Chase for a Cure

Last week PRSSA held a fundraising walk on Temple’s campus to raise money for Fox Cancer Research. Members of PRSSA, PRowl, and the Temple student body as a whole came to the track on Sunday morning to support the cause. With opportunities to win raffle prizes, buy homemade treats, and enjoy a beautiful day to bond with friends, the event was a huge success. In total over 125 students participated and $3,239 was raised.

This walk is one of the many events organized by Temple students every year. Whether it is on campus or off, there are always plenty ways to get involved as a volunteer. Outside of the obvious benefits of raising money for a good cause, there are plenty of other reasons you should put aside some time to do volunteer work.

The first is the importance of getting involved in your community. It only makes sense that you want the place you live to be inclusive, vibrant and safe. Volunteering with causes like Adopt-a-Block directly impacts your community in a positive way.

The second reason to volunteer is that it shows potential employers that you’re well-rounded, caring, and overall want to dedicate your time to something that matters. Volunteer experience is always something important to include, especially if you are new to your major and don’t have a lot on your resume,

The final reason to volunteer is simply because it feels good! Knowing that you’ve made a difference in someone else’s life is a reward in and of itself.

Now that it’s summer, take the time to sign up for a 5K, organize a canned food drive, or anything else you can think of to benefit your community. Or if you’re looking to get creative, you could always look into events like Firefly or Made in America, and gain free admission to these with your volunteering time. Whatever the benefit is, get out there and find something you’re passionate about to be a part, even if that passion is for music festivals.  

This guest blog post was written by PRowl staff member Christina Clemence. 

A Very Philly Summer

With summer right around the corner, it’s easy to forget about school and work, and hard to not think about relaxing for a few months. Staying in Philadelphia for the summer opens doors to mini getaways and a plethora of opportunities. Summer in Philadelphia is the perfect time and place to attend networking and volunteering events that help you expand your network.

Philadelphia houses hundreds of nonprofits that support different causes. Volunteering for them not only feels good and allows you to give back to the community, but it is a great way to form relationships and network. Start by browsing through the Get Involved section of Campus Philly’s website to find the perfect non-profit for you to volunteer with. Once you find it, reach out to the development or events coordinator to learn about the volunteering opportunities offered and create a relationship with the coordinator. Who knows, becoming a volunteer could land you an internship or your first or second job!

Attending formal networking events or seminars may be more feasible in the summer for those who are not taking classes. Returning to your alma mater for the summer to take advantage of these opportunities is a good start. Colleges often have multiple alumni societies filled with fun networking events for graduates and current students. A personal favorite is Temple University Women’s Network. Its events not only encourage members to form professional relationships with other Temple women, but also to create friendships.

The Young Professionals Network (YPN) offers networking and professional development opportunities for young professionals interested in learning from other recent graduates and experienced professionals. Also, if you are a dues-paying member, look out for emails from PPRA and PRSA featuring networking and professional development events held in the city.

Sometimes we forget Philadelphia is a city filled with opportunities for professional development. Now that you’re aware of them, find your perfect event and get ready to network!

This guest blog post was written by PRowl staff member Miljenka Sakic.

Give a Little: How you can Start your Career in Non-Profit PR

As an aspiring PR professional, there are many fields that you can chose to gain experience in.

Do you enjoy helping others? Are you passionate about fighting for social justice?

If so, non-profit public relations may be the field for you.

Some people chose fashion/entertainment PR, others chose agency, but if you answered yes to either of the above questions, you may just find your passion in the non-profit realm.

Even though the name suggests otherwise, non-profit organizations do have the ability to pay their employees. The name “non-profit” merely means that the organization isn't primarily concerned with making a profit for themselves (meaning they give their profits to other organizations or groups of people).

If you are interested in breaking into the non-profit PR field, volunteering is key.

It’s great to have an internship, but if you are an underclassmen or you don’t have the time to fully commit to one, volunteering can be your saving grace.

Also, in many cases, non-profit organizations look to people that they know are great workers when a job opens, and often times, the hiring manager looks at the organization's pool of volunteers.

The other benefit associated with volunteering is that you will be able to narrow down your field of interest even further. As there are many different kinds of PR, there are many different kinds of non-profit organizations.

Are you interested in helping people, the environment, or animals? What about all three?

Luckily, there are many different non-profits in the world, so you may be able to find your perfect match! By volunteering at multiple organizations, you may be able to narrow down your search and find the type of non-profit PR that is right for you.

