Here is a class project video I created... Hope it inspires you to make a difference.
Sunday, April 24, 2011
Saturday, April 23, 2011
Balance
Balance. More often than not in life we forget to take a moment to really think about the balance in our lives. We are overloaded with homework, meetings, internships, jobs, families, friends, stressful times and relaxing times. It's easy to get overwhelmed with all of the things going on in our lives and lose the balance.
Frank Roby, CEO of Concero Global and Empower African Children, spoke with our class about the importance of balance in every aspect of life. At our very basic level, according to Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs, we are in survival mode. When we are in this mode, according to Roby, we pull on our instincts. We have a core strength that any time we are in conflict, we can pull on. The problem is, everyone's core strengths are a little different. Some people may be on complete opposite ends of the spectrum. "Relationships strive for balance - communication strives to achieve that balance." So, through communication we are able to find a middle ground. "As you get away from the balance point, communication gets harder," Roby said. As human beings, no matter what situation we are dealing with, we tend to push out to the edges. We take sides and stick to our side - no matter what the other person says. But whether we are talking about a friendship, a business relationship, or competing companies, balance plays a constant role in each.
Roby talked about an example with MSNBC and FOX News. One is obviously thought to be on the left and the other on the right. The only way consumers can balance the news they hear from these two sources is to watch both or get their news elsewhere. The information is off balance and therefore changes the way some of us view events in the news.
It can be hard to create balance in a world where competition is everywhere. But the more we communicate, the more balance we create. Our job as communicators will be to help bridge the gap between these imbalances and get the most accurate message across to the public.
Frank Roby, CEO of Concero Global and Empower African Children, spoke with our class about the importance of balance in every aspect of life. At our very basic level, according to Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs, we are in survival mode. When we are in this mode, according to Roby, we pull on our instincts. We have a core strength that any time we are in conflict, we can pull on. The problem is, everyone's core strengths are a little different. Some people may be on complete opposite ends of the spectrum. "Relationships strive for balance - communication strives to achieve that balance." So, through communication we are able to find a middle ground. "As you get away from the balance point, communication gets harder," Roby said. As human beings, no matter what situation we are dealing with, we tend to push out to the edges. We take sides and stick to our side - no matter what the other person says. But whether we are talking about a friendship, a business relationship, or competing companies, balance plays a constant role in each.
Roby talked about an example with MSNBC and FOX News. One is obviously thought to be on the left and the other on the right. The only way consumers can balance the news they hear from these two sources is to watch both or get their news elsewhere. The information is off balance and therefore changes the way some of us view events in the news.
It can be hard to create balance in a world where competition is everywhere. But the more we communicate, the more balance we create. Our job as communicators will be to help bridge the gap between these imbalances and get the most accurate message across to the public.
Monday, April 18, 2011
Matt Gobush: Communication Strategies – Lessons Learned
At 500 million and rising, Facebook currently holds the third largest population in the world. The US falls behind at only 300 million. In a national survey of reporters and editors, 89 percent use blogs as part of their research and 65 percent turn to social media sites. Youtube, now the second largest search engine, holds over 100 million videos. No question about it, social media has become a key form of communication across the globe as a primary networking tool and one of the top news resources.
In response to the rising number of social media users, many companies have created a blog to communicate with consumers on a more personal level. Matt Gobush, Corporate Communications Manager at Exxon Mobil, saw this trend in consumer participation through blogging and began to push the need for a blog in the communication strategy. The push had impeccable timing. Just as Exxon Mobil prepared for the rollout of it’s blog, the Deepwater Horizon Spill occurred. Instead of stepping back and staying out of the spotlight in this disaster, Exxon Mobil took this as an opportunity to communicate with their consumers about the precautions and safety measures it had taken to avoid such a disaster.
Blogs are not commonly used in the oil business. Most companies don’t find it a necessary tool for the nature of business. Gobush, however, believes that it is important for a company in any industry to be involved. “You get so much credit for engaging in the dialogue,” Gobush said. Being engaged in the dialogue brings a sense of transparency to the consumer that wouldn’t otherwise be there with a traditional communication strategy.
