College Students Coordinate Flash mob to Promote Name-Change In June 2010, Oklahoma State University’s School of Journalism & Broadcasting officially changed its name to the School of Media & Strategic Communications. In an effort to bring attention to the newly renamed School of Media and Strategic Communications, the school’s Advanced PR Media course is planning and promoting a flash mob: a choreographed, yet seemingly random, dance done by a big group of people lasting only a few minutes. The group, also known on Twitter as @OkStateFlashmob, will be dancing on Sept. 30, before the OSU v. Texas A&M football game and immediately following the Spirit Walk. This flash mob will be the first of its kind in Stillwater (not to be mistaken for the flash rave held during finals week in past years), and has been completely planned and executed by OSU students. This event will be similar to the T-mobile flash mob. WHO: Oklahoma State University’s Media & Strategic Communications students, along with other OSU students, faculty and staff from varying fields and levels of study. Be sure to follow on Twitter (@OKStateflashmob) and Facebook (OKState flashmob) for exclusive video and text updates. WHAT: A student-organized flash mob to create awareness and conversation about the School of Media and Strategic Communications new name. The School of Media & Strategic Communications (formerly School of Journalism & Broadcasting) has a proud tradition of preparing students for successful careers, and providing students a well-rounded education for the future. Interview opportunities are available. WHEN: Sept. 30, 2010; immediately following the 4 p.m. Spirit Walk before the OSU vs. Texas A&M football game. WHERE: The corner of Hester and Athletic Avenue on the OSU campus. A campus map is available here. WHY: This flash mob is a unique way for PR students to have real-world experience planning a large-scale event, communicating with the media, and using the Internet to connect with participants. The flash mob is designed to surprise people and generate excitement for the School of Media and Strategic Communications. BONUS: If you're in one my classes... you get extra credit for participating.
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Understanding the basics of Photoshop are important in our line of work. Therefore, you will take three different pictures and alter them in Photoshop. Feel free to utilize the web for step-by-step instructions. Here is a cheat sheet:
http://simplephotoshop.com/photoshop_tools/index.htm. There are plenty of cheat sheets out there, so don’t be afraid to search. For each of these, you must show me the before & after. When completed, it must be uploaded to D2L (or printed in color). 1. Color: Take a CU (close-up) of a flower. (Make sure you give me the original when you turn it in.) Change the photo to Black & White. Feel free to use tutorials:
To get a feel for the social media technologies we will be discussing in class, you will need to learn how to use them. Therefore, starting this week, you will create a blog and post original content throughout the semester. Each week (12 weeks total), you will add new, original content to your blog, tweet about it, and comment on a classmate’s blog. The focus of your blog will be up to you. However, there will be several times during the semester that you must include specific elements. Citing sources in your blog is just as important as it is in any academic paper you write; therefore, plagiarism is not tolerated. However, links are appreciated & encouraged. Link & Summary (6 points) - SUPER-IMPORTANT: In order for you to get credit for your blog, I need to know where it is. Tell me your blog address by completing this Google Form; do this no later than September 5th. When you give me the link, include a 3-4 sentence summary of your blog. A list of blogs will compiled on D2L as well as on CynthiaNichols.com so you can find them easily.