The other great thing about volunteering is that you can still build your professional portfolio. Even if you don’t have a for-credit internship, any of the work that you do for the organization is yours to use professionally. Any types of press outreach that you do while volunteering can add to your qualifications.

Have you volunteered at a non-profit organization? If so, please share your experience below in the comments!

Make the Most of Your Winter Break

The countdown has officially begun (26 days!) to the end of the semester.  No more tests, no more 8 a.m. classes, and no more homework keeping us up all night. Winter break is right around the corner and everyone is looking forward to a couple weeks of rest and relaxation.

Between the snowball fights, holiday meals, and movie marathons, it's easy to forget that school breaks are the perfect opportunity to better yourself, personally and professionally. You finally have the free time you wanted all semester and you might as well do something productive with it, right?

I don't mean that you finally get around to organizing your sock drawer or delving into a marathon of that show you've been meaning to catch up on. Winter break is the ideal time to be proactive.  Here are a few suggestions:

• Read a book: This is something you can finally do without interruption!
  
• Do a job shadow: Even one day of a job shadow can be beneficial, and it will be a great talking point in an interview for spring.
  
• Volunteer: The holidays are the perfect time to help others.
  
• Hit the gym: No excuses now! You have the time and deep down you have the motivation too.

What are you most looking forward to doing over break? We'd love to hear from you!

PR In Any Setting

As a high school student, I was under the impression that to have a career in public relations I had to be located in the city to be successful. Upon coming to school in the city I have learned that while being in a city is certainly a beneficial choice, public relations can be practiced almost anywhere. Since many of my classmates are out of the city for the summer, I have compiled a list of ways to practice your public relations skills in any type of living environment:

The city: We’ll start with the easiest and most straightforward. Finding ways to practice PR in the city is pretty easy if you know where to look! There are internships and volunteer opportunities coming out on a regular basis. A lot of big companies have headquarters in cities so you can get experience working in corporate PR or get internships with both small and large companies. There is also great opportunity for you to work on street teams and do promotion for your favorite artists or companies. Check out the websites of your favorite bands, venues, or companies to see if you can get involved with their promotion teams.

The suburbs: The suburbs are somewhat of a best of both worlds situation. You can find a lot of opportunity to get involved with projects that are centered around the city but not directly in it. For example, many radio stations are located in the suburbs of major cities. Try contacting your favorite local station to see if you can help with any of their local promotional events or pass out flyers for them. Who knows, you might be able to score free tickets to a show for your efforts!

The country: If you are from an area where there is not much around, there are still ways that you can practice your PR skills at home! Contact your local high school or middle school and see if you can work with their public relations director on campaigns for the school. Also, local business can always use promotional help so contact owners of local shops to see if they can use your expertise!

Opportunities can be found anywhere, you just have to know where to look. Have you gotten PR experience outside of the city? We would love to hear about your experience!

This guest blog post was written by PRowl Staff Member Lexi Drexler. 

Networking: It Doesn't End in May

Think summer is the perfect opportunity to lounge by the pool while catching up on the latest Kardashian gossip?  Well, guess again.  The final exams and term papers may be over (for now) but there are some responsibilities that don’t end with the spring semester. Summer break is ideal for maintaining and building relationships through networking.

It’s important to keep in touch with the contacts you’ve made throughout the school year.  At the end of the day, it’s much easier to maintain relationships with PR professionals than continually create new ones.  Sending an email or a tweet to continue your communication with a contact is simple and meaningful.

Use the free time to your advantage.  Instead of watching three seasons of How I Met Your Mother in one sitting, spend your time doing something that will be beneficial to you in the long run.  The summer is full of outdoor events and festivals; get your name and face out in the industry by working as a volunteer. The Electric Run and Wawa Welcome America! are two great Philadelphia events that are always looking for PR volunteers.

If you’re spending your break at a summer internship, get the most out of the experience by requesting a one-on-one meeting with your supervisor or employer.  If you’re interested in continuing your professional career with the organization, they will be the best resource you have for advice so an informational interview is ideal.  This not only builds your relationship but it shows you are serious and committed to the organization.

Finally, if you have a PR professional in mind that you’d like to contact in the future, summer is a great time to prepare.  Do some research on their current position and the agency or organization they work for so you are ready to connect with them when you step back on campus in the fall.

Most people use the summer as a break from their academic and professional responsibilities, which makes it the perfect time to create new contacts and stand out from the crowd.  So put down the tabloids, pick up your business cards and get to summer networking!

This guest blog post was written by PRowl Staff Member Jaime Martorana.