Communication, or lack thereof, was one of BP’s largest set backs during the Deepwater Horizon Spill. It took BP an entire week before they mentioned anything about the spill online, with virtually no video response on YouTube. “If you’re not quick, you’re not relevant. They needed to be where the conversations were happening. Twitter, blogs, etc,” said Heather Whaling, owner of Geben Communication. Through it’s communication disaster, BP showed the importance of implementing a new crisis communication strategy to include a digital response.
The lesson learned from the BP oil spill according to Gobush, was first and foremost that the spill was an engineering problem, not a communication problem. In order to properly communicate, BP needed to first solve the engineering problem. It’s second step should have been to inform the public in a consistent and timely manner about what was happening. Gobush believes BP took too long to figure out how to communicate to the public. “They chose the wrong spokesperson and didn’t get the information out fast enough.”
Exxon Mobil is not a stranger to a disaster like the Deepwater Horizon Spill. It experienced a similar crisis of it’s own in 1989 with the Valdez Oil Spill. Since the company had not built a reputation for themselves through communication prior to the spill, it spent much of it’s communication efforts in response attempting to build it’s reputation with the public. Exxon Mobil has been quite successful in it’s attempt with an informative blog and a user-friendly website. BP has a long way to go in rebuilding it’s reputation, but taking the lessons learned, it will be able to move forward and make use of the digital world consumers prefer today as part of it’s communication strategy.
Matt Gobush: Communication Strategies – Lessons Learned
At 500 million and rising, Facebook currently holds the third largest population in the world. The US falls behind at only 300 million. In a national survey of reporters and editors, 89 percent use blogs as part of their research and 65 percent turn to social media sites. Youtube, now the second largest search engine, holds over 100 million videos. No question about it, social media has become a key form of communication across the globe as a primary networking tool and one of the top news resources.
In response to the rising number of social media users, many companies have created a blog to communicate with consumers on a more personal level. Matt Gobush, Corporate Communications Manager at Exxon Mobil, saw this trend in consumer participation through blogging and began to push the need for a blog in the communication strategy. The push had impeccable timing. Just as Exxon Mobil prepared for the rollout of it’s blog, the Deepwater Horizon Spill occurred. Instead of stepping back and staying out of the spotlight in this disaster, Exxon Mobil took this as an opportunity to communicate with their consumers about the precautions and safety measures it had taken to avoid such a disaster.
Blogs are not commonly used in the oil business. Most companies don’t find it a necessary tool for the nature of business. Gobush, however, believes that it is important for a company in any industry to be involved. “You get so much credit for engaging in the dialogue,” Gobush said. Being engaged in the dialogue brings a sense of transparency to the consumer that wouldn’t otherwise be there with a traditional communication strategy.
Communication, or lack thereof, was one of BP’s largest set backs during the Deepwater Horizon Spill. It took BP an entire week before they mentioned anything about the spill online, with virtually no video response on YouTube. “If you’re not quick, you’re not relevant. They needed to be where the conversations were happening. Twitter, blogs, etc,” said Heather Whaling, owner of Geben Communication. Through it’s communication disaster, BP showed the importance of implementing a new crisis communication strategy to include a digital response.
The lesson learned from the BP oil spill according to Gobush, was first and foremost that the spill was an engineering problem, not a communication problem. In order to properly communicate, BP needed to first solve the engineering problem. It’s second step should have been to inform the public in a consistent and timely manner about what was happening. Gobush believes BP took too long to figure out how to communicate to the public. “They chose the wrong spokesperson and didn’t get the information out fast enough.”
Exxon Mobil is not a stranger to a disaster like the Deepwater Horizon Spill. It experienced a similar crisis of it’s own in 1989 with the Valdez Oil Spill. Since the company had not built a reputation for themselves through communication prior to the spill, it spent much of it’s communication efforts in response attempting to build it’s reputation with the public. Exxon Mobil has been quite successful in it’s attempt with an informative blog and a user-friendly website. BP has a long way to go in rebuilding it’s reputation, but taking the lessons learned, it will be able to move forward and make use of the digital world consumers prefer today as part of it’s communication strategy.
