Shippensburg University

Shippensburg, PA November 2013

PRSSA Monthly Newsletter

Shippensburg University

PRSSA officers attend national conference

By Codie Eash

Four officers representing SUs Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA) Chapter, attended the PRSSA National Conference in Philadelphia the last weekend of October. The conferences theme was Foundation for Innovation, and took place at the downtown Loews Hotel. The five-day PRSSA conference attracted an estimated 2,000 members mainly from across the United States. One group, said SU Chapter President Stephanie Wyjadka, came all the way from Colombia, South America. Everyone freaked out. It was pretty cool, she said about that groups introduction. From Friday, Oct. 25 to Tuesday, Oct. 29, members listened to speakers, attended Photo: Stephanie Wyjadka workshops and collaborated with one another. The speakers were mostly public relations professionals, including some who represented professional sports teamsthe Philadelphia Phillies and 76ers as well as the Chicago Cubs. There were also representatives from multinational corporations such as Campbells Soup. Hearing from someone who is in the industry and at the top of the industry is great, Wyjadka said. The real world experience was the most eye-opening to me. Conference | p. 2 In This Issue:

PRSSA hosts Internship Workshop

By Tyler Downey

PRSSA sponsors Excel Workshop, p. 2 PRSSA to hold bi-weekly meetings, p. 3 Officers introducing new committee, chairperson, p. 3 Committee Updates, p. 3 Officer Spotlights: Kaila Lampo and Emily Goodman, Stephanie Wyjadka, p. 4-5 Kupkakes for Kris raises money for a cause, p. 6 Pizza Man helps out PRSSA, p. 6 Biswas presents advice on LinkedIn, p. 7 Laura ODonnell feature, p. 7 Reminders, p. 8

On Tuesday, Oct. 8, the Events Committee hosted an Internship Workshop in Rowland 200. There were many speakers throughout the workshop providing advice and information on how to use internships to better ones future in the field of communications. By definition, an internship is a form of experiential education that integrates knowledge and theory learned in the classroom with practical application and skill development in a pro setting. Professor Holly Ott, the internship coordinator for the Shippensburg University Communication/Journalism department, spoke about the importance of internships. For undergrads to be eligible for an internship, her or she must have a minimum of 60 credits and have an overall 3.0 GPA, along with a 2.5 within the major. In addition, he or she must have completed five or more Comm/Journ classes with at least one in his or her emphasis. Internships can be worth anywhere from one and three credits. Forty hours of work is equal to one credit. So if a student were to get a good internship, he or she could end up gaining valuable experience as well as credits toward graduation. Internship | p. 3

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By Anna Burnhisel

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INTERNSHIP, CONT. Many students talked about their experiences in past internships. Those speakers included PRSSAs own Liz Rachlin and Emily Goodman, who each provided the listeners with valuable information on their experiences that will help anybody who listened get a good idea on what to expect and what to do at an internship. Rachel Bryson, who is an intern for Volvo Construction Equipment also talked about the opportunity she has been provided. She explained how the internship could be the very first step with the company, as many of their internships lead to prestigious jobs. She went on to explain how Volvo is a team, just like co-workers, and they do various activities together to maintain a close relationship.

