PRSSA E-board Meeting: February 2, 2010

I. Updates

a. Leslie- new members for 2010: 11 new members last meeting (about 55 new members total, including last semester)

b. Cara Clanton- figure out a way to pick up checks and communicate with Leslie

c. Bryson- fundraisers for 2010?

i. Letter writing campaign- brainstorming: send to PR firms, past intern supervisors, etc. Using money to attend national PRSSA conferences and events. Bryson will draft a letter to send out to us for proofing. Send Bryson names and addresses to send letter. Talk to Eddie Smith about possible contacts.

d. Kelly- How is Relay for Life? (April 9th-10th) All E-board members need to sign up – only $5 before Feb. 26th.

e.  Lauren Patterson- discuss duties

i. Bulletin, flyers

f. Joanna- discuss duties

*idea: attend Tues Feb 9th- PRSA Upstate meeting – more details forthcoming

II. Next Meeting?

a. February 22-24

III. Speaker:

a. Ideas

IV. For next meeting

a. Madison

i. Get bio

b. Joanna:

i. Write up e-mail to send out

ii. Pick up parking pass

c. Leslie:

i. Bring laptop to take members names

d. Cara Clanton

i. Pick up snacks and drinks

e. Cara Mitchell

i. Live blog

f. Lauren Patterson

i. Flyers around school

ii. Bulletin board

g. Erin Martin

i. Post bio of speaker on blog

ii. Take pictures, video, and twitter during chapter meetings

iii. Fix “Meet Exec Board” on blog

h. Bryson and Kelly

i. Remind about Fundraiser/ Volunteer opportunities

V. Other Meeting Dates and Ideas: CU Special Events coordinator, career center- professional development focus, Sports PR

a. March 29th-31st

b. April 19th-24th

Relay For Life

Clemson’s Relay for Life is coming up once again and this time PRSSA will be participating!

Here are the directions to follow in order to sign up to be on PRSSA’s team:

• Go to www.clemsonrelay.org
• Click on Sign Up
• Click on Join a team
• Click on Search for a team and click next until you find PRSSA on the list and click on it
• Click on Join our team
• Follow the rest of the instructions provided for you until you are signed up!

The five dollars per person for registration is due before February 26th.

Interview Tips

A big thanks once again to Kim Banks and Caitlin Greeley for coming out on Tuesday night! They gave us a lot of very useful tips regarding cover letters and resumes.

But, for those of you who could not make it to the meeting, here is a video clip of some insider interview tips from the professionals. Also, check out our twitter page for everything you may have missed.

Upcoming Meeting- January 26 at 7:30 in Daniel 203

On Tuesday, January 26 at 7:30 pm, PRSSA will hold its first meeting of the semester in Daniel 203.  Kim Banks and Caitlin Greeley of Full Circle Public Relations will be giving tips on resumes and cover letters.  Be sure and bring your resumes for a helpful critique after the meeting!  

Below are their bios:

Kim Banks, APR, Director of Client Services for Full Circle Public Relations

With more than 10 years of experience in the public relations industry, Kim Banks has worked at various advertising agencies throughout the Carolinas.  In 2009 she merged her independent PR business with colleague Liza Jones’ practice to form Full Circle Public Relations, a Greenville-based public relations firm that creates and implements public relations programs for clients such as Costa sunglasses, Progress Lighting, Brains on Fire and Coldwell Banker Caine.

 As Director of Client Services for Full Circle Public Relations, Kim is the first point of contact for someone who is interested in joining the firm and also evaluates resumes, interviews candidates and checks references throughout the interview process.

 Banks is a University of North Carolina at Charlotte graduate, where she received a bachelor’s in communications and minored in journalism.

 Kim Banks can be reached at kim@fullcirclepr.com.

Caitlin Greeley, Account Coordinator for Full Circle Public Relations

Caitlin Greeley has always been a writer, so it made sense for her to pursue a career in public relations. She attended Clemson University and graduated with a bachelor of arts degree in Communication Studies in August 2009.

 Caitlin stuck around the Upstate after graduation and landed her job as account coordinator at Greenville-based Full Circle Public Relations earlier this month. In her downtime, Caitlin enjoys reading (think Twilight), taking care of her misbehaved dog and traveling home to Myrtle Beach, S.C.

 Caitlin Greeley can be reached at Caitlin@fullcirclepr.com.

Elections January 26th!

Hello all!

We will be holding elections for two positions at our next meeting on January 26th at 7 pm in Daniel 203. The two positions available will be Vice President of Events and Committees and Public Relations Director.