Friday, April 1, 2011
Crisis Communications
This week, Maureen Locus with Brinker International came and spoke to our class about her job and the challenges she faces. As one of only 4 people in the Communications Department, Ms. Locus has her hands full. In a company that spans across the globe, you would think there would be more. But Ms. Locus and her colleagues are able to deal with a lot proactive and reactive PR.
The thing that stuck out the most to me was the number of crisis situations they come across from the smallest complaint to even the biggest media crisis. Brinker International is the owner of Chili's restaurants so you can imagine the type of complaints, law suits, and just generally random occurrences they come across on a regular basis. Working in the restaurant business in communication looks like it could be quite a challenge, but a lot of fun at the same time. I'm beginning to have an interest in hospitality, so hearing about the restaurant side of that was very helpful for me. I'm so glad Ms. Locus was able to come out and speak with us.
The thing that stuck out the most to me was the number of crisis situations they come across from the smallest complaint to even the biggest media crisis. Brinker International is the owner of Chili's restaurants so you can imagine the type of complaints, law suits, and just generally random occurrences they come across on a regular basis. Working in the restaurant business in communication looks like it could be quite a challenge, but a lot of fun at the same time. I'm beginning to have an interest in hospitality, so hearing about the restaurant side of that was very helpful for me. I'm so glad Ms. Locus was able to come out and speak with us.
Friday, March 25, 2011
Get Out There!
This Wednesday, Robert Martin from MM2 PR spoke to our class about Marketing Communications and how integrated marketing is changing the practice of PR. It was a relief to hear from someone that PR is actually becoming more valuable in the business world. It is largely due to the importance and use of social media in marketing today. Consumers today more than ever want their experience with companies to be an interaction. It's not just about a company preaching to their consumers anymore - it's about the 2-way communication and the relationship they want to form with a company.
The thing that stood out to me in the hour we spent with Mr. Martin was the idea that marketing and PR today is about getting out there. It's about going out on the streets and interesting with consumers. It's about making them feel like they are a part of the brand, company, or product.
Wheat Thins recently started a very successful campaign where they are going out to people's homes or offices where they have tweeted or mentioned Wheat Thins in any type of social media and have been making surprise deliveries to these people. They have then used the footage to create commercials and a youtube site specifically for the campaign. To me, this is one of the best ideas I've seen so far. They are not only getting people involved but they are randomly rewarding those who do mention them and at the same time are making it a surprise! Brilliant. I hope someday I'll be able to think of something this clever for a campaign.
Mr. Martin mentioned, "Instead of just talking about yourself as a company, get out and do something." This is exactly the type of thing Wheat Thins has done and many other companies are doing today to attract their consumers and create a relationship with them. Because social media is so huge today, it's going to be the main way to reach consumers and what better way to reach them than by getting out there and taking it to the streets.
The thing that stood out to me in the hour we spent with Mr. Martin was the idea that marketing and PR today is about getting out there. It's about going out on the streets and interesting with consumers. It's about making them feel like they are a part of the brand, company, or product.
Wheat Thins recently started a very successful campaign where they are going out to people's homes or offices where they have tweeted or mentioned Wheat Thins in any type of social media and have been making surprise deliveries to these people. They have then used the footage to create commercials and a youtube site specifically for the campaign. To me, this is one of the best ideas I've seen so far. They are not only getting people involved but they are randomly rewarding those who do mention them and at the same time are making it a surprise! Brilliant. I hope someday I'll be able to think of something this clever for a campaign.
Mr. Martin mentioned, "Instead of just talking about yourself as a company, get out and do something." This is exactly the type of thing Wheat Thins has done and many other companies are doing today to attract their consumers and create a relationship with them. Because social media is so huge today, it's going to be the main way to reach consumers and what better way to reach them than by getting out there and taking it to the streets.
Friday, March 11, 2011
The Evidence-Based Approach
Looking back now on Dr. Kirk's Research class for my Communication Studies major, it's somewhat comical to me how completely and entirely freaked out I was to do "research" in the way that Dr. Kirk was instructing us to do. I had never in my life had to create such an extensive reference list, and to be honest, I had barely even used EBSO or any other library search engine, for that matter. I remember thinking: "When am I EVER going to use this in real life. What's the point? This is wasting precious hours of my life that I could be using to actually create my own work." ... Little did I know, I would soon come to realize research was the most important step in any type of communication. You have to do your research before you can even begin to express your opinion and convey a message to your audience.
