Taylar Long
February 19, 2014
Senior Capstone
Dr. Mendoza-Enright
Four Years of Growth
During my senior year of high school, I visited several colleges, researched
several more, and weighed the pros and cons of each before settling on Bloomsburg
University of Pennsylvania. To my satisfaction, I was accepted into Bloomsburgs
accredited Business program as a Business Management student with a Marketing minor,
hoping to earn a degree that would enable me to break into the sports industry after
graduation. However, it did not take long for me to realize that I would not be successful
or happy pursuing a Business Management degree. I struggled in the accounting courses
and had little interest in most of the material I was learning in my other classes. Shortly
after I realized this, a friend introduced me to the field of Public Relations, of which I had
little knowledge of, and I will forever be thankful for that. Between my friends
description of the Mass Communications department and the possibilities within the field
of Public Relations, I began to consider changing my major. As a first semester
sophomore, I still had plenty of time to alter the path of my college career. After looking
further into Mass Comm. and the PR track, I found that it was a perfect fit. I immediately
filed the paperwork to change my major, and it was the best decision I have ever made. It
has helped me develop both personally and professionally and presented many other
opportunities for growth, all of which I believe have equipped me with the skills and
knowledge to be successful at my dream career. In addition to my major in Mass
Communications with a focus in Public Relations, I decided to continue my Marketing
minor because it complements PR well. My learning processes in both the Mass
Communication and Marketing departments are alike and they have certainly developed
over the past four years.
My learning process has improved greatly as I have matured and come to
understand the way I think and learn. Flashing back to myself in a classroom three years
ago, I would have chosen a seat in the back, participated in discussions only when
absolutely necessary, and kept my head down to avoid being called upon, avoiding
anything that put me in the spotlight. My learning process has evolved so much that now
I purposefully choose a seat in the front, I do not shy away from class discussions, and I
enjoy being involved. I look forward to classes that have high participation because I
benefit the most from interactive learning. Additionally, I am a visual learner, so my
learning process always involves note taking. I find that I can remember information
when I see it and write it down. It is obvious that the combination of interactive and
visual learning processes have really developed over the years, cultivating my success. A
portion of interactive learning involves group collaboration, which is required in most of
my classes.
There are positive and negative aspects of working in a group, and I have
experienced them all. Especially in Marketing, group work for projects is necessary. For
the most part, I enjoy working in groups because I thrive as a member of a team. I find it
most effective when doing presentations and projects to bounce ideas off of others and
vice-versa, encouraging the best possible outcome. Expanding my own ideas and hearing
new ones enrich my learning experience and group work makes this possible. Also,
working with others enables me to get more from a project because, with more hands, we
can go in depth and gather more information for our final project. In this way, I learn
more about each topic. Most obviously, I was able to get to know my classmates though
group work, which I believe has enriched my overall learning experience the most. A lot
of these classmates have traveled through the college years with me. We study together,
help each other with tough assignments, and support each other. It is very beneficial to
have a good relationship with peers. These are all positive things to come out of group
collaboration, but I have experienced the negative, too. For example, I have noticed that
there is typically one person in each group who slacks off. It is frustrating to deal with
these group members and it causes tension within the group. Also, college students are
very busy with other commitments, so it is difficult to coordinate schedules. Especially in
groups with many people, it can be impossible to meet with everyone and the final work
does not flow well. Oftentimes a project suffers as a result and that effects my learning
adversely. The degree to which my learning is enriched because of group collaboration
usually depends on the commitment and mix of my group members.
There are a few learning experiences that come to mind as particularly significant
during my college career. My sophomore year of college, still a Business Management
major, I was enrolled in Financial Accounting. I tried and tried, but I did not grasp the
material and ended up failing the first exam. I withdrew from the class and began
researching other options that ultimately led to me changing my major. This was a
significant learning experience because it taught me that it is okay to fail at something,
because sometimes failure leads to better opportunities. As an A/B student, it took me a
while to accept that there are some things I may not do well, but there are many others
that I excel in. I still give all my effort in both areas, but now I can pick myself up when I
fall. For example, math is not my forte, but I have strong communication skills. I realize
that communication skills are what I have to offer to a team or a potential employer, and I
use that to my advantage. Overall, I benefited from my failure in Financial Accounting.
Perhaps the most influential learning experience I have had in college did not
come from inside the classroom. I was hired as an Orientation Workshop Leader during
my freshman year. At the time, I did not realize everything the job encompassed. An
O.W.L gives tours, facilitates freshman orientation, and is in constant communication
with students, peers, parents, and faculty. Entering the job, I was a shy person and had
little experience in front of crowds. From my job as an O.W.L., I have opened up
immensely. I have honed my interpersonal skills and learned how to channel my nerves
and think on my feet. My learning experience with O.W.L.s has, hands-down, prepared
me the most for the professional world.
Through O.W.L.s and my Public Speaking course, I have experienced the most
growth in my ability to present to a group. As I previously stated, as an O.W.L. there are
many times when I have been required to stand in front of a group and talk. I was elected
to the executive board for two years during my time as an O.W.L., and more public
speaking opportunities emerged. I had always been terrified of speaking in front of an
audience. With the practice from O.W.L.s and then the skills learned in Public Speaking,
I have more confidence. I used to fidget and panic during speeches, but I have learned
how to settle my nerves and my public speaking has improved. Another competency area
that has progressed is my time management. I have been involved in more organizations,
community service events, meetings, etc., than I can name throughout my college career.
Paired with my schooling, this can be overwhelming. It has forced me to learn how to
manage my time efficiently so that I can do all of these things. My growth in these two
areas has been the most significant.
