UCA Hosts Internship Panel

UCA PRSSA is hosting an internship panel March 16 open to all university students. There will be four past UCA students on the panel to discuss their internships.

Taylor Weston, communication director at Pro Auto will be opening the panel discussion by discussing his company’s internship, what he looks for in an intern, and the importance of internships.

Sarah Burns, resource development coordinator at the Boys & Girls Clubs of Saline County Cedar Mountain Club graduated from UCA in 2015 with a major in public relations and a minor in marketing. In her current position Burns oversees all fundraising, events, and donor cultivation for the Club in Hot Springs Village, AR.

Sarah Burns, resource development coordinator at the Boys & Girls Clubs of Saline County Cedar Mountain Club.

Jennah Denny, WOW coordinator at Today’s Power, Inc. graduated from UCA in 2016. Denny specializes in social media and communication and communicates the Today’s Power message to over 30,000 individuals.

Jennah Denny, WOW coordinator at Today’s Power Inc.

Jacqueline Moragne, is the founder, head go-getter, and creative director of JBM & Associates and currently works at Lawson & Company as a marketing assistant. She graduated from UCA with a major in public relations and minor in communication. Morange has always had a passion for serving others and tries her best to always give back.

Jaqueline Moragne, founder, head go-getter, and creative director of JBM & Associates and marketing assistant at Lawson & Company.

Mary Dunlap, Arkansas Coding Academy, graduated from UCA with a degree in public relations. Right after college Dunlap worked in advertising at a small firm in Little Rock, Ark. before choosing to work at the Coding Academy to help retrain the Arkansas workforce.

Mary Dunlap, Arkansas Coding Academy.

UCA PRSSA attends Little Rock Agency Tour

On Feb. 17 the majority of the University of Central Arkansas PRSSA members took advantage of the opportunity to attend the the PRSSA Agency Tour and a PRSA luncheon. Members from PRSSA organizations from UCA, Arkansas Tech, Arkansas State, and ULAR were taken on this tour by Allyson Johnson, who works at Mangan Holcomb Partners.

First stop on the tour was Mangan Holcomb Partners where all the PRSSA organizations got to tour the agency and got an explanation of what it was like for them day to day working with clients.

UCA PRSSA members at Mangan Holcomb Partners excited for the tour! (bottom left to top right) Chynna Stipe, Lauren Gilbert, Savannah Babington, Dani Peterson, Stephanie Higginbotham, Rahel Barr, Jacolby Crow, and Jennifer Buckley.

Next stop on the tour was Stone Ward where Heidi Harrell talked to us about the history of the company and gave us great advice on how to get jobs after graduation. Harrell said “You don’t know everything. Learn.”

Entrance to Stone Ward.

After Stone Ward it was off to Ghidotti Communications where the lovely ladies there showed off a presentation about things from media relations to content marketing showing off everything that their company does.

During the PRSA luncheon a special guest speaker Johnny Little from E’little Communications Group talked about doing public relations and crisis communication during the tragedy that occurred in Ferguson. Little gave a lot of great advice to PRSSA students and PRSA members about how to act and respond in a crisis situation.

Johnny Little talking about handling the crisis situation in Ferguson.

Next stop was Communications Group where Jason Brown offered up helpful advice about keeping social media clean and professional to how to create your own personal brand. A helpful sheet full of strategies for building a winners personal brand was also handed out.

The fourth stop on the tour, Heifer International, a nonprofit organization that has a small but important public relations team shared what it was like to work for a nonprofit. They emphasized how important it was to continuously think about how to grow as a person to help your company.

Heifer International building.

The last stop of the PRSSA tour was Union Pacific Railroad Company where Brandon Morris showed us around and let us see how things work. Morris discussed things like employee communication, media relations, social media, and branding. Morrison gave great advice about always needing to learn more, he said “always advance in your profession.”

Group photo of UCA PRSSA members in front of Union Pacific train.

Be my Valentine! Love, UCA PRSSA

Continuing the annual tradition, University of Central Arkansas PRSSA collected candy and goods to take over to the local Independent Living Services here in Conway, Arkansas.

PRSSA members Savannah Babington (left) and Jennifer Harris (right) giving valentine candy away!

A small group of members headed over to hand out the valentines to all the wonderful people there. Rolling a cart through all the classrooms, PRSSA members were greeted with nothing but excitement and love.

More PRSSA members giving away candy! (left to right) Chynna Stripe, Savannah Babington, Jennifer Harris, and Steph

PRSSA collects soap, deodorant, shampoo, Kleenex, toothpaste and other toiletries to give away as well as regular and sugar free candy. All the PRSSA members this year were new to the tradition but can’t wait to do it again next year.

Group photo of PRSSA members!

“ILS educates, advocates, and provides supportive services to empower families and individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. ILS strives to advance the independence, productivity, and confidence of people into the community.”

-Independent Living Services Mission Statement

Guest Speaker: Crystal Kemp

University of Central Arkansas PRSSA scored guest speaker Crystal Kemp for the second meeting of the Spring semester. Kemp works for the Conway Corporation which is local only to Conway, Arkansas and provides internet, cable, electric, water, and other similar services. Kemp works as a Public Relations and Marketing manager and came to tell us up and coming PR spokespeople what it is like in the field.

First Kemp gives a short history of how and why Conway Corporation was founded and then goes on to tell what to be involved in during college and even includes what she looks for during the interview and hiring process. 

She advised that being involved in as many things that are related to one’s major as possible is a great way to get a head start. She says that in college she was involved with things such as the school newspaper, she was on yearbook staff, she was involved with the media center, and was even in intramural’s for fun. She says by being involved in multiple things she was showcasing her leadership and hard work skills while also making important connections for her future. 

Kemp also offered up some things to include in a resume. She suggests getting together some examples of writing skills, design skills, and basic video skills. She also says never to forget to proofread a resume, small mistakes make a big impact! Of course she advises to include examples of involvement and include things that show that one has initiative. 

Kemp also offers up different things that she does under her title at Conway Corporation. She says that she writes, event plans, budgets, designs, handles social media and media relationships, and so much more. She shows the diversity that the field of PR and marketing provides. 

“If you wanna be successful in public relations, make story telling part of what you do.” – Crystal Kemp

Spring 2017 PRSSA officers, members, and potential members posing with Crystal Kemp.