Family

So for my final blog post of junior year, I wanted to reflect on the past nine months of my life. I've spent a lot of time thinking about words that come to mind when I think of my junior year in college. I think I landed on the perfect word: family.

As a public relations student, I direct a lot of attention to the relationships in my life and use those relationships to keep me focused and driven. I always say how fortunate I am to have such amazing people and mentors in my life. Outside of my immediate family, I have many people who I consider family because of the unconditional support and guidance they've given me and how positively they've influenced my life. 

This year has been chaotic, but I am confident that I have persevered because of the support from all of my families. This blog is dedicated to all of those who have made this year as successful for me as it was and who have had such an amazing impact on my life.

1. The Immediate Family

Those of you who know me can attest to the fact that the only two people I love more than myself are my parents. It's impossible for me to express how grateful I am for their unconditional love and support. I would not be the person I am today if it weren't for their mentorship the past 21 years. I've always said that I've had two of the best role models to look up to, and I attribute my work ethic, drive and leadership  ability to them. 

2. The Dysfunctional Family

When I arrived at Ohio Northern three years ago, I found the three biggest idiots and decided it would be a great idea to become best friends with them. So please meet my three best friends: dumb, dumber and dumbest. Which one is which? Your guess is as good as mine. 

You could argue that these three have been large contributors to the increase in the amount of gray hair on my head. Even though they stress me out to no end, I really wouldn't have it any other way. Believe it or not, these three nimrods are three of the most loyal, trustworthy, caring and fun people I've ever met. They're good for me. I know these three will always have a strong presence in my life. They're special people, who I really care about. 

But I really wish they were smarter sometimes...

3. The Chapter Family

Last year, ONU PRSSA was a group of Ohio Northern public relations students. This year, ONU PRSSA was a family of Ohio Northern public relations students. In reflection of my junior year, I spent more time in the PAC lab with these incredible people, than I did with my girlfriend and roommates. I realized this year how important PRSSA was to me and how passionate I was about the chapter, and I attribute that to the amazing chapter members I was privileged to work with this year.

My ONU PRSSA family pushed me to be better on a local and national level, supported me throughout my many PRSSA endeavors and most importantly brightened my day every time I was around them. I am so proud and honored to be a member of ONU PRSSA, and I know that I will always remain close with these chapter members. It was a great year, and I thank all of you for making it so special.

4. The Volleyball Family

For those of you who have read my blog at all this year, you know that last season was not the greatest for ONU men's volleyball. We rebounded in a big way this year. Last year, we played as a unit of individuals. This year, we played as a team all focused on the same goal. We became a family, and that was a major factor in our success.

This season reminded me of the reason I play volleyball: my passion for the game and how much fun I have when I'm playing volleyball. I'm so proud of the team and what we accomplished this year. These guys have made me a better player, leader and person. We experienced so much together as a family, and I'm so excited for what's in store for the future.

5. The New Family

This April, I ran and was elected to the 2011-12 PRSSA National Committee. This year's committee commented on how close they became as a committee and how they considered one another brothers and sisters. At first, I was skeptical. However, I have a feeling that I'm going to have one of the best years of my life with these nine PR rockstars. 

We haven't yet started our term yet, and I already feel like I've known these guys forever. I'm so excited to work with nine individuals from across the country who are as passionate and excited about PRSSA as I am. I'm confident that we're going to have a successful and memorable year.

6. Lost Family

This January, my grandfather passed away at 90 years-old. My grandfather was a jack of all trades, and he could do it all. He was a teacher, a coach, an artist, a soldier and most importantly a loving husband and father. Grandpa Ralph was a no nonsense man, who experienced so much during his life. The most admirable characteristic that my grandfather possessed was his commitment, loyalty and love for his family. He was a great man.

Some don't consider dogs family members. I completely disagree. This January, my dog Smith had to be put down. Smith was my right hand man. He never had a bad day and was always looking out for me. Smith lived a great long life and was a family and community favorite. I miss him, but I feel so fortunate that Smith was a part of my childhood.

A family friend and personal role model of mine lost her seven year battle with brain cancer two weeks ago. Erin was a remarkable person, who embodied the word fighter. Throughout all the adversity and turmoil, she fought through with sheer bravery and a smile on her face. She was inspirational to hundreds of people. She will be missed, but her legacy will live on forever

Death is a dark and scary word. However from each passing, we have the opportunity to reflect on the qualities that make these people special. Grandpa Ralph, Smith and Erin all possessed qualities that made the people around them better, which is why they were so loved. I will miss them, but will always remember and love them.

7. Graduated Family- Every year, hundreds of students walk across the stage in the field house to receive their college degrees. The past two years, I've said goodbye to several friends. However, this year, I have to say goodbye to four best friends.

Ladies and gentlemen Brittany Bogart. She has either served as the best or worst influence of my college career. Either way, she's one of my best friends. Brit is probably one of the most selfless people I have ever met. Brit always puts everyone else in front of herself. She is loving, caring and most importantly a TON of fun. Some of my most memorable and enjoyable nights have been spent with Brit. 

If you know public relations, you know Renee LeGendre. If you know Renee LeGendre, you like Renee LeGendre. Renee is one of the most genuine, caring, intelligent and thoughtful people I have ever met. She has made me a better practitioner, student, leader and person. I am so thankful for the three years I got to spend with Renee, and I know that our friendship won't end here.

Abby Schaller was the first girl I met at Ohio Northern. As soon as she walked through the door of the men's volleyball house during my overnight, I knew that we were going to be friends. Sure enough, I was right. Abby is one of those exceptional human beings who never has a bad day and you always have fun with. I look up to Abby and admire her optimistic and laid back approach to life. She's a gem, one that I'm really happy I came across.

Everyone has a partner in crime, mine happens to be Ellen Keough. You want to talk about always being on the same wavelength, this pretty much sums up my relationship with Ellen. I can always count on Ellen to take a trip to the nearest fast food establishment with me. She's stood by my side and has supported me during the good times and the tough times. Ellen is a good person and a good friend, and I am so grateful to have her in my life.

