And the Top Blogger is...

The Chapter’s Next Top Blogger contest that took place in November attracted some impressive entries and stiff competition. However, none of this phased contest winner and senior PR student Susan Venker as she wrote her insightful blog article detailing her experience as a Mercy – St. John’s media relations intern. Susan’s piece earned her a spot on PRSSA’s National blog, a one-on-one session with a current PR professional in the area and a $15 gift card to The Coffee Ethic.

Describing her background in PR, Susan said, “I didn’t even know what PR was until the summer before I started college. I worked at AT&T Mobility, and the PR gal would stop by sometimes. I would talk to her about her job, and I thought it sounded like something I would love. No day was ever the same for her, which was exactly what I wanted in a major and career.”

Bethany Parry (on right) presenting the Top Blogger award to Susan Venker (on left). 

She experienced the quick pace and dynamic nature of the field during her time at Mercy – St. John’s. From writing feature stories and news releases to utilizing social media platforms and planning events, Susan was immersed in PR and media and loved every minute of it.

“I think outside learning experiences are of utmost importance for emerging PR professionals,” Susan said. “You don’t really know how PR or media relations works until you are immersed in it. “

In her winning piece, she discussed the importance of having a good relationship with the media and offered readers a few tips on creating and maintaining these relationships just as she had to do at Mercy – St. John’s. “I think my blog post gave students some real life tips that they can’t read about in a textbook in a classroom,” Susan explained. “Much of what PR professionals do is build relationships with the media. If you have a good working relationship with the media, it will make your job and their job so much easier.”

Even though Susan makes it seem like second nature, early professionals can learn a lot about PR and media relations from her blog article and first-hand experience in the field. Although graduation is still around the corner, Susan has already landed a position at the local non-profit C.A.R.E. Animal Rescue as their Public Relations Specialist. The Missouri State Chapter of PRSSA wishes this talented and promising young professional the best in all her professional endeavors upon graduation.

Susan's blog post will be featured in the next couple of weeks on the PRSSA National blog.

This blog post was submitted by Justin Letts. Letts is an undergraduate student at Missouri State University majoring in public relations and minoring in French. He is a member of the Communication Committee of the Public Relations Student Society of America in addition to numerous honor societies.

7 Tips from the Intern Queen

Earlier in November, I had the privilege thanks to Doug Gaehle to participate in a phone conference with the Intern Queen, Lauren Berger. According to the website, Intern Queen Inc, is, "an online internship destination that helps students find and apply for internships while also educating them on how to make the most of their experiences." Her website is filled with many different tips and possible internship opportunities. She also speaks to universities all over the country. Lauren took the time out of her day to talk to about 10 students on the phone and give them tips on the internship hunt.


1. Be Proactive.
Always be looking for ways to improve your resume for your dream internship, and once you have your internship, continue to be proactive. Be the go to intern that companies want to hire.

2. Don't Forget to Follow-Up.
Just like many of our internship panelists advised at our November meeting, ALWAYS follow up with an application and interview. Always send a hand-written thank you card after an interview. Do not be afraid to call after sending in your resume. Do not annoy possible employers though. "Culpwrit" recently published a blog post that gives a great outline to following up.


3. ALWAYS Include a Cover Letter.
Your cover letter is your way to connect the dots for your potential employer. Expand on the one thing you got the most out of on your resume, and describe it in detail. This is your chance to show your ability to write, edit and persuade. Do not waste it!


4. Do Your Research.
Most likely people are going to hire someone who is familiar or passionate about their brand or organization. If you walk into an interview without knowing some current and background information about a company, it is highly unlikely they will ask you back. Follow them on Twitter; like them on Facebook; and read recent press releases. Sometimes it is more about getting the right person for the company instead of the best person for the job.

5. Make Your Dream List.
Make a dream list of internships...NOW! Go write in your journal or on a piece of paper your 10 dream internships, and then go after them. Shoot for the moon! Laura also recommended to apply for 10 local internships a semester or 20 out of town internships a semester to optimize your chances of getting your dream internship.


6. Local Internships Help Build Your Resume.
Do not underestimate the power of a local internship. Sometimes it is necessary to gain experience locally to bulk up your resume, and then apply for out of town internships. Local news stations are also great places to gain experience and meet well-networked people. Many people seem to recommend three internships while you are in college, so start early!

7. Leave Fear at the Door.
Fear keeps you from doing your best. Whether it be keeping you from applying for an out of town internship or keeping you from asking your supervisor a simple question in order to perform better at work. If there is a company that you are interested in, give someone who works there a cold call or email. You may just get a few minutes of their time or you may get an internship, but it is worth the risk.

