The CPRS Calgary Blog

Top Five Things Learned by Returning to Public Relations School

andrewmcintyreyyc — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 16:39:10 +0000

Develop a passion for learning. If you do, you will never cease to grow. - Anthony J. D’Angelo

I think it had been more than a decade since I had that feeling in the pit of my stomach.

The feeling you get the night before you write a major exam. Or, worse, the feeling that you get during the agonizing wait for results.

I have been taking Public Relations continuing education courses this winter to update my skills and knowledge and it’s been that long since those butterflies were flying around my stomach.

But that is what going back to school does.

Sure the RACE formula and SMART objectives are so engrained in us that we can almost recite them while asleep. But my return to the classroom this winter has been a valuable reminder that Public Relations is a constantly changing world and to stay sharp, you’d better be constantly willing to learn and adjust.

I don’t remember too many public relations lectures focused on social media a decade ago, do you?

I’m not done the certificate course, so I still have a few more of those pesky butterflies in my future. For now, here are the top five things that I have learned so far:

I am not alone. There are a lot of people employed in PR in Calgary who, like me, feel they still have a lot to learn. It has actually been a surprise to see the a wide range of experience levels among the students taking these courses; some are experienced PR professionals looking to upgrade while others are experienced in other professions, looking for new skills and perhaps a new profession. Of course, many are just starting out in their PR career or will be very soon.
I am only scratching the surface of what social media can do. This incredible two-way communication tool is changing the way we do business and I can’t wait to see what comes next. It’s also changing the way these courses are taught. I can’t remember a class going by without social media becoming a focal point of discussion at some point. This is definitely an area the students can’t seem to get enough about.
This is a great place to start your network. It hasn’t taken too many group assignments to learn that these other people in class really know their stuff.
Good writers are still making this profession tick. There has been a constant emphasis on improving writing skills, and the many different avenues and tools in which this skill is required.
This is a great city of the PR professional. There are thousands of Calgarians either working in PR or directly linked and we are fortunate to have a great environment in which to learn.

Kyle Marr is a member of the Calgary chapter of the Canadian Public Relations Society. He has been in PR professional in the city for six years.

The Giving Spirit

Tammy Schwass — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 00:39:27 +0000

This time of year we are reminded of people’s giving spirit and generosity. We are also asked to donate to many causes and unfortunately our wallets aren’t always as big as our hearts. CPRS and IABC members’ hearts were in the right place at the holiday party held last week at West. There were about 175 people in attendance and many of them supported the 50/50, held to raise money for the Calgary Legacy Scholarship. CPRS Calgary sponsors this scholarship in partnership with the Communications + Public Relations Foundation. The $1000 scholarship is to be awarded annually to a student member of CPRS Calgary entering his or her second year in a recognized PR program at Mount Royal University, the University of Calgary or SAIT Polytechnic. In total, $300 worth of 50/50 tickets were sold and $150 raised for the scholarship. Congratulations to the winner Ursula Melski seen in the picture (left to right) with IABC President Jennifer Lomas and CPRS President Janice Robertson. Thank you to everyone who contributed!

For those of you who want to make a donation to the scholarship you can find the form on the CPRS website and receive a tax receipt. More information about the scholarship is also available there.

The first scholarship will be awarded in the spring 2012 and the student recipient will be announced at our annual general meeting.

Happy Holidays!

Tammy Schwass

Tammy is the Education Chair on the CPRS Calgary Board. She is also the Investor Relations Coordinator at AeroMechanical Services.

Advancing Public Relations Education in Canada: Pathways to the Profession

andrewmcintyreyyc — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 16:03:53 +0000

By Jill Rutherford

In between finishing a Master’s degree and running her own public relations consultancy, Colleen Killingsworth, MCM, APR, ABC, FCPRS, kept especially busy leading the development of a program to advance public relations education in Canada as Presiding Officer of CPRS’ National Council on Education.

Launched in June during the CPRS National Conference in Saint John, Pathways to the Profession is a comprehensive program that will formally recognize public relations and communications management education programs in Canada. It was developed over the course of the past three years by the National Council on Education, in conjunction with academic and professional public relations communities across the country.

The program outlines performance measures, course content and a course framework that schools can follow, and is organized along five specific pathways to the PR profession: technical, career, management, leadership and scholar. The goal is that the recently published guidelines for curriculum development and program design will help educational institutions in Canada produce the next generation of public relations practitioners. Pathways also aims to help public relations programs adequately incorporate current best practice standards into their curriculum – and identify emerging trends – in order to best prepare students for the demands of their ever-changing profession.

