Month: March 2015

Posted on

UO PRSSA’s Guide to Dining in PDX

Portland is known for it’s foodie scene and, lucky for you, this year’s PRSSA National Assembly is happening right in the middle of it! We put together a list of ten of our favorite Portland eateries so you will be sure to get a taste of the best that the Rose City has to offer, all within walking distance of the PRSSA National and PR PDX venues.

Barista
529 SW 3rd Ave #110
We know stopping at the nearby Starbucks is tempting, but Portland has so many great coffee shops that you’ll definitely want to stretch your legs a little bit to try something new. A local favorite, Barista is the perfect place to get your coffee fix.

Stumptown Coffee Roasters
128 SW 3rd Ave
What would a trip to Portland be without a visit to the city’s most renowned coffee company? If you’re attending our PR PDX event on Saturday, make sure to stop by Stumptown Coffee Roasters just a few blocks away.

Mother’s Bistro
212 SW Stark St
Mother’s Bistro is another local favorite known for its incredible breakfast offerings. The breakfast menu is served from 7 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. so head there for an early breakfast prior to the National Assembly programming or even after PR PDX if you’re craving breakfast for lunch.

Café Yumm
SW 3rd and Morrison
If you’re looking for affordable options, you’ll definitely want to check out Café Yumm. Started in the University of Oregon’s hometown of Eugene, the unique Yumm Bowls served here are hard to describe, but delicious – trust us! This Eugene favorite comes highly recommended by the UO PRSSA chapter.

Veritable Quandary
1220 SW 1st Ave
Since it’s only a block away from the Marriott, I had to recommend my personal favorite brunch spot along the waterfront. It’s one of the more expensive options on this list, but well worth every penny.

Lúc Lác Vietnamese Kitchen
835 SW 2nd Ave
To get a sampling of the international cuisine Portland specializes in, head to Lúc Lác Vietnamese Kitchen just five blogs from the Marriott. Our vice president recommends their pho. Plus, it’s open till midnight – perfect if you’re looking for a late night meal!

Rock Bottom Brewery
206 SW Morrison St
Looking for a sample of Portland’s craft beer scene? Rock Bottom Brewery is just off the waterfront and offers a selection of craft beer brewed in-house and delicious food. This is also a great place to catch the Blazer game Friday night!

Portland City Grill
111 SW 5th Ave
Known for its spectacular views of the city from the 30th floor of the US Bancorp Tower, this is one Portland restaurant you won’t want to miss! Stop by for their affordable happy hour from 4-7 p.m. or after 9 p.m., make sure to order their Kung Pao calamari and enjoy the views!

Hot Lips Pizza
1909 SW 6th Ave
Hot Lips Pizza is another Portland favorite. The closest location to National Assembly is on the Portland State University campus, but it’s worth the trek if you’re craving great pizza!

Voodoo Doughnut
22 SW 3rd Ave
Last but not least, if the Portland classic Voodoo Doughnut is on your must-visit list, there’s a location not too far from the Turnbull Center, where our PR PDX activities are taking place.

To make exploring Portland as simple as possible, we’ve put together a map with all of the PRSSA National Assembly and PR PDX venues as well as the locations on our dining guide. Check it out below!

DSC_0093Hannah Osborn, Public Relations Director, is a senior pursuing a double major in public relations and magazine journalism. She manages all UO PRSSA social and digital media platforms. Follow her on Twitter at @hannahmarieoz.

Posted on

How to Ace Your Portfolio Review

Time spent studying and sometimes even doing public relations at the School of Journalism and Communication isn’t time wasted, and your portfolio should show that.

At the end of the PR sequence there comes a time where you present a variety of work you’ve done to present your story. For some, this “final” assignment can be daunting, terrifying, and can make you feel anxious as the day for Portfolio Reviews swiftly approaches. To help ease your terror, PRSSA has a run down of what to expect and how to prepare.

The Must-Knows of the Process

Here’s a short and sweet run down of how the review will go the day of:

  • Arrive a few minutes early to your one-hour time slot as the reviewers start on the hour.
  • Go into the room, introduce yourself, hand over your portfolio, and give a short backstory about yourself. You may want to mention things like what type of PR you are interested in.
  • You will then leave the room for 10 minutes with your portfolio in the hands of the 3-4 reviewers.
  • Stay close to the room and come in at the end of your 10-minute wait period to ask if they’re ready for you to present.
  • Once they call you back, you will have 10-20 minutes to give your presentation.
  • After your done with your presentation, you’ll leave the room again for 10 minutes. While you’re waiting outside, reviewers fill out your evaluation form and decide on feedback to give you.
  • The reviewers will ask you to come back in and give you feedback on your presentation or ask you questions on your work. If you have questions for them, this is also the time to do that.

