Quotes Holiday Party - Dec. 8

Hello Quotes Members!

We hope everyone has been surviving through the remainder of the semester -- vacation is almost here! Quotes is happy to let you all know that our holiday party is around the corner. The holiday party will be at iKiwi, a local and delicious frozen yogurt spot on Dec. 8, at our regular meeting time, 6 - 7 p.m. Quotes will be paying for your frozen treat, as long as it does not exceed four ounces. Other yummy holiday goodies will be at the party as well.

iKiwi is located at the intersection of Mc Culoch and Alafaya. It is inside the plaza next to Blockbuster and Publix. We hope to see many of you celebrating the end of this wonderful semester with Quotes. Please make sure you have submitted your Quotes member applications by this time, so you are eligible to be an FPRA Student Member.

If you have any questions or concerns please e-mail ucfquotes@gmail.com or check our Facebook page, Quotes the Ad/PR Club for updates.

Re-Cap of the Last Three Member Meetings

Quotes has had a lot going on these past two months, see below for meeting re-caps!

11/17 Meeting Recap: Joel Glass Talks Magic

On Tuesday, Nov. 17, Joel Glass, the VP of Communications for the Orlando Magic, came to the Quotes meeting to share his PR wisdom with all of us. He discussed how he managed the onslaught of positive publicity when the Orlando Magic made it to the NBA playoffs and finals earlier this year.

Before he spoke about the opportunities that came for the Magic when they made it to the finals, he talked about his communications objectives for the Magic and his overall PR philosophies. Here are some of the points he touched on:

• When Glass is giving the players advice on dealing with reporters, he tells them to always remember their ABCs. ACKNOWLEDGE the reporter’s question, BRIDGE to what you want to say, and CLEARLY communicate your message. You don’t have to answer their specific question – develop your messages and clearly communicate them.
• On the viral nature of social media: Everyone is a reporter. Traditional media has gone out the window, along with all of its rules. “With great technology comes great responsibility.”
• If he had to boil PR down into three main points: (1) deal with crises from a position of strength, (2) minimize the negative and (3) maximize the positive.
• Media relations activities are based on a combination of the message, audience, timing and method.
• Glass asks each of the players to list three ways they want others to perceive them. He then bases the player’s media relations strategy on these desired perceptions. For example, Dwight Howard wanted to be viewed as hardworking – he now does all of his interviews as he’s walking off of the court.
• When you’re using social networking as a part of your communications plan, make sure you know you have a specific strategy with specific objectives. Remember that every word counts. Glass suggests taking a few minutes each day to determine what you’re going to say through your social media channels.

Then Glass discussed how he dealt with the wave of positive media coverage resulting from the NBA finals. He said the key to keeping his sanity during this very busy time was to have a strong plan already in place. The Magic plans to go all the way to the finals every year and has a communications plan in place for when they do. Planning is an essential part of the public relations process, he said, and having plans in place for a number of circumstances is crucial.

Thanks again to Joel Glass for coming and speaking to us! GO MAGIC!

Ad Club Resume Workshop Recap: 11/5

The Ad Club hosted a resume workshop with PR, advertising and marketing professionals from Acropolis, Disney and Work Force Central Florida to give resume tips and advice. With Intern Pursuit right around the corner, we encouraged all members to attend and spruce up those resumes in preparation. Here’s a recap of some of the advice the professionals shared.

• Make sure your resume looks professional and is consistent in format and font.
• Absolutely NO errors on your resume (All of the professionals on the panel said they will throw your resume at the sight of even one error.)
• Prove positive results of your successes (i.e. increased media coverage by 10%, boosted sales 5%, etc.)
• Make sure to have internship experience before you graduate!
• Use a cover letter and use it to expand on the highlights of your resume and showcase your personality. Include detail as to why you’re a good fit for the company, the position (pull words from the job description) and show you’ve done some research.
• DO include an objective on your resume and use it to target each position you’re applying for if you can. DON’T say “to find an internship…” It may come off seeming desperate.
• Longevity in positions is important. If it’s not a job targeted to the profession you’re working toward, just put it closer to the bottom.
• Bring copies of your resume to the interview. Bring your portfolio with you as well.
• Skills the professionals are looking for: strong writers, coordination of projects, ability to multitask, detail-oriented, well organized, etc.
• When you put something on your resume, be able to explain your experiences and how they are going to help you in this job.
• Definitely include your membership in Quotes and/or Ad Club.
• Send a thank you card or email the day of the interview. Follow up within two weeks of your interview but the professionals suggest doing so no more than twice. And make sure there is a position available and it wasn’t just a hopeful resume send-out.