The four girls are those quality friends who you just hope that you come across in life. I'm a better person for knowing them. Next year won't be the same without them, but I know that they will always be important people in my life.

8. The Woman

They say behind every good man is a great woman. I'm not sure if I'd call me good, but I do know that my girlfriend is incredible. For those of you who know me, you can attest to the fact that I can be a lot to handle, but she seems to do it extremely well. I would be completely sunk without her. She is my rock.  She is the type of person who I strive to be like. I could go on forever, but this blog is getting a little long: she's a special person.

As you can see, I have some great people in my life who I owe everything to. This blog is my way of thanking all of you for aiding in my personal success and happiness. I have a big and great family and that family has made this year as great as it has been.

Blog or be blogged

The following is a passage from Paul Gillin's The New Influencers: 

Blog or be blogged. If people are already talking about you online, you need a way to respond. Choosing to remain silent will make it look like you're stonewalling. If you don't blog, you're not even in the game.

Until I enrolled in Dr. Alisa Agozzino's social media course, I was completely oblivious to this fact. I don't think that I had a complete appreciation for the blogging population. Just how a majority of professionals and organizations have Facebook and Twitter accounts, to be competitive in the market, blogging is a must. 

Blogging is a controlled way for an organization to communicate and interact with their publics. I also thought that blogging was strictly informal and didn't possess much credibility. In actuality, external publics go to organizational blogs as their first line of resource.

The New Influencers and my personal experience have helped me understand the importance of blogging. Gillin is right on track when he says that to be competitive, you must blog. I appreciate this more now, and I fully plan on continuing to blog after the quarter is over.

Stronger opening paragraphs in PRess releases

As I was rummaging around through Twitter this afternoon, I came across this interesting article that Bill Stoller posted on Thursday. I think this article is extremely important and relevant for public relations students, and I wish I could've read this before I took my Advanced Public Relations Writing course this winter.

Last quarter, I struggled with this aspect of my writing, and Dr. I stressed this points that are touched on by ereleases.

1. Identify the story's news hook- The article talks about how using the "announces" doesn't make a story newsworthy. As public relations practitioners, we need to clearly determine if the story is newsworthy and identify the news hook to keep the readers engaged.

2. Answer the basic details- At the beginning of the year, I tried to cram every little detail in the opening paragraphs. Not the most efficient way of developing a good lead. It's important to answer the five Ws and how. The reader doesn't need to know everything after reading the opening paragraph, he or she needs to know why he or she should care.

3. Cut the crap- Frequently you will read opening paragraphs that include flashy titles or buzzwords. As younger writers, I think we tend to incorporate buzzwords in our opening paragraphs, because we think that it gives our story more appeal and credibility. In reality, it clogs the press release, and writing becomes sensationalized.

4. Ditch the template- If every opening paragraph is identical, stories cannot be differentiated. I love how ereleases stress keep things new and fresh. I think this is crucial in keeping the readers engaged.

5.  Slash unnecessary words- As a younger preprofessional, I wrote as if to impress people. Excessive words were my thing. As much as we love two point words, they don't help in strengthening the opening paragraph of a lead. No need for clutter, just get straight to it.

I didn't realize until this year how much of an art writing as a public relations practitioner is. Every day, I learn something new and evolve into a stronger writer. Pieces like this from ereleases are essential to preprofessionals who continually need to educate themselves in becoming stronger practitioners.

Honor's Day

Everyone has that favorite time of the year. That one holiday, week, weekend or day that you just really look forward to. Some say Christmas or their birthday. For me, there's a tie:

1. Thanksgiving
2. ONU Honor's Day

This weekend, I had the opportunity to relish in Honor's Day of my junior year. This year, I was inducted into Omicron Delta Kappa, the leadership honorary at Ohio Northern. As honored and excited as I was, Honor's Day means more to me than simple recognition. The following are the reasons why I love Honor's Day:

1. Mama and Papa C- A majority of students at Ohio Northern have the luxury of seeing their parents at least once a month. Being from Central Pennsylvania, I do not share in the same luxury. Since my freshman year, my parents have come to Ada for Honor's Day. It means a lot to spend time with my parents, especially during this stressful time of the year.

2. PolaR Bear PRide- Honor's Day always falls on the climax of the OAC Tournament season. For the past two years, the ONU softball team has hosted the OAC Tournament. I get to enjoy some great games and watch my best friends play softball. I love being apart of that innate Polar Bear pride that fills the stadium.

3. ONU Pride- Every ceremony, every meal, every walk, ONU pride just fills the air. I'm a firm believer that this university nurtures excellence. Honor's Day recognizes the people who maintain the level of excellence within the university. It's a celebratory weekend, that I enjoy being apart.

I will always remember my experiences with Honor's Day, and I am upset that my experiences will end next year. I love this university, and I could not be happier about my decision to continue my education here in Ada. 

RIP Erin Dodson

It's amazing the amount of support and love that social media has the ability to generate. I witnessed this first hand last night:

In Fall 2004, Erin Dodson traveled down the road from Altoona, PA to begin her college career at Juniata College. She was the top recruit for Juniata's perennial volleyball team and was expected to immediately make an impact. After complaining about serious migraines, a CT scan revealed that Erin had a tumor on her brain the size of a golf ball. She immediately underwent surgery and began chemotherapy and radiation treatments.

Three months later, Erin wheeled into the convention center in Rochester, MN to be with her teammates in their quest for a national championship after just completing her treatments. I tear up and instantly get goosebumps when I think about that weekend. It was truly a miraculous thing to have been a part of. After making it to the NCAA semifinals 19 times, Juniata won their first title by sweeping Washington University (Mo.).

Since that memorable night in Minnesota, Erin battled through several reoccurrences with cancer. Her #12 jersey was retired in 2008. Erin's passion and love of life was contagious. Through all of the adversity and obstacles, she always remained positive and optimistic with a huge smile on her face.

