 2012 at 2:05 pm | Reply Julie Gombert

When I graduate college I want to be a millionaire. I am planning on working at a big PR/Advertising agency in New York City. I want to be working at a large company that has fast pace environment. In a few short months I will be graduating and entering the real world. I can not be more excited to see what the working world has to offer. I am the type of person who loves to do work and feel that I have a lot to offer. After working for a few years, and gaining all the experience I can, I want to one day open up my own Public Relations firm. I have always had a passion for fashion, music, and entertainment. I want my PR firm to handle one of three or possible all three!
I feel that the various courses I have taken throughout my college career have prepared me for what I should expect in a few short months. Every professor has shared their own experiences and stories about their jobs and how they got there, which is very exciting. While taking classes, I was always more interested in the advertising aspect of the major. I feel that I have a creative mind which would allow me to excel in the advertising world. After this class, MCOM 357, I have never wanted to explore the Public Relations world more. Since elementary school I have been learning about basic grammar, but I never fully absorbed it. The one piece of information out of many that I will take away from this class is grammar. My writing has improved tremendously in the past few months. Now that I feel comfortable with my writing I want to be able to show it off to the world. Every assignment I have completed in this class has been a pleasure. When given an assignment I am excited to completed it because your feedback is extremely helpful.
I have learned many skills throughout this course that I will use for the rest of my life. Writing is not only a skill, but an art. I want my writing to be seen and read by everyone just like art. Writing is not easy but when you learn from a teacher like you, everything falls into place. Thanks to you I can truly say I enjoy writing.
on December 2, 2012 at 5:29 pm | Reply Rachel

As a Mass Communication major following the Public Relations and Advertising tracks, my plan and overall ideal job is to work for a large advertising agency as a copywriter, in New York City. I have always had a passion for the creative side of advertising ever since I was exposed to my uncle’s work environment at a company called ADP. My uncle has been in the marketing and advertising field for many years. After meeting with several people within the advertising field, I became exposed to advertising in the real world verses learning about it inside the classroom. Prior to this time, I had my heart set on Public Relations until I had met with a person at ADP who works as a Public Relations director. I learned that although the entire field is centralized around a fast-paced environment, Public Relations specifically calls for fast-paced work.

Advertising on the other hand is fast-paced but time is still permitted for brainstorming and reflecting on projects. I love commercials, magazine advertisements, and the overall idea of strategically persuading an audience to become involved with a product or service. Public Relations is of course intertwined with advertising, so there is still a possibility of becoming exposed to Public Relations work.

What I am learning now that will best prepare myself for the advertising world is grammar. In Public Relations Writing, Professor Potter has made it clear that grammar is key to successful writing. For every assignment I revised my work multiple times before handing it in. Today my grammar is not at its best, but I have definitely made progress and plan on continuing to improve.

Other things that will help me to succeed and find a perfect career are the campaign classes that I am enrolled in for the upcoming spring semester. These campaign classes will show me how to work together in a group and actually conduct a real life campaign for a product or service. Doing hands-on assignments is practice for what I will be doing in my future at an agency. All of my past, current, and future assignments will contribute to my portfolio that I will bring on any interviews for internship or career opportunities. Without my professors’ guidance, I would not be where I am today.
on December 2, 2012 at 9:53 pm | Reply Inna Ivanova

As you can tell by my writing throughout the course, animals and animal conservation is one of my passions. When I graduate, I want to become a PR practitioner, hopefully for an animal organization like the WWF or Baltimore Zoo. Eventually, I do plan on moving to California and would love to work for the San Diego Zoo.
I am currently taking several courses which have provided me with lots of useful knowledge that I can apply to my dream job. In my public relations writing class, I worked on becoming a better writer. Obviously, a major part of public relations is writing. While I have written before, this class really taught me how to write like a PR practitioner. I learned about different types of writing, such as persuasive writing, and how to research and plan a PR message. I also learned that selecting the right medium to present the message in and media placement are also very important so that the target audience sees and responds to the message in the desired manner. I also learned throughout the course how to write different type of documents, such as news releases, backgrounders, commercial copy, and speeches. These are all different things that I might expect to see in my career. By learning how to select a target market and use the research gathered on them in an effective manner, I will be able to craft persuasive or informative messages that will accomplish my organization’s and my goal.
Another relevant class is my public relations class. In that class I am learning about the basics of PR and how it works. I learned about all the different types of careers in public relations and the different types of firms and departments. I learned about the different techniques used to perform research for PR campaigns and how to plan one from start to finish. We discussed the importance for setting goals and evaluating yourself during a campaign to make adjustments. I also learned about the ethical considerations involved in PR.
In thinking about what else will help prepare me for the future, I believe the PR campaigns class I have next semester will provide me with a lot of relevant hands on learning experience. While I learned the basics about PR in my Public Relations class, I didn’t feel that it was very useful in terms of applying the knowledge. PR campaigns seems like it will apply the knowledge learned in all my classes in a practical manner. I am also taking PR research next semester, which I expect will really fine tune my research skills in gathering information about a target audience.
on December 3, 2012 at 12:31 am | Reply nanilizana

When I read this post it made me laugh, because I consider this EVERY SINGLE DAY OF MY LIFE! I often get stressed out because there are so many options for me. Do I want to stay in the States and start working here? Do I want to go back to Spain and possibly work for my family’s company? Do I want to move to another country in Europe? Maybe London? Or Paris?

I still have a year and a half left of college, but I am constantly thinking of what to do after I get my diploma. Even though I know it will be a hard decision, I definitely know I would like to continue on the Public Relations and Advertising track. I would love to work for a big company, like Saatchi & Saatchi and work in the advertising or the public relations department. The major I am currently studying has opened my eyes in terms of what public relations means and how much companies need it.

I have always loved to organize and plan events and projects. I was named Deputy Head Girl in my high school and this required a lot of event planning and project managing. I enjoyed every moment of it. I think that was the reason why I chose my major. Classes like organizational communication are really helping me understand how important it is to have strategic plans in order for a project or event to succeed. This class also allows me to get an insight into the main problems many companies face, and also how to react to these problems and handle them. In addition, I have learned that writing is also very important in order to get an important job that is why I think classes like Public Relations Writing and English Writing for Business provide me with the appropriate skills.

Another thing that I am learning during my time at college, that I believe is preparing me for my future, is doing group projects and presentations. I know that Public Relations and organizational communication require a lot of group discussion and making sure that each group member feels involved and part of it. I have always been very comfortable doing projects by myself and organizing my own ideas, and doing group projects has really helped me step out of the box. Public presentations are definitely helping me become more confident in front of an audience and I believe they will be very necessary in the future.

