Personally I was a little disappointed in the student turnout, but I feel that those who did attend got some excellent exposure, advice, and networking. There were around 15 PR professionals there covering non-profit, agency, independent practitioner, and corporate organizations. I didn’t get a chance to talk to all of them, alas, as the craziness that I like to call “empirical research class” was bearing down upon me.

The three professionals I personally spoke with were outstanding. I’m finding out how interconnected this whole PR world is – two of the three individuals I had sessions with, either currently work or have worked with my old pal Clark for whom I did some freelance work for last year. Two of them! I was halfway through the review with Emily Sword of Smiley-Hanchulak before she mentioned something about working with a person I used to work with at Clark’s. I blurted out, “oh, you know Clark?” She replied that she worked with him up until she took her new job last December. She looked me in the eye and said, “PR around here is a small world.” Made me start wondering if I had said anything bad about Clark! Of course I didn’t! But it still made me wonder…
So the three individuals with whom I had sessions were:

• Emily Sword, Director of Public Relations, Smiley-Hanchulak Marketing Communications
• Michael Schwabe, Asst. Account Exec, Malone Advertising (fellow UA graduate)
• Chris Keppler, Public Relations Coordinator, InfoCision Management Corporation.

I also had a chance to speak briefly with Marcus Miles of Goodwill Industries of Akron and, of course, Michael Gaffney, our PRSSA professional liaison from United Way of Summit County. These people giving up their free time to help students with their professional development is a wonderful expression. We should all be very grateful for what they have done. I know in that brief hour I learned a lot about me, PR, and my portfolio and resume. What else could I have wanted? Oh, yeah, there were cookies and coffee there, too – it was like a dream come true. The professionals couldn’t have been more helpful, and neither could Dr. Ritchey have been – he walked around with the cookie tray while we were chatting with our pros. Thanks to all professionals who offer their guidance and assistance – now, and in the future – to students and young PR pros as well.

Now let’s go out there and do what we can to get jobs so we can turn around and help other students.