On Sunday morning, Erin lost her seven year battle with brain cancer.

So what does this have to do with social media? It makes me so happy to see all of the love and support that has flooded Facebook and Twitter. Hundreds of people have commented on Erin's sisters Facebook walls to express their grievances and support. Hundreds of Juniata alumni and students have changed their profile pictures to Erin. Social media has evolved into something so much more than a networking tool. Sunday demonstrated the community dimension of social media. The emotional and loving side of social media.

RIP Erin Dodson - You will always be my hero. I hope someday I can lead a life with as much passion, strength, bravery and heart as you possessed. You have impacted my life more than you could ever imagine. Love you #12.

#twitter

@HunterPR- In preparation for my internship this summer, I deemed it necessary to start tracking the agency's tweets. I would say Hunter uses Twitter as a liaison tool to provide their followers with further information. This week, Hunter tweeted 12 times. Eleven of their tweets had links within the tweet. The agency is also great about incorporating their client's handle within their tweets. Hashtags were only including in one of the tweets. I'm a huge fan of the approach Hunter has with its Twitter account. I think the agency tweets at a healthy rate and uses the account as a reference for their clients. I don't think the absence of hashtags has a negative affect on the agency.

@Snapple- Love me some Snapple. Their Twitter handle, not as much. Snapple is currently promoting the Pursuit of Bestness initiative, which rewards "Snapplys" for drinking Snapple and supporting the organization. This week, Snapple tweeted frequently to say the least. Snapple tweeted at each of their new followers with a link to the Pursuit of Bestness page, where they could redeem their caps and earn points. Snapples replies to pretty much anyone who tweets them. Needless to say, the account is a little cluttered. Snapple incorporates links in many of their tweets, but practically no hashtags. It's clear that Snapple is using their twitter handle as a way of interacting with their customers, instead of an informational platform. Personally, I feel like the handle is cluttered and poorly organized and handled.

@prtini- Heather Whaling is a Columbus practitioner and the president of Geben Communications. Heather is a social media wiz, and her account is the perfect balance of personal and professional. Heather is also the director of the #pr20chat, so hashtags are frequently incorporated in her tweets. She is extremely good about using popular trends, so her hashtags are being used. With such a strong network of fellow professionals and clients, Heather frequently mentions them in her tweets. Heather has a mix of everything in her tweets. She utilizes links, @ mentions and hashtags. I think Heather understands that there isn't a definitive method for communicating with publics via twitter, so tweeters need to be versatile. She accesses Twitter exceptionally well, and with almost 9,000 followers, I would say she's doing a great job.

@PublicityGuru- Bill Stoller is a PR pro from New Jersey, who specializes in social media. Bill has almost 120,000 followers. Needless to say, he's a big deal in the Twitter world. The proclaimed publicity guru is an influencer and the primary focus of his tweets are to serve as a reference for practitioners on how to be successful within the field and how to utilize social media correctly. In his tweets this week, there were no hashtags and only a few mentions. However, almost every tweet had a link. Some of his tweets this week that caught my eye included: 5 words that will get U followed on Twitter, 7 reasons why your press release suck, 5 words that will get you unfollowed on Twitter, 5 PR campaigns that changed the world, etc. @PublicityGuru is the Twitter encyclopedia for public relations practitioners. Bill is such a helpful reference via Twitter. In his personal brief it says "helping others get their share of publicity & social media" and that he does. He uses explosive and attractive words in his tweets, tweets at a healthy rate and provides links to enhance his credibility. Bill is a public relations ambassador, and I know that practitioners are extremely grateful for his help and guidance.

Main Stream vs. Social Media

Paul Gillin uses a great quote from social media influencer Eric Schwartzman in The New Influencers:

"'When it comes to reaching a wide audience, mainstream media may still be the way to go,' he says. 'But to reach an underserved niche audience, social media really has something to offer.'"

This quote is an example of why I have really enjoyed The New Influencers. I think Gillin incorporates basic social facts and principles that social media users are aware of, but aren't being sensitive to. While I was in Seattle for PRSSA National Assembly, we talked about social media and how we need to be sensitive to how we're appropriately using the sites. As practitioners, I think we forget that not everyone is accessing social media and traditional media still needs our undivided attention and must serve as the primary tool for disseminating messages.

I had never really looked at social media as a medium to reach public in an underserved niche, but it completely makes sense. I'm beginning to understand more and more about the usefulness of blogging. Special interest blogs are a great way to identify and communicate with publics.

I appreciate that Gillin draws attention to the importance of mainstream media. As practitioners, we still need to be prepared to develop strong press releases and news materials. Even though our lives have been simplified to 140 characters recently, we still must consider the mainstream media as our primary channel.

Rain rain go away!

Well if the old saying is true, there should be a lot of flowers next month..

I wouldn't call Ada a metropolis for good weather, but usually but this time of the year, the village usually has it together. This hasn't really been the case for the 2011 spring season. At the beginning of the month, I went to Seattle for PRSSA National Assembly. Apparently the rain followed me back to Ada.

I can count on one hand the amount of beautiful spring days we've had this month. We haven't been able to have a cookout, because that witch mother nature would put out the fire. We haven't been able to attend any ONU softball games, because the field is under water. I tried to indulge in a nice night jog on the green monster a few nights ago. It would've worked out well if my shoes wouldn't have absorbed enough water to fill my bathtub.

This is the time of the year that we are supposed to dread leaving school for summer. I think everyone is excited for summer right now, because they're hoping that it will bring nicer weather. This is my last spring quarter, and I was completely looking forward to it. Needless to say, you've let me down Ada.

So this blog is a message to you mother nature: Get it together. You have three more weeks, and I expect nothing but your A game. No more rain. No more sleet. No more thunder and lightning. Give us sunshine. Give us a nice spring breeze. Give me a sunburn.