My whole experience in a different country and living in a completely different culture are really helping me become a lot more tolerant and knowledgeable about other people’s values and ideas and learning to respect and accept them. I think that in order to become more prepared for my future I should do some internships during holidays. Experience is extremely important as it shows you how the real world is going to be and how different companies work.
on December 3, 2012 at 4:01 pm | Reply Casey Hawley

Upon graduation in May 2014, I plan to commission as a Second Lieutenant in the Maryland Army National Guard (MDARNG) and graduate with a civilian job in the Public Relations (PR) field.
To succeed with these future plans, I intend to stay on top of my academics as well as my ROTC career.
In the MDARNG, I am aiming to receive Active Duty Guard Reserve (AGR) so that working in the Army will be my full time job. I am planning on branching either Military Intelligence or Signal Corps. I would love to branch Public Affairs, since it pertains to my major, however, I would have to be a Captain in the Army before pursuing a job as a Public Affairs Officer (PAO). Perhaps once I make Captain, I could transition to PAO and be a photographer in the Army.
On the civilian side, I plan to work for a company as a PR officer or as a photographer. I have always been drawn to photography, but have never been able to pursue it due to my deadline to graduate on time. I hope to take some photography classes at Towson before I graduate since I have some leeway in my schedule.
Even though I have not taken many photography classes, I have already established my title as the Greyhound Battalion photographer for my ROTC program. Ever since I started as a freshman, I have always had my camera with me at events, taking pictures and then publishing them for the Battalion to view.
Despite my lack of photography knowledge, I believe I can still pursue a job as a photographer. About three years ago, I attended my mother’s work event, a rocket show, which her company, Aerospace Industries Association (AIA) was covering. One of my mother’s co-workers was the photographer at the event and he was talking to me about how his work gave him photography lessons so that he could be the photographer at events. I thought this was simply amazing and I hope to have the same opportunity one day.
What I’m learning in this PR Writing class will certainly be beneficial to me and the job I will eventually attain. I have already learned so much about the PR community and what is expected of me. I have become a better writer and gained more insight about how to format PR papers correctly. I have particularly enjoyed discussing my assignments with my mother, as she used to work in the PR field.
I think an internship would definitely help to prepare myself for a job when I graduate. I am searching for internships currently, and hope to work as an intern during the fall semester. I believe it is important, even though it’s not mandatory, to have some job experience in the field I plan to enter in. I have already learned so much about PR and how it works, I look forward to learning more while gaining experience as an intern.
on December 3, 2012 at 6:03 pm | Reply Dani102390

I plan to graduate this Spring with my bachelors in mass communication with a track in public relations. Every time I go home for breaks, my family constantly asks me what I plan on doing after I graduate. At first, I said I want to work for a non-profit or for-profit PR firm. They laughed at me and asked which one. I can now tell them I just want to work for a big PR firm, where I feel at home. Shortly after this discussion, my 10 year old cousin asked me what public relations is and I had to explain to him in simple terms what that was.
The most important thing towards working in the real world is experience. If you do not have hands on experience of the work you are about to do, then you are not ready for what is to come. Over the summer I interned at a marketing firm in Columbia Maryland. This was not exactly what I wanted to do but it was a start. This looks good on my resume, in addition to learning more about the marketing field. I hope to gain at least one other internship in relation to public relations prior to graduating to better prepare me for what is to come.
After I graduate from Towson, I plan to either move back home to Philadelphia or move to New York. It seems as if the PR market is better in big cities, so staying in Towson is not my best bet and also I am ready to come back to my family and home friends.
This class and other classes have taught me a great deal about public relations. Unlike other classes that have nothing to do with my major, everything I have learned in this class will benefit me in my career. I plan to write press releases, feature stories, blogs, and press kits, which I will look back on in a few years from now. Without this class and the others I have taken, I would not be ready in the least bit way for what is to come my way. I especially thank your class for helping prepare me for my career in the long run.

My hope is to work in a big PR firm, with my Public Relations book from senior year of college right next to me, thanking your class, MCOM 357, for being so inspirational and advantageous.
on December 3, 2012 at 10:53 pm | Reply Meghan Kennedy

I will be graduating in May 2013 with a degree in Mass Communications and a Public Relations track. I’ve lost track of how many times I have been asked what I want to do when I graduate but the closer it gets, I feel like I have a better idea of what I would like to do. Sports have always been a huge part of my life. Once I realized I would never be able to play sports as my job, I have wanted to work in the professional sports industry. I also have a passion for event planning. Upon graduating, I plan on moving back to New Jersey and hopefully getting a job with one of the sports organizations in Philadelphia. I would like to eventually be a public relations director or an event planner. I know that professional sports is a big market so if I am not able to get my dream job right off the bat, I plan on doing whatever it takes to improve my experience.
I currently have an internship at a public relations firm that has been incredibly helpful in preparing me for the real world. The real world experience you gain from an internship is something that classes can not teach. I believe that one of the most important things in public relations is writing, something I have learned in class and at my internship. It is very important to be an excellent writer when working in the public relations world. I believe that my writing has drastically improved recently, partially from my public relations writing class and from my internship. Whether it is press releases, news articles or a business letter, it is crucial that the writing is at a top-notch level.
I believe that making the most out of all of your classes is very important. All of the teachers that I have had at Towson have been very helpful in sharing their real world stories. I also think that it is very important to get as much experience through internships as you possibly can while in college. I am almost finished my time at my first internship and I am looking forward to finding another one so that I can have some diversity in my experience. I think that it is really important to have internships because they offer you experience that you may not get in the classroom. I hope that when I am applying for jobs in the spring employers are impressed with the experience I have gained through internships.
on December 3, 2012 at 11:43 pm | Reply Arielle Barry

Currently, I am a junior at Towson University about to move onto my second semester. I am going to study abroad in Barcelona, Spain and I hope to learn a lot there, not just culturally but hopefully find some job opportunities there as well. When I graduate, I want to work as a PR consultant for either a clothing or magazine company. I am very good at working with people and am very sociable. Because of this, it makes it very easy for me to be able to work in an environment with other people because I get along with others very easily. Over the summer I plan on getting an internship in New York City for my dads real-estate company, Century, shadowing their PR manager and the rest of the PR team. I hope that they will teach me a lot that I need to know about working in the PR world and help me deal with real life situations that may come up later on in the workplace.

I think that by taking this class I feel way more prepared for a career in PR than I did before taking this class. I’ve learned many different types of styles and formats of writing, which are expected by you if you are working as a PR manager for a company. When I get a job and they ask me to write something I wont feel unfamiliar with that they are asking because we learned it in this class. I also think that by having us create a press kit we have something very important to show during an interview. We can show that we know how to create a press kit and all of the components that goes into making one up.

I think that taking more classes that give you valuable information and hands on experience, like this one would be very beneficial and help me in the future. I also know that when I get an internship this summer that will help me gain more experience and understanding of how jobs in the PR world work. I look forward to working my way up in a company and letting the sky be my limit, letting nothing stop me from getting to the top and fulfilling my goal.
on December 4, 2012 at 5:59 pm | Reply Jacob

My career path at the moment, is to enter the field of Mass Communications to become a copy writer. I really enjoy the creativity in ads, and I would love to be apart of the field.