This week, Mr. Mike Lake, Chair, U.S. Public Affairs Practice and Southwest Region for Burson-Marsteller, came and talked to us about the importance of research in a campaign and the method B-M sells to it's clients called the "evidence-based approach." B-M is a huge believer in quantitative research and prides itself in being able to provide extensive research to their clients with facts and numbers, not just focus groups and opinions. Mr. Lake told us, "If you want to go out and bill a client, you've got to back it up with data and research." In Dr. Kirk's class, our entire semester was about doing research in order to present a campaign idea to our client. A lot of times what firms do is they research and present what the client already knows about themselves. B-M takes this a step further in that they offer something to the clients that they don't already know.
Mr. Lake talked about a recent campaign B-M is working on in the online gaming industry. In order to best serve their client, they knew they were going to have to do extensive research. They were strategic, however, in how they chose their targets for the research. By choosing the correct targets, B-M was able to provide the very best research results for their client.
In a world where it is increasingly becoming more about the "I want it now" and "high-tech, high-speed outcomes," it's refreshing to hear that good old fashioned research is still one of, if not, the most important step in producing results that work for a client. It's also a relief to know that my countless hours spent sifting through research article after research article will pay off one day when I will hopefully get a client of my own that wants to try an evidence-based approach to communication.
This week, Mr. Mike Lake, Chair, U.S. Public Affairs Practice and Southwest Region for Burson-Marsteller, came and talked to us about the importance of research in a campaign and the method B-M sells to it's clients called the "evidence-based approach." B-M is a huge believer in quantitative research and prides itself in being able to provide extensive research to their clients with facts and numbers, not just focus groups and opinions. Mr. Lake told us, "If you want to go out and bill a client, you've got to back it up with data and research." In Dr. Kirk's class, our entire semester was about doing research in order to present a campaign idea to our client. A lot of times what firms do is they research and present what the client already knows about themselves. B-M takes this a step further in that they offer something to the clients that they don't already know.
Mr. Lake talked about a recent campaign B-M is working on in the online gaming industry. In order to best serve their client, they knew they were going to have to do extensive research. They were strategic, however, in how they chose their targets for the research. By choosing the correct targets, B-M was able to provide the very best research results for their client.
In a world where it is increasingly becoming more about the "I want it now" and "high-tech, high-speed outcomes," it's refreshing to hear that good old fashioned research is still one of, if not, the most important step in producing results that work for a client. It's also a relief to know that my countless hours spent sifting through research article after research article will pay off one day when I will hopefully get a client of my own that wants to try an evidence-based approach to communication.
Friday, March 4, 2011
Agency PR
When I sit down and actually try and think of what it is that I want to do with my life after I graduate from college, so many things come to my mind, I couldn't possibly pick just one. Sometimes I feel like I am five years old again writing down everything I want to be what I grow up. Then the very next day, it all changes.
One of the things that Jennifer Little and Ashley Maddocks from Edelman pointed out as they shared their advice and expertise with us this Wednesday night was that one of the advantages to being at an agency is the opportunity you have to switch around. You can discover your passion after trying out many different options and have the freedom to be able to move around within the company.
I have always been a little afraid of agencies. They have always seemed so big and scary. But after listening to Jennifer and Ashley, I have a brand new interest in agencies and what they might have to offer as I try to find my place after graduating.
Jennifer highlighted this concept perfectly when she said, "If you want a really well-rounded base, an agency's the way to go." I am beginning to agree with her after listening how many opportunities are available to employees within an agency like Edelman. Ashley followed by saying, "Opportunities when you grow as a student and professional will present themselves to you, and they may change what you want." This is exactly what I was looking for. I already change what I want on a regular basis so why not spend my first few years exploring all there is to learn in an agency with a lot of variety and experience.
