Tag: public relations

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Blog Reflection

Meeting new people was the most exciting part of my first few weeks on campus. I love talking to people with different backgrounds, majors, and outlooks. College is the time for broadening perspectives and exploring all the world has to offer. I was eager to embrace these opportunities as soon as I arrived. 

When I began my blog, I wanted to capture the excitement I had for my new experiences and new friends. This was how I chose the topic of my blog: interviews. I’ve been able to use these interviews to discuss all sorts of things on campus, from football, to protests, to campus jobs. My interviews remind me to be intentional about sitting down to talk with friends and professors about their personal experiences. The excuse of “I am doing an interview for class” has served as an ice breaker when I want to ask a random stranger a question. 

One challenge that I expected was simple the difficulty of remembering to keep up with posting twice a week. I have to remember to ask someone to take time out of their day in advance. Oftentimes, it is Thursday night before I remember that I have yet to write out a single interview question for the week’s posts. Luckily, there are many people on campus that are willing to help with spontaneous interviews. 

It can also be challenging to format the quotes I gather. If I sit down to write a post the day after an interview, I may realize I am missing an important piece of information, but it is too late to call up my interviewee and ask for another comment. Because of this, some of my interviews are not as professional as I would like. I came into this blog without any knowledge about formal interviews. Although I have been complimented on my writing by friends and family who have read the blog, I know the style is far from journalistic. I hope to learn more about proper questions and formatting for my interviews before the semester ends. 

Lastly, one of the roadblocks I faced this semester was not knowing what I wanted to major in. Though I had originally planned to major in public relations, by the time I signed up for my classes, I had changed my mind. However, thanks to a last-minute schedule change, I ended up in Intro to Media anyway. Since I wasn’t planning to pursue a major in Gaylord College, I felt out of place. I did not make much of an effort to introduce myself to others in my class. However, as the semester has progressed, I realized how much I love Intro to Media, my blogging experience, and the time I’ve spent in Gaylord. Thanks to these experiences, I decided I will pursue a PR major. I know I still have time to change my mind, but this blog has helped me discover what I am passionate about. 

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Public Relations Interview!

As I have spent more time in Gaylord College, my interest in studying public relations has increased. As the time for enrollment for spring classes approaches, I have sought out opportunities to talk to different people about majors and career paths. This week I got to talk to Lori Stevens, an OU public relations alumni. 

When Lori was in Gaylord College of Journalism and Mass Communication, it did not look the same way it does now. She was at OU a few years before the current College of Journalism building, Gaylord Hall, was completed. You had to know your way around to find the newsroom or the yearbook room. Today, all the studio spaces and workrooms for Gaylord are together in Gaylord Hall with study spots and classrooms mixed in. However, Lori still remembers the “family feel” Gaylord college had, even without the brand new, fancy building. This family feel is something that has already stood out to me in my short time at Gaylord. As this was a very positive thing Lori remembers, I am glad this tradition has continued within the college. 

Lori was not always a Gaylord major. She started as a pre-med major, and switched to public relations her senior year. 

“[It was] a little bit of a crisis moment,” Lori recalled. “I was going to do orthopedic surgery…this is what I said I was going to do since third.”

She told me a little bit about her process of choosing PR.

“I really had some friends that were in journalism. I knew that I had always done well with writing.”

Though she could not see herself as a journalist, she came to realize that her strengths and interests lined up with public relations. 

“I think I did really appreciate the writing opportunities I had in PR.”

Additionally, many of the classes she had enjoyed over the years were related to social sciences. This interest turned out to be very useful for understanding, predicting, and changing human behavior, skills that come in handy for PR.

Many people have told me about the great connections and networking opportunities Gaylord college provided them with. Lori’s stories echoed this sentiment. One of her favorite Gaylord electives was a class about public relations in sports.

“Mick Cornett taught it.” Lori told me. “He was mayor of Oklahoma City for a while, but before that he was a sports reporter.” 

Through this class, Lori was connected to other public relations professionals. For one assignment, she got to interview someone who worked for the Miami Dolphins.

These connections also led Lori to an internship.

“Someone from the NOAA Weather Center came and spoke about their PR experience or opportunities there, so I chatted with her after the meeting and ended up doing a small internship.”

Today, Lori’s career has taken her beyond the realm of public relations, but she still uses the skills she learned from the major. 

“I speak a lot with the work I do. I’m either teaching or instructing or giving presentations.”

The writing and speaking skills she honed can be used anywhere. She also gained graphic design experience through another elective. This has allowed her to create designs or brochures.

“That’s been helpful and cost saving, and fun for me to have that sort of creative outlet.”

Lori even learned about research.

“Different types of research methods that would work in a qualitative setting,” she explained.

Overall, Lori is a great example of the wide variety of opportunities that come with a major in public relations. As my college career continues, I cannot wait to discover more!