PRSSA sponsors Excel Workshop

On Tuesday, Oct. 22, PRSSA sponsored an Excel workshop conducted by Dr. Carrie Sipes to teach students the basics tools of Microsoft Excel. The workshop was at 3:30 P.M. in Rowland Hall and approximately 30 students attended. Many students came to fulfill their Practicum requirement, while others came simply out of curiosity. During the workshop students were taught many useful tools that Excel has to offer, such as mail merge and basic formulas. The workshop also taught students how to clean up and present information in a clear way. Sipes demonstrated the creation of graphics through the use of Excel. Excel has many practical uses for college students. It can be used for statistics and finance management with a budget. Excel isnt an application which many students are familiar with. Michael Shipman, a student who attended the workshop said, Excel is one of those Microsoft programs that not many people are familiar with compared to Word or PowerPoint. That being said, the Excel workshop proved to be very effective. Shipman said, The information Sipes provided was very helpful, and most of the stuff she pointed out I never would have found on my own, so I am glad I attended the workshop. The applications that were featured in the workshop could be very useful to students as they progress into their careers. Excel is also a great place to manage content because it offers sorting, extending and graphing of the informationall in one place. Excel can also be used to create billable hours for an organization. Shipman had nothing but good things to say about it. I definitely feel that this workshop will be helpful in any job force, especially for Communication/Journalism majors, he said. Shipman isnt the only one that believes that knowledge of the basics of Excel will have real world application; Sipes said, This is useful in the business world.

By Codie Eash

Beginning Tuesday, Nov. 19, PRSSA meetings bi-weekly

PRSSA will be meeting every other week, beginning Tuesday, Nov. 19, rather than once a month. The decision was made by the chapters senior officers, who felt the current sporadic meetings have been keeping members away from the group for longer than necessary. According to Stephanie Wyjadka, SUs chapter president, There are a lot of things to go over, and not a lot gets accomplished. The chapters officers hope that meeting more frequently will encourage involvement and more social activity amongst PRSSA members.

PRSSA to add Community Service committee, chairperson

By Codie Eash

Photo: Anna Burnhisel

things they learned in Philadelphia toward SUs PRSSA efforts. In their opinions, the most essential skills they learned were those focused on ethics and events planning. The officers would also like to work on SUs social skills, in terms of getting PRSSA members to socialize more often. The biggest thing I took away to add to our chapter is how to keep members actively engaged, Lampo said. We should create a mentor program to ensure everyone feels comfortable in PRSSA. As far as their personal experiences, the officers thought it was an enriching experience. They each thought it would benefit them in their future careers. A lot of the professionals were not afraid to tell you the reality of their industry, which is good to know that theyre not sugarcoating things, Wyjadka said. I got a good sense of how many people were competing for jobs with, she said.

CONFERENCE, CONT. While attendees sat in on workshops and speakers, they were encouraged to Tweet about their experiences and knowledge, using the hashtag #PRSSANC. Wyjadka said that at one point, the tag was a trending topic on Twitter. Ive never seen that in action before, so it was really cool to see. Speakers started following me, and these people have connections, she said. Also in attendance was Emily Goodman, SUs PRSSA treasurer. Goodman said her focus was on finding new ways to fundraise and getting members more involved in those efforts. She also attended workshops dedicated to diversity and community service. It was great to see so many groups presenting what they excel at, Goodman said. Goodman also attended a panel of recent college graduates who had already secured positions within the public relations field. She said they put things into

perspective for all in attendance, teaching them the realities of searching for jobs. It was really eye opening. Im glad I sat in on that one, she said. Elizabeth Rachlin, SUs chapter secretary, said she learned a lot about the value of teamwork within an organization like PRSSA. Having everyone on your team is a must before planning an event, she said. I really hope to apply these ideas in Kupkakes for Kris, she said, because I think it would be beneficial to the whole group. Kupkakes for Kris is a service organization that focuses on providing financial support for families impacted by the cost of cancer treatments and related personal experiences, according to the groups Facebook page. Rachlin is the organizations committee chairperson. Wyjadka, Goodman, Rachlin and Kaila Lampo, SUs chapter vice president, said they would like to apply many of the

PRSSA will likely be adding a new officer position, beginning in the spring 2014 semester. Stephanie Wyjadka, Shippensburg Universitys chapter president, said the position will be termed Community Service Chairperson. Following last months PRSSA National Conference in Philadelphia, Wyjadka and three other SU representatives felt the inclusion of a committee focused on community service would help not only the SU PRSSA chapter, but also the general public. It will really help us get our name in the community and get our place, Wyjadka said. Preliminary ideas have involved the possibility of sponsoring dinner and bingo nights at local retirement communities, or donating time and services to food banks. Those who are interested in applying for the position should talk to Wyjadka, whose email is sw5812@ship.edu.