The Vice President of Events and Committees will be responsible for the following:

1. Motivate members through his or her enthusiastic attitude toward PRSSA.
2. Perform presidential duties if the president is absent or unable to perform his or her duties.
3. Help the president coordinate and direct committee activities and Chapter operations.
4.  Perform duties as may be delegated by the president.
5. Counsel the president by recommending goals, objectives, plans and programs.
6. Coordinate and disseminate information about PRSA New Professionals and Associate Membership for graduating PRSSA members.

Essentially this means that the VP Events and Committees will help the President with getting meetings set up as far as making sure speakers can get to Clemson smoothly and that the meetings run well before and throughout their duration.

The Public Relations Director will be responsible for the following:

1. Motivate members through his or her enthusiastic attitude toward PRSSA.
2. Produce the Chapter newsletter on a regular basis throughout the school year.
3. Produce or oversee Chapter news on the national Web site www.prssa.org.
4. Post announcements for Chapter meetings throughout campus.
5. Coordinate press releases, feature articles, advertising and brochures relating to the Chapter.
6. Handle all campus and area press issues.
7. Promote recruitment and retention with presentations, brochures, fliers and other tactics.

Essentially this means that the PR Director will be responsible for getting PRSSA’s name out on campus in a positive way. For example, the PR Director will be responsible for keeping the PRSSA bulliten board current and fun.

I urge all of you to consider running for these positions! It’s a great way to get involved on campus as well as learn a lot about what being a leader is all about. If you are enthusiastic and dedicated, we would love to have you!

So, before the meeting on January 26th, we will have nominations and hold elections. If you would like to run, please give a copy of your unofficial transcript to Dr. Bryan Denham whose office is located in room 412 in Strode Tower. You must have at least 3.0 GPA to run. Additionally, please email Madison Fisher at mefishe@clemson.edu and let her know that you are interested.

See you all then!

E-Board Meeting: January 6, 2010

I.   Updates

a. Leslie- new members for 2010?

b. Cara Clanton- figure out a better way to pick up checks and communication with Leslie…ideas:

i. All money and check questions should go directly to Cara C

ii. Bring money to meeting or to Dr. Denham

c. Bryson- fundraisers for 2010?

i. This Tuesday (January 12th) – help out with Moe’s $2 Tuesdays- everyone invite your Facebook friends to the event to help out!

ii. Baseball Game volunteering- we plan on doing shifts this semester

iii. Letter writing campaign to local PR agencies (Greenville, Spartanburg, Anderson)

Idea: Offer volunteer PR services in exchange for sponsorship

d. Kelly- volunteer opportunities for 2010?

i. Relay for Life (April) – PRSSA will have booth, friends and family can donate $

e. New PR Manager

i. Will elect at January meeting

f. New VP of Events and Committees

i. Will elect at January meeting

II. Next Meeting? Tuesday January 26, 2010

III. Speaker:

a. Ideas?

i. Design professor (Ardee Kinard) come speak to us about design from a PR perspective

ii. Resumes:  Career Center Rep/Brett Turner

iii. Graduate school representative- on grad school preparation for PR

IV. For next meeting

a. Madison:

i. Write up e-mail to send out

ii. Pick up parking pass

iii. Will contact Brett Turner about coming to speak

b. Leslie:

i. Bring laptop to take members names

c. Cara Clanton

i. Pick up snacks & drinks

d. Cara Mitchell

Live blog

e. Other things that have to be done WHO CAN DO THEM?

i. Flyers around school (Madison will ask Lauren Patterson)

ii. Send e-mail to Marketing majors

iii. Bulletin Board- Madison will ask a member

f. Erin Martin

i. Post bio of speaker on blog

ii. Take pictures, video, and twitter during chapter meetings

iii. Fix “Meet Exec Board” on blog

g. Bryson and Kelly

i. Announce fundraiser/volunteer opportunities

V. Other Meeting Dates

a. February: 22-24

b. March: 29-31

c. April: 19-21

VI. Next E-board meeting: Tuesday February 2, 2010

Tonight’s PRSSA Meeting – Live Blog

For those who can’t make it to the PRSSA meeting tonight to hear Mr. Kevin Bishop speak about his role as Communication Director for Senator Lindsey Graham – follow the meeting via the stream of live blog coverage here.

Director of Communications for SC Senator at November Meeting

Join us for our November meeting on Wednesday at 7 p.m. in Daniel room 405.

Kevin Bishop, the Director of Communications for Senator Lindsey Graham here in South Carolina, will be coming to speak that evening. He will be talking to us about PR and communication in the political realm.

Kevin Bishop graduated highschool from Holly Hill Academy in Holly Hill, SC in 1989 and then went on to study Political Science at Clemson University, from which he graduated in 1993.

