Education

Students. Ya’ gotta love ‘em.

A group of Auburn students have shown some initiative and started a new site called forward-moving.com. (See the contributors here.) They have already reached out to other disciplines and to other schools and countries. Their purpose? The group aims to offer:

• commentary and advice from students, faculty and professionals from around the world from varying levels and areas of PR
• information to help you find PR experience and how to make the most of it
• the opportunity to learn about trends and tools that they don’t teach you in college
• helpful interviews with professionals
• a comprehensive list of suggested reading material including blogs, books and professional publications.

They don’t expect to change the whole world. They just want to help provide a place for new PR professionals to gain a little lift in their shoes. Perhaps, with help, they will make that first step into a successful “after graduation” life a little easier.

One of my favorite parts of the project is this little gem. Now don’t bolt away until you’ve heard it all. Don’t let the first line frighten you.

They are looking for investors. You know … venture capital. No, not your money. They want your mind. See for yourself. Like they say in their blog, “Forward is always very open to advice and assistance from experienced PR professionals - it is vital to our success!”

Knowledge is power. Information is power. The secreting or hoarding of knowledge or information may be an act of tyranny camouflaged as humility.
Robin Morgan

So, perhaps some PR pros can mosey on over to the site and offer support. After all, we have 11 here that have been doing it for almost two years. How about the rest of you? Want to make a difference? You can. Thanks.

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Should PR students blog?

Asking this question is like asking…

Should Alicia Keys play her piano? Should Pavarotti sing opera? Should Tiger Woods play golf?

Well… The answer is yes, of course. Blogs are pure communication.

By blogging, PR students will learn to use the most powerful communication tool, just after Gutenberg’s printer. Some PR pros are having a bad time to understand what blogs, RSS, podcasts, citizen journalism, costumer evangelism, etc. are all about. They are not figuring out that all their knowledge and experience has less and less importance in the blogosphere, in how people are communicating right now.

While in the university, it is a wonderful time to learn how things are changing in the PR industry. But it is even better to be part of this new era and to have the opportunity to lead it.

Still, PR students will need to know how to prepare a press release, to use VNR in an ethical way, to help their clients to deal with MSM journalists… At the same time, they will have to help companies and institutions to understand what the h… is narrowcasting, word of mouth and netizenship.

It is a wonderful time to study Public Relations.

Note from Robert: Congratulations to Octavio Rojas on the completion of his textbook, “Public Relations. The Effectiveness of Influence“. Marcomblog is proud to participate in his Virtual Road Show. Octavio was the very first person to volunteer and contribute to Marcomblog, almost two years ago. Many thanks, Octavio.

The post above is from Octavio Rojas, writing as part of the Virtual Road Show “Relaciones Públicas. La Eficacia de la Influencia – Public Relations. The Effectiveness of Influence”

Tags: PR, RRPP, Public Relations, Relaciones Públicas, Road Show Virtual Octavio Rojas.

For further details, visit the Microsite about the book. (in Spanish)

If you are a British or American publisher and are interested in Octavio’s book, feel free to drop him an email: contacto (at) octaviorojas (dot) com.

Now on sale: Casa del Libro, El Corte Inglés, Fnac and ESIC.

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