Photo: Maria Nunes

PRSSA Committee Updates

Events: Chairperson: Stephanie Wyjadka

By Tyler Downe y

Kupkakes for Kris held an event on Wednesday, Oct. 30 in the CUB. They made $20 in donations. They are in the process of planning the annual 5K race in April. More information will be given as the event draws nearer.

Fundraising: Chairperson: Emily Goodman

The Fundraising Committee just did a fundraiser at Pizza Man on October 9th that raised $75. Coming up, each PRSSA member is required to sell one box of 40 Gertrude Hawk chocolate bars. The money for each box of 48 bars will be due Monday, Nov. 25.

Promotions: Chairperson: Kaila Lampo

The Promotions Committee recently promoted a mini-THON community night on Halloween using flyers, chalking throughout campus, and social media. They have begun to promote WiLL, the womens centers leadership conference, which will be held from 2:00 P.M.-6:00 P.M. on Friday, Nov. 15.

Kupkakes for Kris: Chairperson: Elizabeth Rachlin

Kupkakes for Kris held an event on Wednesday, Oct. 30, in the CUB. They made $20 in donations. They are in the process of planning the annual 5K race in April. More information will be given as the event draws nearer.

Shippensburg University PRSSA Monthly Newsletter | Page 4 OFFICER SPOTLIGHT OFFICER SPOTLIGHT

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Kaila Lampo: Secretary

By Alison Gantz

Stephanie Wyjadka: President

For Lampo, the larger the outreach of the organization, the more beneficial the outcome will be, not only for other campus organizations, but also members involved in PRSSA. Working with any on-campus event that needs it will help me Photo: Tyler Graham and my students create pieces and gain experience in PR, Lampo said. Lampo said the hardest task as a committee leader is getting people to step up and take responsibility, but she hopes to keep everyone involved and busy this year. Volunteer in whichever committee you choose to join, and that way youll have the experience for when you graduate. Most of all, ask lots of questions. There are tons of people available to help so dont be afraid, she said.
By Tori Hartman

Kaila Lampo is currently in her sixth semester of being an active member of PRSSA. Lampo has stepped up her participation this year by becoming the organizations new secretary. Connections are important in getting a job, and we have the ability to gain many connections through being an officer and committee leader in PRSSA, Lampo said. I enjoy being a leader and taking on more responsibility than previous years. As the Promotions Committee chairperson, Lampo hopes to expand promotions within PRSSA as well as reach out to other media groups and on-campus event coordinators who could use help in spreading the words about their events. I want to break off and let everyone on campus know that we are available to help them, Lampo said. By doing this people will become more aware of PRSSA. The promotions committee is already looking forward to planning numerous events this semester such as MiniThon and WISH, a program sponsored by the Shippensburg University Womens Center.

Emily Goodman: Treasurer

By Alison Gantz

Emily Goodman began her career in PRSSA during her junior year as a general member. Her first semester in the organization was spent as a part of the Promotions Committee. The next semester she expanded into being the chairperson for promoting PR around campus as well as a member of the Promotions and Events committees. She is also currently serving as chairperson of the Fundraising Committee for 2013. The position of treasurer requires Goodman to keep track of member dues, PRSSAs budget, work with the Student Senate, be a primary account holder, and distribute checks for reimbursement and fundraising. Goodman ran for this position because she had a passion for PRSSA and wanted to be a part of the executive board. She also wanted to help better the organization while gaining

real PR experience. Goodman chose to be treasurer because it required someone very organized and who is good at managing money, which she felt best suited her. She was able to use this experience during her summer 2013 internship at SHAPE Gallery in Shippensburg, where she served as PR intern/Campaign and Event Coordinator. The treasurer position has taught her better organizational skills, as well as how to manage other peoples money. This position is also preparing her for life after college in the PR field, as well as creating excellent experience that she can put on her resume. The most valuable lesson Goodman has learned so far as treasurer is to connect with people who will be important connections after graduation.

