Category: Chapter News

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Fall agency tours with UO PRSSA

On Nov. 16th, UO PRSSA ventured to Portland, Ore. to tour the local offices of Edelman Portland and Liaison PR. The city of Portland is home to several well-known PR agencies  – Edelman, Liaison, and Waggener Edstrom included. The day was full of insightful information and inspiration, helping to establish a clear idea of the life of a PR professional after graduation.

UO PRSSA hears from professionals at the Edelman office in Portland, Oregon.

The day began with a tour and information session with Edelman Portland, one of many company offices throughout the world. Edelman Portland is home to approximately 50 employees and overlooks Pioneer Courthouse Square from the 8th floor of a spacious, modern office. Members discussed life at a PR agency with five current professionals of the Edelman team, followed by an office tour and look into daily life there.

UO PRSSA also visited Liaison PR to hear from the agency’s founder Heidi Lowell (center) and her team.

After, UO PRSSA visited Liaison PR in the Portland Pearl District for a tour of their urban office. Liaison is home to a small staff and a specialized focus on technology and consumer PR. An informational session with Liaison’s talented team offered insight to working in a niche agency. Part of the presentation included hearing from Liaison’s founder Heidi Lowell, who was visiting the office from her home in London.

So why should you consider touring a local PR agency before graduation?

  • You can establish a feel for what life at a PR agency is like. Pay attention to the pace of the office, the vibe of the professionals, the type of work they do, and whatever else you can pick up. The experience might help you decide if working in a agency post-grad is the right fit for you.
  • You can get your questions answers by individuals with real-world experience. The professionals at work for agencies are living in the PR industry here and now. Their insight is up-to-date and realistic, meaning you’ll get the latest information.
  • You can connect with public relation professionals who already work in an agency. Take along business cards to trade, be prepared to ask questions, and follow up with an email after the tour to thank them.
  • You can explore potential employers in your area. An agency tour can highlight companies you might be interested in applying to after graduation.
  • You can learn about internship and employment opportunities available in your area. Don’t be afraid to ask what the agency looks for in an intern or entry-level employee. The insight could be incredibly helpful if you apply later.

UO PRSSA would like to thank Edelman Portland and Liaison PR for the insightful, inspiring day of tours! Our Chapter plans multiple PR agency tour opportunities each year. Stay tuned for more information on the trips planned for winter and spring 2013 at upcoming Chapter meetings. Have you ever toured a local PR agency? What was your favorite part of the experience?

Post by Callie Gisler, public relations director for the 2012-2013 school year. She is a junior at the UO, studying public relations and magazine journalism. You can reach Callie at cgisler@uoregon.edu!

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Rent-a-Pooch: Playing with pups for a cause

UO PRSSA and Greenhill Humane Society teamed up on Thursday, Oct. 25 to host Rent-a-Pooch on the Memorial Quad lawn. Rent-a-Pooch allows University of Oregon students to play with dogs while raising funds for UO PRSSA and Greenhill Humane Society, a Eugene animal shelter that saves the lives of more than 2,000 animals each year. The event also helps Greenhill promote animal adoption and volunteerism.

Eight playful pooches from the Greenhill were rented out to more than 100 students for increments of 15 or 30 minutes. Equipped with leashes, chew toys, doggie treats, and blankets, the students were able to walk and play with their new friend during the allotted time.

Along with raising funds for UO PRSSA, the event helped Greenhill Humane Society with their outreach efforts. According to Denise Brittain, Community Outreach Manager of Greenhill Humane Society, Rent-a-Pooch profoundly effects adoption and volunteer rates. “Students realize how much they miss their dogs at home,” said Brittain.

Through the outing, representatives of Greenhill are able to “tell the adopter how [the dogs] behave outside the kennel” and “see how they react toward all types of different people,” explained another member of the Greenhill outreach team.

With a full day of playful pups and eager students, Rent-a-Pooch was a successful (and fun) event that raised more than $400 to support the Greenhill Humane Society.

Post by Sofia Webster, PRSSA member for the 2012-2013 school year. She is an English Literature major at the UO. You can contact Sofia through our blog editor: cgisler@uoregon.edu!

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Benefiting from PRSSA Membership

Over the years many students have raised questions about the true benefits of becoming a PRSSA member. This question arises because students can still participate in PRSSA activities and events, even if they aren’t due-paying members. However, there are a multitude of benefits from becoming members that can help students with professional development. According to PRSSA National there are three major benefits for becoming members:

  • Enhancing your Education- Events, competition, leadership, scholarships
  • Broadening your Network- Events, social media, PRSA sponsor chapters, champions for PRSSA
  • Launching your Career- PRSA job center, internships, PRSA associate membership, PRSA sections

Changes we are making this year:

There are certain changes that we are making this year that give PRSSA members more benefits. We are planning on taking agency tours to Portland and possibly Seattle this year and we are only allowing members to take these trips. Agency tours are a great way for members to see the professional environment, network and talk to professionals in our industry.

Professional development:

There are numerous benefits that come from becoming PRSSA members. It not only gives students more opportunities for professional growth and development within public relations, but also gives them the opportunity to gain more professional experience.

Helping students receive jobs:

Many professionals say that nowadays having the words “PRSSA membership” on a resume makes a big difference. It shows that students can commit to a club that is related to their industry. It also shows that students are making a greater effort outside of internship opportunities and classes to gain more professional experience and network.

