(february 2011) prssa in action
DESCRIPTION
The second edition of PRSSA in Action.TRANSCRIPT
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E-News for Cal Poly Pomooa’s PRSSA Chapter
Volume 1, Issue 2 Februarz 2011
Press Release Success
Public Relations Student Society of
America held a workshop focusing on
successful press release writing on
Tuesday, Jan. 25 conducted by Esther
Chou, senior communications
specialist at Cal Poly Pomona’s Office
of Public Affairs.
Chou’s past experiences include online editorial positions at the San Gabriel Valley Newspaper
Group and the Pasadena Star News, and reported for the San Gabriel Valley Tribune.
The workshop was the first major forum of the 2011 Winter quarter, continuing PRSSA’s series of
professional speakers and lecturers. Previous speakers have included Lisa McPheron, director of
external relations for the Collins College, and Alfred Magallanes, marketing communications
assistant for Associated Students, Inc., Gas Creative Group.
Among some of the tips Chou shared with PRSSA members and workshop attendees were for
students aspiring to work as professionals in the public relations arena to figure out who their
audience is, and what demographic they would like to get their information out to.
Chou discussed the basics of writing press releases including the format of successful press releases,
how to write more effective ledes and what to do in the familiar scenario of dealing with unfavorable
or controversial news.
The former journalist elaborated on some of the elements of newsworthiness and advised students
to be familiar with those elements in order to improve their overall writing styles. She also advised
public relations students to become familiar with the media they will be writing for.
“Always prepare your sources get their numbers and schedules. Put yourself in reporters’ shoes,”
Chou said, in emphasizing the importance of dealing with the various news media. “Be up front
about deadlines, yours and theirs. When it’s bad or controversial news, don’t be cute or creative.
Give pertinent details; be responsive.”
During the workshop, Chou shared that, Michael Dukakis, former Democratic presidential candidate
and former Massachusetts governor, will speak at Cal Poly Pomona about public service careers on
Tues. Feb. 1 at 3 p.m. in the Bronco Student Center's, Ursa Major. The event is free and open to the
public.
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Spotlight of the Mooth Crzstal Howard, Public Relatioos Director, ESPN
In the ever-evolving and growing field of public relations, you need someone to guide you and show
you a personal roadmap; otherwise, the pressure of being fit for public relations may become stressful.
In this Spotlight of the Month, Crystal Howard shares some advice on public relations and her path to
becoming a public relations director for ESPN.
Crystal has worked on various projects and divisions within ESPN: ESPN Rise, ESPN The Magazine and
launched the “Body Issue.” Throughout all of the pressure of strict deadlines and hectic work schedules,
Howard stays calm and passionate about her job. I observed some of the hard work Howard puts in
when she credentialed me for the Boost Mobile Elite 24 event that took place in Hawthorne and Venice
Beach, Calif. over a four-day period. It’s not an easy task to be a public relations director, but for
Howard, there’s nothing better:
Jefferz Gome{: Where did you grow up? What school did you attend?
Crzstal Howard: I grew up between three states—Providence, RI, where I was born, New York
City and Middleboro, MA, where I graduated high school. I went to the University
of Massachusetts Dartmouth, received a Bachelor of Arts in English,
concentration in Writing and I have a Master of Science from Columbia
University’s School of Journalism.
JG: How did you get into this field and your present position as a public relations director?
CH: I stumbled into communications/public relations as a career. Initially I saw it as a default career,
but after grad school I saw that it was a solid path for me to take to build my career. I joined ESPN
12-years after graduating from college and many years of experience across multiple industries.
JG: What are some of the job activities you partake in at ESPN?
CH: My day-to-day can include strategic media relations plan development and execution, event
management, talent public relations management, social media executions and crisis management
for ESPN The Magazine and other ESPN businesses and projects.
JG: What was your biggest motivation in becoming a public relations director in the sports industry?
CH: Being in public relations and working in sports aren’t exactly mutually exclusive for me. My goal
has always been to have a career working for a company/companies that I could believe in and
working in sports, as someone who appreciates sports, is the icing on the cake.
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JG: What has been your single most valued experience while working in this profession?
CH: This might be the hardest question to answer—there isn’t just one. But if I have to give one, I will
use one from my time at ESPN. I worked on the Peabody Award-winning documentary “Black
Magic”—about African-Americans in basketball with a special focus on the game’s integration and
its effects on basketball programs at Historical Black Colleges and Universities. This one project has
many valued experiences packed into one.
JG: What clubs and activities were you involved in
during college? What are the benefits of being
involved in clubs and activities during college?