When I entered your Mass Comm class, I thought that the only thing that we would be learning about was the art of writing for PR. However, along with PR writing, you have taught me some very valuable skills that can easily be applied to my career field. The major one was when you taught us how to make TV and radio spots. That’s just the kind of thing that I want to be doing in my field of work. I loved how we had complete creative freedom with the work that you assigned us, and I really think that it will help me in the real world.

The other lesson that I feel is really helping me out career wise was the speech writing section. Although it’s not directly related to the advertising field, it does help one to learn how to properly identify your target audience. The same goes for advertising in general. Who’s your target audience is been the most important question that an advertiser can ask, and speech writing gave me a better idea on how to find the answer to it.

Considering what this class is designed for, I can say in absolute honesty that that I can think of nothing else that you could teach me that could be relative to my field. This class has given me a great insight into the world of PR, one that I’m sure I’ll use in the future.
on December 4, 2012 at 7:43 pm | Reply Aly_Smith

I plan on graduating in May of 2014 with a bachelors degree in Mass Communication with a duel track in public relations and advertising. I have also recently added a minor in communications and may possibly be adding a minor in art. I did not come to Towson thinking I would end up in this field. When I first started school here I was an Occupational Therapy major. That option was quickly ruled out by the end of my first semester. I feel as if I fit perfectly into the Mass Communication community and I cannot wait to start my future career.
This semester I believe that all of my classes are preparing me for my future. When I first added the Mass Communication major I was only taking on the PR track, as of last semester I added the advertising track as well. Taking MCOM 214 last semester made me want to do so. I believe that I would fit more in the Advertising world more than the PR world. The two classes that I believe are best preparing me for the real world this semester are public relations writing and advertising copy writing.
Your public relations writing class has taught me how to write things like news releases, feature stories, backgrounders, fact sheets, business bios and more. All of these things are writing styles that I will be doing the rest of my PR career. They are also preparing me for future internships. I know that these are things that will be expected of me to know. Thank you for making that easy for all of us.
My advertising copy writing class is one of my favorite classes I have ever taken here at Towson. This class has allowed me to be creative, while writing. It has also made me want to add the minor in art. This class is what made me realize that I belong more in advertising. My dream job would either to be a part of the creative team of a large ad agency or an account manager. I would love to be the liaison between clients and the other parts of the agency.
Group projects are another thing that I believe are preparing me for the professional world. For the rest of my career in either public relations or advertising I will be working with others. Whether its pitching an idea or coming up with a new ad campaign. I have learned what it’s like to compromise with others, even when everyone has different ideas. This is a very important skill that will help me no matter what job I find.
I believe that guest speakers and practice interviews would also help us prepare for the real world. It is nice to hear how others in our field got their start and to hear some tricks of the trade. Practice interviews will help us prepare and understand questions that future employers might ask.
My classes this semester and the classes I will take the rest of my time here at Towson all make me really excited to start my professional career. I hope that one day ,one of my friends or family will see a commercial on TV or an ad in a magazine that I can take credit for.
on December 5, 2012 at 10:10 am | Reply janetkrater

If all goes well, I will graduate on May 23, 2013 with a combined major in Political Science and Mass Communication. I first discovered my love of Mass Communications when I took Intro to Mas Communication with Sandy Nichols. I took this class for a random general education class and fell in love with public relations. This class opened my eyes to a whole field, and a second major, and I love every second of it.
I have many different dream careers, but ultimately I want to make a positive difference in the world. My perfect job would be working for Invisible Children as an advocacy writer and event planner. This job would perfectly combine my love for the American government, as well as my love for public relations and writing. My other dream job would be a campaign manager. This would also perfectly combine my love for American government, as well as my love of public relations. I’m a bit of a political science nerd, and I do have a deep love for government so it would be hard for me to work in a public relations firm that did not deal with any political issues.
What I am learning now is training me for my future career. Public relations writing has given me the tools I need to succeed in this field. In this class I have learned many different important real life skills, starting with writing a news release and ending with compiling a complete press kit. I was also able to choose my client company, so I naturally choose an NGO. This class also taught me the importance of research for the client company. To write a successful backgrounder, fact sheet or news release, you must know the facts. Because all of these were assignments, I was forced to do outside research to learn more about my client company. I think this is what is really beneficial for me.
Something that would prepare me for my future dream job would be an internship. This would give me real life experience that is necessary to understand how the working world operates. Internships are very beneficial for students to complete because it gives students an idea of what their future career could look like.
on December 5, 2012 at 2:21 pm | Reply Jeremy Bragg

My primary goal when I graduate is to work for a political consulting firm or political research firm. In this business, you keep score by elections, and laws that you have helped get passed. While we can deal with the problem of an uneducated electorate on both sides of the isle another day; political consulting is based solely on the ability to communicate effectively. This includes both verbal and written communication. Whether the communication takes place between office staff or it is communication focused at creating an action within a target audience, the ability to communicate effectively is essential. My goal is to own a small boutique that focuses on progressive candidates and issues on the right side of the isle. I want to represent people that have firm beliefs in fiscal responsibility, strong national defense, free markets, capitalism, and especially limited government. I want to represent people that are not afraid to defend themselves against childish attacks, and politicians that would rather talk about serious, prosperity jeopardizing issues, over those that have no effect on the future prosperity of our country. Sounds crazy? I know. I want to represent people who believe in founding principles of conservatives but are not in denial about real social issues in this country. That includes: grown up discussions on immigration, abortion, gay marriage, and equal opportunity, but not outcome for all. I want to run a firm that respects all people; while operating under one principle that I was taught defines conservatism. It is the belief that anyone in this country should be able to do whatever they want, as long as it does not hurt anyone else. In order to force this debate, in order to essentially grow a third party, or force a change in the right side of the isle, one needs to be able to communicate properly, and professionally.

Communication, at its core, the essentials; is what I learned in this class. Word economy, structure, grammar, format, these are things that in the political world will lose your credibility before you even begin to make your argument. These things are essentially the gate keepers of whether or not you and your positions are taken seriously. Verbal communication in my opinion is something that can’t be taught, you either have the ability to process information and then disseminate a message effectively or you don’t. If you do, that will only take you so far, you need to be professional, and you can establish your credibility and professionalism by using proper format, word economy, and structure. Globalization has made the world, and the United States more competitive then even, there are more people for less jobs. With that, must come the realization that every detail in the professional world matters, there are no do-overs. In an internet based world, all things you write or produce are archived somewhere and will be used later, for and against you, and no matter how great the material in them might be, they must be professional, and represent the level of respect you think your argument, position or candidate deserves; the only way you can do that is with the tools we have learned in this class.

