2011-2012 PRSSA Chapter Establishes Student Run Firm

Many PRSSA chapters around the country have student-run public relations firms to provide bro-bono services to local clients. Organizations like non-profits and small businesses can benefit from the services provided by student firms because of their minimal cost and large teams dedicated to creating public relations strategies and materials. Students who participate in a student firm benefit from working with clients by collecting real-world experience, portfolio and resume material and establishing professional contacts.

The Waynesburg University PRSSA chapter may only be in its second year, but it’s more than ready to start working with local organizations in the community. Our goal is to use everything that we’ve learned about Public Relations in our coursework to create awareness and better these organizations in Waynesburg. Our starting clientele include:

United Way of Greene County:  The local chapter of one of the largest non-profit organizations in the country.

Objective: Redesign and write their quarterly newsletter for members and donors.

Greene County Historical Society: A local non-profit dedicated to the education and preservation of local and regional history.

Objective: Build and improve relationships between the society and Waynesburg University  through improved public relations tactics and strategies.

Waynesburg Press: A new sole-entrepreneurship in downtown Waynesburg near the university’s campus that sells gourmet (and delicious) coffee to patrons.

Objective: Increase the presence and awareness of the shop through on campus promotions, special events, and direct communication with the student body.

The members of the firm are very excited to be working with these clients. We feel that this will not only be a great opportunity to develop and expand the chapter, but also to prove ourselves as rising PR practitioners, and have an enjoyable time in the process.

-Kevin Conley, Senior Public Relations Major

Sophomore takes experiences to professional setting

After only one semester of working for Waynesburg University’s Office of University Relations, I have gained valuable experience from the writing opportunities and atmosphere alike.

I doubt that I would have been eligible for the position at University Relations if not for my involvement with the PRSSA. As a freshman, I occupied myself with the workings of the chapter and committed myself to positions that would enable future leadership. 

I’m sure that the University Relations position wouldn’t have come as naturally to me if not for the communication courses I took as a freshman. Print Journalism honed and shaped my writing abilities to the extent that I now write press releases for the university on a weekly basis. Public relations courses educated me on the professional etiquette that would prove useful in the Office of University Relations. 

The opportunity to work with such an experienced crew of writers and public relations professionals could not have been possible without the classroom instruction and practical application I have acquired through professional development conferences made available by the PRSSA. 

I didn’t realize how much of an asset a functioning public relations chapter is until I started to work in an environment that required public relations knowledge, skills, and professionalism. All of the speakers and conferences that I have attended through the PRSSA have greatly augmented my understanding of the field.

I will feel much more confident when it comes to applying for internships and jobs because Waynesburg University provides its students such great opportunities to explore their majors in a hands-on way. 

Sam Scribner (@SamScribner)

Waynesburg University PRSSA Vice President, former Treasurer

Sophomore Public Relations Major

Public Relations Internship Presentation Preview

Rachell Storm is Vice President for the PRSSA Chapter at Waynesburg University. Over the summer, she interned with McNeely Pigott & Fox Public Relations in Nashville, Tennessee. "Catch her if you can" as she presents her internship November 2, at 6:30 p.m. in McCance Auditorium with three other Communication students. Below is a brief preview of the event.

After completing my internship at a public relations firm in downtown Nashville, I realized that I am adequately prepared to enter the field. The education I have received at Waynesburg University has provided me with the confidence to pursue my career. All of the studying and planning paid off during my summer where I was given the opportunity to intern at such a respected agency.

During my internship, I applied what I had learned at Waynesburg. All the tests I had taken, all the papers I had written, and projects I had completed had finally made sense. I could see a direct correlation of my schoolwork in Waynesburg with my professional work in Nashville.

Throughout the summer, I worked on accounts such as AT&T, Nashville Electric Service, CSX, and Job Corps. I wrote news releases, calendar listings, biographies, and etc. I also assisted in event planning and news conference preparations.

To leave my comfort zone and dive into unknown territory was the best decision I made in my intern search. Although the application process was tedious and definitely stressful at times, it proved to be well worth it in the end.  All of the emailing, applying, and interviewing resulted in a valuable experience. I learned that I have to work hard to achieve what I want and that striving to do better than what’s expected is very rewarding.

I learn to set my own expectations high and to never settle. All the work that it took for me to be eligible to intern at MP&F was worth every minute.  I worked alongside talented professionals who excel at what they do. Throughout the entire summer, I was a part of a company whose slogan is “Do great work. Have fun. Make money.” Enough said.