Thank you to Ad Club for putting this very educational workshop together!

Quotes member meeting recap: Halloween Horror Night Trip 10/27

• In celebration of Halloween, Quotes made a trip to Universal Studios’ corporate offices to learn about the entertainment side of the development of Halloween Horror Nights and, of course, about the PR opportunities that come along with such a popular event.
• First, Patrick Braillard, the Entertainment Show Director, spoke about how he and his team come up with the overall theme each year and the scare tactics to be used in event. He told us about the creative process and how they sit around and watch scary movies and eat junk food to get inspiration on everything from the haunted houses to scare zones and even the entire movie-inspired theme this year.
• To cover the public relations aspect of the event Kristen Clark and Meara Lyons, Universal Orlando’s PR coordinator and a PR representative respectively, told us all about their exciting role in making HHN a reality. They showed us the communications plan, told us about coordinating the media when they invite them into the park to preview the event and showed us some pretty spectacular media teasers they’ve sent out to entice them.

Intern Pursuit Employees as of 11/16/09

AGENCY
Acropolis
Curley and Pynn
Deatrick Public Relations
Edelman Public Relations
Fry Hammond Barr

Go Convergence
Massey Communications
Orlando/Orange County Convention & Visitors Bureau, Inc
PowerHouse
PUSH

The Rawls Group

Ron Sachs Communications

Tcreative

TJM Communications Inc.

True Marketing

Vantage Communications

VSM Advertising and Public Relations

VS Publishing Company
Ypartnership

CORPORATE
98.9 WMMO

AAA National Office
Art Calendar Magazine
Cox Events Group

Cox Radio Inc. (Interactive Department)

Florida Hospital

Florida Nurses Association

Goldner Associates
Oerther Foods, Inc.-McDonald's

Orlando Ballet
Orlando Business Report
Produce For Kids

ProductionHUB

Thoughts.com

Turnstile Publishing

NON-PROFIT
American Cancer Society
American Lung Association
American Red Cross
Arnold Palmer Hospital
Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Florida
Cystic Fibrosis Foundation

Downtown Arts District, Inc.
Florida United Way
Nemours

GOVERNMENT
City of Orlando
City of Winter Park
East Orlando Chamber of Commerce

Orlando Health
Orlando Science Center
UCF News and Information

Intern Pursuit Employers as of 11/6/2009

AGENCY
Acropolis
Curley and Pynn
Deatrick Public Relations
Edelman Public Relations
Fry Hammond Barr
Massey Communications
Orlando/Orange County Convention & Visitors Bureau, Inc
PowerHouse
PUSH
Vantage Communications
VS Publishing Company
Ypartnership

CORPORATE
98.9 WMMO
Art Calendar Magazine
Cox Events Group
Oerther Foods, Inc.-McDonald's
Orlando Business Report
Produce For Kids

NON-PROFIT
American Cancer Society
American Lung Association
American Red Cross
Arnold Palmer Hospital
Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Florida
Cystic Fibrosis Foundation
Florida United Way
Nemours

GOVERNMENT
City of Orlando
City of Winter Park
East Orlando Chamber of Commerce
Orlando Science Center
UCF News and Information

INTERN PURSUIT Flyer - Nov. 18 6-8pm

Quotes presents this semester's Intern Pursuit

Hello fellow communication students!

On Wednesday Nov. 18, 2009, 6-8 p.m. Quotes is hosting its biannual Intern Pursuit where communication students are offered the opportunity to meet with Orlando professionals in the advertising, public relations and marketing industries. Intern Pursuit will take place at the Orlando Sentinel, 633 Orange Ave, Orlando, FL 32801. During Intern Pursuit students will have the opportunity to submit their resumes with companies seeking interns for the upcoming Spring and Summer semesters.