I don’t know about all of you, but I have taken classes that I wish I could get a refund on. I have literally left the last class of the semester before and felt I got nothing out of that experience, regardless of the grade. Very few classes I have taken at Towson University I actually leave for the semester and know that it will serve my professional career and help me succeed. I know the tools and information I received in this class will benefit me in the future, and for that I’m very grateful.
on December 6, 2012 at 1:46 am | Reply Kelli Coughlan

For the fact that I am gradating next semester, this is a question I have been asked numerous times and very used to answering. This May, I will have a bachelor’s degree in mass communication with a focus in both advertising and public relations. It’s so crazy to me how fast college is coming to an end. I am both excited and nervous to jump so suddenly into the real world, yet could not be happier.

I am about to start a marketing internship at the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society at the end of January and couldn’t be more eager to do so. I know this incredible opportunity will help me learn so much that I cannot simply acquire from my classes. On the other hand, it will let me put to good use what I have learned so far.

I can honestly say, this public relations writing course has taught me so much about the public relations business. Professor Potter, you have always told us, “I will never teach you anything you do not need to know in the real world,” and I do not doubt that one bit. I have not only learned the proper way to write important public relation pieces but how to write them better each time. Like we’ve all always heard, practice makes perfect right?

Other courses as well have without a doubt set me up to be ready for the business of public relations and advertising. I’ve learned all about media planning, copy writing, creative campaign idea, and so much more giving me an overall idea of what this industry is all about.

Once I graduate, I hope I am able to prove all the knowledge Towson University’s Mass Communication department has taught me as soon as possible. I couldn’t be more thankful that I listened to the rumors of you, Professor Potter, being the best public relations writing professor. Thanks and I know all you’ve taught me will come in handy sooner than later.
on December 6, 2012 at 5:54 pm | Reply Kimberly Stephens

After studying elementary education at Rollins College in Winter Park, FL for three years, moving up north and taking courses at Anne Arundel Community College for a semester and then transferring to Towson University, where I have been studying mass communication with a Public Relations track for the past year and a half, I will finally be graduating in May! A lot has happened to get me where I am today, and I wish I knew where to tell you I plan on going from here, but to be completely honest I have no idea!

When I first started my college career I planned on graduating a year ago. I thought I would be sitting here preparing next week’s lesson plans, not writing news releases for a Public Relations Writing class, or blogs for a News Media class. As you can see that isn’t exactly how it worked out.
Life is certainly unpredictable to say the least! A lot has changed in my life since I was a freshman four and half years ago. Since then, I’ve moved back to my home state, gotten married, started house hunting with my husband, in addition to training for my first half marathon in February.

As far as my future career goes, the only thing I know for certain is that I want to be a mom at some point in the next few years. In the mean time I plan on entering the world of public relations. My dream job would be something in the fashion industry, yet I have always been told that would require moving to some place like New York. While I’m not convinced that is necessarily true, I do believe it would make it easier and why I believe that probably is not where I will end up. My many interests vary from fashion and cosmetology, to baking, working with children, as well as event planning, nonprofit work and so much more.

In the past year and half I have learned a great deal of public relations work is writing, which luckily is something I enjoy. With the exception of the Principles of Public Relations course I took last semester, in which I created a social media campaign, I think the Public Relations Writing course and Media Criticism course I am taking this semester have prepared me the most for my public relations career. The press kit and numerous other writing assignments in my Public Relations Writing class and the many blog assignments in my Media Criticism class have required me to improve my writing and computer skills that I will need to utilize when I start my career.

I may not know what it is I truly want to do, but if there is one thing I’ve learned through past experience it’s that when I figure it out I will find a way to make it happen.
on December 8, 2012 at 1:54 pm | Reply davidnicodemusiii

What do I plan on doing when I graduate? I want to either become a lawyer, or go into some form of Politics. I will be graduating Towson with a degree in Political Science and a minor in Mass Communication. I feel as though that is the question that is asked to me every time I tell somebody that I am graduating this coming spring. The reason that I took this class is because I was told that you will learn a lot for whatever field that you are going into. I feel as though this was true and I have learned a lot about my own writing skills and how the world of Public Relations works. PR is a very fast paced environment where you need to stay on top of everything to succeed in life and I feel as though that is very true for politics. One night you can go to bed, and by the next morning you wake up to a disaster and you have to play on the rebound. There are many different cross over’s that occur between the two different fields and for both of them you need to be prepared.

This class has really taught me a lot and all of the assignments that I have written, each and every one of them has taught me a new skill, or sharpened one that I already had. I had previously taken a news writing class but it really didn’t teach as much as I learned in this class. Everything that I did in this class, I feel as though it is going to help me for the future. I particularly liked working for 1 company because I learned a lot about that company while doing my projects. The Press kits are a great start it gives a sample of most of the stuff that we did and it shows how we have progressed. They will be a great tool if someone wants to see our personal work when applying for a job. The number one thing that I would say is going to help me in the future is the News Release that we did being a Political Science major studying the present news is very important. I feel as though having a better understanding of what it is I am reading and hearing will give me an advantage when going over them.

I have learned a lot in this course and I believe that I will be using those skills for a long time to come. The class has been a lot of fun and if I could I’d take another class with Les any day. I have big goals and plans and this class helped me get one step closer
on December 8, 2012 at 8:20 pm | Reply Ayelet V. Cohen

When I was 6 years old my mother asked me what I want to be when I grow up. She was shocked to find out that my dream was to be in the National Hockey League and to become a professional basketball player in the WNBA. My mom went on to explain to me that there is no league for women’s hockey and that maybe I would have a shot in the WNBA if I worked hard enough.

Growing up I played almost every sport and fell in love with certain professional teams. Through out the years I realized how much I love talking about the trades involved in each league, the financials and the publicity of each sport. I then realized my dream career was not to be a professional athlete but to write about sports and cover top news stories. Since then my focus has been to become a top sports PR specialist.

Upon graduating this coming May with a bachelors in Mass Communication and a focus in Public Relations, I hope to follow my dreams and work as a PR specialist for the National Hockey League’s New York Rangers. The Rangers have been a team I have followed since I was born and everyone can agree with me when saying that there is NOTHING better than doing something you absolutely love as a career.

This PR Writing class has taught me more about Public Relations than all my classes combined. Picking an organization of my choice could not have prepared me more for my future. Each week I looked forward to the writing assignments because they were real life assignments that I will have to take on in my career. I picked the New York Rangers as my organization because my dream is to work for their PR firm. Each assignment I wrote was based off things currently happening in the sports world and writing about each topic boosted my confidence and reassured me that I can be successful in this path and that this is what I am supposed to be doing.

In the spring I look forward to contacting the New York Rangers’ Director of Public Relations and scheduling an interview for an entry level job, or even an internship to get my feet wet. I am so grateful that I have these real life assignments to show when I go in for an interview and I am especially grateful to have had the opportunity to create a press kit. I look forward to showing the director the press kit I did on their organization. This is a very competitive field and I believe that having all my writing assignments to show, gives me a bit of an advantage. This class has opened my dreams up and made them more of a reality than a dream and for this I am forever grateful.

Thank you Professor Potter for leading me in the path I was meant to be in and for teaching me so much about the real world. I recommend this class, and any other classes taught by you, to everyone. I owe you for everything you have done to help me succeed.