Make the Most of Your Internship-less Summer

Summer used to be synonymous with lazy days by the pool, barbecues and copious amounts of Philadelphia water ice. But for college students, summer takes on a whole new meaning: internship season.   However, not everyone can land their dream internship this summer.  The sting of what feels like a missed opportunity can be discouraging.  But with the right amount of resourcefulness, this summer can be a jumping off point to fill your weeks with relevant, resume-building and gratifying experiences.  

Network, network, network:  Networking is invaluable and can be your key to ensuring internship positions down the road.  Social media, particularly sites like LinkedIn, allow you to network with professionals from your hometown this summer.  Reach out and connect with professionals on all social media platforms while pushing out content that showcases your involvement in the online PR community.

Blog: An internship-less summer means free time to expand your writing portfolio.  In this digital age, one of the best ways to do that is to begin a blog.  Blogging is a great way to showcase your creativity, fine-tune your writing skills and connect with other bloggers with similar interests.  Unsure of where to start when creating your blog? Check out this recent PRowl post: “Blog Branding”

Volunteer: Summer is a busy time for most companies and organizations.  With an event-laden schedule, this is a great opportunity to make yourself available as a resource.  Volunteer with a local organizations to assist with social media, marketing, special events, creating promotional materials or whatever piques your interest.  

Enjoy the break: While it’s important to stay goal-oriented throughout the year, summer break is meant to be exactly what it sounds like: a break! After your hard work in the classroom or in your internships throughout the year, take advantage of this refreshing free time.   By taking it easy this summer, you’ll come back to school recharged and ready to perform at your very best throughout the following year.  

So when faced with the prospect of an internship-less summer, get creative with ideas that will make you just as marketable in the future.  Let us know how you plan to spend the dog days of summer!

This guest blog post was written by PRowl Staff Member Cara Graeff.

Feed me Flyers!

Sunday I worked my second Flyers Wives For Lives Carnival and this year I had a new perspective as a volunteer selling out 4,000 Mystery Bags.  Flyers Charities did a great job organizing and informing hundreds of much needed volunteers showing how a small organization can run a successful event raising over one million dollars in one day.

Day of, volunteer coordinators, and Dunkin’ Donuts (thank God!), were anxiously awaiting our arrival. As we were named our assignments we continued to our individual destinations awaiting the doors to open. The Carnival was chaotic with Flyers fans loving every opportunity to meet and great favorite players and alumni. Volunteers came around every hour with snacks and sandwiches for other volunteers working various booths and games to keep the momentum of the day.

 

“The Flyers Wives Carnival is a long-standing Philadelphia tradition.  I remember attending as a teenager and meeting players like Eric Lindros.  Now that I am on this side of the event, I get to see first-hand everything that goes into making the Carnival happen,” said Theresa Russell Development Manager for Comcast-Spectacor Charities. “We are so grateful to the many people that help us behind the scenes to get the building ready and, of course, the huge team of volunteers who offer their time at the various booths throughout the day.  The Flyers Wives Carnival wouldn't be the event it is without them”.

The organization did a fantastic job with their hundreds of volunteers from the initial information to execution on the busy day.

How I Found My PR Way: Tree House Books

When I registered for my US Society Gen-Ed class, Education in the Global City, my last expectation of the class was to find the field of PR that I wanted to work in. As a requirement of our class, we needed 1 hour per week of fieldwork in an urban education setting and I decided to start tutoring at Tree House Books.

A non-profit, fully functional bookstore and tutoring center just a block off of Temple’s campus, Tree House Books opened my eyes to what I could be doing with my current studies and I quickly began thinking about everything in a public relations perspective! I was on a mission for Tree House to get the attention that it deserved and the money it needed.

As the secretary of Young Friends of Tree House Books, a student organization dedicated to keeping Tree House open, I quickly outlined the important PR tips that we needed, to make the correct contacts and get necessary donations.

Personalization- A donation request letter is not a cut and dry template used universally, rather, it is a personal letter to an organization so you can show why you truly need this donation and set yourself apart from others that may also need a donation. Address your letter “Dear friends at…” and make sure to include how their company’s donation will help not only you, but also how it will benefit the company. By working with local company’s and organizations, we are not only promoting Tree House but we are also promoting the company that made a donation, it is a mutually beneficial relationship that cannot start with a “to whom it may concern”.