Professionals from around Central Florida attend Intern Pursuit in the hopes of hiring communication students with a desire to be a part of their organization and cause. Employers represent a number of industries such as non-profit organizations, government agencies, corporations and communication firms. Employers are currently sending in their RVSPs and a full list will be available as the event nears.

Students are not required to RSVP for Intern Pursuit, but are encouraged to dress in professional attire. Light refreshments will be served throughout the evening.

This year, Quotes members will have the opportunity to prepare their resumes for Intern Pursuit during the Ad Club's Resume Workshop on Nov. 5, 6:00 p.m. in the Student Union, Pegasus Ballroom. Quotes encourages students to attend and spice up their resumes.

We'll see you soon!

Halloween Horror Nights Behind the Scenes Look: 10/27 Meeting Information

Greetings Quotes Members!

Our next member meeting on Oct. 27 will be Quotes' semester field trip. We have been invited to take a behind the scenes look at Halloween Horror Nights! Running in its 18th year, Halloween Horror Nights has become the most anticipated horror event in Orlando and Universal Theme Parks.

The presentation will be at the Universal Studios corporate offices where members will be given the full story of HHN from a public relations and marketing stand point. Members will also learn about how the Entertainment team decides on the theme and executes the event.

CARPOOL

Since this meeting is off campus two options are available to members -- carpool and individual driving. Carpool will be available on campus, which will be provided by our board members, Dana Bakich (941-504-9990) and Julie Primrose (239-895-2677). Dana and Julie have four spots each in their cars, so if transportation is a problem they are the ladies to go to! You can meet them in front of VAB at 4:45 p.m. on Oct. 27, carpool will be leaving at 5 p.m. A carpool location will also be in Downtown Orlando, provided by Michelle Khouri (786-200-0221). Meet her on the courtyard of the Plaza building at the corner of Church Street and Orange Avenue. Downtown Carpool will be leaving at 5:15 p.m.

Members are encouraged to carpool with one another as well.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

• 20 Slots available for paying members ONLY
• MUST RSVP by e-mail to ucfquotes@gmail.com by Sunday Oct. 25 at 9:00 p.m.
• Presentation is from 6:00-7:00 p.m.

Address to Universal Corporate Office:
1000 Universal Studios Plaza
Orlando, Florida 32819

Driving Directions to Universal Corporate Office:

From campus:

• Take 408 Toll W ramp to Orlando/Ocoee
• Take exit 10A to merge onto I-4 W to Tampa
• Take exit 74B Universal
• Merge onto Adventure Way
• Turn left at Hollywood Way
• Turn right at Co Road 439/Turkey Lake Rd
• Turn right onto Universal Studios Plaza

Look out for updates on fliers, Twitter.com/Quotes_UCF and the Facebook Page and group. Hope to see many of you at the behind the scenes look at Halloween Horror Nights!

xoxo,

Quotes, the PR club
ucfquotes@gmail.com
786-200-0221

Second Meeting Recap: Board Elections & Laura Guitar

Hello Members --

In case you were unable to make the Quotes meeting this week, here’s a recap of all the fun that took place!

We began the meeting with elections for our two vacant board positions, president-elect and director of advertising.

Dana Bakich won as president-elect, and that’s no surprise! Dana presented in a way no one has ever done before at Quotes – she brought in different objects that represented her personality. She showed a football for her love of sports, concert tickets for her love of music, and a FPRA Conference pamphlet because of her passion for Quotes. Dana is currently the external director of Knight-Thon, the largest fundraising club at UCF. She is also interning with UCF Athletics, and aspires to intern for the Orlando Magic in the community relations department. Dana will be shadowing Michelle Khouri, Quotes president, throughout the coming year and will then transition as president of Quotes next year.

We had two candidates for the director of advertising position, Hillery Brooks and Charlene Ruhge. Charlene was unable to be at the meeting this week, but sent in a biography including all of her qualifications. Both candidates were very well suited for the position. Ultimately, though, Hillery won the election and is now officially your new director of advertising! She has a focus in graphic design and has been working with Photoshop and Illustrator for several years. Hillery just completed a year-long internship at a PR firm. Hillery will be the mastermind behind the flyers and other promotional collateral for Quotes you’ll see around UCF.