Looking forward to you stepping it up.

Love,
Joe

Organization Goals

While reading David Meerman Scott's The New Rules of Marketing and PR, I came across an interesting quote:

That's exactly what we marketers and PR people do. We fill our lists with balls and lose sight of the goal. But you know what's even worse. Our coaches (the management teams at our companies) actually encourage us to focus on balls (like sales leads or press clips or Web site traffic statistics) instead of real organizational goals such as revenue. The VPs and CEOs of companies happily provide incentives based on leads for the marketing department and on clips for the PR team. And the agencies we contract with - advertising and PR agencies - also focus on the wrong measures (Scott, 2007, p. 115-116).

I think this is such an important point to make. Taking a campaigns course right now, I really understand the importance of process. Before this year, I didn't really understand the difference between goals and objectives. I also didn't take into consideration that objectives need to be measurable and realistic.

From my experience, practitioners make two common mistakes while establishing a campaign. First, practitioners either confuse strategies and tactics or focus on strategies and tactics before solidifying their goals and objectives. The other common mistake is that practitioners and marketers don't take into full consideration what needs to occur for the campaign's objectives to be successful.

As public relations practitioners, it is our duty to express the importance of establishing strong internal and external relationships and how critical that is to campaign and organizational success. From Scott's readings that's the message that I resinated with me. I think today, we focus too much on results and figures and not on the relationships that need to be formed in order for those results to occur.

YouLove. YouTube.

I think this year, I began to realize what an incredible social media site YouTube is. It used to be that Facebook consumed too much of my time. Now YouTube is giving the social networking site a run for its money. YouTube has also impacted older generations..

This year has been pretty crazy for my parents, especially over the past four months. They both have a lot on their plate both personally and professionally. Unfortunately, they weren't able to make it to watch me play this year. I love seeing my parents in the stands, but I completely understand. Lucky for them, one of my teammates father made it to most of our tournaments and films us. Mr. Woodward is very good about promptly posting highlight reels on YouTube. My dad was telling me about how much he enjoyed being able to watch the highlights and how important it was to him.

YouTube has served as my personal rewind. American Idol performances, volleyball highlights and Rebecca Black music videos are all staples on my channel. It means a lot that my parents can watch me play, even though if it's through a YouTube highlight video. I look for YouTube to play an even more prominent role in the social media world.

Edgar

Dear Blogosphere,

Meet Edgar. He's the newest edition to the Clarkson family and my new best friend! He is a poodle-boxer mix (Yeah, I know), and he is the greatest thing this side of the Mississippi. He's little camera shy and has a fascination for chewing on everything.

January was a tough month for me. A week after I returned to school from Christmas Break, my parents called me and told me that they had to put down our dog Smith. Smith and I were extremely close. Smith was 15 years-old and was an integral part of the Clarkson family and my childhood. Right before I slipped into a state of depression, my dad informed me he got my mom a puppy for Valentine's Day. Edgar and I instantly hit it off. Even though he'll never replace Smith, he's doing a great job filling the void.

My favorite thing about Smith was that he never had a bad day. He was always there to greet me with a huge smile on his face. Smith was more than a dog, he was my best friend and had an innate ability of always making me feel better. I never had to worry about him talking about me, ditching me for his new girlfriend or not texting me back. 

Susan Ariel Rainbow Kennedy said that "dogs are miracles with paws." You can't put a price on the amount of love you can receive from a dog. I'm looking forward to Edgar's stint in the Clarkson household and can't wait to get a pup of my own.

Recruiting with Coach Witte

Recruiting with Coach Witte


In this podcast, Abby Schaller and I sit down with Ohio Northern Women's Volleyball Head Coach Kate Witte to discuss the recruiting process and how it's changed throughout her two decades at Ohio Northern.

Observation

As I read Brian Solis' "Engaged," I stumbled upon a far too familiar topic. Solis touches on observations and how important it is while engaging in social media. He identifies the importance of accurately identifying the target markets' demographics and psychographics.

Demographics and psychographics have been a common theme in my academic journey this quarter. In addition to the relevance the topics have when it comes to social media, the terms have been tossed around frequently in my campaigns, marketing/GIS and consumer behavior courses. The concepts have been crucial to my studies this quarters. I touched on this a while ago, but research is so important to the practice, and as I continue in my preprofessional journey, I'm starting to realize that even more. An understanding of what influences a target market or public is essential in order to effectively communicate with them.

Solis emphasizes that "we learn, earn credibility, and procure strategic intelligence through immersion - before we have an official agenda." This couldn't be closer to the truth. When we focus on collecting information about the demographics and psychographics of our target publics, we are doing so much more than collecting research. We are strengthening the entire communication process as a whole, in turn creating stronger, more meaningful relationships with our internal and external publics.

Ref 101

In reflection of my pre-high school volleyball career (club and high school), I must have been sincerely unpopular among the referees in Pennsylvania. I used to complain about EVERYTHING! There wasn't a call I agreed with. Frankly, I was just extremely unpleasant.

Enter ONU Men's Volleyball, and that all changes..

As part of our team fundraiser, each year we host two weekends of junior olympic volleyball tournaments. We completely manage the entire tournaments (ref, confessions, set-up, tear down). We are all Ohio River Valley certified officials. It's a great fundraiser, and we've experienced a lot of success.

With that said, being a referee has completing changed my outlook on playing the sport and officiating. Officiating is a thankless job. You can never make everyone happy. You have complete strangers yelling at you aggressively. You are expected to know and see everything. I will say that I am a completely different player because of my experience with the OVR. My patience, understanding and support for officials has drastically increased. It's a tough job, and I can appreciate that now.

I learned quickly that my officiating career with most likely come to an end after I live ONU. It's just not for me. I love watching and enjoying volleyball, and as an official you have to worry about so many other aspects of the sport. It works for some people, but not me. I will say that I WILL NOT be the parent who screams and yells about every call. We all know a few.

