UGA's PRSSA hosts third "PR Workout" to benefit campus organizations

On Saturday, January 28th, PRSSA hosted its third annual PR Workout, a conference aimed at teaching student leaders how to implement effective PR strategies in their organizations. PRSSA wanted to serve the UGA community by sharing its PR knowledge and expertise with fellow student organizations. At this year's event, PRSSA members led five informational sessions in the following subject areas: Event Planning and Fundraising, Media Relations, Social Media, Member Recruitment and Campus Legalities. Over 28 student leaders attended the conference and learned how to improve their organizations' communication efforts. Whether they learned the ins and outs of Twitter or the secret to pitching a press release, attendees walked away with something.

Not only did PR Workout serve as an educational opportunity for individuals, but the student leaders also benefited from networking. Many organizations were represented, from the Asian Children Mentoring Program to the UGA HEROs organization. In additiona, attendees discussed issues with each other, offered solutions to others' problems and asked session leaders for their input. Overall, this event was another success for PRSSA and UGA's students orgranizations. A big thanks goes out to the PRSSA Diversity Committee for coordinating PR Workout 2012.

AdPR Alum Spotlight: Evita Broughton

Evita Broughton graduated from UGA in 2004 with a degree in Advertising and a degree in African American Studies. She currently resides in Atlanta.

What are you doing now and how did you get there?

I'm a senior account executive at Fleishman-Hillard, an international communications agency, where I support AT&T's public relations initiatives surrounding device launches and third-party surveys. I began my career in public relations as an intern at Cingular Wireless' corporate headquarters where I worked for two consecutive summers in college. That experience helped me to land my first post-college position as an intern at Edelman, a top public relations firm. At the end of my three-month internship, I was offered a full-time position. During my tenure, I provided writing, grassroots outreach, strategic counsel, event planning, and media relations for Edelman's marquee clients in retail, entertainment, travel/tourism, and consumer health. In 2010, I accepted an offer to join Fleishman-Hillard's team where I am currently employed.

What is your favorite Grady memory?

Lively class discussions during Dr. Brooks' Race, Gender, and Media course. Also, hearing a certain Mid-Western professor pronounce the state Missouri. It cracked me (and the entire class) up every time!

What advice do you have for current AdPR students?

Hone your writing skills. Aside from leveraging intentionally-formed relationships, nothing will serve you better. Also, stay abreast of societal trends as well as top headlines in local, national and global news.

ADPR welcomes Dr. Weinberger as visiting scholar

The Department of Advertising & Public Relations at the University of Georgia is pleased to welcome Dr. Marc Weinberger as an in-residence visiting scholar. During the Spring 2012 semester Dr. Weinberger will be looking for opportunities to work collaboratively with graduate students and faculty in the Henry W. Grady College of Journalism & Mass Communication.

Weinberger comes from the Department of Marketing at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst, where he served as Professor and Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs and Research in the Isenberg School of Management. Among numerous articles and presentations, Weinberger coauthored Humor in Advertising: A Comprehensive Analysis (2006), a definitive source on the topic.

Weinberger plans to continue working on humor-appeal projects and he has interests in measuring corporate brand attitudes, reputation management, and the effects of negative information in the marketplace. He is available for meetings as well as occasional guest lectures.

ADPR welcomes South Korean professional studying effects of social media

The ADPR Department welcomes South Korean business journalist Kyoung-Doo Kim for a year-long professional visit. Kim has over 11 years of professional experience and currently serves as a financial staff reporter at the Seoul Daily News, one of the leading newspapers in South Korea.

During his stay at Grady College, Kim plans to investigate the influence of emerging media on global corporations. Specifically, Kim is interested in the effects of social media and mobile marketing from public relations and branding perspectives. Kim is living in Watkinsville with his wife and 7-year old daughter.