The success of AdPR Week 2016

Bryan Reber moderated the "Rio 2016: Sports PR and media on the world stage" panel. 

The Grady College's Department of Advertising and Public Relations hosted AdPR Week from Sept. 26 through Sept. 30. The week incorporated speakers and visitors including those from Wieden + Kennedy and Gary McCormick, from GMc Communications, hosted by faculty and student organizations. Each AdPR event exposed students to industry related information and helpful advice from professionals. The week culminated with an exciting panel discussion about the Olympic games entitled, "Rio 2016: Sports PR and media on the world stage". UGA's Olympic silver medalist Chase Kalisz and journalists and public relations professionals, Nicole Chrzanowski, Mike Mobley, Vicki Michaelis and Mark Johnson shared their experiences and lessons learned from the recent Olympics and Paralympics. Hosted by AdPR and Grady Sports Media, AdPR's Bryan Reber moderated this event.

The AdPR Department developed the High Five Donor Recognition Program. This program was designed to provide AdPR students with a fun and easy way to demonstrate their AdPRide. In return for a $5 donation, students and alumni entered to win a three prizes. The first place prize winner, Madison French, received a personal University of Georgia Yeti Cooler. The second winner, Katie Shivers, was awarded a lunch an The National, a restaurant located in downtown Athens, with her favorite AdPR professor. Sophie Ryland, the third place winner, earned a basket filled with "AdPR Swag" including an AdPR cup and notebook.

1st Place - Madison French

2nd Place - Katie Shivers

Third Place - Sophie Ryland

This year's AdPR Week surpassed all goals and expectations by reaching record giving levels. With generous donations throughout the week from students, alumni, faculty and friends of the department, AdPR received over $8,500 in gifts towards the Excellence Fund. This fund will help department initiatives such as providing students with travel grants for study abroad programs, helping with the implementation of the SEE Suite social media monitoring lab and supporting leading research by AdPR's nationally recognized faculty.

AdPR Week 2016 was very successful and the department hopes for continued success in the future. Thank you to all of the generous donors for contributing to the Excellence Fund.

Yan Jin selected for membership in the Arthur W. Page Society

Yan Jin, an associate professor of public relations at Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication, has joined the ranks of world-class senior public relations and corporate communications executives and educators as a member of the prestigious Arthur W. Page Society.

"It is a huge honor to join such a premier group,” said Jin, who is also associate director of the UGA Center for Health & Risk Communication. “As an academic member, I look forward to contributing research insights for corporate communications practice and to the mission of training future leaders in our field."

Membership in the Page Society consists primarily of chief communication officers of Fortune 500 companies and leading nonprofit organizations, as well as CEOs of top agencies. Only a small percentage of educators are extended an invitation for membership; yet Grady College now boasts two members, as Jin joins Bryan H. Reber, who was inducted in 2015.

“This is a top honor reserved for top educators in the field,” said Tom Reichert, head of the Department of Advertising and Public Relations. “Dr. Jin is very deserving of this recognition, and we are proud of the collaboration and work she will do in this role alongside Dr. Reber and other Page Society members.”

Jin teaches undergraduate public relations courses in research, management, and campaigns, as well as a graduate communication theory course. Her research includes studies of public relations, crisis communication, corporate conflict management, social media, and strategic health and risk communication, with a strong focus on how emotions influence organizational decision making processes as well as stakeholders’ information seeking behaviors and communicative responses. 

*Author: Stephanie Moreno

Assistant Professor of Advertising Grace Ahn profiled in UGA Focus on Faculty column

Sun Joo (Grace) Ahn, communications researcher and an assistant professor in the department of advertising and public relations in the Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication, is the founding director of the Games and Virtual Environments Lab. This combination of virtual simulation devices allows users to experience something as if they are going through it in the physical world. 

Ahn's research focuses primarily on how virtual environments influence people's cognitive, affective and behavioral responses. She is exploring how digital technology can be used to encourage better food choices, more physical activity and better STEM learning in children. 

See more about Ahn at www.uga.edu/faculty/profile/ahn-sun-joo-grace/www.uga.edu/faculty/profile/ahn-sun-joo-grace/