Note that you might want to bring something to take these notes down. A phone may not be the best device to do this.

Tips for a Successful Portfolio Review

Prepping for the review doesn’t mean just practicing your presentation or putting together your portfolio. There are a few other things you should keep in mind and probably execute before.

Do your homework. Think of Portfolio Reviews as a job interview ⎯ in this case an interview to graduate. The week before you have access to the review schedule. Take the opportunity to learn more about your panel. This helps put into context what each professional’s takeaways will be during your presentation.

Conduct a social media audit on yourself. If you haven’t Google searched yourself, now is the time to. You can bet that the folks who are chosen to be your reviewers will most certainly Google search you before your review session. Don’t forget to use the “grandma” rule. If you think your grandma wouldn’t appreciate a photo, post, or tweet get rid of it.

Double and triple check your e-portfolio. Attention to detail is a known attribute for any public relations professional. Make sure your first impression made online isn’t a bad one before the review.

Dress professionally and appropriately. Many students struggle when it comes to dressing professionally. It doesn’t mean wear four-inch heels you bought the day before or a suit jacket you had passed down because it’s the only “formal” thing you have in your closet. You want to look and feel the part. Reviewers know when you swung things together last minute. Follow these dress rules from Ann Taylor for women and GQ for men. Note for women: keep in mind the demographic of your reviewers. When wearing dresses, err on the side of caution.

Present your work as it pertains to your story and these three major points: the problem, solution, and impact. Each piece of your portfolio shouldn’t be there just to be there. It has to tell your story. Figure out how that piece of work relates to your overall theme or has shaped the way you perceive public relations. Remember that your materials have to tell your story without you in the room.

After your review, send them an email an hour to two hours later. Within 24-72 hours, send them a personalized thank you card. These folks are here because they care about how well you thrive in the industry. Take the time to tell them thank you for gaining valuable advice.

For more information on Portfolio Reviews, stay on the look at out on Allen Hall Public Relations’ blog. For more portfolio tips, see our post on how to jump start your PR portfolio here.

Abbie_Outside2-cropped Abbie Mulligan, President, serves as the chapter’s resource and mentor, for our members and the executive board. When she’s not in Allen Hall, you can find her helping to strengthen the university’s relationship within the community. Follow her on Twitter at @abbsmulligan.

Posted on

How to Upgrade Your Morning Routine

As a college student, you need your sleep – there’s simply no other way to put it. You stay up late finishing homework, wake up early to go to class, work during normal business hours, and sometimes decide to go out on the weekends which, yes, takes away from time you could be sleeping. Almost any student can relate to their morning going a little something like this…

It’s 8 a.m., your alarm is buzzing, and you went to bed at 3 a.m. the night before. You drag yourself to the kitchen for coffee and leftover cold pizza, you shower, throw on whatever clothes are nearest, and head to your first class of the day.

As a young adult still in school, you’re allowed to have a messed up sleep schedule and a morning like the one listed above. However, when you’re entering the professional world it’s time to change up the cold pizza for a hearty breakfast and the sweats for a suit. Waking up fifteen minutes before you need to leave isn’t going to cut it anymore. If you’re a senior looking forward to graduating, it’s time to start transitioning to your new professional morning routine:

Check the news, social media, and your emails. 
Start your day with making yourself aware of what’s going on in the world today. You don’t want to be the only one who shows up to work and doesn’t know about the latest news, scandals, and tragedies. Especially make sure to check your email; it decreases the likelihood of surprises when you walk into your office.

Eat a well-balanced breakfast! 
It’s cliché, but definitely makes a difference. Breakfast jump starts your metabolism and provides you with energy and nutrients that help you concentrate throughout the day.

Work out. 
Whether it’s a simple jog, a brisk walk, laps in the pool, yoga, or an intense CrossFit workout, you need to get moving. Working out in the morning boosts your endorphins, which results in a better mood for the day. It also relieves stress, keeps your metabolism elevated, and helps keep you focused.

Plan. 
Writing out your plans for the day can really increase productivity. When you fail to plan, you plan to fail. Making a to-do list, writing out your meetings and phone calls, and writing down deadlines will help you remember them. Seeing your day on paper or a computer calendar helps mentally prepare you for what’s to come.

Get your hardest task for the day out of the way. 
Putting off the most difficult job can sometimes seem like the better path to take, but it’s not. Often you’ll end up procrastinating too much and it’ll hang over your head, daunting you. If you make it priority number one, tackle the job and get it out of the way, the rest of your tasks for the day will seem small and easy in comparison.

Brooke AdamsBrooke Adams is a junior transfer student, majoring in Public Relations and minoring in Business Administration. Brooke is a native Oregonian, avid coffee drinker, and music lover. Follow her on Twitter @BrookeIAdams.