AV
on December 9, 2012 at 12:44 pm | Reply btiara3

After graduating I plan on working in the communications department of an organization such as Planned Parenthood or Johns Hopkins Hospital. I also wouldn’t mind working for an agency or firm as long as the accounts related to things I’m interested in. I am set to graduate May 2013 and I’m nervous, but I’m ready to start working a full time job. I am interested in working in the areas of women’s issues, non-profit and healthcare. I do plan on moving to either Washington DC or New York depending on where my career takes me. When I started at CCBC, I had no idea what I wanted to do and took a variety of classes to help me determine that. Before transferring to Towson, I used the entire summer to figure out what I wanted to with a career in mass communications, so I’ve known what I wanted to do for quite some time. I decided to pursue mass communications because I felt I would do a great job of using my visual and writing skills to persuade, influence and inspire through different communication channels in relation to my interests. I believe that I will do my best as long as its work that I’m truly interested in. From working previous jobs, I’ve realized I am not as productive as I can be when there is no passion behind what I’m doing. When I’m doing things I have a genuine interest for, I work harder and for me that is the key to being successful.

To help me prepare for my career, I am doing a lot to making sure my transition is easier upon graduation. I am currently on my 4th internship at Johns Hopkins Hospital I’m also a volunteer at Planned Parenthood of Maryland. I’m also a marketing coordinator for Towson Dining and a research assistant for Baltimore Research. I believe all of my mass communication classes are preparing me for my career, but I also think internships are just as important because it gives you experience. My favorite class right now is Lester Potter’s PR Writing class because it has helped me to become a better writer. This is one of few classes where I feel all of the writing I do is useful and necessary. To further improve my grammar, I’ve decided to take an online grammar class at CCBC to refresh right before I graduate. I’m debating on where or not to do another internship, but I may just extend the one I have now at Johns Hopkins since the opportunity to do so is there. In the Spring, I will make more of an effort to attend networking events from the PRSA Maryland Chapter. I’ve volunteered for the organization before and now I’m looking to getting involved again since I graduate next semester. In my last semester at Towson, I will be taking PR Campaigns, Social Media Strategy, Media Ethics and Mass Communications Research, in which I believe all of these classes will help me prepare for my career.
on December 9, 2012 at 9:46 pm | Reply lara chechik

My graduation date is fast approaching. I am grateful to Towson University which helped me to acquire knowledge that would be extremely important and pertinent to my future career in project management.
I took a Organizational Communication Course last fall. I think that this course will help me the most in the future. I have learned about management principles, proper dissemination of information, interaction with coworkers, and appropriate execution of various company policies. . In addition, I learned how to analyze company culture through writing ethnography. This information is very beneficial for a project manager.
I took a Persuasion Course that was taught by Dr. Vatz last semester. I feel that this course could help me in the field of project management also. Dr. Vatz taught our class how to recognize persuasive writing and how to analyze it to decode its true meaning. In addition, he showed the class how to be persuasive in our own writing. In project management, this is important because it allows me to understand the true meaning of text in order to take appropriate actions and to write persuasively in order to achieve organizational goals. .
Overall, I feel that all of my classes have helped me to advance my career goals. Every class provided valuable knowledge that can be applied to any career path.
on December 9, 2012 at 11:18 pm | Reply Brandi Bottalico

Currently I am studying mass communications, specifically journalism and public relations, at Towson University but in the future hope to apply what I’ve learned here in my prospective career field. My dream would be to become a writer for a news organization after graduation. Journalism is my passion and what I love so much about it is the variety and flexibility it provides. I enjoy the fact that I am constantly learning new things and that I am always meeting new people.

With that in mind, I am also realizing that the tools I learn in classes for journalism and public relations are useful in many fields. Examples of such tools are critical thinking, writing and communication skills, research methods, and editing skills. I have found through my marketing internship that the editing skills I learned in my journalism classes are very useful and that the research methods are very helpful. My public relations classes have taught me to think outside of the box and have prepared me for my future internship and a possible career.

It was also through my public relations classes that I learned I may have an interest in becoming a public relations professional after school also. The classes taught me what the typical life of a public relations specialist is like and what is required to become a professional. More specifically in all my mass communications classes I am learning that having a wide skill set and actual experience before graduation are what best prepare me for a career. For example, in my public relations writing class, I learned how to write a news release and the formatting that is expected of me when outside of a classroom. I learned the same for backgrounders, fact sheets and press kits. These assignments have not only taught me how I am supposed to do these things but provide excellent references for me in the future when I am working. Also in this class, I was given the opportunity to shadow a public relations account executive and write a personality profile on her for an assignment. This helped me realize in real life what it will be like to work in a public relations agency. All of these I also believe give me a step up on others trying to get the same job because I have experience doing these things exactly how they are expected from a real employer.

Outside of the excellent foundation that class has provided for me, I believe that internships and jobs have best prepared me for my career. I work at The Towerlight, the campus newspaper, and write at least three stories a week. Without this structured deadline and continual practice I wouldn’t understand what a newsroom is like. In a classroom it is hard to get the same experience where you are working for a greater goal, the production of a good newspaper, instead of just in order to receive a grade. It is also in my internships where I have realized the importance of communication among those that you work with.

I think that if there were anything else that could help prepare me it would be having a mentor that has worked in my career field that critiques my progress in and out of class. I guess that everyone naturally assumes mentors on their own, as I know I have, but I feel like this could be a nice addition to a school program that I could see myself benefiting from.
on December 10, 2012 at 10:16 am | Reply Ioana Aprodu

My dream job is that of a lobbyist working in Washington D.C. I am currently a junior at Towson University and my goal is to attend law school after I graduate. I hope that my grades and a good LSAT (Law School Admission Test) score will enable me to attend the University of Pittsburgh School of Law. The reason that I want to attend Pitt Law is because my sister is currently studying law there and loves it. Aside from my love for the law, I also love public relations and my wish is to obtain an internship this summer and see if maybe that is a career path that I would want to pursue.

I have taken a lot of different courses that would help with both careers. Last semester I took introduction into law, and that gave me a brief look into what the law is really like. It also made me realize how much I enjoy learning about the law, and made me realize that I would like to further pursue my studies in law.

Taking this public relations writing class has been amazing for me. My writing skills have improved exponentially. Sometimes when I edit my work I cannot believe I actually wrote the assignment. Furthermore, getting an assignment and having to figure out the correct format is similar to having a real job. This class has shown me what it would be like if I worked for a public relations company and what I should expect at an internship.

