POLYPR NEWSWIRE | February/March 2012

May
the
Odds
be
Ever
in
Your
Favor
Did you know there are seven simple steps you can take to help increase the likelihood of your press release hi7ng the jackpot?

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

2 PRSSA Member Spotlight 3 Santa Barbara Tour Recap 6 Catching up with Krista 8 Internships, Jobs, Opportunities 9 Calendar/Delegate Highlight

Earlier this month, PRSA adopted an updated definition of Public Relations:

Public relations is a strategic communication process that builds mutually beneficial relationships between organizations and their publics.

PR Newswire recently released an eye-catching and interes4ng infographic outlining the simple steps towards hi:ng PR gold with press releases. The press release distribu4on site reveals 4ps such as pu:ng the cri4cal phrase as close to the beginning of the headline and tes4ng your press releases copy by asking: who the audience is, what the press release is about, where it will have the most eect, when the best 4me is to distribute it, why should your audience care? To read about all seven steps, visit the blog post here. Stay updated on all of the latest PR news and updates by following PR Newswire on Facebook and TwiGer.

GET INVOLVED!
Check
out
our

facebook
AND

twitter
CHELSEA
KITTA

PRSSA Member Spotlight

Q & A withAmy Checho

Amy Checho is a third year Journalism major with a PR and Broadcast concentration and a minor in Psychology. She is from Orange County, Ca and has been a PRSSA member since her freshman year. A fun fact about Amy is that she has a small obsession with Passion Fruit Ice Tea from Boba Stop!

1.Who are you currently interning for?

I am currently a Community Resource Development Intern for Family Care Network Inc. A non-profit services provider for families and children in the Central Coast. They have 17 programs with five distinct divisions; therapeutic foster care, family support services, transitional housing services, prevention and early intervention services, and communitylinked services.

2. What have you learned thus far in your internship?

I am learning how to effectively communicate FCNI's mission and goals to the public. When we write anything, e-mail's or community calendar posts online we want to make sure it reflects FCNI as a company. It is very interesting to learn effective public relations writing that is tailored specifically for a non-profit such as FCNI.

3. What is a typical day for you on the job?

A typical day includes coming into the office, grabbing my notebook, and logging on to a computer to check e-mails. For Miracle Miles for Kids, two interns and I are in charge of Team Development. We are in charge of reaching out to the San Luis Obispo and Cal Poly community to get businesses and clubs to create teams of five people or more. My day usually consists of answering e-mails and calling team captains to set up presentations about MM4k and FCNI. In addition, ongoing tasks include publicity online, radio, and TV.

4. Do you have any advice for members on obtaining internships?

Apply and be open to any opportunity. I started 3 years ago doing the smallest amount of advertising on LinkedIn for a small business in Irvine and marketing for Cal Poly Baseball. Although, both internships gave me only a little PR experience having them on my resume helped me build up for this non-profit internship. During my interview they specifically liked my previous experience. Every opportunity is worth it and will help you reach your goals. Dont be afraid to e-mail businesses who dont have job listings. Networking and taking initiative can get you a position or at least a new contact for the future. Also reach out to PRSSA members. If you need an internship I can probably help you out, just ask!

CHELSEA
KITTA

CP
PRSSAs
Santa
Barbara
Industry
Tours

At the second meeting of the quarter, Mary Verdin and Whitney Diaz of Verdin spoke to PRSSA. Both PR professionals discussed their recent rebranding and showed students their current client campaigns. Mary Verdin stressed the importance of professionalism in the workplace and offered valuable resume tips.

A 100 mile trip to visit Revive and Surfmedia PR agencies.

Kory Raftery, PG&E Spokesperson, held a crisis communications workshop on the third meeting of the quarter demonstrating the importance of PR and having a crisis communication plan in an organization. PRSSA members were split into groups and given the chance to formulate their own crisis communications plan for their specic PG&E related crisis. Students gainedA glimpse of what Revive PRs trendy crisis planning hands-on experience dealing with workplace looked like. Revive PRs hilarious wall of t-shirts their future careers. and response that they can apply in featuring various clients they provided PR work for in the past.

CHELSEA
KITTA

Account Executive Dana Weymouth showed members Revives promotional videos about what they do.

Revive PR provides conjoined team desks to foster a friendly and cohesive working environment.

Members enjoying what the account executives were saying at Revive PR. PRSSA members who attended were ready to ask questions and learn about healthcare PR, after a trip to the infamous donut shop named Spudnuts.

CHELSEA
KITTA

ebsite. ive PRs w k out Rev k to chec Clic

Click to s ee Reviv es job d escriptio ns.