“Pathways to the Profession offers an educational standard for public relations programs which Canadian post-secondary institutions can follow,” said Colleen. “For years we’ve heard about the importance of having a standard approach to educating up-and-coming public relations professionals. Not only will the Pathways help facilitate consistent educational standards across the country, it also shows the commitment of our colleagues to advancing the practice of public relations in Canada.”

Post-secondary institutions that meet Pathways’ criteria can apply to be recognized by the National Council on Education for a term of five years. Institutions are encouraged to self-select one or more pathways that best reflect their course offerings in order to help students select the educational path that best suits their career goals.

“Pathways to the Profession offers an outcomes-based approach consistent with the best practice standards and benchmarks that are a hallmark of the curriculum in our four-year Bachelor of Communication – Public Relations degree,” said Jane McNichol, Chair, Public Relations Program, Mount Royal University. “As the profession continues to evolve from an applied art to a strategic management function, the Pathways framework bolsters the academic discipline as we prepare our students to face the challenges of a transforming work environment.”

Much like accreditation provides more senior practitioners with the opportunity to showcase their expertise and depth and breadth of public relations knowledge, Pathways also provides public relations students and recent graduates with the opportunity to take a Public Relations Knowledge (PRK) exam. This exam is an opportunity for students to demonstrate to potential employers their body of knowledge of public relations and communications management and that they are prepared for entry-level positions within the industry.

To learn more about this exciting new step in the development of public relations education in Canada, please visit cprs.ca/learning/pathways.aspx or contact Colleen at ckcommunications@shaw.ca.

Mount Royal University PR students available for Winter 2012 work placements!

cprsmembership — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 15:28:07 +0000

Do you have too much work and not enough resources? Are you working on a big project this winter and need assistance? The Mount Royal University public relations program can help.

January to April 2012, we have over 40 eager and capable 4^th year PR students seeking a four-month work term. This is the students second work experience and they are skilled and ready to hit-the-ground-running for your company. Students already have hands on public relations experience from the summer and come to your organization with a strong academic background in the fundamentals of public relations.

This placement is employer-paid and forms part of Mount Royal’s University degree program. If you could use an extra set of qualified hands this summer, please consider one of our talented students. For more information or to post a term position, please contact Ashley Archer, work experience coordinator at 403.440.6231 (aarcher@mtroyal.ca). Further information is also available through the career services website at www.mtroyal.ca/careerservices.

Greetings from the President

andrewmcintyreyyc — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 19:31:00 +0000

On behalf of the CPRS Calgary Board of Directors, I am pleased to welcome you to our 2011 – 2012 program year. The last time I was President it was 1996, so when asked to return to the role in May 2011, I was delighted to come back. First, the Board needed someone in this position. I am semi-retired and had the time. Second, I was anxious to get back into the flow of public relations and communications here in Calgary.

I spent part of the summer getting caught up, and looking forward. We announced the Calgary Legacy Scholarship from the Communications + Public Relations Foundation. This scholarship will be given for the first time in 2012 to a post-secondary student in public relations or communications here in Calgary. Then, in conversation with our National President and the Executive Director, I heard exciting news about the progress the Pathways to the Profession program has made and the tremendous impact it will have on public relations education in Canada, and most certainly here in Calgary.

It was wonderful to see nearly 40 members attend our first program – a breakfast at the Palliser Hotel – on September 22. Our Program Committee invited all the candidates for the leadership of the Progressive Conservative Party of Alberta to speak about the role of communications in their campaigns. Alison Redford was the only candidate to accept, and as a result, we were treated to an informal, frank and very engaging 30 minute discussion with the woman who would become our premier – and, possibly, change the way many look at politics in Alberta.

I look forward to some exciting times at the Alberta Legislature and seeing as many of you as I can during another great year for CPRS Calgary. What are your plans? I’d love to hear from you. Stay in touch!

Janice Robertson, APR, LM

president@cprscalgary.com

Breakfast with Redford

andrewmcintyreyyc — Wed, 21 Sep 2011 15:30:39 +0000

Communication skills are often the difference between success and failure in politics. An elected official’s ability to convey complex issues and nuanced solutions in clear, direct language is fundamental to their success, particularly during elections and leadership contests. Currently, three such excellent communicators remain in contention for the leadership of the Progressive Conservative Association of Alberta, the winner of which will be the 14th Premier of Alberta.

Tomorrow CPRS Calgary is lucky to have one of the three candidates, Alison Redford, the MLA for Calgary-Elbow, joining us for breakfast at the Fairmont Palliser. The good news is that there’s still limited space for available for CPRS members and public, if you would like to attend.