Blog Posts (120 points) - You are required to make one post per week. It does not matter what day of the week you post, so long as you post at least once per week. Please note that you will NOT receive credit for posts that are added late. A week runs from Monday to Sunday. You may choose any topic to write upon during the semester. The point of this assignment is to have you maintain and create a social media presence in whatever area of expertise you so choose. However, there will be required blog topics or elements throughout the semester. For example, you will be required to blog about how social media & PR has had impact in your topic area. Grading Criteria: 1. Post is substantive (thoroughly developed) 2. Post is well written (organization, grammar, spelling) 3. Post demonstrates your understanding of the topic/issue 4. Post included the weekly required element Blog Comments (12 points) - You are required to make one comment per week on the blogs of other SC4493 students. You must keep a log of where you commented, which you will hand in at the end of the semester. For each comment you leave, your log should include the name of the blog you commented on, the URL of the blog post you commented on, the date of the comment, and the actual comment. Please note: I expect substance and civility. Add value to the original post to further deepen the conversation. Do not just say, “I agree,” “Good post,” etc. Do not use expletives, obscenities, etc. If you disagree with the blogger, make your point respectfully and politely. Grading Criteria
Sharing your posts (12 points) - Each week you will also be required to share your posts with the outside world. Remember, we are creating an online brand for you. This will help you get exposure, and possibly a job. (No, really. Just ask @Mikinzie.) To get credit, you must tweet about it, and include the hashtag #SC4493. I will search for #SC4493 to determine if you have completed this part of the assignment. Note: If your tweets are protected, I will not be able to see them. To remedy this, either allow me to follow your tweets or create a public profile. Topic of the Week - You will have a specific topic related to public relations writing to write about. Below is a tentative list of topics/special elements that you need during the semester. (These are subject to change.) Topic Special Element Due Week 1 – Introduce your self, blog & topic None 9/12 Week 2 – Open Pictures 9/19 Week 3 - Pulling from the news Linking 9/26 Week 4 – Social Media/PR impact on topic None 10/3 Week 5 – Viral videos related to your topic Video Embedding 10/10 Week 6 – Interview a Pro Pictures, Linking 10/17 Week 7 – Listening to & Critiquing Podcasts None 10/24 Week 8 – Open Create Podcast 10/31 Week 9 – Watching & Critiquing Vlogs None 11/7 Week 10 – Open Create Vlog 11/14 Week 11 - People to watch Twitter, Linkedin 11/21 Week 12 – Tips for new bloggers None 12/5 Need some help getting started? - Review the slides in Getting Started in WordPress. Watch some of the many FAQ screencasts provided by WordPress to help you with the step-by-step instructions. Here are a few of the best ones to help you get started on the right foot: · What should I do first? · General settings · Where’s my dashboard (and what’s it for)? · Writing & publishing your posts · Choosing and applying a theme (look and feel of your blog) · Displaying your blog’s Categories (using the Category widget) Also, read the blogging tips offered by Barbara Nixon: · 10 Blogging Tips That Will Change Your Life (or Grade, at least): = · 11 Tips for New Bloggers, from New Bloggers ( · 3-5-3 :: Blog Feedback for #PRCA2330 and #PRCA3330 Though you may have a good handle on the technical aspects of blogging, remember that the technical side is only part of the blogging equation. Corinne Weisgerber, a professor at St. Edward’s University and fellow PROpenMic member, created this presentation for her Social Media for PR class. The emphasis? How blogging can help you create your personal brand online. Take a look. It’s worth the time. Blogging & Managing your Personal Brand. For this assignment, you will choose and interview a public relations or advertising professional, and then write about this interview in a concise manner. During this interview, you will interview a PR practitioner about their typical managerial styles, seek advice for future career steps, and analyze the practitioners approach to their job. Though a face-to-face interview is preferred, a phone or webcam interview is acceptable. An interview that is e-mail or text-based only is not acceptable. Schedule your interview at least a week before this assignment is due, preferably two. PR professionals sometimes have unpredictable schedules, and it is possible that you may need to reschedule.
Include an introductory paragraph that introduces the PR professional, including title and company, educational background, etc. Mention your connection to the professional (how you found him/her) and how you conducted the interview (face-to-face, phone or webcam). Include a photo of your interviewee. (This can be a photo he or she provides or one that you take yourself.) This will be analyzed for not only grammar and AP style, but also depth of the questions and analysis of the interview. This assignment will be a minimum of 500 words. When you turn in the assignment, you’ll also need to provide me with the professional’s contact information (name, title, company, phone number and e-mail address). Some questions & topics you may wish to ask: · What’s a typical week like? (If no week is typical, then what was last week like?) · Tell me about a project you worked on that you are especially proud of. · What do you do to keep current in the PR industry? · What do you wish you would have known before starting your career in PR? · How important is writing in your career? · What three tips would you offer someone just starting out in PR? · After interviewing this person, are you (the student, not the practitioner) more or less likely to want to have a career in PR? Why? · What do you do if you (or your client) encounters a crisis? · Are the answers you got from the PR pro what you thought they would be? · Did your education prepare you for working in PR? How? · What has surprised you the most about working in PR? · How has PR changed since you entered the field? · How does technology affect your daily work? · When your company is hiring for an entry-level PR position, what makes a candidate stand out? · What professional organizations are you involved in? (For example, PRSA, IABC, etc.) · Ask for feedback on your resume · More informational interview questions EXTRA CREDIT: For additional credit, you can post this interview on your blog, (If you don’t I’m happy to help you set one up.) include links to the pro’s company and/or linkedin, and photo of the pro. You can also conduct the interview using Skype and two webcams, or record the interview with Vodburner, and then post the interview at your blog. |
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