Follow up, do not lose that relationship! People are busy, we all know this, so do not fret when a company does not get back to you, but follow up to make sure they have not forgotten. Be persistent, not annoying and make sure to re-iterate the importance of the donation as well as how the company will benefit, not just your non-profit. Also, if you do receive a donation, keep the company posted on how you are using it, whether it is money, gift cards, etc., by sending a hand written thank you card and if possible, include a photo that can show their donation in use. In the case of Tree House Books, many local companies made donations for a raffle basket, so in our thank you cards, we will include a photo of the basket as well as posting it via social media and linking it to the company’s sites. An extension of this is each year, we send out our annual report to all of our donors, to show them our year summed up in order to keep our relationship and our donors informed.

Social Media- Social media in non-profit public relations is pivotal, because not only is it a way to get information out to many publics, it is simple and FREE! Keeping up with social media sites are a great way to reach out to potential donors as well as keeping them updated and interested in everything going on. Reaching out is different then harassing companies on social media, so make sure you are including them in a conversational way and not just pushing your posts and events! Remember, they are helping you!

Have you ever worked with a non-profit? Any other tips that have worked? Let us know!

This guest blog was written by PRowl Public Relations staff member Brianna Rooney.

Volunteering: A Resume Booster

I have found myself abnormally busy this semester with many of my new job titles, leadership positions, classes and a pending job search. I decided to finally admit I'm human for a change and realized that I had way too many responsibilities to fully dedicate myself to an internship. To fill up what little free time I do have, I decided to begin volunteering my time with organizations that are both important to me personally and professionally. Many people volunteer their time and fail to recognize the importance of the work they are doing and how it could potentially benefit them in their career search. An blog post I found on Brazen Careerist provided great ways how volunteering may help your career more than you think:

Don’t use the title “volunteer.”

The adjective alone doesn’t convey the work you accomplished. Instead, use a title that better represents the specific duties your volunteer work entailed.

For example, if you donated your time helping at-risk students with their homework, use the title “tutor” and outline the skills you used — and gained — such as problem solving or counseling. The fact that the work you did was unpaid should appear in the job description, but first grab the potential employer’s attention with an accurate job title.

Describe your charity work in terms of achievements.

This is especially important when tailoring your resume to submit for a particular position. Frame your volunteer experience to highlight the skills most important and applicable to the job you’re applying to.

For example, did you supervise a staff or committee of volunteers? That requires a variety of skills, from time management to motivation. Did your volunteer work require you to speak publicly or write press releases and promotional materials? These skills apply to almost any position and impress employers, so make sure to draw attention to them.

Volunteer work should supplement, not distract.

Many young professionals have had numerous internships and volunteer posts or held positions in countless clubs and student groups. So it’s easy for volunteer work to overwhelm professional accomplishments on a resume. While it’s important for employers to get a full picture of your skills and attributes, be picky about the charity work you include on your resume. “A resume is meant to show a potential employer what you’ve proven you can do,” Ellis says. “It is not meant to be a recitation of every job you’ve ever held.

How do you think volunteering has helped you in your career or job search? Let us know!

Volunteering for Events

PRowl Public Relations staff members have encouraged students to volunteer. Volunteering at an organization or an agency is a great way to gain experience in public relations without having an internship. Even if you do have an internship, volunteering is a way to gain additional experience on the side.

Volunteering for events allows you to obtain experience in several hours or in a day or two. For example, I will be volunteering for the judging event for the Philadelphia ADDY Awards this Saturday. From 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., I will help the judging process run smoothly. Not only will I gain insight into how an event such as the ADDY Awards is run, but I will also have the opportunity to meet and socialize with judges and others during the day.

Here are some tips for how to find events to volunteer for.

1. Universities and departments within universities often send out volunteer opportunities to their students. I was made aware of the ADDY Awards opportunity through the School of Communications and Theater here at Temple University. Take advantage of these openings as soon as possible because students rush to volunteer for these events right away.

2. Look on the websites of professional communications organizations in Philadelphia, such as PPRA or PRSA, to find out if these organizations have events planned. Look for a contact associated with the event or even with the organization itself and send him or her an email. Inquire whether or not the organization needs assistance at the event and let the contact know you would love to help!

3. Do you have any friends or contacts that work at city-oriented organizations, such as Philadelphia Convention and Visitors Bureau (PCVB) or Greater Philadelphia Marketing Tourism Corporation (GPTMC)? Organizations like these are always hosting events. Let your contacts know if they ever need help at an event that you are willing and able to do so! I was given the opportunity to volunteer at a convention for PCVB through a friend who works there.

Do you have any additional suggestions on where to find events to volunteer for? Share them with our readers!