Reflecting on service-learning project with BRAC

BRAC demonstrates professional and ethical public relations

Public relation practitioners have been accused of spinning the truth and being unethical. There are unethical professionals in every field, including public relations. However, there are also businesses and individuals that do a good job of demonstrating how to be an ethical professional.

Ethics have been stressed to me through the classes I have taken at the Manship School of Mass Communication. Part of being an ethical professional is telling the truth and making decisions that will do service to the public. The public relations profession is about maintaining mutually beneficial and respectful relationships with clients.

In my media ethics class, we learned about the Potter Box Model which assists professionals when facing an ethical dilemma. Professionals must analyze the situation and choose a principal to make an ethical decision. Being ethical is about not only knowing, but doing what is right.

Natan Dicky’s Blog

I personally think it is important to make decisions that will benefit the most people. Baton Rouge Area Chamber strives to improve the community of Baton Rouge. BRAC is a nonprofit that seeks out leadership and economic growth opportunities for Baton Rouge. BRAC reaches out to the community and informs them on the improvments and new opportunities of the city.

I am currently working on a SCVNGR trek with my group, Decouvrir, which will expose the arts and culture of the city. Our mission is “To help our clients cultivate successful, mutually beneficial relationships with their audiences through outstanding public relations guidance. SCVNGR is a geolocation-based mobile gaming application that builds challenges based on user’s location. SCVNGR players earn points and have the opportunity to unlock doscounts once they broadcast where they are and what they are doing.

This project is a part of my service-learning class for Dr. Jensen Moore’s class. In the class, I work with fellow students to gain professional experience through creating communication pieces for BRAC. This service-learning project gives students the chance to practice working as an ethical professional by strengthening awareness of local issues.

I will be posting my final blog that will evaluate the outcome of my service-learning project. I am excited for this project to wrap up and feel that my communication skills have already strengthened. We are finalizing the last few pieces of our mini-campaign project. To learn more about me, visit my Facebook page or follow my blog.

What I have learned about public relations through working for BRAC

I decided to choose public relations as a profession because it sounded interesting and fun. I didn’t know anyone in the profession and television shows often depicted public relations as a shady profession that only covered up the mistakes of large companies. Through the classes I have taken at LSU and my current service learning project, I have learned that the public relations field is an ethical profession that has the potential to do a lot of good.

The service learning project I am working on with BRAC encourages me to be creative, timely, well-informed and to work well with others. It is important to be professional and ethical in the field of public relations. It is a lot of hard work and when I began the service learning project I was stressed out and overwhelmed. Through team work and experience I am becoming more confident in my work.

BRAC is a nonprofit that seeks out leadership and economic growth opportunities for Baton Rouge. I will assist BRAC by exposing the hidden gems of Baton Rouge through SCVNGR. SCVNGR is a geolocation-based mobile gaming application that builds challenges based on user’s location.

Video from Nicky Moore

Reputation is heavily involved when working in public relations. Because of this, I have learned to take positive feedback and use it to grow as a professional. This applies to my writing skills and my attitude. It has been important to me and my group members to give BRAC what they need in a respectful, helpful manner.

This project has taught me how to understand clients’ desires and how to maintain positive client relationships. My understanding for the client began with research and communication. My group communicates our ideas through informal pieces that will apply to a diverse, global audience. It has also been a learning experience to work with others on this campaign. Public relations include a lot of group work which includes constant communication and understanding of your colleagues.

My project is finishing up and I will have a few more posts that will provide updates on my mini-campaign. My group is called Decouvrir and our job is to inform locals on the arts and culture that Baton Rouge has to offer. We still have a few pieces that need work and we will be responsible for giving a presentation over our work in just a few weeks. To learn more about me, visit my Facebook page or follow my blog.

BRAC promotes Baton Rouge through social media and technology

Social media and the use of technology are essential in public relations. The overwhelming use of technology is something I am adjusting to. In the past, when attending a lecture or any type of event, it would have been considered rude to be focused on your cell phone. I have been attending several events and live tweeting for my public relations class. It shocks me how speakers do not feel disrespected or distracted by their audiences eyes glued to their phones.

New forms of social media are constantly being created and introduced to the public. Before my public relations writing class, I was unfamiliar with SCVNGR. SCVNGR is a geolocation-based mobile gaming application that builds challenges based on the user’s location. SCVNGR is a powerful form of social media because it allows individuals to connect with an audience so quickly.

I will be using SCVNGR to expose the business opportunities of Baton Rouge. I am working with my group, Decouvrir, for BRAC. BRAC is a nonprofit that seeks out leadership and economic growth for Baton Rouge. BRAC uses social media to maintain positive relationships with their clients. BRAC can be found on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube and Google+.

According to Nielsen, social media sites are visited more often than any other site. I personally visit my Facebook numerous times throughout the day. Social media is a great way to get information out to the public fast. It can also be used as a tool to share ideas and thoughts to other users. I love social media because it allows for users to be involved with companies in a way they never were before. By liking or following a page, individuals are constantly given information and updates about that company.