Post by Megan Bauer, Chapter Treasurer for the 2012-2013 school year. She is a senior at the UO studying public relations and advertising. You can reach Megan at meganbauer1@gmail.com!

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Welcome from Chapter President, Ellie Boggs!

To all members, supporters and followers of UO PRSSA, welcome back! I am excited to serve as president in the upcoming year and have big goals for our growing Chapter. The executive board has been hard at work over the summer planning some fantastic professional development opportunities, of which I hope you will take full advantage. Below I’ve listed some ways you can hone your PR skills as well as get further involved in PRSSA.

Join a committee
This year we will be accepting applications for four different committees: Events Committee, Membership Committee, External Relations Committee and NODAC Committee. Joining a committee is a great way to get involved because you will get to know other PRSSA members, while gaining experience in an area of communications that you are interested in. Go to our website for more information on each committee.

Participate in Intern-for-a-Day
UO PRSSA’s main focus this year is to provide you with professional development opportunities. Intern for a Day, a UO PRSSA fundraiser, is just the chance to get involved with local Eugene organizations and public relations professionals. Here is how it will work: UO PRSSA will select a pool of qualified student members to be auctioned as interns in silent auction style. Local organization’s will then bid on a student that would be a good fit for their public relations needs.

Once you have been matched with an organization, you will work on a public relations task that requires approximately eight hours of work. This is an opportunity to design a brochure, staff an event, research a client, draft tweets, and make vital connections within the community. Although we have not set a date for the event yet, we are working to make it happen at the end of fall term. Look forward to more details about Intern for a Day on the UO PRSSA blog and contact me for if you need more information.

Get involved in a national PRSSA competition
PRSSA Chapters across the nation compete each year in national PRSSA competitions such as Bateman, Contiki and NODAC. This year, UO PRSSA will be participating in the National Organ Donor Awareness Competition, also known as NODAC, during which you will create a public relations campaign to promote awareness and knowledge of organ donation among college students.

We will be accepting applications for participation on the NODAC Committee just like we will for the other committees. However, if you become part of the NODAC Committee the real work will begin winter term because the public relations campaign must be completed and submitted for the competition by May 2013. For more information on NODAC visit our website.

These are a small sampling of opportunities UO PRSSA is offering this year. Our ultimate goal is to serve you, the aspiring PR professional and help you gain a better understanding of the industry and your place within it. I encourage you to bookmark our website, follow us on Facebook and Twitter, and keep an eye out for our announcements on campus.

Successful involvement in PRSSA is much like the old adage, “you get out of life what you put in.” If you want to get all that PRSSA has to offer it is up to you to attend events, meetings, workshops and otherwise be an active member! I hope to see you all at our first general interest Chapter meeting that will be held on Wednesday, October 3 at 7 p.m. in Peterson 103!

Post by Ellie Boggs, Chapter President for the 2012-2013 school year. She is a senior at the UO studying public relations. You can reach Ellie at eboggs@uoregon.edu!

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Become a guest blogger for UO PRSSA

Are you interested in becoming a guest blogger for the University of Oregon PRSSA chapter this term? We are looking for posts and articles on all things college, public relations, networking, social media and blogging, and more! Share your best stories, tips, interviews, and advice! Why should you consider becoming a guest blogger this school year? Let us tell you…

  • Sharpen your writing and blogging skills
  • Build and expand your writing portfolio
  • Improve your resume as a contributing writer and blogger
  • Gain exposure through UO PRSSA’s Facebook and Twitter
  • Earn membership points within the UO PRSSA chapter – more information coming soon!

The ideal post is 300-500 words in length, free of spelling and grammar errors, and is of course, your own original work. Each post should include an applicable image or photograph. Articles and posts might be edited to best suit the UO PRSSA blog. Submit your post in Word Document or PDF format to PRSSA Public Relations Director/Blog Editor Callie Gisler at cgisler@uoregon.edu!

Looking for other publishing opportunities this term? The national PRSSA organization offers several chances to publish your work. The PRSSA National blog Progressions tackles a range of PR, PRSSA, and professional topics, all written by fellow PRSSA members. Click here to learn more about submitting a blog post to Progressions. PRSSA National also produces FORUM, the official PRSSA newspaper, which is published three times a year. Click here to learn more about submitting a written piece to FORUM.

Questions or comments? An idea for an upcoming UO PRSSA blog post? Contact Callie Gisler at cgisler@uoregon.edu. We would love to hear from you!

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University of Oregon PRSSA Chapter

UOPRSSA Executive Board at the 2011-2012 PRSSA National Conference!

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The University of Oregon PRSSA Chapter is committed to providing an atmosphere that cultivates relationships, encourages growth, & strives for excellence in public relations & beyond.

We welcome students of all majors (not just PR!) to come join us at our meetings and get involved! Joining PRSSA is a great opportunity to network with peers and professionals, allowing members to develop contacts within the field.

Email prssa@jcomm.uoregon.edu for information regarding upcoming meetings (held bi-weekly throughout the school year), events, and professional development opportunities.

We look forward to hearing from those who are interested in joining!

Sincerely,
UOPRSSA 2011-2012 Executive Board