Archives – Page 7 – Harrison Connect

November 12, 2012woocw No Comments

[OP-ED] Why PRSSA is for You: An Opinion Editorial on the Benefits of PRSSA

With over 350 student organizations at James Madison University, there are many opportunities to become an involved student in the JMU community. The JMU School of Communication Studies has six student organizations that allow SCOM students to be involved with the university and community as well as build professional relationships. One of the organizations is the Public Relations Student Society of America. PRSSA is a pre-professional organization focused on enhancing students’ education, broadening their network, and launching their career in public relations. It is made up of over 10,000 students and advisors organized into about 300 chapters spread throughout the country with one chapter in Argentina. JMU has its own chapter, which is currently in its fifth year.

JMU PRSSA believes in expanding the horizons of members by educating them through workshops designed to enrich their understanding of public relations related topics and agency visits where they can practice their skills and network with professionals. “Being in PRSSA has built my confidence level more than I ever could have imagined,” says Carolyn Chastka, senior PRSSA member.

PRSSA members have access to many benefits that lend them opportunities to advance their careers. First of all, according to the PRSSA website, members have access to the PRSA Jobcenter, which allows them to browse career resources and public relations employment opportunities. Internship opportunities are also posted on the PRSSA Internship Center, which allows members to post résumés and get career tips. “PRSSA opens so many doors. Even if you don’t go to meetings or have the opportunity to reap all the benefits, the job center alone will more than pay for dues,” says Cassie Lenski, president of JMU PRSSA.

Being involved in an organization can broaden students’ knowledge and interests and reiterate the importance of being an active member in the community. In a thesis written by Laura Andrews, Master of Arts communication student at Kent State University, about whether or not undergraduates should join PRSSA, she found that “members were more confident in their skills of PR tactics, starting a job, and found more importance in participating in student organizations.” Non-members had to rely on only the skills they learned in the classroom and previous work experience. Andrews also found that “PRSSA members placed more importance on gaining employment and showed more passion as they progressed through the stages of employment.”

Students who are a part of organizations are exposed, not only to what other members have to offer, but what benefits organizations have as a whole. PRSSA members have the opportunity to visit agencies that work in different industries, see what the public relations industry has to offer, and learn what it is like to work as a public relations professional. JMU PRSSA has taken trips to New York City and Washington D.C. throughout the years visiting many world-renowned agencies such as Burson- Marsteller, Edelman, Fleishman Hillard, and Ketchum networking with professionals and experiencing agency life. “Getting the hands-on experience of networking while at various firms allows me to constantly practice my networking abilities and really gives me a leg up in interviews when I’m on my own,” Chastka adds.

PRSSA chapters set up their own agency visits and trips, but members also have the opportunity to travel to different conferences and events hosted by PRSSA throughout the year. Five students from JMU’s PRSSA recently traveled to San Francisco for the PRSSA National Conference. “My favorite moment with PRSSA was hands down the trip to San Francisco. Every moment of that conference was invigorating and exciting. There was constantly new and fascinating information to pull from incredible people. The relationships I built within my own chapter, as well as with other members, are relationships I will cherish forever,” says Chastka.

Many organizations, especially if one is involved in leadership positions, require a decent amount of time commitment An InternQueen article titled, Pro and Cons of Getting Involved, said that the cons of being involved in an organization is that “you become extremely busy, have less social time, and time management becomes hard.” However, if students can find that balance between extracurricular activities and school, organizations such as PRSSA can be greatly beneficial. “Active PRSSA involvement signifies a personal and professional commitment to the profession. This commitment to excellence is a clear sign to employers that students care, have a desire to learn and are dedicated to contributing at the highest level possible,” says Don Egle, Professional Advisor for JMU PRSSA.

There are many benefits to joining PRSSA. Not only do students get to practice their PR skills by networking with professionals and agencies, members have access to many resources to help them with their professional careers. PRSSA is not limited to students concentrating in public relations but for anyone interested in learning about the field. “ I was looking for an organization that provided real hands-on experience and prepared me for the work force,” says Cortney Marchetto, marketing major and treasurer of JMU PRSSA. “PRSSA has given me the fundamental tools and skills that I was not able to learn in a classroom.”

Participating in student organizations can help SCOM students explore their interests, develop professional skills, and enhance their college experience. JMU PRSSA is just one of the organizations offered through SCOM and is a great opening into the world of public relations for students.

November 9, 2012woocw No Comments

News Release: JMU Speech Team to compete at the University of Pennsylvania

The James Madison University Speech Team will compete in a tournament at the University of Pennsylvania this Saturday, November 10. Ten JMU students will compete in 26 different events. The scores of these individual events are added together for a total final team score, according to Lee Mayfield, coach of the JMU Speech Team.