Twitter Chats. Thanks PR.

In February, I had the pleasure of spending the afternoon with the ladies at Geben Communication. President Heather Whaling discussed some social media channels that I was unfamiliar with during my visist. After listening to the PR pro elaborate, I could tell that she knew a thing or two about social media.

Today, I was shuffling through Twitter and the 2011-12 National PRSSA Vice President of Public Relations Lauren Gray tweeted the link to this article. I browsed through the interesting article and then discovered that Ms. Whaling herself was the author. "The PR Pro's Guide to Twitter" focuses on the benefits of Twitter, and how we as public relations practitioners can utilize the resource effectively.

Heather touches on how the public relations industry can be held responsible for the advent of Twitter chats. As part of one of her initiatives, 2010-11 National Vice President of Chapter Development Kim Ciesla created the monthly PRSSA Twitter Chats. Members of the society have raved about how beneficial and fun the Twitter chats have been. The 2011-12 National Committee is excited about continuing these monthly chats and is open to any feedback or topic suggestions.

The aspect of Twitter that I enjoy the most is how much I continue to learn about the social media site. It seems like new tools and trends are evolving each day. I was extremely skeptical about Twitter when I first established my account. I NEVER imagined that it would have the impact on my personal and professional life that it has. Heather makes a great point at the beginning of the article when she says "140 characters can go a long way." She could not be more right. Professionals have been fully utilizing those 140 characters over the past three years, making Twitter one of the best channels for organizations to reach their publics.

Small is Beautiful

Yet again, Gillin hits the nail on the head. The social media expert has an innate gift of articulating social media in a way for readers to understand. In chapter six, Gillin touches on how "small is beautiful."One particular section of the chapter that caught my eye was when Gillin notes that it's all about the search. Gillin touches on the importance of Google and blogs to aid in the researching process.

New Influencers was written in 2007, and in three short years more dimensions have been added to the researching aspect of the practice. Sites like StumbleUpon, Del.icio.us and Diigo has entered the social media scene. Social media users now have access to more resources outside of Google and blogs.

I think a common misperception of social media is that people confuse social media with social networking. Social networking is an important aspect of social media, but there is more meaning to social media than just networking. People are using social media sites for practical purposes. Social media sites that focus on research provide public relations practitioners with invaluable tools that make our job easier.

Social media is evolving quickly, and I'm sure Gillin would have more content to add to his "small is beautiful" chapter of the book. It's hard to gauge where social media will be tomorrow, let alone two or three years down the road.

The Important Three

My good friend and 2011-12 PRSSA National Vice President of Public Relations, Lauren Gray, tweeted about this article the other day. Geoff Livingston does a great job of pointing out crucial social media sites for public relations practitioners, while forcing me to think about my personal usage of social media.

1.     YouTube – In the article, Livingston notes that 1.2 billion videos are watched by 89 million viewers. These numbers are simply astonishing. Since the video streaming site’s debut in 2006, YouTube continues to draw more traffic. In social media class, we’ve talked about the power of viral videos through the YouTube channel. We’ve also talked about how YouTube is one of the greatest tools for practitioners. Organizations like Connect Ohio use this channel to draw customers. Several campaigns are being launched through this strong channel, and I think that we’re going to see an increase in the usage of YouTube in the future.

2.     LinkedIn- This social media site is a goldmine for public relations practitioners. With more than 100 million users, LinkedIn is a networking hub for practitioners and provides us with a more professional avenue to network and develop. LinkenIn continues to expand on the capabilities that it provides users and is becoming known as one of the more dominant social media sites along with Facebook and Twitter. I have to admit my LinkedIn account needs some work. I think LinkedIn requires more attention to detail. I’ve put “update LinkedIn account” on my to-do list for months now, but haven’t got to it. Livingston makes it clear through his article that I need to hop on the LinkedIn train, especially with my rondez-vu with the job market in a year.

3.     StumbleUpon – I had NEVER heard about this site until I read this article, but for public relations practitioners, this site is a hidden gem. StumbleUpon is a social media site designed for bookmarking and referrals. Even though the site only has 15 million users, professionals are saying that this site is on its way to being a social media powerhouse. The first and arguably the most important step of the RACE model is the research phase. StumbleUpon provides users with a channel to make this step of the practice easier, while also adding the networking dimension. Despite the fairly recent arrival of the site, I think StumbleUpon has the potential to become a universally used site within the field.

Livingston’s article is interesting, because it draws attention to the reality that social media is taking over cyberspace. With sites like Four Square, Yelp and UStream becoming more prominent, social media is making its mark. Avoiding social media is only going to become harder.

All Things (seasons) Come to an End!!

This weekend marked the end of my junior year volleyball season (i.e. final blog about volleyball for the year). Let me set the scene for you:

We won all three of our matches on Thursday, defeating Bryant, Kutztown University and University of Wisconsin – Riverfalls. On Friday, we were placed in power pool with Duke and Mankatu (wherever that is?!) to determine which two teams would advance to the gold bracket, and which team would move to the silver bracket.

After falling to Duke in straight sets during the beginning of the day, the team rebounded to defeat Mankatu in straight sets. With a three-way tie for first place, the two teams with the lowest amount of points scored on the day would square off in a one set dual to 25 points. The winner advances to gold, and the loser competes in the silver bracket.

In an absolute blood bath, we fell to Mankatu 25-27; not really the way we envisioned the tournament playing out.

Joining us in silver bracket play on Saturday was the tournaments third, sixth and ninth seed. Competition would still be fierce. Throughout a long day of tough competition, we played in the silver bracket championship against Missouri State. After dropping the first set pretty convincingly, we came from behind to claim the silver bracket championship.

Yesterday was probably the proudest day of the collegiate volleyball career. It would’ve been easy for us to call it a show after our dreams of a national championship came to an end. However, each member of the team fought hard and displayed a commendable amount of energy and passion toward the sport and the program.