Maybe an agency wouldn't be as intimidating as I thought. It could be just the place for me! Jennifer and Ashley really did a great job of showing our class just how much exciting agencies can be by pointing out the endless amount of opportunities available. I really enjoyed listening to their stories and advice, and I feel like I'm slowing beginning to put the puzzle pieces of my life after graduation together.
One of the things that Jennifer Little and Ashley Maddocks from Edelman pointed out as they shared their advice and expertise with us this Wednesday night was that one of the advantages to being at an agency is the opportunity you have to switch around. You can discover your passion after trying out many different options and have the freedom to be able to move around within the company.
I have always been a little afraid of agencies. They have always seemed so big and scary. But after listening to Jennifer and Ashley, I have a brand new interest in agencies and what they might have to offer as I try to find my place after graduating.
Jennifer highlighted this concept perfectly when she said, "If you want a really well-rounded base, an agency's the way to go." I am beginning to agree with her after listening how many opportunities are available to employees within an agency like Edelman. Ashley followed by saying, "Opportunities when you grow as a student and professional will present themselves to you, and they may change what you want." This is exactly what I was looking for. I already change what I want on a regular basis so why not spend my first few years exploring all there is to learn in an agency with a lot of variety and experience.
Maybe an agency wouldn't be as intimidating as I thought. It could be just the place for me! Jennifer and Ashley really did a great job of showing our class just how much exciting agencies can be by pointing out the endless amount of opportunities available. I really enjoyed listening to their stories and advice, and I feel like I'm slowing beginning to put the puzzle pieces of my life after graduation together.
Friday, February 25, 2011
What I've Learned - PRSSA Communication Career Workshop
This year, as VP of Professional Development for PRSSA - SMU chapter, I had the honor of planning our annual Communication Career Workshop. When I first discovered what my job would entail, I had no idea what I was getting myself into. I have to tell you that I now have a new respect for anyone who has ever had to or will ever have to plan an event. There is a lot more that goes into it than I could have ever imagined. From the small details of table linens, and food donations, to the gathering of professionals and key note speakers, this was a job that I definitely could not have done without the help of my wonderful exec board.
But as much work as it was, it was probably the most rewarding experience I have had in a long time. To be able to work at something for months and finally see it all fall into place is such a rewarding feeling. Through this experience, I have made connections with students, professionals, and faculty members that I would never have had the chance to meet.
I also got to see how much of a help this workshop can be to students. We had a great turnout of both professionals and students this year and to stand back and watch them interact and learn from each other was incredible. One of the best parts about being in college is that as a student, you can pretty much ask any question you want without coming off as stupid or ignorant. You can introduce yourself to a professional and ask for their advice in any area of life and they are so happy to help in any way they can.
I am so thankful that our Communication Studies Department at SMU offers students opportunities like this to network and learn from professionals in the community. It is so nice to hear from someone who's been through exactly what we are going through right now. By learning from people already out there in the working world, we are all becoming better prepared to head out with confidence that we too will be able to land that job, and once we get it, know how to do the job well.
Perseverance
"Never consider the possibility of failure; as long as you persist, you will be successful." - Brian Tracy
When Wednesday night's speaker, Gail Chandler, APR, first began her career in Communications she was told by a man that she would never make it in this business as a woman. He told her that if he was her father he would never have allowed her to major in Communications. Gail not only proved this man wrong, but she went above and beyond anyone's expectations through perseverance and determination and is now one of the most successful women in the PR world.
Gail mentioned that there was no set path for getting where you are supposed to be - everyone will have their own unique way of finding their dream job. Gail has worked in a variety of industries, from a job at the Goodwill Industries, to working for the Dallas Park Department and DISD to where she is today at Texas Instruments. If she hadn't worked for DISD she would never have gotten her dream job at Texas Instruments.
That thought suck with me long after we left the classroom that night. Gail knew what she loved and stuck with it through a variety of jobs and ended up working in her dream job. Gail made the decision to stick with her job at DISD even though she knew it wasn't quite right, it was a stepping stone in the right direction and that was all she needed to know. Texas Instruments was and still is a huge supporter of Education and the Community. Gail's experience working in the Education industry put her a step ahead of her competitors.