Lauren Berger also talked about a Campus Ambassador program. We currently do not have a Campus Ambassador at Missouri State University. If you would be interested in that program, email me at Bethany08@live.missouristate.edu, and I will connect you with Lauren. If you have not, be sure to check out her website and follow her on Twitter for more internship tips and internship openings!

Bethany Parry—Vice President: Bethany is a senior at Missouri State University studying Public Relations and Spanish. As Vice President, she promotes professional development, manages communications, and supports the president in anyway needed. You can contact her at Bethany08@live.missouristate.edu or follow her on Twitter at @bparry08.

Barkley Tour in Kansas City

In a previous post, I discussed some things I learned at Kansas City's PRSSA Day that Doug and I attended earlier this month. I also wanted to share about another element of our great day: our agency tour at Barkley.

Each school was offered the opportunity to tour a public relations agency in Kansas City. Doug and I went with some other schools to tour Barkley, an integrated advertising agency in KC.

As soon as I walked into the doors, I felt a creative rush of energy. I felt as if Sterling-Cooper, from the television show Man Men, was just transformed before my eyes and brought into the 21st century.

All of the office was open and clean with random bursts of color throughout the floor. The space encouraged collaborative work and a spirit of creativity with its nearly 250 employees. The entire office was themed around the Barkley rocket, with planet named meeting rooms, and a real rocket ride on the third floor. I loved seeing the inspirational quotes all the walls throughout the office with the theme: "ADD GOOD. SHAKE WELL."

One of the major benefits of agency public relations was clear after this tour: freedom. With the constant strife to impress clients, creativity and fresh ideas are prized. Working within an organization can sometimes put restrictions on your creativity because of tradition and organizational culture. That is not the case of an agency's culture. An organization comes to an agency because what they are doing is not working or because they need a new perspective.

If you are a creative person who loves to collaborate, an atmosphere like at Barkley would suit you well. Doug and I both made some connections to a couple Barkley employees if you are ever interested in learning more about the agency world. You can also check out Barkley's website, Twitter and Facebook page.

Bethany Parry—Vice President: Bethany is a senior at Missouri State University studying Public Relations and Spanish. As Vice President, she promotes professional development, manages communications, and supports the president in anyway needed. You can contact her at Bethany08@live.missouristate.edu or follow her on Twitter at @bparry08.

Job Shadowing 2012

Missouri State’s Chapter of PRSSA presents Job Shadowing 2012. This is your chance to experience what a day looks like in the world of a PR or communications professional.

The deadline to sign-up is December 8 at midnight. To sign-up, email your name, year in school, and dream mentor, organization or sector of PR to prssa.mostate@gmail.com.

Over Christmas break, PRSSA will contact different professionals and match you up with your ideal mentor. At our Jan. 31 meeting, we will announce your mental match and provide contact information. (If you are interested in shadowing someone in St. Louis or Kansas City, it is a possible option, so indicate it in your email.)

During the month of February, you and your mentor can decide when you want to meet up. Each participant will be required to turn in a picture, video or blog post about their Job Shadowing experience by Feb. 29 at midnight. The author of the best entry will get a $25 gift certificate to a TBA clothing store to build their professional wardrobe. Here is an example of a good blog post by Bethany Parry who shadowed Andrea Harp last year.

At the beginning of March, we will have a party with everyone who participated and the professionals we shadowed and announce the winner of the contest, or the “Top PR Sleuth.” All of quality entries will be published on our social media sites.

Don't forget to sign-up by Dec. 8!

Getting the Scoop on Internships

We have just moved to ONCE a month meetings instead of bi-weekly meetings, and our ONLY November Chapter meeting is Tuesday, Nov. 15, at 5:00 p.m. in Craig 330. It is free for members and $3 for nonmembers, so invite your friends!

Let us give you "The Scoop on Internships", literally. Ice cream will be provided by Dairy Queen to accompany our night full of internship discussion. There will be four student panelists (Megan Haeffle, Sara McClendon, Susan Venker and Kim Perry) ready to share their experiences in Springfield non profit and corporate internships and in internships from more urban areas like New York. 

Each student will get a folder filled with:

• Current internship opportunities in Springfield, Kansas City and more.
• A guide on landing the right internship
• Information about getting credit for in the department for your internship
• Tips from a conference call with Laura Berger, The Intern Queen
• A recipe to making the blueberry yogurt pictured here thanks to OneOrdinaryDay 

Bring your questions and your sweet tooth!