As a prospective student who wanted to play volleyball, I was attracted ONU men’s volleyball program because of the commitment to excellence and pride that the coaches and players embodied. I experienced that tradition of excellence in the purest form yesterday, and that is something that I will never forget.

Being a college athlete can be extremely difficult at times. There is so much mental and physical commitment that is required. With demanding academic expectations and additional involvements, it’s easy to become exhausted and frustrated. However, it’s days like yesterday that reminds me why I chose to play volleyball in college and how important the sport has been in my life.

It was a great way to end the season, and I’m so proud of my teammates. With that said, I’m looking forward to having a bit of a break.

GOAL!

While reading Groundwell, I came across the authors' ten suggestions for starting the dialogue. One of which is extremely relevant to me right now.

2. Determine a goal for the blog.

This is an aspect of my blogging journey that I am struggling with right now. As social media students, we have a designated agenda for our blogs this quarter. As a public relations practitioner, I feel obligated to continue maintaining my blog. However, Groundswell touches on a pointless blog defeats the purpose of blogging. 

I need the blogoshere's help with this. What do you think I should designate as my blog's goal and direction? Who do I want to attract and what do I want to blog about? 

My initial thoughts are to blog about PRSSA, but I think they're elements of my life outside of PRSSA that are interesting and would distinguish me from other bloggers. I need your help bloggers. 

I think that Groundswell makes such a strong point when he talks about have a purpose and direction for  your blog. I trust his expertise and feelings about this.

So bloggers, help me out! Lay it on me! What do you want to read about? What can I provide you that would be beneficial?

PRSSYAY!

This weekend, I attended the 2011 PRSSA National Assembly with Catherine Clampitt in Seattle, a leadership conference highlighted by the election of next year's national committee. I joined PRSSA my freshman year and became a dues paying member last year. I NEVER imagined that this preprofessional society would have the impact on me it has. 

We heard from several professional speakers and ONU graduates, who discussed the incredible impact that PRSSA has had on their lives. As a freshman, I admired them, but always saw my passion for volleyball being the focus of my college career. Sitting here today, I cannot emphasize enough how unbelievably proud and honored I am to be a leader and member of PRSSA.

PRSSA is the largest preprofessional society in the world with more than 10,000 members. The society provides public relations' students with the opportunity to develop and grow as professionals through invaluable networking experiences. I have met some of the most incredible professionals and people, who have served as wonderful role models. 

Members receive unconditional support from the PRSSA mentors and PRSA members. Their dedication to the practice is admirable, and their passion for public relations is contagious. This weekend, I spoke with several professionals who confirmed the value of our practice and the reason why I have dedicated so much energy toward PRSSA.

I have the PRSSA bug, and I am proud to say so. My experience thus far has been nothing short of amazing. For those students who are not involved with PRSSA and are passionate about the practice, I HIGHLY encourage you to join PRSSA! You have nothing to lose and absolutely EVERYTHING to gain. Joining PRSSA was the best decision I have made in college, and I could not be more grateful to all of the mentors who have supported me along the way.

PReparation

In our Introduction to Public Relations courses, Dr. Iseman and Dr. Agozzino frequently discuss the importance of the RESEARCH function within the RACE model. So many times, we have heard as students that we will not be able to practice public relations effectively or be competitive within the market unless we develop into strong public relations researchers.

Today, I learned first hand the importance of strong research and great PReparation as a public relations practitioner.

I'm currently in Seattle for the 2011 PRSSA National Assembly. For those who don't know, National Assembly is a leadership conference for PRSSA members, highlighted by the election of next year's national committee. I was a candidate for the PRSSA Vice President of Internships/Job Services. Each candidate delivered a five minute speech, followed by a 15 minute Q&A when voting delegates have the opportunity to ask questions.

Over the past four months, I have done some serious research to prepare for today's election. I have talked to several current committee members, several past committee members and ONU alum who have assembly experience. In addition to talking to several helpful resources, I thoroughly navigated through the Internship Center. I listened to the advice of my mentors who said you have to be PRepared and perform all of the appropriate research. Man was I happy that I did.

I ran against an exceptional candidate, who is a great representative of the society. Had I not done the research I had, she would have wiped me up. The delegates asked thought provoking questions that challenged candidates running for all positions.

Today, I've never understood more about the importance of research and PReparation. Especially within the field, your fellow practitioners expect you to go above and beyond in terms of research.

The delegates elected me to serve as 2011-12 Vice President of Internships/Job Services. I am so incredibly excited and appreciative. Being part of the national committee was extremely important to me, and I know it wouldn't have happened if I wasn't as PRepared as I was.

Today has inspired me to speak to the Introduction to Public Relations course and preach to young public relations' students about the importance of research. I didn't have the appreciation when I was younger, and hopefully I can reach out and connect with them about the vitality of PReparation within the PR practice!

Putting the Public Back in Public Relations

"The Internet has made public relations public again, after years of almost exclusive focus on media. Blogs, online news releases, and other forms of Web content let organizations communicate directly with buyers."

I thought this was an interesting point made my David Scott. I could not agree with Scott more. The media has been a focal point of the public relations practice for years. Since the advent of social media, organizations have been able to take a more direct approach toward communicate with their target publics. Though the media are phenomenal resources for public relations practitioners, this medium is not always controllable and can affect PR approach.

I think we're really going to see a drastic shift in where the public goes for credible information. I think the media could lose it's touch, when the public goes to blogs, organizational websites and resources and organizational social media accounts for news.

Scott is dead on when he talks about the importance of social media. These resources provide practitioners with an avenue to communicate directly with our public. We now have the opportunity to present the appropriate messages to develop mutually beneficial relationships with our publics.

Some question whether or not social media will die. To me, I just can't see it happening. Unless another resource surfaces that enables us to communicate with our public as quickly as we are, social media is here to stay.

Adversity

So, this wasn't the best weekend for ONU men's volleyball.