Stephanie Wyjadka is the current president of Shippensburg Universitys PRSSA chapter. She is majoring in Communication/Journalism with an emphasis in Public Relations. Wyjadka is also minoring in business to help gain a marketing perspective. Wyjadka decided to join PRSSA in her freshman year at Shippensburg. Last year, she was the Social Media Chairperson for the E-Board and discovered she was interested in the officers positions. At that point, she decided she wanted to be president of PRSSA. I wanted to be President because I am passionate about PRSSA, and I wanted to lead our chapter and make improvements where necessary, she said. In addition to being president, Wyjadka is the chairperson for the Events Committee. Wyjadka and her fellow committee members are planning several workshops for Comm/Journ students.

The time Wyjadka has spent as PRSSA president and Events Committee chairperson has taught her some valuable lessons. I have learned that it is time consuming, but well worth the experience gained, she said. She hopes to improve the Shippensburg chapter by creating more events to help students gain outside PR experience through PR firm tours and Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) events. She also wants to recruit more underclassmen into PRSSA. Wyjadka wants to emphasize the importance of joining as soon as possible. With graduation approaching, Wyjadka said she is excited to get a degree in a field that has so many options. She would like to work in PR or Marketing, but her ultimate goal is to work for an advertising agency. She is interested in copywriting and creating advertisement ideas.

Photo: Tyler Graham

Connect with

PRSSA:

@shipPRSSA
Shippensburg PRSSA

Photo: Tyler Graham

Visit our website at www.ShippensburgPRSSA.wordpress.com

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Kupkakes for Kris Committee raises money for a cause

By Carolyn Powers

Biswas presents advice on LinkedIn

By Andrea Weller

After the spring 2013 Kupkakes for Kris 5K was such a success, committee members began their fundraising efforts early this year with higher goals. The Kupkakes for Kris Committee raises money for families impacted by expenses of cancer treatment. Kupkakes for Kris began when a member of the Central Pennsylvania Public Relations community, Kris Greene, was diagnosed with and lost the battle to stage-four lung cancer in October 2010. All of the funds raised continue to help families, although she can no longer carry on the tradition. On Tuesday, Oct. 22, PRSSAs

Kupkakes for Kris Committee kicked off its fundraising efforts at Ritas of Shippensburg. The fundraiser took place from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. and committee members worked with employees to serve the customers while raising money. The Kupkakes for Kris committee also hosted Halloween activities on October 30 in the Ceddia Union Building, along with SUs Activity Program Board (APB). Students were able to make their own caramel apples and guess the contents of boxes. Committee members attended to a table at which donations could be made, and spread awareness about the cause. Students have been a big influence

in working towards the committees goals. Liz Rachlin, the committee chairperson, said, Our goal for this year is to get a head start on the fundraising and also in planning the 5K for spring. Planning a 5K from scratch takes a lot of work, but starting early with donation letters early is key so that we can focus on other aspects come April. In addition to the on-campus awareness, the committee also added social networks as well. Students can now follow @kupkakes4kris on Twitter or like the Facebook page, Kupkakes for Kris, Shippensburg Committee.

On Tuesday, Nov. 5, PRSSA hosted a workshop on LinkedIn that featured speaker Dr. Masudul Biswas of the Communication/Journalism Department. To a classroom full of students he presented a PowerPoint on how to create and maintain a professional page. Many students took this opportunity to learn more about the site, and many got a professional headshot photograph taken for their profiles. LinkedIn, which was established in 2003, is a website used for professional networking, connecting and job searching. Today the site has 238 million users and reaches 200 countries and territories. It has continued to grow over the years becoming the second-most-popular content sharing site. For college students and future graduates this website is an asset for finding a career. When using the website there are several types of information that can be included on a page. It is important to have a headline, contact information, job and club experience, publications, education, and any other information that is relevant to a job search. An important thing to keep