More Information on Student Panelists:

• Kim Perry, senior PR/Media student, interned at Le Metier de Beaute in New York City at their Public Relations/Communications Intern.
• Megan Haeffle, senior PR student, worked as the Grassroots Marketing Coordinator for Hollywood Theater College Station in downtown Springfield this past summer.
• Sara McClendon has been interning in the Development Department at Ozarks Food Harvest in Springfield since last spring and will be continuing to work there after graduation. They are currently looking for a new Public Relations Intern, and it is paid!
• Susan Venker will be talking about her experience as a non paid intern in the Media Relations department at St. John's hospital and her partially paid internship with the Pard Board in Springfield.

Bethany Parry will be mediating the panel, so if you want to send any questions for the panelists in advance, send them to Bethany08@live.missouristate.edu.

The 2 Best Ways to Prepare for a Career in PR

This past weekend, Doug and I had the privilege of attending the Kansas City PRSSA Day presented by the greater Kansas City area Chapter of PRSA. Throughout the day, there were two common themes--not social media and not internships.

Every panel, every speaker and every professional advised students to do two simple things:

Image from Stock.xng

No matter what new shiny technology comes our way, the basis of the public relations profession is writing. Take every chance you can to hone in your writing skills. Allow your work to be torn to shreds and listen humbly to your professors and mentors as they give advice. Practice all types of writing because the best way to improve your writing is to write--all the time.

This is one benefit to blogging. It gives you a outline to write and present your writing to an audience online to be critiqued and praised. Writing every day is a good habit to get into. If you are not a good writer, make a plan on how to become a better one.

Image from Stock.xng

Another way to improve your writing is to read everything you can get your hands on: classical literature, the newspaper, modern novels, books about the industry, etc. It does not matter what you read as long as you get away from the computer screen for a little while. Reading is a way to learn from other authors, broaden your vocabulary and develop a writing style. The best writers are better readers.

Reading also helps inform you about the world around you. A lot of public relations involves interacting with people, which means small talk is key. Jersey Shore may not always be the best conversation to have in the limo with a client your parent's age. If you are up to date on the news and have a general sense of classic literature, you have a wealth of sophisticated topics to choose from.

One book to put on your reading list from the Kansas City conference is "Brains on Fire". One of the co-authors, Spike Jones, spoke at PRSSA Day. Check out my blog to read a summary of his presentation.

Obviously, there is much more to public relations than reading and writing; however, it is a great place to start. 

Bethany Parry—Vice President: Bethany is a senior at Missouri State University studying Public Relations and Spanish. As Vice President, she promotes professional development, manages communications, and supports the president in anyway needed. You can contact her at Bethany08@live.missouristate.edu or follow her on Twitter at@bparry08.

PRSSA National Conference '11: Dream Jobs

This year Missouri State University sent six people from our PRSSA Chapter to the PRSSA National Conference in Orlando, Florida. From getting funding to driving 18 hours to networking with professionals, it was definitely an adventure for the #vantasy crew.  

Chelly Harrison attended one of the sessions at conference about fashion PR. Here is what Chelly learned from her session.

Emily Pyles, Susan Venker, Doug Gaehle, Sara McClendon, Brooke Doerhoff, and Chelly Harrison

I attended a fascinating forum while in Orlando for the PRSSA National Conference just a short week ago. A 50-minute long lecture/Q & A with one of the fashion insdustry's leading public relations influencers, Margaux Caniato spoke with us about her involvement across the globe with fashion. I found it most interesting that she received her degree from the Fashion Institute of Technology in NY and now works on some of the largest fashion campaigns in the world, most recently the Moussy project. 

The Moussy project is a Japanese inspired line that aims to accentuate personality while setting and defining new trends. Moussy was brought to the US., and Contelli gave a run down of her PR tactics and plans to launch this new line into the public eye head first. I won't go into detail of how she planted publicity stunts and staged appreances in downtown New York, but I will expand what I learned from her stories.

I took away from this forum that in order to land a dream job or an exciting assingment in fashion (or any PR for that matter) it takes a lot of networking and understanding of the audience you are working for and the people around you. I have never studied fashion, but I gained a great respect and passion for it. I know now I need to learn everything I can about industries and companies I am interested in to eventually land my dream job.

For more information regarding the I'm Moussy campaingn and the clothing itself, follow them on Twitter @ImMoussyNY. 

Michelle Harrison is a senior PR student at Missouri State University and a proud sister of Alpha Chi Omega Women's Fraternity. Her true passion lies in entertainment PR and is currently interning for Silver Dollar City's publicity deprtment in Branson, Missouri. After graduation, Michelle hopes to leave Missouri and head west in the pursuit of happiness and a career in Public Relations.