As I make my way into the working world, I have a new found confidence that I will end up where I am meant to be. I may have to persevere through a number of jobs before I get there but that's what life is all about. Living each day to the fullest and learning from and taking advantage of every single opportunity that comes my way. The beautiful thing about life is that we don't have to have it all figured out magically over night. We can make mistakes and then learn from them and we will always have our perseverance to push us to the next level, to keep us striving to be the best we can be.
I hope to follow in Gail's footsteps and take any opportunities that come my way, knowing they are all leading me to reaching my potential and guiding me in the direction of my dreams.
When Wednesday night's speaker, Gail Chandler, APR, first began her career in Communications she was told by a man that she would never make it in this business as a woman. He told her that if he was her father he would never have allowed her to major in Communications. Gail not only proved this man wrong, but she went above and beyond anyone's expectations through perseverance and determination and is now one of the most successful women in the PR world.
Gail mentioned that there was no set path for getting where you are supposed to be - everyone will have their own unique way of finding their dream job. Gail has worked in a variety of industries, from a job at the Goodwill Industries, to working for the Dallas Park Department and DISD to where she is today at Texas Instruments. If she hadn't worked for DISD she would never have gotten her dream job at Texas Instruments.
That thought suck with me long after we left the classroom that night. Gail knew what she loved and stuck with it through a variety of jobs and ended up working in her dream job. Gail made the decision to stick with her job at DISD even though she knew it wasn't quite right, it was a stepping stone in the right direction and that was all she needed to know. Texas Instruments was and still is a huge supporter of Education and the Community. Gail's experience working in the Education industry put her a step ahead of her competitors.
As I make my way into the working world, I have a new found confidence that I will end up where I am meant to be. I may have to persevere through a number of jobs before I get there but that's what life is all about. Living each day to the fullest and learning from and taking advantage of every single opportunity that comes my way. The beautiful thing about life is that we don't have to have it all figured out magically over night. We can make mistakes and then learn from them and we will always have our perseverance to push us to the next level, to keep us striving to be the best we can be.
I hope to follow in Gail's footsteps and take any opportunities that come my way, knowing they are all leading me to reaching my potential and guiding me in the direction of my dreams.
Friday, February 18, 2011
Confidence
“What are your strengths?” “Why are you qualified over everyone else out there for this position/job/role?” … For as long as I can remember I have had the biggest problem answering these questions. In a world where it’s all about getting bigger, better and faster – where a college graduate is now expected to have had a substantial amount of work experience before evening entering the “real world”, it’s hard for me to see myself as “ready”. But Ken Fairchild pointed out that each and every one of us has the tools to go out there and work in any job in the Communications field. All we need to have is confidence.
Confidence can often times be mistaken for arrogance. But Ken Fairchild set the perfect example for us on what true confidence looks like. Ken has had such a successful career and has made such a difference in his field of work yet you wouldn’t know it by looking at him, or by taking a moment to have a conversation with him. Humble, I believe, is the word that fits Ken’s demeanor to a tee. And it is a character attribute that seems to be rare in the working world where the competition is high.
Confidence is not selling yourself short, confidence is believing in yourself and confidence is having faith that you really do have the tools to succeed.
At the start of his lecture, Ken told us if we took away nothing else, he wanted to leave us with confidence. As far as I’m concerned I am always and have always been a work in progress. I can always do better, learn more and work harder. But having confidence doesn’t mean I have to be “finished.” It doesn’t mean that once I jump off the cliff, just like the lemmings, into the real world that I have to know anything and everything there is to know. It just means that I am ready. I am ready to say I can try that, or I will learn that and to have the confidence to know I will be able to get it done.
Friday, January 28, 2011
Making a Difference
From the moment our first guest speaker, Deanna McKinley, Public Relations Coordinator for Frito-Lay stood up and introduced herself to our class, I knew she wasn’t going to be our typical speaker. She had something about her. Maybe it was her bubbly, somewhat silly personality, or the way she could relate to us, but I knew I was going to like her. And boy was I right. Deanna’s contagious enthusiasm about her job got me excited about the possibilities awaiting me after graduation. It doesn’t have to be scary. Deanna reminded us to never be afraid, to start small and to live with no regrets.