We competed in the MIVA Championships at Ohio State University this weekend. Against some of the best teams in the country, we finished the weekened with a 1-5 record. Not what we're use to.With one starter unable to play because of a finger injury, we experiemented with several different lineups and had different personel on the floor throughout the weekend.

It's difficult to reflect on tournaments like this, because as a competitior, I want to immediately erase this from my memory. However, these are the athletic experiences when we have the greatest opportunity to grow and learn as a team and as individual players. In the words of the great John Wooden, "failure is not fatal, but failure to change might be."

This quote by the legendary UCLA basketball coach could not be more applicable to our situation right now. Our season has not come to an end, and we have an opportunity to look at what we did this weekend and make the necessary changes before the national tournament in two weeks.

The national tournament is three days of nothing but volleyball. It's a race to the finish, and teams that run out of gas are left behind with no AAA to bail them out. Each team is faced with adversity during the three day event, and the teams that handle adversity the best are the ones that are successful. Our team didn't handle adversity as well as we could have this weekend.

So even though, I want to throw this weekend out and immediately take out the trash, I need to go through the junk and search for the important elements that I can't play without. Even in the eight short hours since the tournament ended, I've thought about the ways I need to be a better player, teammate and leader.

This year's team has something special, and I refuse to end this season on the same note as my two previous years as a Polar Bear. Even though, we're frustrated with the way this weekend played out, it could be a blessing in disguise. This could be the wake-up call that we needed, and the final lessons that we had to learn before our run to reclaim the national title.

Campaign American PetRoleum Institute

This quarter, I am enrolled in Dr. Ag's Campaigns class. This is the third campaigns class I've taken with Ag, and each Campaigns class I grow as a student and a professional. I have big expectations for this campaign, but things are a little different this time.

1. The main objective of the campaign is to "effectively educate the target market, the 18-25 year old range, on national energy issues." This has already proven to be a challenge for me, considering that I'm energy illiterate.

2. We are working for the American Petroleum Institute as part of the energy tomorrow: america's challenge. We have until April 15 to complete the campaign (an extremely tight deadline).

3. As part of the competition, we aren't implementing the campaign. Our team is strictly instructed to come up with a campaign plan. Even though this is much different than we are use to, given our tight deadline, not implementing will save us a lot of time and stress.

4. The class consists of nine students, and we are all working on the campaign together. This is much different from the groups of four or five that we have worked with in the past. I was skeptical at first, but we have a strong group dynamic that has worked out wonderfully so far.

If we place in the top three, we will go to San Francisco to present our campaign. With money and our public relations program's reputation on the line, we mean business!

This campaign will challenge us in much different ways. Energy issues aren't a hot topic among 18-25 year olds. We will have to be creative and innovative in our strategies and tactics to reach our target public.

The two previous campaigns I've worked on have been great learning experiences. This time around, it's more about doing!

**The following link is a survey for our research. If you are an ONU student, who has NOT completed the survey already, please take a minute or two to complete this survey. We really appreciate it.**

ONU GET CONNECTED!

ONU GET CONNECTED

Don't Blink on the Link

As I delve further into Paul Gillin's "The New Influencers," I'm starting to resinate with some of Gillin's words of wisdom. In the beginning of the chapter, Gillin refers to links as "the currency of the blogosphere." This is something that I immediately identified and agreed with. Prior to my experience with this blog, I did have some experience with a forum called Volley Talk.

I wouldn't necessarily call Volley Talk a blog, but it definitely has blogging characteristics. For an avid college volleyball fan like myself, Volley Talk is a sanctuary. Volley Talk is different from blogging in that conversations varying in topics are started, with members continually commenting on them. Similar to blogging, Volley Talk is a great way to get information, and Volley Talk users are held accountable for what they say. I do not comment, but do marvel at the insightful and idiotic things these volleyball fans post on the Internet.

Back to "The New Influencers"...

The best part of Volley Talk is the references volleyball fans have access to. When people post, they frequently provide links with articles and videos: an absolute goldmine for volleyball fans like me. I tend to resinate with the Volley Talk users who post links and videos, because personally I think it gives them more creditability. So yes, I completely agree with Gillin when he says that links are in fact the "currency of the blogosphere." I think links though are money for both the readers and the bloggers. Links make you worth more to the public. Let's face it, nobody likes the generic brand that's not worth much. They want the quality product, that has some value.

Just for fun..

YEAH STATE!!

It's PhRiday

So last week's hot topic was Jim Tressel. This week, we're going to talk about Miss. Rebecca Black. Those of you who have lived under a rock for the last week, Black is a 13-year old singer who released her first single "Friday" this week. Within a week, Black's single reached the Top 50 on iTunes. From a social media standpoint, Black is a QUEEN!

The music video for the single was released on YouTube this week! Black can credit the video streaming site for her success. On Th-Thursday (hahah punny), the video had been viewed more than 12 million times. Three days later, the video has been viewed close to 27 million times. Black and her single have been the hot topic this week, and the young singer is clogging the media circuit. Her YouTube run has proved to be extremely beneficial in exposing Black to the public.

Black has also been the victim of tough criticism via social media sites. Facebook, Twitter, Blog and YouTube users have posted harsh comments about the 13-year old and her new single. Sure, "Friday" isn't the most lyrically deep song on the airways today, and Black is definitely not the next Aretha Franklin. However, I'm going to take a different approach. I think Black is refreshing.

Too often, we are exposed to young singers who are acting 15 years older than they really are. Black isn't singing about love or whipping her hair or talking about how she can't be tamed. I don't think that our youth have the best role models. So yeah, she's not the best singer in the world, but Black isn't provocative or scandalous, and she acts her age.

Third Time is the Charm!

For those of you who don't know, I am a proud member of the ONU men's volleyball team. This weekend we are hosting the GMMVC championships. In February, we played six of the teams in our conference. On Saturday, we will play the final three teams left. Based on the results from February's playdate and Saturday, the championship tournament will be finalized and played on Sunday.