Next semester I am taking more mass communication and law classes. I hope to expand my knowledge in both fields and I hope to be able to apply those skills in real life. It would also be awesome to have another class similar to this one, because I feel like this class has prepared me for a real job more than any other class that I have taken. I still have 3 more semesters at Towson and hopefully during this time I will be able to obtain a diverse range of internships, to get as much experience as I can before I graduate.
on December 10, 2012 at 10:27 am | Reply Katie Winegar

Looking back on this past year of my life, and preparation for my Fall 2013 graduation from the mass communication depart, it amazes me how much certain classes and decisions have affected my life. Coming in to Towson, I was never really sure what I wanted to do at the end of my college career, but that quickly changed once I started taking mass communication classes. I come out of every class feeling motivated and excited for the future.
Currently, I am taking a public relations writing course and I have an internship with a public relations company and nothing has ever come together so perfectly in my life. In my writing class, I am learning skills that have truly benefited me in my internship. Suprisingly, I have learned much and more in my internship that has benefited me in my classes as well. It is amazing to be able to use all the hard work put into class to real life. By learning the different writing skills in this public relations class, I feel more and more confident and prepared for my future then when I first started college. The atmosphere of every mass communication class I have taken has also helped me prepare for my future career. In class, we have discussions instead of lectures and are able to interact with each other and the professor. Going back to my internship, it has made me more comfortable expressing my ideas and opinions in front of others and being able to listen and grasp others idea’s as well.
Being a part of Towson University’s mass communication major has taught me so much about the world and about myself. I believe that with the few required classes I have left to take and continuing my internship I will be more than prepared to take on the career of my dreams, which is to plan events. I have been very lucky to have a mentor who has given me the opportunity to succeed and be involved in planning and executing events. Although I am still nervous for the future, I can say I’m more excited than anything else.
on December 10, 2012 at 12:24 pm | Reply hfadag2

While I want to find the best job that has a good salary, it will be more important to find a job that I love. My dream job is to be big event coordinator manager for events such as conferences, anniversaries, charity events, surprise parties, sales meetings, business meetings, etc. Majoring in Mass Communication, with a concentration in advertising and a minor in public relations will give me the opportunity to achieve this dream and have many jobs options. I think the best place to find a job like that, in my case, is the city of Dubai because it is still a new city on the map of tourism and development. In addition, I will be prepared to handle the hot weather because I am from Saudi Arabia and am familiar with the mixed Arabian and western culture that exists in Dubai. Being bilingual will also be beneficial because it will allow me to communicate in the two major languages of this region, Arabic and English. I already visited the city three times before (in 2009, 2010 and 2012) and I fell in love with it due to the fact that its lifestyle matches mine.

I have learned many things from courses I took at Towson University. All of the assignments, papers and projects that I have completed will help prepare me for my dream job as an event planner/coordinator. The first course that was very beneficial for me in the Mass Communication major was “Introduction to Mass Communication”. I learned to design campaign/press kits for the Black Eyed Susan Gift Baskets Company, and created distribution lists and marketing plans. In the “Principal of Public Relations” class, I learned how to make a campaign for cause related marketing between a profit and non-profit organization for mutual benefit. My “Organizational Communication” class taught me how to apply major organizational communication theories to business practices and to understand the channels of communication and their uses within the organization. I also learned to conduct and present original qualitative research and critically analyze primary organizational research. These organizational skills will directly relate to my future career as an event coordinator. Through the “Public Relation Writing” class, I learned many things such as how to write a News Releases and Backgrounders, 30-second and 60-second spots for radio and for TV, and speeches and presentations. The most significant thing I have learned from the Public Relation Writing is to create a press kit from A to Z. Finally, in my “Principles of Advertising” class I learned how to make a professional resume, a cover letter and a group campaign for a new product. Attending my first career event in the United States at the Towson University campus was the most important experience that best prepared me for the future. It was a great opportunity for me to meet and network with potential employers. I learned a lot about cultural differences, such as the heavy importance placed on ones appearance and first impressions in the United States. It was extremely valuable practice and I will take the lessons I learned with me into future encounters

After all these courses that taught me so much, the only thing that would help to prepare me even more for my future job is an internship. Even though I have worked full time jobs before as a Student Assistant on UMBC front desk, a Tradesman Assistant on hospital maintenance and a Production Supervisor on plastic factory, I still need an internship that will help me gain experience and develop my skills on event coordinator.
on December 10, 2012 at 12:36 pm | Reply kiarap24

The whole point of college is to understand and explore what you want to do in life. Throughout my years at Towson University, i struggled with finding what I felt passionate about. When I started out my freshman year of college, my major was Athletic Training. How I ended up with a major in Communication Studies and Political Science is beyond me.
At the beginning of the year when I started this class, my major was Mass Communications and Political Science and I thought that one day I would be a Public Relations representative for a big name sports team. After some soul searching I began to realize that I could broaden my horizons by making my major communications.
Although I had an idea of what I wanted to do and this course has caused me to see the bigger picture. This course has literally prepared me for most of the tasks that I will have to do in the work force. This class causes me to grasp ideas and certain practices of the PR profession. I am currently trying to find internships and this writing class is giving me the confidence I need to apply.
Learning about press kits and actually how to do backgrounders and news releases prepares you for the real world of Public Relations.

This class has caused me to revaluate what I really want to do in life. After this class I know that Communication is the what I want to do. When I get an internship, I hope that that will prepare me more for my future in the business world. SInce I am graduating next December, an internship in the summer would better prepare me for my profession.
This class was absolutely amazing and was a great asset to preparing me for my future.
- on December 10, 2012 at 5:40 pm | Reply Les Potter
  
  Who are you? I do not recognize the name above.
  
  Thanks, Les
on December 10, 2012 at 1:09 pm | Reply Andrew Hofferbert

I plan to graduate at the end of June with a bachelors degree in Mass Communication on the PR track. If I had it my way, which is not always the case, I would start at any company that would have me work in their media/PR department. I dont have a preference as to the company because I just want to get acclimated with the industry. Ultimately I would like to hold a job in the sports industry as a PR practitioner but for now, anything would suffice.

Right now I’m learning a lot about the industry and what goes into being successful in it. Obviously, writing skills are very important, actually they’re a staple in the mass comm industry, but communication skills are even more important. More than likely, you wont be the only person working in your PR department when you get a job. It’s important to know how to effectively communicate with the people you work with. Effective communication can make or break important projects, as well as hurt or help relationships with people in the industry. Effective communication is a staple in any job/industry.

Another important part of success in the PR industry is keeping your finger on the pulse of things relevant to your company. If you work in the sports PR industry, it’s important to know what people are saying about the organization you work for. It’s also important to be using social media to see what fans and media outlets alike want, or believe is going to happen. Upon finding these things out, it’s important that communication is at an exceptional level so everyone is on the page. Again, it goes back to effective communication.

I think that learning the power of social media is something that will help prepare me for my dream job. After taking a social media class this semester, I’ve learned that there is so much out there to take advantage of while managing the PR portion of an organization. Things like analytics, RSS feeds, AdSense, as well as the in-depth understanding of Facebook and Twitter, are crucial in the success of any PR professional.