Rachell Storm (@RachMoriah)
Waynesburg University PRSSA Vice President
Senior Communication (public relations) major

Reflections of non-PR student on Sports PR Seminar

Posting a guest blog for PRSSA is Katie Rihn, senior Communication (Sports Information/Sports Broadcasting) major at Waynesburg University. She was one of six students who attended PRSA Pittsburgh's PR Efforts for Pittsburgh's New Consol Energy Center. Below is a photo of the group with Tom McMillan:

Even though my major is not Public Relations, listening to the seminar with Tom McMillan, Vice President of Communications for the Pittsburgh Penguins, was a very rewarding experience. In the field I wish to pursue, sports information, what it boils down to is the promotion and public relations aspects of university athletic programs. Similar concepts can be applied to professional teams as well. It goes along with professional teams as well.

McMillan talked a great deal about the promotions the Penguins are currently using and the success of those promotions. He stressed that even with a successful operation you still can never be satisfied with that. You never know when something that appears to be going so well can start to plummet and you have to be ready with the next great idea to bring that greatness back. In talking with McMillan after the presentation, he mentioned a common misconception about how people perceive his job. The average fan is under the impression that he does his work during the day and gets to relax and watch the games at night. As he informed our group this is not the case. He gave the example of game seven when the Penguins won the Stanley Cup. McMillan was extremely busy with outside work in preparing for events after the game that he was only able to see five minutes of the game.

I felt like I could relate to this because when I started this major I just thought I would get paid to watch sports. After experiencing the job first hand I see all of the work involved and like McMillan said, you have to really enjoy what you are doing. McMillan discussed his time as a sports writer and used the quote, “The moment you become a sports writer is the moment you stop being a fan.” The reason I found this to be so profound is because Professor Krause has told us this in my sports writing class this semester and puts emphasis on it frequently. This shows me that we are being taught the same things the professionals know and I look forward to applying my other skills out in the work force.

Katie Rihn

Senior Communication (sports information/sports broadcasting) major

Vice President of Communication for the Pittsburgh Penguins Reinforces Classroom Concepts

As a member of Waynesburg University PRSSA, we are privileged with opportunities to see professionals at conferences speak their minds and give advice regarding public relations. On Tuesday, we were given the chance to see Vice President of Communications for the Pittsburgh Penguins Tom McMillan speak about PR Efforts for Pittsburgh’s New Consol Energy Center at Point Park University. The event was hosted by the PRSA Pittsburgh. McMillan was very enthusiastic about his speech which ended up not being a speech after all. Instead he turned to the crowd, especially college students, for questions; he wanted to know what we were wondering and thinking. This is an incredible advantage for college students to be able to ask high-level professionals that for their advice and concerns.


When asked about how social media affects his job, McMillan said that social media is “everything.” It has to do with your job more than people realize. He explained that there are jobs for the Penguins that strictly to deal with the social media aspect, and these jobs did not exist five years ago. It has been challenging for the Penguins, but they have used it to their advantage. For example, the Penguins text message program has also been a success. “We are our own media outlet,” McMillan said. “We break out on our own social media”.


This relates to nearly every class you have in the Department of Communication at Waynesburg. It is increasingly important to keep up with technology and be aware of the news at all times. The Penguins are constantly posting on facebook and trying to keep their audience focused on them and not another media outlet. “It’s a changing world,” McMillan explained. “You have your own way to tell your own story.” You learn early in your COM classes at Waynesburg the history of the media and how everything evolved. Relating to PR, in the past organizations had to send their information through media outlets. They wrote a press release and faxed it to the media but not anymore. Now, as the Penguins demonstrate, you are your own media outlet. The mass media comes to you for their news.


Another topic McMillan discussed was the source of publicity and the importance of producing good ideas even when you are successful. It doesn’t matter if you are successful or not, you always need to come up with ideas. Sometimes the smallest idea turns into the biggest success or vice versa. “Some of the biggest publicity is not hard news,” McMillan said. He told stories of the staff pushing a bus after getting stuck in snow in Buffalo, N.Y. and the managers handing out donuts and coffee to students waiting for Student Rush tickets. The Student Rush program was implemented in 1996 to simply fill seats in the arena. Today, it is one of the biggest promotions the Penguins are known for. McMillan commented, “You experiment with things and see what happens.”


