Inside ViewFuture is bright for public relations studentsby Dennis ElliottMuch about the public relations pr<strong>of</strong>essionwill forever be misunderstood,maligned and misrepresented by some. Ablanket indictment <strong>of</strong> the pr<strong>of</strong>ession asfostering propaganda and twisting the truthhas followed practitioners since the earliestrecognition <strong>of</strong> pr<strong>of</strong>essionals as reputationmanagement counselors to corporationsand individuals. The pr<strong>of</strong>ession has beendescribed as “spin-doctoring,” disguisingsituations or presenting only benefits forclients and ignoring the big picture and thepublic’s right to know. This is indeed veryunfortunate.In the eyes <strong>of</strong> the public, positive contributions<strong>of</strong> the pr<strong>of</strong>ession are frequentlyignored. One need only think about nonpr<strong>of</strong>itswhose work and services are sustainedthrough public relations campaignsthat benefit fundraising. Public relationspr<strong>of</strong>essionals lead the way in promotingpublic understanding <strong>of</strong> critical publichealth issues. Campaigns build awareness<strong>of</strong> services and provide access to informationdesired by the public, all the whileworking in the background for meaningfuloutcomes.Am I defending a pr<strong>of</strong>ession that needsdefense or am I simply bringing attentionto societal gains and benefits that gounnoticed? Perhaps both. I cannot defendexamples <strong>of</strong> irresponsible actions by someand candidly admit that they indeed exist.The downside is that the public’s attentionis frequently directed toward these instances,when the realities <strong>of</strong> sound public relationspractice are overlooked.Within the <strong>School</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Journalism</strong>, Iam proud to say that our students aretrained in developing rigorous public relationsprinciples and in applying a provenprocess to the communication needs <strong>of</strong>corporations and nonpr<strong>of</strong>it organizations.Whether our students’ career goals are towork for a corporation, nonpr<strong>of</strong>it or a publicrelations agency, they have the opportunityto explore, understand, create andimplement their work in the best tradition<strong>of</strong> integrated marketing communicationscampaigns.As social media have become increasinglyimportant in the distribution <strong>of</strong>information and the interaction <strong>of</strong> competingor complementary audiences, publicrelations departments and agencies havebecome a focal point for developing thisgrowing new component within campaigns.Our students are challenged toexercise both critical and strategic thinkingin their recommendations for employingsocial media toward overall goals andobjectives for clients, and developing waysto start social media conversations andsustain them. The feedback from studentinternship experiences has reinforced theimportance <strong>of</strong> developing social media“Within the <strong>School</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Journalism</strong>, I am proud tosay that our students are trained in developingrigorous public relations principles and in applyinga proven process to the communication needs <strong>of</strong>corporations and nonpr<strong>of</strong>it organizations.“expertise at atime when technologyis dictatinggrowth <strong>of</strong>a tactical directionthat is onlyDennis Elliottin its infancy.The growth in the interest <strong>of</strong> journalismmajors trending significantly to the field <strong>of</strong>public relations is not isolated to <strong>Indiana</strong><strong>University</strong>. Other distinguished schoolsecho this trend and thus it has behoovedthe school to gain an even stronger reputationfor its programs to attract the bestfrom this increasing pool <strong>of</strong> interested students.The school is focused on enhancingits already great reputation.The Beth Wood Chapter <strong>of</strong> the PublicRelations Student Society <strong>of</strong> America atIU has grown significantly in the last twoyears in the involvement <strong>of</strong> its members inchapter activities, participation in nationalcompetitions, and through the recognition<strong>of</strong> its achievements by the nationalorganization. As examples, in 2011 thechapter received the Star Chapter Awardfor its overall member programs and it wasspecifically recognized for its outstandingregional conference as the recipient <strong>of</strong> theDr. Frederick H. Teahan national award.This year, the chapter has the responsibilityfor producing FORUM, the national newspaperdistributed to all university PRSSAchapters, with one <strong>of</strong> the chapter’s leadersserving as editor-in-chief and member <strong>of</strong>the National Committee for PRSSA.The future is indeed bright for studentswho wish to specialize in public relationsat IU as the <strong>School</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Journalism</strong> is investingin this area <strong>of</strong> study with faculty, coursesand new opportunities for students withan eye toward their futures and the growth<strong>of</strong> the program.Dennis Elliott, BA’69, MA’10, is a lecturerin the IU <strong>School</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Journalism</strong>.Ann Schertz< 14 > newswire / <strong>Spring</strong> <strong>2012</strong>
featurestoryExecutivestorytellerNancy Swanson, BA’80, didn’t pursue a journalism career aftergraduation, but the skills she learned in Ernie Pyle Hall still serve herwell in her position as a vice president at Procter & Gamble.by Bryn MoothDetermination to dig deeper, to find hidden meaning.Willingness to ask the smart questions — and sometimesthe not-so-smart ones. Aptitude for crafting engaging stories thatchange minds and prompt action.These consummate qualities <strong>of</strong> a skilled reporter have led NancySwanson not to a desk in the newsroom, but to a seat in theboardroom.Swanson, BA’80, relocated from Bloomington to Cincinnati aftergraduation to take a brand assistant position at Procter & Gamble.And she never left. Swanson worked her way through the multinationalconsumer brands company, moving from her first entry-leveljob working on Attends adult incontinence products through themanagement ranks and, in 2003, accepting then-CEO AG Lafley’srequest to become vice president, corporate.These days, Swanson nimbly shifts from project to project,leading initiatives that cross business units and influencing teamsthroughout the global organization. And she’s become an investorin her community, serving the Greater Cincinnati Foundation, theCincinnati Art Museum and the Taft Museum, and representingProcter & Gamble in a public schools improvement initiative.She spoke with Newswire about how the key skills she acquiredat the <strong>School</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Journalism</strong> — critical thinking and communication— come into play in the corporate world.Corrie Schaffeld<strong>Spring</strong> <strong>2012</strong> / newswire < 15 >
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