My First #PRSSA Twitter Chat

Last night, I joined in the #PRSSA Twitter Chat for the first time via TweetChat.com. The topic was PRSA/PRSSA Relationship Month, and the discussion was so lively and informative, I thought I would share a bit of what I learned.

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PRSA/PRSSA Relationship
We talked a lot about how to get PRSA members and PRSSA members more involved with each other. One idea tweeted by @PRSSA_UD was to hold a "Happy Hour" with PRSA pros and upper classmen looking to enter the workforce. Would that not be so fun?! I would love to hang out with professionals at Fedora or something like that.


@AmyL_Bishop, editor-in-chief of FORUM, reminded everyone that most PRSA Chapters have a social media presence, and it is important as members to follow them. Our Southwest Missouri PRSA Chapter has some social media sites: Facebook, Twitter, Blog, Delicious and website. Check out all of their social media sites; you never know where the networking could take you!


Some Chapters mentioned having a PRSA/PRSSA liaison be a part of the historian's job description. That's a great idea! Another Chapter said the PRSA liaison would meet frequently with the PRSSA liaison from PRSSA. Now, we just need a historian. Who's up for the task?


Reflection on Participating in the Tweet Chat
Another great thing about last night's chat is that there were three other MoState PRSSA members representing our Chapter proudly: @DougGaehle, @SaraMcC120 and @DanOrtegaPR. We all had a blast just chatting together via Twitter.

In a nutshell, it was just fun! I met new students and learned a lot. Not to mention, I have four new Twitter followers and one new Facebook friend from Argentina, who wants to help me with my Spanish! You never know what one hour spent with passionate public relations students from around the world could do for you even through Twitter!

If you want to read more about what happened in last nights Tweet Chat, check out PRSSA National's blog post recapping the conversation. If you want to join in the next PRSSA Tweet Chat, it is November 14 at 8pm Central Time. 

Bethany Parry—Vice President: Bethany is a senior at Missouri State University studying Public Relations and Spanish. As Vice President, she promotes professional development, manages communications, and supports the president in anyway needed. You can contact her at Bethany08@live.missouristate.edu or follow her on Twitter at @bparry08.

#PRSSANC Recap Via Twitter

Missouri State sent six people to National Conference this weekend. They are driving back to Missouri today. If you were following the hashtag #PRSSNC, you could read everyone tweeting about the conference and get a taste of the conference without being there.


We took the liberty of gathering some tweets that we particularly liked. So here is #PRSSANC recapped via other people's tweets. It is if we brought Orlando to you!

If you want to learn more about conference, look for upcoming posts or check our National's blog. And do not forget about the Next Top Blogger Contest!

6 Tips to Writing a Killer Blog Post

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Let’s face it, for communication professionals today, blog-writing is almost as common as writing press releases. However, that doesn’t mean that everyone can write a good blog.  For those of you just getting started or brushing up on your skills, here are a few tips to writing a killer blog.

1.     Keep It Quick

Online readers are not the right audience for novels. So, keep your blogs limited to a length appropriate for the content. No one needs 1,500 words about your cat’s birthday. With that said, there is still a possibility that your dense topic requires an in-depth blog. So, longer blogs might be necessary and useful in some situations.

2.     Avoid Complex Words and Sentences

The typical blog audience is seeking something more personal and vibrant than a news article. Don’t muddy your voice or message with complex words or sentences that will trip readers up and possibly annoy them. If it helps, read your blog post aloud to make sure that it flows smoothly.

3.     Formatting Matters

The way in which your blog is presented is the first thing most readers notice. Use white space to frame different areas of content and use bullet points whenever appropriate. Headings, sub-headings, bold text and italicized text should be used for organization and emphasis. Don’t go overboard though!

4.     Link, Link, Link

Because it’s the blogosphere and everyone knows that the Internet is limitless, blog readers expect links. They help readers gain background and contextual information, it gives your blog credibility and it shows that you did your research. Instead of forcing readers to leave your blog for further information, embed it through links and keep your traffic strong.

5.     Find Your Voice and Keep It

Whether it be liberal, moderate or conservative, give your blog a voice. After all, a blog is only worth reading if it has something to say. Be opinionated, respectful and consistent in your posts. Presenting contradictory views throughout your blog will only make your readers question your credibility and motives.

6.     Have a Sense of Humor

In an online atmosphere, writers must have a very tough skin because anyone can say anything. Responding to negative comments in a respectful way and establishing an individual sense of humor will make handling these situations much easier.