After college he worked as the Press Secretary for Congressman Steve Stockman of Texas 9th Congressional District in 1994. In the Republican wave of 1994, Stockman knocked off a 42-year incumbent who served as Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee. During the 1996 Presidential Election, Bishop worked for the Republican National Committee on the ‘Truth Squad.’  The next year, in 1997, is when he went to work for then Congressman Lindsey Graham and has been with Graham since that April and has always worked as Press Secretary/Communications Director.
 
As Communications Director, Bishop handles the press strategy and interface with the media on the Senator’s behalf.  He does everything from setting up interviews to serving as spokesman. 
 
Bishop is a self-proclaimed political junkie and says he has always been one.

Please feel free to bring all your questions- and we’ll see you there!

October 28- Eboard minutes

PRSSA E-Board Meeting

October 28, 2009

1. Next Meeting: November 18- Wednesday at 7
2. Updates
   1. Leslie- dues?
   2. Cara Clanton- money picked up? Yes
   3. Bryson- t-shirt orders?
      1. Yes, t-shirts being made – will be ready by next meeting.
   4. Kelly- volunteer opportunities?
      1. St. Jude’s Up ‘Til Dawn: Wed Nov. 11^th: 10pm-2am. Everyone brings 30 addresses and we will write letters and send them out.
      2. Relay For Life (April): Will make a team. Details: PRSSA will have a goal amount to raise and have a booth.
         1. Will send out email asking for 3 email addresses from all PRSSA members to send Relay for Life requests. We will offer points for email addresses.
   5. Lauren P– Nov 4: Network Bash:
      1. All of us need to speak to our classes about the event on Nov. 2 and 3^rd. We need to push for people to register online. Look for an email from Lauren with a script for what to say and more details.
3. Speaker:
   1. Lindsay Graham’s Communication Director
   2. I will get room tomorrow- Daniel Auditorium
      1. Attendees who are not PRSSA members or Pre-Law society members will pay $2
      2. Idea: possibly have the meeting in McAdams
4. For next meeting
   1. Alyssa:
      1. Write up e-mail to send out
      2. Pick up parking pass
   2. Leslie:
      1. Bring laptop to take members names
   3. Cara Clanton
      1. Pick up snacks and drinks
   4. Cara Mitchell
      1. Live blog
   5. Other Things that have to be done WHO CAN DO THEM?
      1. Press Release in the Tiger
         1. Alyssa may already be doing this
      2. Flyers around school
         1. Lauren Patterson will make flyers and get them approved at the Hendrix desk
         2. Lauren P and Cara M will put up flyers around campus
      3. Set up people to go talk to classes Comm 101, 201, 301
         1. Kelly will speak to Dr. Hawkins about going into classes to speak and get schedule of classes– Lauren P and Bryson can help her go to classes to speak.
      4. Send E-mail to Marketing Majors (Madison will ask a marketing major about how to do this)
      5. Bulletin Board
   6. Erin Martin
      1. Post bio of speaker on blog
      2. Take pictures, video, and twitter during chapter meetings
      3. Fix “Meet Exec Board” on blog
   7. Bryson
      1. Will t-shirts be in?
5. December Meeting
   1. Social?
      1. Will talk to Tiffany Sellers (previous treasurer) about how it was done before
   2. Chilis! – December 1, 2009 at 8:00pm

Clemson PRSSA Meeting with Leslie Thorton

[cross post from Madison Fisher's blog]

Monday night, we held our second PRSSA (Public Relations Student Society of America) meeting of the year!  We invited Leslie Thorton, the Public Information Director for development within the Advancement Division at Clemson University as well as a public relations teacher in the Communications Department.  Because of her long title (Public Information Director for development within the Advancement Division) I think some people were confused as to what Leslie’s specific duties were (or at least I was!).  Leslie spoke about her duties and clarified her day-to-day tasks that keep her job interesting. 

At her occupation, Leslie focuses on writing proposals to perspective donors, keeping current donors happy, and engaging future donors (students).  I thought that the most interesting part of Leslie’s job was how she keeps current donors happy.  Along with holding annual banquets for large donors, she explained that after a large donation is given, a committee formulates the best way to thank the donor.  Sometimes, the donor is thanked during the halftime show of the Clemson football games and other times, buildings or statues are named in honor of the donor.  One time, the committee found out that a specific donor enjoyed opera music.  In order to thank the donor, Clemson University set up a luncheon and had a Clemson student sing opera for entertainment!      

 Leslie also reminded PRSSA members that even though a job/volunteer/internship may not have a title that includes the words “public relations”, the job may still include public relations duties.  For example, even if you’re not constantly writing press releases or tracking media clips, you may still be helping an organization relate and connect to its publics. 

The last two tips of advice that Leslie left with us were: strengthen your writing skills and be organized. 

Our secretary, Cara Mitchell, took notes on CoverItLive.com.  You can find the live notes here.  Please also visit our Clemson University PRSSA blog and follow us on Twitter @clemsonprssa!