The team competes almost every weekend, but most students attend two competitions a month, according to junior communication studies major Katie Lese. She says, “I enjoy these tournaments because it’s such an interesting community and platform and audience to speak to because it’s people that want to listen to you and you can talk about virtually any topic that’s not really held by bound of any classroom.”

Mayfield says that the JMU Speech Team has been ranked nationally nine times since 1992. “Just two years ago, in 2011, they were ranked the 19^th team in the nation,” Mayfield adds. There are about 20 students on the team, representing a variety of majors, including SCOM, English, International Affairs and Psychology.

More information about the Speech Team can be found at www.jmuspeechteam.org

The School of Communication Studies is part of the College of Arts and Letters at James Madison University. Their mission is the teaching of communication theory and criticism, the development of communication and advocacy skills, the research of communication processes and practices, and the application of generated knowledge about human communication toward the betterment of self and community. Visit http://www.jmu.edu/commstudies for more information.

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October 25, 2012woocw 1 Comment

[OP-ED] The Importance of Internships: An Opinion Editorial of SCOM Professors and Students’ views on Internships

Students in the School of Communication Studies at James Madison University should do an internship in order to become successful. SCOM advisors and professors encourage students to do an internship in preparation for the workforce.

“Participating in an internship allows students to put their knowledge into practice and to make sense of what they are learning,” explains Dr. Pete Bsumek, internship coordinator for Advocacy Studies in SCOM. “It is important for students to experience and learn in an organizational setting.”

SCOM offers internship programs for students looking to pursue a career in the field of communication studies. According to Dr. Toni Whitfield, Organizational and Health Communication internship coordinator in SCOM, “Students should do several internships if they can. Even if that means after graduation, you never know when an internship can turn into a job offer.” According to a Forbes article titled, Odds are your Internship will get you a Job, “If you are a college graduate and you are working at a paid internship, a new study shows 60% of the time, that internship will turn into a job offer.”

Students should participate in an internship program before they enter the workforce. According to University of California Berkeley, the top five reasons to intern is because students gain real world experience which helps them make more educated career choices, become more attracted to employers, connect their classroom experience to the the real world in order to enhance performance, develop professional contacts and get their foot in the door. Both Bsumek and Whitfield say that “along with developing experience, an internship program should also help students figure out if the selected field of interest is something they want to continue.”

In order to be eligible for an internship through SCOM, students are required to have at least a 2.5 overall grade point average, completed the SCOM core classes with a “C” or better, have at least 75 hours of course credit as well as a successful completion of the courses relevant to the planned internship. Bsumek added, “It is important for students to begin an internship with as much academic experience and relevant knowledge as possible.”

Besides Bsumek and Whitfield, SCOM offers two other internship coordinators. Dr. Rozanne Leppington is the supervisor for students interested in mediation and conflict and Dr. Michael Smilowitz advises all other communication students looking to participate in an SCOM internship. Another successful way to find internship opportunities in communication studies is through SCOM professors.

Internship coordinators and professors help students find internships locally. They also encourage and help them find internships back in their hometown or other cities where students wish to work. Dr. Frank Kalupa, a Public Relations professor in SCOM, works with members of the Public Relations Student Society of America chapter at JMU on creating networks and connections with alumni in big cities on the east coast. Several SCOM students have found year-long and summer internships through agency visits and alumni events that PRSSA has attended. Kalupa says that “many students participate in virtual internships through companies they are interested in. It is a great way for students to gain the same experience as if they were participating in a face-to-face internship; the only difference is that students are creating networks and connections through an organization that can possibly be their future job after graduating JMU.”

Students should always accept an internship offer even if it is not a paid one. A Daily Beast article titled, Why Students Shouldn’t Take Unpaid Internships, say that the rising cost of academic tuition is not worth unpaid labor and that “unpaid internships don’t do as much for you in the job market as paid ones do.” What people do not understand is that students can do part-time internships while being able to work a paid job at the same time. Part-time internships are just as beneficial as full-time internships. It also does not matter if a student is doing a paid internship, unpaid internship or doing it for academic credit; Kalupa says that “an internship is about experience and working hands-on in an organizational setting.”

Along with learning hands-on, “As an intern, you learn how to understand people and why they do what they do,” describes senior SCOM major Cassie Lenski, who speaks of her internship experience through JMU Public Affairs. She says that “Students who can find an internship with an organization that treats them as an actual intern will be prepared to step into any entry-level position at top-notch firms when they graduate.”

It does not matter what kind of internship a student participates in, it is how the selected internship benefits them and what they get out of it. If a student is looking to get a job outside of college they should do an internship.