With the rise of popular sites like Tumblr and Blogspot, many businesses have begun requiring their employees to maintain blogs for various purposes. With these tools, writing a killer blog should be much less daunting. Considering your blog posts’ length, complexity, formatting, link usage, voice and sense of humor will help the blogosphere for both readers and writers. 

This blog post was submitted by Justin Letts. Letts is an undergraduate student at Missouri State University majoring in public relations and minoring in French. He is a member of the Communication Committee of the Public Relations Student Society of America in addition to numerous honor societies.

4 Social Media Tips from COM Week

After attending this year’s Social Media Seminar for COM week, I learned some valuable info about LinkedIn and Twitter that I would like to share with those of you who are new-ish to the social media world. I’m by no means am I a social media guru, but I’m on my way to learning the tricks and the trades of different social media platforms. I know most of the basics, just like everyone else, but I feel like there’s something new to learn every week! 

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Here are a few pointers that I took away from the seminar last week:

1)     You can upload your resume on LinkedIn!  

One part about this social media platform that intimidates me is the tediousness of entering ALL my work/school/extra curricular information. I kept procrastinating on updating my LinkedIn page due to lack of time to sit down and type everything in. But, who knew, all you have to do is click “Upload resume” and voilà! There it is. All your important info automatically revised in LinkedIn form. Wonderful.

2)     LinkedIn users can also register for events.

Through your LinkedIn page, you can create events and have them open for registration. This section is located at the very bottom of your profile. Prior to learning this, I thought Facebook was the only social media platform that allowed users to create and “attend” events. I thought this little tidbit of information was pretty interesting as well.

3)     RT=Retweet, which is important for getting your name out there on Twitter.

Before the social media seminar I understood “retweeting” simply as clicking on someone else’s tweet for it to appear on your own Twitter. During the seminar, I learned that the retweet is important in order for people to recognize you on Twitter. It helps others get their Twitter handle out there. Every time you retweet, that person can now be seen by all of your followers. Therefore, your followers can now follow the person whom you have retweeted. #prettysweet.

4)     Use a handle at the beginning of a tweet for the tweet to go directly to that user’s profile.

If you use a Twitter handle as the very first part of a tweet, that tweet will go directly to his or her Twitter page and notify that person that someone has tweeted at them. However, if you tweet and use a handle in the middle of the tweet (or anywhere besides the first word), the person will be notified that they have been mentioned, but it will not go directly to their personal page. Interesting!

I hope this helped a few of you get more acquainted with LinkedIn and Twitter. Social media is an ongoing process that is constantly changing. It’s difficult to keep up with all the new information. As public relations students, we should try our best to keep ourselves updated with all aspects of new social media. Good luck and keep it up!

This post was submitted by Lauren Harris. Lauren is a junior Public Relations major with a minor in Ethics and Social Policy. As the Director of Administration, Lauren is responsible for recording minutes for each meeting, coordinating social events, finding volunteer opportunities in the Springfield community, and contacting local professionals to speak at meetings. You can contact her via email at lfh90@live.missouristate.edu or follow her on Twitter @Lo573.

Updated: PRSSA's Next Top Blogger

Missouri State Public Relations Student Society of America presents the first ever:

"Next Top Blogger" Contest.

We want know who has a gift for blogging even if YOU don't realize it yet.

It is a chance for you to get a byline and be published online!

So that the next time you 'google' your name something good will pop up for future employers. 

We have a new development in the contest to share.

The Prizes:

1. The top 4 blog posts will be published: 2nd, 3rd and 4th will be published on the Missouri State Blog during the last week of October with maximum social media and print promotion of each post. The Top Blogger will be published on the PRSSA National's Blog. :)
2. The top 2 bloggers will be given the opportunity to work one on one with a PR professional in the area (Claire Faucett or Andrea Harp) for one hour getting specific tips on writing and such. 
3. The Top Blogger will be published on PRSSA National's Blog and receive a $15 gift certificate to The Coffee Ethic as well as having a blog post featuring them appearing the last week of October linking to their post on National's blog. 

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How to Enter:

1. Write a blog post between 100 and 500 words in either a word document or body of an email. Please follow the PRSSA Style Guide and AP Style.
2. Email post to prssa.mostate@gmail.com. 
3. Deadline is November 1 at midnight.
4. Pictures/video or additional website information is welcomed. Please attached desired photos in email with clear directions of where you want them to appear in the post as well as the source of the image.
5. The theme to follow is what you have learned during an internship or outside a classroom setting. The content must be unpublished work. No re-purposing content from other blogs.

Anyone can enter member or nonmembers!
You could be published NATIONALLY!

This is YOUR chance to shine because

Everyone is a publisher!