The greatest thing about my involvement in extra-curricular activities, my jobs,
and my coursework is that that they are integrative. The things I learn in class carry over
to my activities and vice-versa. In the fall of 2013, I completed a Communications
internship for the United Way of Columbia County. I was able to use the skills I learned
in class and developed from experiences to be an asset to the United Way. I exhibited my
oral and written skills, kept up with deadlines, and hosted an event in which I spoke in
front of a large group. Testing my education in the real world made me realize just how
much I have learned in my coursework. Now I can apply the skills I expanded on and
learned in the field to the remainder of my coursework and play a more active role in the
classroom.
Possibly the most important thing I have done during college is host a special
event for my internship organization. Immediately after starting my internship, I became
connected with two members of the United Way board to put together the United Way of
Columbia Countys first ever Turkey Trot 5k to raise money for the campaign. I was
involved in every aspect of this event preparation, and it was truly the most rewarding
experience I have been involved in throughout my college career thus far. I attended bi-
weekly meetings to discuss Turkey Trot preparation, secured sponsors of the race,
recruited runners/walkers through various strategies, gathered volunteers, made signs for
the event, and much more. I even made an appearance on WHLM radios Morning Buzz
segment to promote the event the day before the race. On race day, I helped set-up,
coordinated volunteers, welcomed the 70+ runners, and hosted the award ceremony at the
conclusion of the race. This was the most beneficial of all the activities I engaged in at
the United Way. The radio spot really helped me break out of my shell. Everything else
was my first real look at an event and all the work that goes into it. First-hand, I saw what
worked, what did not, and what could be done better. Most importantly, the race raised
over $3,100 for the United Ways campaign, which is incredibly rewarding. I believe that
this was the most prominent integration of my education and experience. Now, I am able
to apply my knowledge and experience of planning an organizing a special event to a
project I will be completing in one my Public Relations courses. This just proves that my
education and experiences complement each other.
I have two dream career paths: one is to work in relations for a non-profit
organization and the other is to work in the community relations department for a
professional sports team. I chose to concentrate in the Public Relations field of Mass
Communication because it would enable me to achieve my dream, whichever path I take.
I enjoy working behind the scenes, writing, planning, organizing, and communicating- all
of which are encompassed by Public Relations professionals. Public Relations manages
the relationship between an individual or an organization and the public. A concentration
in Public Relations just fit me and the more I learn, the more sure I am that I chose the
right field.
Public Relations has a few main tactics: written, spoken, visual, electronic, and
special events. Carrying out the Public Relations tactics requires a certain skill set. Like
most jobs, it is very important to possess good writing skills as a Public Relations
professional. PR people often have to write press releases, public service announcements,
statements, etc. It is very important to be an effective writer so that the public
understands and accepts the conveyed message. Time management is a valuable skill,
too. PR people often have many different clients and it is their responsibility to meet
deadlines and recognize high vs. low priority tasks. Time management goes hand-in-hand
with organization. A disorganized PR person will struggle to keep everything straight and
a clients success may suffer. Lastly, communication skills are arguably most valuable to
a Public Relations professional. Almost everything in PR involves communication:
whether it be hosting an event, holding a press conference, phone/email communication,
social media management, or communication with a client.
Knowledge and practice in the field of Public Relations is constantly changing
and evolving. This is mostly due to the Internet and technology. New social media
platforms are always trending and PR professionals must take advantage of them. For
instance, Facebook and Twitter have changed the way we communicate. These are easy
and cheap ways to expand a clients audience and it would be beneficial to continue
capitalizing on the platforms. This requires adaptation and a dedication to keeping up
with trends. A lot of older PR people struggle to keep up with the changes, and that has
become an issue. Traditional media is important to maintain, though, so that should not
be lost in the chaos of keeping up with technology.
As the voice is shifting from the client to the public more now than ever because
of technology, organizations will be defined by communication. This is a big change in
Public Relations. Professionals must consistently cultivate a mutually beneficial
relationship between an organization and its public. The spotlight forces ethical practices,
which is a great, in my opinion. Before the Internet and technology became so
mainstream, PR teams got away with a lot more. Now, they are accountable and that
responsibility is put into the hands of qualified leaders in the industry.
I feel that my education has given me the qualifications to be great in the Public
Relations field. However, I do believe that there are some things that would have
strengthened my learning experience. Internships are so essential to learning the ins-and-
outs of Public Relations and gaining the real-life experience that you just cannot get in a
classroom. The Mass Communication department only allows one three-credit internship
during college. Only 120 hours are required for completion, but I think that the internship
could take up more course space. With double the time, I would have been able to do a
lot more at my internship, therefore developing more skills and gaining on-the-job
experience. If not that, the department could allow more than one internship. I would
have benefited from another internship, but because of classes I did not have the time.
What we learn in the classroom does not compare to what we learn on the job. Secondly,
I would have had a better learning experience if there were more courses specific to
Public Relations. There are so few that deal specifically in PR, and I know that there are
more things to learn. For example, I have only written one press release. Press releases
are so pertinent to PR, yet I have had little experience with them. A few additional classes
would be so beneficial to any student in the Public Relations track.
My coursework and my internship have taught me ways to deal with ethical issues
in my field. I realize that crises in PR can be detrimental to a client. I have learned what
steps to take to combat crises ethically. In my Media Law and Ethics class, I learned that
there is a blurred line between right and wrong that is sometimes difficult to decipher. As
ethical issues arise, it is important to keep the clients best interest in mind, but even more
important to consider the publics best interest. However, I do not think I am fully
prepared to handle ethical issues in my field. I believe that will come with my training
and experience on the job.
