PRSSA's blog needs contributers!

To those of you who would like to get involved in PRSSA, here's your chance!

We need 3-6 people who enjoy writing to be writers on this blog. As you may have noticed, it has been difficult keeping it active and updated with just one writer on board.

This will be a great opportunity for those of you who would like to get involved in our chapter, get some experience, and have some of your work published.

If you're interested, please come to the next meeting for more information or get in touch with Natalie, PRSSA's vice president via e-mail (found on Purdue PRSSA's site).

Mark your calendars...

COM Day 2009 is coming soon, and you don't want to miss it!

This is an incredible opportunity, and is well worth the time and money to be there. If you go, you will have the chance to learn first-hand from professionals in the field. These men and women know what it's like to be in our shoes, and have excellent advice for students today. Also, this is a great chance to brush up on your networking skills -use this time to introduce yourself to the speakers and to your fellow COM peers!

Here are all of the details about the big day and how to register:

WHEN: February 28th, from 9-5 p.m.

COST:
PRSSA Member Registration Fee - $5
Non-member Registration Fee - $10
Luncheon - $15 in addition to registration

WHERE:
Registration and Speakers - Rawls
Luncheon - Dauch Alumni Center
Career Fair - Dauch Alumni Center

COMPANIES: Eli Lilly, Ketchum, Indianapolis Colts,
Verizon Wireless Music Center, Indiana St. Fair,
Bradley & Montgomery

REGISTRATION:
1. Go to the PRSSA website http://web.ics.purdue.edu/~prssa/
2. Click on the COM DAY icon
3. Download the form and fill it out
4. Mail, or hand both the form and money in to the COM office

Remarkable!

Yesterday, Purdue's PRSSA chapter had the privilege of listening to Kevin Eikenberry, a two-time best selling author, speaker, consultant, trainer, and Chief Potential Officer of the Kevin Eikenberry Group, a learning consulting company based in Indianapolis.

Kevin's message centered on the value of getting involved during our time in college. He emphasized that deciding to take this leap will improve our lives, both in the present and in our future.

Through his work as a consultant, Kevin emphasizes that each of us is remarkable (thus the remarkable wrist band above that he handed out), and it is only a matter of recognizing and utilizing our individual skills before we will truly succeed.

One thing he mentioned that particularly struck me is this: "Leadership is not a title, and it's not about power - it's an action!" He encouraged us to 1) look for a way to help an organization we are interested in, 2) recognize that we are capable of helping and commit to do doing so, and 3) TAKE ACTION!

An interesting side note: in a personal conversation, he said that the use of technology and social networking tools, such as blogging and Twitter, are essential in today's world. Furthermore, Kevin said that it would be a great idea for a grad with an eye towards the future to start a personal blog. It serves as a fantastic opportunity to meet professionals, to learn more by following other blogs, and is a great way for a potential employer to get to know you. Just a thought!

Want to know more about Kevin? Check out his blog!
http://www.kevineikenberry.com/blogs/index.asp

Half Day with a Pro

College: an excellent opportunity.

Internships: essential.

Contact with Public Relations professionals: priceless!



The annual “Half Day with a Pro” event sponsored by Hoosier PRSA was extremely successful, as I’m sure is the case each year. This being my first time attending, I wasn’t sure what to expect. Coming out of the experience, I would recommend it to anyone considering it next year.

I met with a professional named Gail Payne, APR, who has had broad experience in the PR field. She began by working with law firms, then was employed by non-profit organizations, and has recently started her own business in Indianapolis called “The Goods.”

What I experienced was truly beneficial. I learned much more about various opportunities in the job market today, about what employers are looking for in grads, and what skills are most beneficial to have before leaving college. These professionals are doing us a favor by offering their time and advice, and every PRSSA member should take advantage of it!

Those of you who went: how was your experience? Let me know!

What is PR anyway?

"So, what are you majoring in?:

"Communications, and I'm concentrating in public relations."

"Wow, that's great. So what exactly is that?"

"Well, hmm....."

I've had this conversation many times, and I've often wished that I had a solid, stunning definition of public relations that I could amaze people with.

I recently stumbled across a website that helped me incredibly with this dilemma. Not only did it give me a better understanding of what public relations actually is, it offers with a wealth of relevant information, terminology, and important issues in the field today.

If you are looking to learn a little more about PR, or even if you feel like you already know what it's all about, I would highly recommend taking a look at this site.

http://www.prquickstart.org/

It was developed by the Council of Public Relations Firms and PRSA Counselors Academy, so it is completely up to date and reliable.

But even better, it is really interesting. This site offers plenty of engaging side notes and examples in addition to its practical mini-lessons.

So what are you waiting for? Check it out.