After taking classes in the Mass Communication department, I feel like I have the tools necessary to succeed in the industry. Some of the tools I learned while I was here, but I also feel like I had some of the tools to succeed before I even started in the program. I’m excited to continue the journey up until and after I graduate.
on December 10, 2012 at 1:40 pm | Reply Elana Diestel

I plan on finishing my last class as an undergraduate at Towson University this summer. I will graduate with a BS in Mass Communication with the duel track of advertising and public relations. I plan on earning a job with an advertising, marketing or public relations firm.
All of the classes I have taken so far will help me with my future career plans. If they do not directly relate to advertising, public relations or marketing then the studying I had to do for them helped develop my work ethic which would help me with my future career.
Classes that I have taken, or are currently taking, that have developed a foundation for skills I will need in my future career include:
• Advertising Copywriting
• Advertising Media Planning
• Mass Media Graphics
• Intro to Mass Communication
• Principles of Marketing
• Sport Marketing
• PR writing
• Social Media Strategy
• Organizational Communication
• Advertising Campaigns
Classes I still need to take that will aid me with my future career include PR campaigns and Mass Communication Research. All of these classes also play a huge role in preparing me for my career because a lot of them involve working in groups.
Apart from school, I also believe that internships will be of great aid in me getting a job in the field of my desire. My internship with the Washington Capitals has helped develop my leadership, teamwork and communication skills. I work around Washington Capitals players, other Washington Capitals staff, and fans of all ages.
Other “real world” experiences that will help me prepare for my future career are my positions as a campus representative and a field hockey coach. I was a campus representative for the movie Crooked Arrows as well as the charitable clothing company Serengetee. These positions required self-initiative. Coaching requires a great deal of teamwork and enthusiasm. I believe that all of these factors together and continued effort will help me earn my dream career!
on December 10, 2012 at 3:47 pm | Reply Ilana Posner

I am projected to graduate in spring 2013. Upon the completion of my bachelor degree in Communication Studies, I hope to organize and execute events for a non-profit organization. This is an ideal career path for me because it would combine my love for the communications major, while making a difference in others lives.

With one semester remaining, it is important to eternalize everything I am learning. The classes I found most beneficial pertaining to my Communication Studies major were Public Speaking, Organizational Communication, and my current class, Conference and Meeting Management. Public Speaking is where I first discovered my love for the Communication Studies major. I learned how to comfortably and effectively reach a target audience. This is an important skill for each student, regardless of his/her major because he/she will inevitably have to give a speech, or sit through a speech and if the speech does not reach the intended audience, it is deemed ineffective. In my Organizational Communication class, the most beneficial skill I acquired was how to effectively deal with group and team communication. This encompasses hierarchical communication, how to deal with group conflict, and what to do in the event of an organizational crisis. I am currently enrolled in Conference and Meeting Management. This class is not structured as a conventional college lecture. Its goal is to allow students’ to use their knowledge from previous classes, as well as textbook knowledge to execute a four- day conference for the Communication Department. I was able to utilize my previous skills in group and crisis communication to effectively coordinate this conference. It was extremely beneficial to see all of the aspects that go into an event from start to finish.

In addition to the benefits of these classes, I recently added a minor, Mass Communications. Of these classes, Advertising and Public Relations Writing have resonated with me the most. In Advertising, I had the opportunity of creating a hypothetical advertising campaign, equipped with creating a new product, selecting a target audience, and formulating tactics. It was beneficial to apply class material to a real life activity. Moreover, currently I am enrolled in Public Relations Writing. This class has provided me with a plethora of relevant and valuable writing assignments to refer to once I obtain a full- time job. The assignments range from creating a news release and backgrounder for a client- company, writing broadcast spots, and a full press kit. These assignments taught me not only how to format different pieces, but also what content is expected in each writing piece.

I believe I would have benefited from more application and hands- on classes. I have already realized that the classes which embodied the hands- on approach, have been engrained into my mind more so than lecture- based classes. This is primarily because I am able to see how a textbook concept can be utilized in a job setting.

Moreover, although I have made it my business to seek out internships, I believe that it would be beneficial for the Communication Studies and Mass Communications Department to mandate an internship. Through the guidance of my mentors, it is my understanding that current employers rarely hire applicants without relevant experience, thus hindering a student’s chances at a desired job. I feel that an internship requirement, rather than an internship option allows students to become more prominent in the job market while gaining valuable knowledge. A student can also create a professional network, which can be beneficial when searching for jobs.
on December 10, 2012 at 4:13 pm | Reply Kudirat oladiran

Ultimately, I’m on the “Oprah” plan as I like to call it. Currently I’m a duel major in clinical psychology and public relations with a minor in electronic media and film. I see myself one day having my own television show, but that’s still far off in the future. However during the course of this semester I have discovered that I do have a passion for public relations. I knew I liked PR but there was always a voice in the back of my head that always questioned if I would be any good at it. But now I feel very confident in myself and would like to pursue a career in public relations as soon as I graduate in May 2014. After graduation my plan was always to work at Fox News in New York and go to graduate school for clinical psychology in the city. However, now those plans are changing. I still want to move to New York but I would like to work for a PR firm and hold off on graduate school. My dream job would be becoming a publicist or maybe even doing some event planning.

Being in your class has given me the tools to succeed in the PR industry and has greatly helped me improve my writing skills. For instance over the summer I had a job that required me to write a press release. To be quite honest I had no idea what to do and spent hours on Google trying to figure it out. Nonetheless the piece still wasn’t formatted correctly and my boss wasn’t very pleased. Its learning tools such as a press release, which makes me, feel more confident that I will be successful in my career in the future. I hope to one day work as a publicist for a prominent celebrity. I know the job will be very demanding and call for me to have really good writing skills, which is why this class has been a good course for me.

Our final exercise of making the press kit was also extremely helpful because I know that is a tool that I will have to put together throughout my career as a PR practitioner. I hope to join the PR group here at Towson and learn more about the field and explore other aspects of the field that I may not know about. Currently I am looking for internships in the PR field to get some hands on experience. I want to work in the PR field, publicist, before fully pursuing my ultimate goal of having my television show because it will put me in a position to make relationships and network in the entertainment industry. I strongly believe that if one can adequately represent others then they will have no problem representing/marketing themselves.
on December 10, 2012 at 4:24 pm | Reply Charlotte Gillespie

As a student studying Mass Communications with a focus in the advertising track, my overall career aspirations are to work in the creative department of this field. Once I graduate I plan to pursue an entry level position and to work my way up. I am extremely interested in all the creative aspects of this field so landing a spot as a junior or assistant art director at an advertising agency would be a dream come true. I have been extremely interested in an independent full-service advertising agency and public relations firm in the area, ever since discovering them while doing a research paper for my Introduction to Advertising class. Getting the opportunity to be on their team and assist their impressive art directors in preparing layouts for print advertisements and television storyboards would and would make me one step closer to my career aspirations. My overall career goal is to become an art director then ultimately the creative director of an advertising agency.