October 23, 2012woocw 1 Comment

[Op-Ed] Study Abroad for SCOM

“The best decision I ever made.” That’s how SCOM senior Sydney Felker describes her Study Abroad experience. Felker studied in London last spring, taking SCOM courses and completing an internship while enjoying the culture and beauty of England. Study abroad is an incredible opportunity that should be taken advantage of, especially by SCOM students. Study abroad promotes educational, professional and personal growth for students that participate.

The London Semester Abroad program was created with students from the College of Arts and Letters in mind. According to Rusty Greene, former faculty advisor for the London Study Abroad program, “London is the media capital of the world,” so it only makes sense to offer an abundance of SCOM courses. Five of the nine regularly offered courses are listed or cross-listed as SCOM courses. These courses allow SCOM students to continue with their major studies while giving them a new perspective – the perspective of living and learning in London. Students who study abroad in London also have the opportunity to complete a British Media and Communication minor. In order to complete the minor, students take five courses in London (or four courses and an internship) and one Intercultural Communications course at JMU either before or after the trip. Greene says that the minor “gives students an extra depth in an area and a definable knowledge [in that area] that can be recognized.”

Senior Katie Ratcliffe also studied SCOM in London during the Spring 2012 semester. She took advantage of an internship program that allowed her to exercise public relations skills that she was developing in the classroom back at JMU. She says, “I interned abroad with a restaurant group called D&D London [as] an intern for event planning and marketing. I did a lot of research for marketing techniques for one restaurant in particular, the Royal Exchange. I also helped with planning actual events that happened in the Royal Exchange such as weddings, business dinners and function and other such events.” Internships such as this give students hands-on experience in their field and, when completed abroad, allow students to have an even greater cultural experience.

The London Study Abroad program is open to all majors, but there are programs just for SCOM majors as well. Every year, Frank Kalupa leads a trip called the International Communication Tour. Last year, five students travelled to eight cities in five countries and met with over 40 communication professionals. They visited London, England; Dubai and Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates; New Delhi, Agra and Mumbai, India; Istanbul, Turkey; and Paris, France last year. Kalupa says that the trip usually includes a stop in Egypt as well, but that they decided not to due to safety concerns.

Kalupa says that “the big goal is for the students to develop a broader perspective on the world that they’re going to live and work in [and to learn] best practices in a variety of settings.” They meet with public relations professionals, government officials and news media experts in an intimate setting so that the students can learn from people already in the field.

SCOM offers other study abroad programs on occasion. Last summer, SCOM students were invited to participate in a seminar called “Conflict Resolution in Ireland” and a SMAD program called “Web Documentary Production” held in Urbino, Italy. Each of these programs allowed SCOM students to further their studies in a unique way and with an international perspective.

Study abroad is an important part of a student’s academic career because it gives them perspective. Kalupa explains that “the world has become more global, and you need a global perspective even if you stay in Harrisonburg after graduating.” Greene expressed a similar sentiment, saying “study abroad allows students an opportunity to expand their sense of identity and their place within the world.”

According to the Office of International Affairs, which facilitates all JMU Study Abroad programs, 43 SCOM students have studied abroad in the past calendar year, out of a total of 1,019 students which take part in these programs. This is a fairly small number, given the array of opportunities that SCOM students have to choose from. It would be more beneficial to SCOM students if they took advantage of these programs.

Ratcliffe says, “Study abroad has shaped the rest of my academic career because now I have better a work ethic and spend most of my free time being so much more adventurous than I was before. I do so many different things that I never thought to before I studied abroad.”

“Studying abroad has not only shaped the rest of my academic career, but my future as well. I am newly inspired to push myself during my final two years at JMU, and I cannot wait to pursue a career after graduation that will allow me to live or work abroad,” Felker says, “It was truly a life changing experience.”

October 21, 2012woocw No Comments

News Release: Presidential Debate Watch to be hosted by the Madison Debate Society

The Madison Debate Society will hold a Presidential Debate Watch this Monday, October 22, at 9:00 pm in Harrison 1261. This is the fourth debate watch of the cycle. The Madison Debate Society held debate watches for the last two presidential debates and the vice presidential debate over the past month, with attendance averaging 100-115 students, according to faculty advisor Aaron Noland.

The Debate Watch consists of a group viewing of the Presidential Debate and a post-debate discussion. “We think that civil debate and deliberation is crucial to our society, ” said Noland, “If we can get students engaged in the issues that are impacting the country and the world, we feel like we are achieving the central mission of this university to help foster engaged citizens. It is also an opportunity for students to see and apply many of the concepts they learn about throughout their JMU coursework. Watching the debates and the subsequent discussion is a crucial learning experience for students at JMU.”