He encouraged being unique because people pickup on things that are different. This is also a major concept I’ve learned in my classes at Waynesburg. Uniqueness is something that everyone is attracted to.
With younger demographics than most NHL teams, and now a new arena to take advantage of, the Pittsburgh Penguins organization is always trying to be innovative. McMillan was inspiring in how he handled himself and his explanations of the team, organization, and the new arena. We, as students of Waynesburg, are extremely fortunate to have these tools within our grasp. The classes we take help us understand and utilize our knowledge of the media world and everything around it. McMillan is a great example of the opportunities we are able to encounter as being part of the Waynesburg University PRSSA. I can only hope that there are more to come before I graduate.


Marsha Opacic
Senior Communication (Public Relations/Sport Information and Sport Broadcasting) Major
Waynesburg University PRSSA, Member

Student Applying Public Relations Principles to improve campus organization

Last year when I was elected to be the secretary of Student Senate, I had no idea what I was getting myself into. Fortunately, most of the unknowns turned out to be positives.

Besides all of my regular duties, I serve as the head of the Publicity Task Force. I was extremely excited about this prospect because as a public relations major, I am able to gain experience out of the Department of Communication and in an entirely different setting.

On campus, Student Senate does not have the prestige that it should. Most people don’t even really care about it. One of my major goals was to create exposure for Senate and show the student body how important it really is.

The first major accomplishment of my task force was the creation of our Twitter, @WUStudentSenate. Continuing our use of social media, we hope to create a Facebook page next. Although a Facebook reaches a larger audience, it involves more work.

Currently, I am applying concepts that I have learned from all three of the semesters I have been in the Department of Communication. In particular my Principles of Design class has been by far the most beneficial to current projects. I did not realize just how valuable it would be both designing on and off the computer.

Senate’s first major event is on Wednesday, Oct. 20, and my group is in charge of creating the fliers. Without Principles of Design, the fliers would probably be disorganized and lack cohesiveness. I know that having Professor Schiffbauer teach me all those concepts has helped become a better designer and have a better eye for designs.

We are also currently tackling designing a logo for Senate and updating the board we use at events such as the activities fair and visitation days. A logo would help create a brand for Senate. For example, the board currently in use does not follow design elements such as alignment and proximity, and therefore, doesn’t do justice for the organization.

Overall, I still have a lot of work to do in promoting Student Senate, but it’s a challenge I take in stride because I know not only will benefit Senate, but it will also benefit me.

-Chelsea Cummins (@ChelseaCummins) 

Sophmore Public Relations Major

Waynesburg University PRSSA, Secretary

Junior Student Reflections of Pittsburgh Professional Development Conference

Starting this fall semester, our student PR team became an official PRSSA chapter, giving us access to networking, career services, and invitations to PRSA professional development conferences. To me, if you’re a college student looking to break into the industry, those are some pretty good benefits.

This month was the first time that we were eligible to attend a conference as official PRSSA members, so I decided to go and see what one of these conferences was like. On September 15, we traveled to PRSA Pittsburgh's Professional Development Conference. I particularly enjoyed these two speakers.:

Pat McMahon, director of public relations for PNC Bank, talked about his company’s acquisition of National City Bank, and the process of converting those branches not located in Pittsburgh over time. The goal wasn’t to change everything overnight; that would’ve caused panic and confusion for PNC’s new customers. PNC’s major action in the plan was to use the local television media in the new market areas to deal with concerned customers directly. In this case, they held a live internet town-hall style discussion, where anyone could ask questions about how their banking would be affected.

Tim McIntyre, vice president of communications for Domino’s Pizza, told us about his “worst week on the job” when a Youtube video appeared that threatened the reputation and integrity of the entire Domino’s company. He told his story about how he worked with the president to make sure that this video (commonly known by those who have seen it as “Disgusting Domino’s Workers”) and the potential crisis was stopped immediately. To accomplish this, Domino’s needed to find the workers responsible, make sure no one was injured (the video turned out to be a hoax), and create an apology video with the president himself to be viewed before the other video gained too much notoriety. Even though this case study has been met with mixed opinions in the PR field, it is a solid example of crisis relations and crisis management. The incident also proved to be the turning point for Domino’s and social media.

So, the main point that I learned from the speakers here:

Good PR involves analyzing a situation, careful planning, and efficient execution. If you can stay aware of what the public is saying about your organization, and/or project what they will say in the future, then having strong plans ready for situations will keep your company in a good position. And that’s all great stuff to learn from professionals in the industry.

Kevin Conley (@Kevco542)

Junior Public Relations Major

PRSSA Member