Although this is a public Relations writing course, I believe the skills and tools I have learned throughout the semester will be very beneficial to me even in the career field of advertising. Public Relations and Advertising go hand in hand and you need to know about one to fully understand the other. I definitely think the radio and television spots assignment will help prepare me in my future career plans. This is a part of advertising that I would need to become more familiar with. Everything I have learned in this course, ranging from making a brochure to creating a company’s entire press kit, are tools that will put me one step ahead another potential employee that may lack these very skills. Advertisers deal with creating highly targeted copy. Making your client happy is the key to success in this business and that’s by understanding what they want to get across and how to effectively reach their target audience. This is another area that integrates advertising with concepts that I have learned in this public relations course.

Another way in which I can prepare for this career is to get myself out there and get an internship. The more experience under my belt the better. Getting an internship upon graduation will also help with networking. The more people I meet and show that advertising is my passion, the more chances of opportunities are likely to come my way. Continuing to study all the aspects of Mass Communication is a way to successfully keep myself well versed in this ever changing field.
on December 10, 2012 at 4:30 pm | Reply Demi

My ideal career would be located at a vacation spot, such as Costa Rica, where I would be responsible for the public relations or advertising of resorts in the area while also continuing to do freelance artwork. I plan to move somewhere south where it’s warm year around, and who wouldn’t want to live in Costa Rica? It is one of the happiest places on earth, according to the New York Times and many other reputable sources such as my own personal opinion.
The classes that I am taking now are a mixture of professional writing, creative thinking, planning, budgeting, and 3D sculpture. My PR writing class is teaching me how to write creatively and professionally by providing assignments that replicate the type of work I would be given while at a job. This class has taught me the correct formatting of each piece of writing, how to write clearly and concisely, the style of which to write, and how to keep it interesting for the reader. It also helped me to discover that now is the time for me to apply for internships. From this class I realized that I do have the potential to be great in PR and that I have the ability to get started on that now.
My advertising copywriting class has prepared me by making me think outside-the-box. By having in-class, creative writing assignments I am forced to come up with unique and clever ideas on the spot in a short period of time, while also having supporting evidence for why I chose what I did and worrying about correct grammar. It was challenging at times when my creative ideas weren’t exactly flowing at 11 in the morning, but I learned to brainstorm effectively and use research to inspire new ideas. I also learned how to create radio, TV, and print ads.
My media planning has taught me a lot about developing a media schedule, which is something I found out I absolutely do not want to do. I have a hard enough time budgeting my own expenses, let alone an entire media campaign. However, I did catch on to Excel and the Media Flight Plan programs rather quickly and I now know how much money and planning goes into the success of one ad. Perhaps with more practice I could learn to like this more, but for now I will stick to the pursuit of my creative success.
Lastly, since I am double majoring in art, I get the opportunity to take a 3D sculpting class this semester. It was a fantastic learning experience of how to use different types of medium such as cardboard, wire, metal, plaster, etc. The class was an escape from normal note taking and class activity and allowed me to think differently to create original pieces of work. It only further showed me how much I love creating art on my own.
Overall, each of my classes are preparing me for work that I will be faced with in the real world, hopefully while working in Costa Rica. Each class provides me with practice in writing, critical thinking, creativity, and time management.
on December 10, 2012 at 5:58 pm | Reply Danielle Dunlap

What do I plan to do after graduation? That’s the question that comes to my mind everyday. One of my biggest fears is going to work everyday without any desire or drive to be there. I would like to find my niche. I don’t want my job to be “work”, but something I truly enjoy doing.
With that in mind- I would like to pursue a career in the field of advertising and/or public relations. I enjoy the creative aspects and the challenges that it brings. Though I’m currently an Advertising and Public Relations major, I am also extremely interesting political science and the possibility of law school. A career within a non-profit or sports organization would be ideal.
Every public relations class prepares me a little bit more everyday for the real world.
-the strategic use of social media
-press releases, press kits, etc.
-business letters
These are all tools that we have learned that can be applied to our careers in the future. The realistic lessons and homework assignments gave me a glimpse of the tasks to occur in my future career. Internships and employment opportunities will further my learning and push me that much closer to being successful. Hopefully all works out in the future. Hopefully I find my niche.
on December 10, 2012 at 5:59 pm | Reply Danielle Dunlap

What do I plan to do after graduation? That’s the question that comes to my mind everyday. One of my biggest fears is going to work everyday without any desire or drive to be there. I would like to find my niche. I don’t want my job to be “work”, but something I truly enjoy doing.

With that in mind- I would like to pursue a career in the field of advertising and/or public relations. I enjoy the creative aspects and the challenges that it brings. Though I’m currently an Advertising and Public Relations major, I am also extremely interesting political science and the possibility of law school. A career within a non-profit or sports organization would be ideal.

Every public relations class prepares me a little bit more everyday for the real world.
-the strategic use of social media
-press releases, press kits, etc.
-business letters

These are all tools that we have learned that can be applied to our careers in the future. The realistic lessons and homework assignments gave me a glimpse of the tasks to occur in my future career. Internships and employment opportunities will further my learning and push me that much closer to being successful. Hopefully all works out in the future. Hopefully I find my niche.
on December 11, 2012 at 1:00 am | Reply Lindsay Waddell

To be honest I still am unsure as to what I want to do when I graduate. However, I do think what I am learning is going to help me in the future. Why? It’s helping me now. I have two internships and I am thinking strategically when I am on the job.
Currently, I intern in digital media at radio one and as a blogger for a local Internet radio show. So, I’m actually not interning in public relations. I sometimes feel intimidated by my major and find comfort in social media. This was all before all I learned basic public relation practices from MCOM 357. In strategic public relations you learn how to think strategically, not practically.
I always wondered when I would learn the “how to’s” of the industry. I am happy to say that that I learned it with Les Potter. He laid out everything in a step-by-step process and allowed us as students to take ownership for our work as if we were in the real world. I appreciate this and find that this will help most of all in my career, because it prepares me to be accountable for my work.
Even though I am not 100% sure what I want to do with my career, I believe in getting a broad scope of the communication industry. I look forward to owing my own business. I feel that it is necessary to understand all aspects of your business. Communications is the pulse of business, it keeps you alive, and with the basic information that Les has equipped me with I know I will be successful.
Thoroughly understanding the reason, purpose, dynamics, and components of a press kit give me confidence to now apply for an internship in public relations. I personally do not like to feel inadequate, so understanding the top and bottom of a subject is very important to me, especially if it is going to be my career. So, with out a doubt that basic knowledge of how to build a press kit and build a relationship with the media not only qualifies me to practice PR, but gives me confidence in my abilities as a professional.
Undeniably, my internships also help prepare me by giving me experience and exposure. I think it is very important for one to experience different careers in communication to figure out which one suits you best. I recommend that to any student in any major.
I have learned a lot from Les Potter. I thank him for his sincere and genuine approach to teach fundamental and basic skills that build a solid foundation for a successful career.

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Les Potter blogs on Strategic Communication/Public Relations and Integrated Marketing Communication…plus Life in General

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