Social media can also be negative. In public relations, it is important to get your story out first so the public can shape a positive opinion about your business. In the case of a crisis, social media can be detrimental because negative information can be given to a large audience immediately and spread like wildfire.

I will be posting blogs weekly that will discuss my mini-campaign project and the public relations profession for Dr. Jensen Moore’s class. My group is called Decouvrir and our job is to expose the arts and culture that Baton Rogue has to offer. To learn more about me, visit my Facebook page or follow by blog.

BRAC builds relationships with the community through stewardship, civic engagement and social responsibility

I have learned a great deal about stewardship from previous classes and from my current internship. I work at Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center in the development department. We are responsible for planning and executing fundraiser events to raise money to help aid cancer patients. It is important that we maintain relationships with past participants and donors, so we can continue to ask for their support.

I also learned about mainlining mutually beneficial relationships with companies through previous classes. Two other concepts I am beginning to learn about are social responsibility and civic engagement.

Social responsibility is an act intended to benefit society as a whole. It is important to make ethical decisions when being socially responsible so potential clients will look at your company with trust.

I am currently working with BRAC on a mini-campaign to expose the hidden gems of Baton Rouge to attract individuals to the city. BRAC is a non profit that seeks out leadership and economic growth opportunities for Baton Rouge. BRAC’s social responsibility to the people of Baton Rouge is to reach out to the community and inform them on the improvements and new opportunities of the city.

Reports of Baton Rouge’s business opportunities and events will be communicated to through SCVNGR. SCVNGR is a geolocatio-based mobile gaming application that builds challenges based on user’s location.

Civic engagement deals with making decisions that regard to the public’s concern. I think it is important to make decisions that will benefit the greatest number of people. I think BRAC is finding things for current and potential residents to do outside of work so that individuals will have a balanced, fulfilled life. BRAC wants people to know all that Baton Rouge has to offer so they can help get the word out about the revamped city.

“…rather than assuming that education is primarily about preparing for jobs and careers, what would it mean to think of education as a process of guiding kids’ participation in public life more generally, a public life that includes social, recreational, and civic engagement.”
― Mizuko Ito, Living and Learning with New Media: Summary of Findings from the Digital Youth Project
http://www.goodreads.com/quotes/search?utf8=%E2%9C%93&q=Civic+engagement+&commit=Search

BRAC maintains positive client relationships and seeks to continue to provide individuals with new information about Baton Rouge. Through stewardship, BRAC continues to gather more followers that look to the company for more information about their city. They also are gathering a new audience of people who are potentially interested in moving to the city to start a new career.

I will be posting blogs weekly that will provide updates on my mini-campaign group project for Dr. Jensen Moore’s class. My group is called Decouvrir and our job is to inform locals on the arts and culture that Baton Rouge has to offer. To learn more about me, visit my Facebook page or follow my blog.

Decouvrir takes on BRAC project through SVNGR trekking

Hi, my name is Megan Senger and I am currently a junior studying public relations at Louisiana State University. I will graduate with a Concentration in Public Relations and minor in business in May, 2014 from
the Manship School of Mass Communications.

I would like to discuss a certified service-learning course I am taking, where I work with a client to gain professional experience. In the class I work with fellow students in a small group to create communication pieces that will be used by BRAC. BRAC is a non-profit that seeks out leadership and economic growth opportunities for Baton Rouge.

My group is called Decouvrir and our job is to inform locals on the arts and culture that Baton Rouge has to offer. Our mission statment is “To help our clients cultivate successful, mutuallybeneficial relationships with their audiences through outstanding public relations guidance. We strive to establish respectful and loyal partnerships by promoting positive attitudes and a clear understanding of our clients’ brands and companies.”

We will report on Baton Rouge’s business opportunities and events through SVNGR. SCVNGR is a geolocation-based mobile gaming application that builds challenges base on user’s location. SVNGR players earn points and have the opportunity to unlock discounts once they broadcast where they are and what they are doing.

Through service-learning courses, it is hoped that students perform civic responsibility duties and strengthen awareness of local issues. The work we do for BRAC will bring awareness to individuals about local Baton Rouge sights and activities. BRAC wants others to know all the great things the city has to offer so prominent business professionals will be attracted to work in Baton Rouge.

I am excited for the project because I will be able to strengthen communication and team work skills, as well as create pieces to add to my portfolio. I will be getting hands on experience and helping Baton Rouge reach it’s full economic potential.

I am one of 20 students who get this great opportunity. My teacher, Dr. Jensen Moore, recieved a SVNGR grant that allows us to work with the app. So, no other students in the country will be able to say they worked on such an exclusive, awesome project!

This course will help me learn how to understand clients’ desires and how to maintain positive client relationships. Understanding a client begins with demonstrating research and communication skills. I will be communicating my ideas to my client through informal pieces that will be written in AP style. The course is formatted to help students learn how to apply ideas and materials to a diverse, global audience.