By now, I am sure you all have been seeing posts on social media with the hash tag #metoo. These brave, strong survivors of sexual harassment and sexual assault are finally getting the chance to speak up about their experiences in only two simple words. This is one of the many ways that social media makes a difference. Social media has ability to bring individuals who have things in common together, no matter their location, socioeconomic status or ethnicity. We have seen this in many ways, from the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge to the hash tag #BlackLivesMatter. The #metoo joins as a powerful campaign. The hash tag #metoo is eye-opening in that it allows us to see just how many men and women have experienced sexual harassment and assault, at least those who are speaking up about it.
The message the people posting the hashtag are sending is that they all are standing up in solidarity. Social media can bring people together but has the potential to leave people behind. A large criticism of the campaign is that survivors do not need to share their story to be validated. Those who stay silent are just as valid. The call to action for the men and women who have been seeing the hash tag #metoo is that they need to show support through social media to let these victims know that their stories are not being ignored. These individuals deserve to know their worth and know that they are not alone. This issue can no longer be ignored and with the help of media, victims can cope together with the support from everyone else. By: Megan Rubinger
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The day started early at 6:30 A.M. where 25 members of PRSSA gathered in the Student Service Center parking lot on Friday, September 15th. Our members traveled to Chicago for the first agency tour of the school year. The PRSSA members got the opportunity to tour two PR firms: Golin and Edelman.
We left Normal with seven packed cars traveling up to Chicago. The car ride was full of good music and great conversation. We arrived for our first agency tour with Golin. We all met in the lobby of the John Hancock Center where we travelled up Golin’s office space. It had a modern, open-concept style. The Golin employees welcomed us with warm, welcoming faces. Sarah Babcock, an associate at Golin, led the presentation along with other ISU alumni such as Nick Nottoli, Hannah Sheley and Kristen Kelley. In the presentation, the employees discussed the G4 method and different case studies such as Talenti, Humana and their famous client: McDonald’s. The G4 model is unique in PR; it allows professionals to have a focus whether that be research, creative content, pitching for new business or project management. As a member, I was incredibly interested in seeing the fresh take on what PR professional’s job description. After the presentation, Hannah and Sarah split us into groups and took us on an office tour (not after we took the beautiful view of the lake and the Chicago skyline). We all met up in the lobby of the AON building where we all headed up to visit Edelman. Jordan Parisi, the Internship Coordinator for Edelman, led us to a conference room where Julia Fedor, Timothy Wrona, Molly Coyle and Jillian Collins Bohr. The time we had was spent asking questions regarding crisis communication, case studies, graduate school and many other topics. At the end of the time, we had time to network with speakers and again, take in the amazing Edel-views. Both tours gave members the opportunity to see two Public Relations agency firms with vastly different work culture. Members were also given the chance to investigate the type of work they could be doing after graduation. The tours definitely give younger members like me something to look forward to. By: Megan Pellock My freshman year of college, I jumped into PRSSA and gained some great experience in the development committee, but wanted to do more even though I wasn’t sure what “more” meant. At the end of the year, I spoke to Tom Lamonica about what else I could be doing to gain experience. He suggested internships. I took that to heart and have since done seven internships. I’ve learned a few tips and tricks that I’d like to pass on: 1. It’s never too early to start! I started after my freshman year. I had grown my skills on the job in my internships rather than expecting myself to already have the knowledge. 2. It’s okay to not get paid right away. Many people told me not to intern with people that wouldn’t pay for my time. Contrary to their beliefs, I had the richest, hands-on experience with the places that couldn’t pay me. They let me jump in anywhere I wanted to learn and take on big projects. 3. Ask questions. I wanted to seem like I already knew all my stuff. I thought it would be embarrassing to tell my boss I didn’t know how to use some programs. I learned the hard way that if you don’t ask about what you don’t know, you will do something massively wrong. I promise. It’s always better to ask. 4. Use internships as a way to see what you do and don’t like. An internship is the time to try things out. It’s better to figure out that you hate media relations before you accept a fulltime position at an agency as a media relations specialist. Most importantly, try to get to know your internship supervisor. They will be invaluable connections and friends. By: Sydney Velez |
AboutPRecisely PR is the blog of the Illinois State University Chapter of the PRSSA. We write about Chapter events, the public relations industry, member profiles, and more. Archives
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