The full details are here and you can register right here.

Student Scholarship Announced

Tammy Schwass — Fri, 16 Sep 2011 13:00:45 +0000

It’s that time of year again! Students are getting back to classes and CPRS is ramping up events and preparations for another exciting year. This year part of that excitement includes our announcement of a partnership with the Communications + Public Relations Foundation in the establishment of a new student scholarship. The $1,000 Calgary Legacy Scholarship will be awarded annually to a student studying public relations/communications in a recognized program at one of Mount Royal University, the University of Calgary or SAIT Polytechnic.

The application form is in the final stages of development and will be available to students shortly. The deadline to apply for this year’s award is February 29, 2012 with the winner announced in April. Students apply through the foundation, but information with links to the application form will be available on the CPRS Calgary website.

CPRS Calgary is happy to offer this scholarship to students as part of its support for the student program and endorsement of the public relations profession. Students must be members of CPRS Calgary and have completed one year of study to apply for the scholarship.

CPRS is also pleased to work with the Canada-wide Communications + Public Relations Foundation, a group that brings an array of expertise and experience in many areas including scholarships and awards.

A special note of thanks goes out to all the individuals who helped organize the details behind the scholarship including students, CPRS members, Life Members of CPRS and the Communications + Public Relations Foundation.

To view the full press release and all the details follow this link.

CPRS Student Event Update:

Even though classes are just underway this week, the student reps have been busy planning and preparing for the first student event. The first event for students to look out for is Speed Dating, Public Relations Style where students get a chance to interact with practitioners in the PR field. Stay tuned to the CPRS website for all the details coming soon!

Tammy Schwass will participate on the CPRS Calgary board in the 2011/12 year as the Education Chair. As a student at the University of Calgary she represented CPRS on campus and helped organize student events. She is currently working as the Investor Relations Coordinator at AeroMechanical Services in Calgary. Contact Tammy at tjschwas@gmail.com

MRU PR Showcase

cprsmembership — Thu, 08 Sep 2011 21:00:04 +0000

Looking for something to do the night of Thursday, Sept. 22? You’re in luck. Mount Royal University’s PR program is hosting a drop-in event from 4-6pm in the Lincoln Park Room. The fourth-year students are showcasing their portfolio of work developed through the first work experience placement in the Bachelor of Communication – Public Relations major. They are very excited about the opportunity to share this work with PR practitioners, MRU faculty and staff. If you want to come see some great PR work please RSVP elennox@mtroyal.ca by September 16, 2011.

Professional Development Opportunities from University of Calgary Continuing Education

andrewmcintyreyyc — Tue, 06 Sep 2011 15:14:49 +0000

Are you a PR pro who’s hungry for some continuing ed this fall? Look no further than University of Calgary Continuing Education, now offering courses at the new Downtown Campus at 906 8th Avenue SW. They offer introductory courses for people new to the PR field, as well as emerging topics of interest to professionals already working in the field. Get started working toward your Continuing Education certificate program in Public Relations, Marketing or Professional Management:

BMC 279 Corporate Social Responsibility $399 Wed, 6 – 9 pm (Nov 2 – Dec 14)

BMC 291 Internet Marketing and Social Media $449 Wed, 6- 9 pm (Sep 28 – Nov 30)

BMC 170 Communication Strategic Planning $549 Thurs, 6 – 9 pm (Sep 15 – Dec 8)

The Public Relations Management Certificate Program is a 300-hour certificate program taught by PR and communications professionals actively working in the field. Offered in cooperation with CPRS and IABC, this program offers courses in classroom, online and blended formats, making it ideal for busy, working professionals.

Visit http://conted.ucalgary.ca/pr or http://conted.ucalgary.ca/marketing for more information.

Ethics Awareness Month

cprsmembership — Wed, 31 Aug 2011 00:33:44 +0000

This September is Ethics Awareness Month at the Public Relations Society of America. To a select few, PR and ethics are like oil and water, ketchup and milk. To many others – like the PR practitioners who frequent this blog and members of CPRS and PRSA – ethics are an integral part of the PR work they do on a day-to-day basis. On that note and in that vein, I invite you to take this little quiz (the Insert/Edit Link function is not working, so you will need to copy and paste into your browser):

http://www.proprofs.com/quiz-school/story.php?title=eq-prsa-ethics-quotient-quiz-2011

Hopefully your results will prompt some discussion in this space. Good luck.

Jeremy Berry, APR
CPRS Calgary Secretary