Congratulations again and welcome to the board, Dana and Hillery!

After announcing our board members, we switched gears and welcomed Laura Guitar, senior vice president of Edelman Orlando. Laura started off by explaining how she worked her way up in PR and how she eventually, with her colleague Lori Kifer, opened the Orlando office of the global PR agency, Edelman.

She gave insight into the fast-paced world of agency PR and the culture of the Edelman network. Here are some of the points she touched on:

• The biggest change happening right now in PR is a shift toward focusing on public engagement. We must talk with consumers, not at them.
• We are all aware of the growing popularity of social media as a PR tool, but we need to realize that it is a channel, not a strategy in itself. We must use it to our advantage – not use it as a crutch.
• PR used to be focused on output (writing news releases, accumulating media hits, etc.); now, it’s becoming more geared toward behavior change. PR practitioners have to be more accountable for producing real results.

Laura then spent time during her presentation answering questions we had about Edelman, agency PR and the field in general. Here are a few highlights from the Q & A:

• When hiring new employees and interns, Laura looks for prospects that have a deep intellectual curiosity about a variety of things, not just PR.
• You must bring fresh ideas to the table and be passionate about whatever you’re working on.
• You’ll be more successful if you gain an entrepreneurial vantage point – get to know the finance and legal team and really understand how the business works.
• There’s no particular type of PR person. You just have to figure out what niche of PR you’re best suited for.
• Critical thinking and offering fresh ideas are a must to make it in agency PR!

Laura finished off her presentation with an invitation to send in your resume to intern at Edelman. See previous blog post for more details.

Be sure to come out to our next meeting, Tuesday, Oct. 13. Grant Heston, assistant vice president of UCF News and Information will be there to discuss how UCF introduced the new tailgating policies and managed the issues surrounding their introduction. The meeting is all about UCF pride, being the Tuesday before the big game against the University of Miami, so be sure to wear your black and gold!

See you at the next meeting!

Masha Murakhovsky & Julie Primrose

Global Agency Looking for an Intern!

Edelman's Orlando office is looking for another intern to work on M/W/F. This is an unpaid internship, but a priceless opportunity to work for a global PR firm in their smallest office. You'll get real responsibility and learn how to work in a fast-paced agency environment. I work full time for Edelman, and absolutely love it!

Laura Guitar, the senior vice president of Edelman Orlando, will be presenting at the Quotes meeting on Tues, 9/29 from 6-7 p.m. at HEC 110, so if you want to get a vibe for the environment, talk to her at the meeting. Post resumes online at www.edelman.com. And I can promise you, we do read every resume that gets posted online.

DETAILS:

Edelman's Orlando office is seeking students who can thrive in an entrepreneurial and high-energy environment. Your range of skills will grow with your interests and ability.
The Trainee is responsible for assisting with implementing and monitoring projects within a specific set of accounts under the direction of the supervisor. The Trainee works closely with and supports the needs of the account teams.

A Trainee must be able to work effectively with a variety of account service staff within a specific set of accounts. S/he must have good organizational skills and the ability to adapt to new conditions, assignments and deadlines. S/he must have solid knowledge of MS Office Suite and superior verbal and written communication skills. The Trainee is generally someone in school working towards a bachelor's degree and is looking for entry-level experience in public relations. S/he must demonstrate the ability to become a strong writer. Familiarity with the public relations discipline through past coursework or other internships is desirable.

To tell you a little about our internship/trainee program:

• we have 1 trainee at any given time
• the duration of the internship is a minimum of 3 months and a maximum of 6 months
• due to the fact that college credit is given, these internships are unpaid
• some of our interns work a full-time schedule (Mon. - Fri., 8:30 - 5:30)
• our entry-level positions are typically filled by our current or former intern pool; therefore, an internship at Edelman is a great way to get your foot in the door!