My freshman year, we lost in the semifinals to Cincinnati (eventual champs). Last year, we made a valiant effort through the tournament, but lost in the semifinals to Dayton in dramatic fashion. This year, I have a feeling that the third time will be the charm..

We are currently 6-0 in conference play and are three wins away from capturing the GMMVC regular season championship. This year has been the most successful year for the team since I've arrived at Northern. This team gets it; we just click. We have the home court, and I have a feeling that the team is ready to take the championship.

If you have the chance, come over to King Horn to support us! I think we've got something special in us this weekend!

YEAH BEARS!!

PeRsonal

So to kill two birds with one stone, I dove into Paul Gillin's "The New Influencers" while exercising on the elliptical. To set the scene, I am a lanky 6'3" human being. Reading and taking notes on the elliptical = POOR LIFE DECISION. My girlfriend saw me and said "please don't do that again, you look ridiculous."

However, in the chaos that was my multi tasking effort, Gillin touched on something that caught my attention.

"Blogs give individuals a way to express their voices in a way that is highly personal and controllable."

In my short lifetime as a blogger, I have noticed and appreciated the PeRsonal aspect of blogging. I'm not incredibly concerned with grammar or AP style. I'm not trying to think of the most intelligent word to say. It's my PeRsonal journal (that anyone with an Internet connection can view).

This blog has my PeRsonal slant on, and I have the ability to control the content of the blog. I didn't understand the appeal of blogging, but as I continue my blogging journey, I'm starting to figure this whole thing out. Gillin touches on the immediacy and convenience that blogs offer users. PeRsonally, I have been surprised at how much I have enjoyed my blogging experience. I have a feeling that as I progress with Gillin's book, my passion for blogging and social media will progress as well.

2.1

This week, I had the privilege of working the OHSAA playoff games hosted by ONU. I coordinated the post-game press conferences. In addition to some great PR practice, I watched some really good basketball.

On Saturday, Celina and Van Wert squared off for the Division II District Final. After watching some teams in semifinal action on Wednesday, I was expecting a good game. My expectation were certainly exceeded. 

This was the scene with 2.1 seconds left to play. Celina had the ball on their end of the court. I found myself shaking. I had no affiliation with either team, but at that moment of the game all of the emotions and feelings that I felt as a high school athlete came rushing back to me.

Van Wert was able to force a turnover, giving them the game and the district title. RIOT ENSUED! But, I sat back and watched.

I looked at the Van Wert crowd and remembered the exciting feeling when your team has just pulled out a thrilling victory. The Van Wert students were cheesin' and the parents crying tears of joy. I could tell that Corey Clifton (Van Wert's star player who dropped 27 points) was on top of the world after he drained a pair of game winning free throws.

On the flip side, my heart went out to the Celina nation. It's the worst feeling when you watch your friends and/or loved ones lose in such a heartbreaking fashion. My last high school volleyball match ended in a thrilling five-set fashion, the final set being 24-22. I felt for senior forward John Homan, who was crushed after the game. It's an awful feeling when your high school athletic career comes to an end, especially the way his did.

So where I am going with this? The ONU Sports Center was flooded with school and community pride. That gym underwent every single emotion in a quick hour and a half. Those Van Wert and Celina players, coaches and fans will remember Saturday night for the rest of their lives. Some of my favorite memories as an adolescent involved volleyball games and intense swimming races.

I went to that game to do a job. I had to check in the media and coordinate the press conference. More important, I got to experience a moment. I'm a firm believer that sometimes you have to embrace the environment that you are in and what you are experiencing.

2.1 seconds is all those ten players on the court had. A short amount of time, but I'm sure they will never forget what happened in those 2.1 seconds.

PRactice what you PReach?!

So I wanted to branch out and not write about Jim Tressel and the OSU football scandal that is currently flooding the media. However, as a PR student at a private institution in OHIO, I couldn't resist.

I have read Coach Tressel's book The Winner's Manual as a sophomore in college, which I thoroughly enjoyed and found extremely inspirational. Last month, Coach Tressel spoke at the Central Ohio Public Relations Society of America Luncheon. Coach Tressel spoke about the five Rs in public relations. He was captivating, and even though he isn't a public relations practitioner, I believed that he possessed a good grasp of the practice.

However, I can't help but be a little disappointed...

1. I don't think Tressel and the OSU camp have handled this crisis extremely well.
2. If the accusations are indeed true, and Coach Tressel knew of these NCAA violations, this hurts the credibility that Tressel has established over his years of coaching and mentoring.

USA Today columnist Christine Brennan had no problem addressing Tressel's hypocrisy. Brennan was quick to point out that the football coach recently released "his latest book, Life Promises for Success: promises from God on achieving your best, is a collection of 'inspiring readings and Bible promises designed to encourage those seeking to success in every area of life.'"

Tressel has built strong relationships with his internal and external publics based on his "firm belief" on the importance of honor and integrity, something that as a PR guy, I have always applauded. However, this week's events aren't watering the beautiful garden that Tressel has tended to for several years now.

My approach on this situation is not quite as extreme as Brennan's. However, OSU needs to step it UP!! They have possession of the ball, but could lose this game if they throw the ball away. Tressel is a public relations practitioner's dream, because of the relationships he has formed and nurtured. It would be unfortunate if that all goes to waste.

Hola!

Hello Blogosphere!

It is now time for me to hop on the blogging bus and get on the social media interstate. I must admit, I have always been critical of blogging. I never really understood the purpose and have always felt that blogging gives egomaniacs another channel to talk about themselves and complain about things that they have no control over. However, I am ready to turn a new leaf.

Spring brings warm weather, big smiles and tons of news. Spring is a sizzlin' time for ONU festivities and PR action, which will be the focus of my blog. I have a great feeling that this is going to be a great spring. The weather will be great, the end of the year will be exciting and maybe I will become a fan of blogging. We shall see...

Ready or not Blogosphere, HERE I COME!!