Like Re vives F acebo for up dates! ok pag e

Click to see w hat Re vive PR is all a bout.

Click to check out Su rfMedia

s web site.
CHELSEA
KITTA

CP
PRSSA

ALUMNI
SPOTLIGHT

Catching Up with Krista Scarbrough

Company: Paso Robles Wine Country Alliance Title: Marketing & Events Coordinator Graduation Date: June 2011 1.Where are you currently working?
My main focus is on marketing and events, which consists of logistics and promotions of our three major consumer festivals each year (Zinfandel Festival, Wine Festival and Harvest Wine Weekend) as well as our other various member programs throughout the year. These tasks range from creating event brochure and collateral text, updating web pages, securing winery participation, and more. I also work with media in planning tour itineraries and writing press releases.

2. What is the best part of your job?

The Alliance is a non-profit with a small staff of only six, and a membership of about 500 winery, hospitality, and associate members combined. With so many different programs and areas of focus, a membership organization combines the best of both worlds, working in-house PR with one main objective and elements from a PR firm by working with many different brands.

3. Describe a typical day for you at work?

A typical day at the Alliance is rather hectic. I can start my day working on the Zinfandel Festival tasting booklet, transition into organizing a festival contest package, fielding consumer requests, and complete the day working on website updates and a press release, with social media posts scattered throughout the day. It definitely requires a high degree of multitasking. Be sure to follow Paso Wine on Facebook and on Twitter!

CHELSEA
KITTA

CP
PRSSA

ALUMNI
SPOTLIGHT

Catching Up with Krista Scarbrough

4.What would you say is the biggest difference from college and the working world?
Responsibility- instead of having a single grade or your GPA dependent on your performance, you will have clients that rely on your work to further their business. It's a different kind of both pressure and motivation.

5.What is the best advice you can give to CP PRSSA members?

Network and continue building your professional relationships. You're already a step ahead by joining PRSSA, but it's important to take that next level and develop industry connections, both peers and potential mentors. Internships and volunteering are great ways to start. Through volunteering at some of the Alliance festivals and events while at Cal Poly, that insight about the organization gave me an advantage in the interview process and helped me know who to contact about a potential position opening.

6. Any tips or advice on how to get internships and jobs?

It's important to truly market yourself when job searching. Sure, a nice resume will always be required, but your own website will impress. I used WordPress to host my site www.kristascarbrough.com. Do not undervalue how you present yourself, including the initial contact email; please spellcheck! The Alliance recently received several employment requests that were immediately trashed because of significant grammar and spelling issues. Also, don't be afraid to cold-call. Just because an organization doesn't have a specific position listed, it doesn't mean they aren't flexible or may have an opening soon that's not yet posted. It's worth the time submitting your resume and a cover letter to a company that you're interested in.

CHELSEA
KITTA

Internships,
Jobs,
and
Opportunities
what: PR intern

Affect Strategies

Enter the contest to win a hands-on, three month internship at Affect PR. Interested students need to submit a creative video or photo entry to the contest website on why they are the ideal intern. Here are videos from last year to use as examples.

what: PR assistant

American Rebel PR

when: Apply now! The contest for the

internship ends on Friday, April 27.

where: New York, New York rate: $5,000 salary and housing stipend of up
to $2,500 to live in New York City

The assistant will aid account executives and must be a creative and strategic thinker. Applicants should have 1-2 years of experience in fashion or entertainment, an in house/agency background, experience in gaining press coverage and press release writing abilities.

what: PR assistant

Wildflower Triathlon

when: Apply now! Send your resume,

They need a student who can help recruit volunteers to assist announcers on the event weekend. The PR assistant will also create and distribute announcements about the race, schedules, athlete bios, results, and awards.

salary history, writing sample, and job to be considered to jobs@americanrebelpr.com

where: Los Angeles, CA rate: $27,000-$32,000

when: Apply now! Contact Lauren Belaidi at

603-397-7955 or at lbela01@gmail.com The event is May 4th-6th.

rate: unpaid

CHELSEA
KITTA

SPRING QUARTER CALENDAR APRIL 5 7 19 MAY 3 17 31

Mark of all the dates in your planners! These are all of the scheduled meetings and events this quarter. Dont forget April 7th is the Padres game!

National Assembly Delegate

Congratulations to Hannah Hazdovac for being selected to be Cal Poly PRSSAs National Assembly delegate! Assembly was held in Charlotte, North Carolina. We cant wait to hear how it all went!
CHELSEA
KITTA