CH: I was a very active undergraduate and graduate student. In undergrad, I was on student senate, in a
sorority (Alpha Kappa Alpha), a member of the Black Student Union, sat on hiring committees for
the school’s chancellor, was in the school’s theatre group and worked a part-time job. In grad school
I was a part of our school’s chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists and chartered our
school’s first chapter of the National Association of Black Journalists. Beside the good things you can
do for people and your fellow students while being active in these types of organizations, you gain a
great deal of experiences and skills that are applicable in life and in the workplace. I encourage
everyone to get involved!
JG: What personal qualities and skills are important to have in the public relation profession?
CH: Being personable, a strategic thinker and obviously communicating clearly and concisely—if you
have these down you will be successful.
JG: What is the best way to gain experience? What are the advantages of interning before graduating?
CH: Interning is a must, whether in public relations or not. While I didn’t take this path, I always suggest
to people starting out to start at a public relations agency—the foundation it offers is priceless.
JG: Are there certain classes or a definitive major to be the best possible student in your profession?
CH: Yes and no. In my opinion, for any profession, learning how to be an effective writer is the best thing
one can do. From there I would say take some business classes; have a basic understanding of
business is beneficial and from there I’m open. I never took public relations classes . . . my public
relations experience is all through practical application.
JG: How do you use social media today and what are the benefits?
CH: Primarily via Twitter. I use it to communicate to media and fans alike and to gauge interest in things
that I am working on. To me the main benefit is that you have a voice that you can communicate
with directly to your end user.
“I eocourage everzooe to get iovolved!”
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Our Presideot’s Message
JG: Any last advice for students interested on this field of work?
CH: In general, whether you are interested in public relations or any other field, be passionate about
what you do. Know that it is OK if what you choose today isn’t what you want to be tomorrow—
many of your skills will be transferable.
In specific, be passionate about what you do! Think strategically, your words are powerful—pick
them carefully and use them wisely.
On behalf of the 2010-2011 Public Relations Student Society of
America Executive Board, I would like to thank everyone who
helped make our fall quarter a success. We held four fundrais-
ers, four events and completed our very first PRSSA newsletter:
“PRSSA in Action.”
This quarter, our chapter will be attending our first regional
activities conference of the school year. The conference, “So You
Want to be a PR Pro,” hosted by CSU Fullerton, will take place on
Friday, Feb. 25 through Saturday, Feb. 26. The conference will
be a great opportunity for our members to network with
professionals in the public relations industry as well as other
PRSSA members at our fellow regional chapters. The conference
will also include helpful workshops and guest speakers.
In order to help our members with the financial costs of the conference, our chapter will be holding
more fundraisers, including bake sales, opportunity drawings and more. We look forward to having
more of our members become involved with the fundraising process.
Along with the conference, we will also be holding educational and social public relations events. These
events include workshops, guest speakers and networking opportunities. We encourage members who
are interested in event planning to join our Special Events committee and learn the ins and outs of
planning an event.
Our newest project, “PRSSA in Action,” will be the focus of our PR Projects committee. The committee is
comprised of individuals who are interested in writing, photography, HTML layouts and collaborating.
While writing stories and preparing the newsletter will be a continual task of this committee, they will
also collaborate with other groups on campus to help with publicity and other public relations tasks.
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Contact Us: Facebook: Cal Poly Pomona PRSSA Twitter: CPPRSSA Email: [email protected]
Executive Board:
Kimberly Dueñas President
Monica Lee
VP of Finance of Administration
Chelsea Arme VP of Membership and Outreach
Phil Luong
Director of PR Projects
Helen Tsang Director of Special Events
Tiffany Stewart
Director of Fundraising
Michelle Andrews Director of Communications
Akilah Kimble
C.L.A.S.S. Council Representative
Upcomiog Eveots
Jan 31 – Feb. 14: Valentine’s Day Grams Sale
Feb. 11: Television Taping for “Melissa & Joey”
Feb. 15: “50/50 Opportunity Drawing” ticket sales begins
Feb. 15: Mock Networking Event
Feb. 17: Broomball 8:50-9:50 p.m.
Created by PRSSA’s Public Relatioos Projects CommitteeCreated by PRSSA’s Public Relatioos Projects CommitteeCreated by PRSSA’s Public Relatioos Projects Committee
Our chapter welcomes members and non-members to all of our meetings. Our weekly meetings take
place every Tuesday from noon-1 p.m. in Bldg. 1-316. Please stop by for more information about
becoming a member, attending meetings and conferences, joining committees and more.
I look forward to meeting everyone who shows interest in PRSSA, and encourage everyone to attend
our meetings and events throughout the quarter.
Kimberly Dueñas
PRSSA Presideot