Requirements
The Trainee is generally someone who is currently enrolled in a bachelor's degree program and is looking for entry-level experience in public relations. Although prior public relations work and academic training is not required, experience in a related field - marketing, communications, journalism, politics - is strongly desired. Successful candidates will display a passionate desire to learn, a fine attention to detail, the ability to work well under pressure and tight deadlines, and must live the Edelman values (quality, integrity, respect, entrepreneurial spirit, mutual benefit).

About Edelman
Edelman is the world’s leading independent public relations firm, with more than 3,100 employees in 51 offices worldwide. Edelman was named PRWeek’s “2008 Large Agency of the Year,” Holmes Report’s “2007 Global Agency of the Year,” and was listed as a top-10 firm in Advertising Age’s “2007 Agency A-List,” the first and only PR firm to receive this recognition. In 2007, CEO Richard Edelman was honored as “Agency Executive of the Year” by Advertising Age and “Most Powerful PR Executive” by PRWeek. For more information, visit www.edelman.com.

How to Apply:
Apply online at www.edelman.com.

First Meeting Recap - Fall 2009

What a great first meeting! We missed those of you who couldn't make it, so this blog entry is for you :)

We started right at 6 p.m., and I opened up with the shortest PowerPoint presentation that has ever graced UCF's projector screens. First, we introduced the new board members:

• Michelle Khouri, President
• Lauri Gagnon, Vice President
• Masha Murakhovsky, Director of Public Relations
• Julie Primrose, Communication Assistant
• Roxanna Malidelis, Co-Director of Special Events
• Denise Galang, Co-Director of Special Events
• Nichole Millikan, Special Events Assistant
• Armando Diaz, Treasurer
• Tracy Culbreath, Secretary

After introducing the board members, we thought it was important to speak to the benefits of being a Quotes member:

• FPRA membership is included in the cost of membership for Quotes
• Whether you go to member meetings or volunteer at Quotes or FPRA events, you will have the opportunity to network with some of the top PR professionals in Florida.
• At Quotes meetings, our main goal is to practice PR, not just to learn about it.
• You will get a chance to meet fellow students with like interests. Most of my own friends I met in Quotes!
• Quotes has partnerships with the Nicholson School of Communication (NSOC) and Ad Club. This enables us to have joint events and support school-wide. For instance, Ad Club is having a resume workshop on Nov. 5 (corrected from Nov. 4), which we are encouraging members to go to.
• Develop your career and leadership skills at Quotes by joining the board or by networking with professionals at events.
• Internship opportunities are one of the biggest benefits of being a Quotes member. Chances are, more than one person you know has gotten an internship or two through Quotes. I have gotten all three of my internships (and therefore, my full-time job) because of Quotes.
• Member meetings teach you about PR and what it means to be a PR professional. Whether it be a panel of professionals, a behind-the-scenes pass, or a holiday party, Quotes meetings keep it interesting and informative!
  

When the presentation was over, it was time for Star Paper! Star Paper is a Quotes tradition, and involves a piece of plain white paper and a group's creativity. Groups are given ten minutes to figure out what they want their sheet of paper to be...it can be absolutely ANYTHING. Then, they have to make a commercial and pitch it to the audience. Congratulations to team four, who won for their commercial for the Invisible Canoe!

That's just about everything from our first meeting. Some FAQs are below:

When are board elections and how can I run for the board?
Board elections for Fall 2009 are taking place at the next Quotes meeting, on Tuesday, Sept. 29 from 6-7 p.m. at HEC 110. We will be looking for the next President-Elect and Director of Advertising.

To run for a position on the board, submit a brief paragraph about yourself to ucfquotes@gmail.com before 8 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 28. You will be given two minutes to speak during the front end of the meeting -- we recommend preparing something, so that you cover all of the points you want to make.

How much is membership, and when do I have to pay it?
Membership is $35 if you are a new member. If you were a member last year, renewal is $25. Membership renewal takes place every Fall, no matter when you paid for membership, so we suggest becoming a member in the Fall in order to take advantage of the full year of membership.

When are member meetings?
Every other Tuesday. The next three meetings are: 9/29, 10/13, and 10/27.

We hope to see you at our next meeting!

xoxo,
Michelle