in mind when using LinkedIn is to keep the personal page neat and free of clutter, so that it doesnt distract potential employers. These days there is an emphasis on using a professional picture on a website. In social media there is a movement towards visual images. Biswas explained that before one sees the text, he or she sees the image. To help students create a more professional page a photographer came to the workshop and took headshots. The images were free and open to whoever wanted one. Many students jumped on the opportunity to obtain a professional photo for their LinkedIn website. During the workshop Biswas gave helpful tips to students on how to manage and create their professional site. First, he recommended that students never make up any information for their site; it is important to remain honest. He also recommended that they stay active on their page because staying current is important. Another helpful hint was to include relevant course information that will show potential employers qualifications for the job.

Photos: Carolyn Powers

By Tori Hartman

Laura ODonnell: Sickle Cell Committee Leader

Laura ODonnell is leading the Sickle Cell Committee for Shippensburg Universitys PRSSA chapter. She will graduate in May 2015 with a degree in Communication/Journalism. Her emphasis is in Public Relations, with an English minor. As the leader of the Sickle Cell Committee, ODonnell hopes to better serve the organizations mission. She wanted to become the committee leader so she could do even more for the SCPASCC than last year. The committees goals for this year are to increase awareness of sickle cell disease and raise $500 for its client. ODonnell and her committee are raising money by selling hot chocolate and canning. They are also working to coordinate a 5K in January during Ice Fest, a winter festival in Chambersburg. In the short time ODonnell has been committee leader, she has gained some relevant experience. She discovered that plans dont always work out how she imagined as she hit several roadblocks this semester. Those roadblocks never got in her way, and as she said, All you can do is just stand up, brush yourself off, and keep trying.She knows how important it is to keep motivated to reach her committees goals. Effective communication is another skill that ODonnell must utilize as a leader. Since the SCPASCC is located in Harrisburg, she must keep in constant contact with her client. She thinks it is important to keep them updated on what the Shippensburg PRSSA is planning. ODonnell hopes the lessons she has learned will help her obtain a career in sports public relations. She aspires to work in the National Hockey League and handle a teams media relations. ODonnell wants her position to bring fans and players together by working with foundations such as Make-AWish to grant children their wish of meeting an NHL player.

Pizza Man helps out PRSSA

By Hailey Stoner

On Wednesday, Oct. 9, Jenna Botley, a Fundraising Committee member, planned an event with Pizza Man, a local Shippensburg Italian restaurant. From 5:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. Pizza Man gave 20-percent of each individual order to Shippensburgs

PRSSA chapter. According to Botley, she called to schedule a date and then picked up the money after it was over. The committee wanted to raise $100, and was shy by only $25. They think they could have gotten more money had they picked a different

night of the week, since Wednesdays are wing nights. This was the first time PRSSA has done a fundraising event at Pizza Man. Members will continue to see more fundraising efforts throughout the semester and the rest of the year.

Photo: Barbara Phelps

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Reminders:
Twitter Workshop - Nov. 12 -3:30 p.m. in Rowland 206 (MAC Lab) Using Social Media to Build the PR Campaign Workshop - Nov. 14 -3:30 p.m. in Rowland 209 YankeeCandleFundraiser.com ends Nov. 19 -Create a login with the code 990059068, and 40% of all orders will benefit
PRSSA. The member who sells the most wins $50.00.

Dodgeball Tournament - Nov. 17 -7:00 p.m.-9:00 p.m. in Ship Rec Center

-Entry is $6.00 per team. If interested, email Jenna Botley (jb1956@ship.edu)

Gertrude Hawk fundraiser money is due Nov. 25 -Cash will be accepted ($48.00), but checks are preferred. Make payable to
Ship Partners.

General Member Meetings - Nov. 19 and Dec. 3 3:30 p.m. in Rowland 209

Have a safe and happy Thanksgiving break!