As I began to think about everything she talked to us about, the one thing that stayed with me the most was her story about a St. Claire Shores resident, Michelle “Mickey” Wynn. When Deanna was asked by one of our classmates what her most memorable moment or campaign at Frito-Lay was, her answer was simply refreshing and inspiring. Instead of bringing up a huge campaign or a big promotion, she told us about a woman named Mickey who had been sick with Lupus and was in desperate need for a new roof on her house (or she would be evicted). When Deanna heard about this, and the fact that she was having so much trouble raising money for help, it made her sick to think about. But Deanna didn’t just think about it for a minute and move on. She took action. She immediately called some of her connections in Frito-Lay and asked them what they could do to help. They got a crew together and made Mickey’s roof their community service project.
...here's a link to the story: http://www.candgnews.com/Homepage-Articles/2010/10-20-10/Shores-motown-makeover.asp
...here's a link to the story: http://www.candgnews.com/Homepage-Articles/2010/10-20-10/Shores-motown-makeover.asp
Edward Everett Hale once said, “I am only one, but I am one. I cannot do everything, but I can do something. And I will not let what I cannot do interfere with what I can do. “ I believe this quote says is it all. Deanna did what she could with what she had, and although she didn’t fix every roof in the country, she made a difference in one person’s life, and that is worth a whole lot. I think people forget that sometimes. They get caught up in the idea that you have to make a big splash to make a difference, but often times the smallest of actions can add up to make more of a difference than you could even imagine.
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
When I Grow Up...
What do you want to be when you grow up?
I've been answering this question ever since the first grade when we had to give presentations about what we wanted to be when we grew up. At that time, however, I'm pretty sure my answer was a dolphin trainer. It's strange to think that I'm already only a year away from being to that place I dreamed about 12 years ago. Though I think I can safely say that I no longer want to be a dolphin trainer, a doggy daycare owner, or an astronaut, I'm not sure I can give an exact answer of what it is I do want to do with my life.
However, the more time I spend as a CCPA major at SMU, the more things I begin to realize about myself, my passions, and my interests. Whatever I end up doing, I want to wake up every single day filled with excitement to head straight to work in the morning. I want to have a passion and love for my work, and I really want to make a difference in whatever field I end up working in.
I could see myself working for a non-profit someday, or maybe an event planning company. I think I would really enjoy internal relations within a company or even customer relations. My focus in CCPA is mainly PR, which I think is the best way to really gain writing and practical work-related experience that I could apply to many different jobs and areas.
I love being a student and learning from my professors, classmates, and other professionals I've been lucky enough to meet. I am so excited for this class to get started. I have so much to learn from the professionals coming to speak to our class, and maybe along the way, I'll find my true calling and finally be able to answer the question... What do you want to be when you grow up?
I've been answering this question ever since the first grade when we had to give presentations about what we wanted to be when we grew up. At that time, however, I'm pretty sure my answer was a dolphin trainer. It's strange to think that I'm already only a year away from being to that place I dreamed about 12 years ago. Though I think I can safely say that I no longer want to be a dolphin trainer, a doggy daycare owner, or an astronaut, I'm not sure I can give an exact answer of what it is I do want to do with my life.
However, the more time I spend as a CCPA major at SMU, the more things I begin to realize about myself, my passions, and my interests. Whatever I end up doing, I want to wake up every single day filled with excitement to head straight to work in the morning. I want to have a passion and love for my work, and I really want to make a difference in whatever field I end up working in.
I could see myself working for a non-profit someday, or maybe an event planning company. I think I would really enjoy internal relations within a company or even customer relations. My focus in CCPA is mainly PR, which I think is the best way to really gain writing and practical work-related experience that I could apply to many different jobs and areas.
I love being a student and learning from my professors, classmates, and other professionals I've been lucky enough to meet. I am so excited for this class to get started. I have so much to learn from the professionals coming to speak to our class, and maybe along the way, I'll find my true calling and finally be able to answer the question... What do you want to be when you grow up?
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