The
PEAK
Weber State University - Ogden Peak Communications - PRSSA
President Shaquille Heath
Vice President Camille Twitchell
Account Executive Digital/Social Editor Publications Editor Laycee Moss Christa Lindley Chelbie Hunger
OUT WITH THE OLD & IN WITH THE NEW
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ith the start of the fall semester come so many new and exciting changes to Ogden Peak Communications and PRSSA. We are thrilled and ready to get the ball rolling and make this PRSSA’s best semester yet. We want to thank Dr. Yeonsoo Kim for all she has done for PRSSA. Her knowledge, guidance and leadership were essential in getting us to this point. We want to congratulate her on her new teaching position at James Madison University. Dr. Nicola Corbin will be joining us as the new adviser. This semester has us looking Shaquille Heath forward to many exciting events, PRSSA President the PRSSA National Conference, Oct. 10-14. Three members of our executive team will attend the event in Washington D.C. to learn some awesome public relations techniques from industry professionals and students from all around the country. We also look forward to a different class layout. We’ve added some lecture components to our schedule to provide strategic skills in resume building, social media, writing techniques and other PR-related topics. In the past, Ogden Peak has focused on clients within the Ogden community. This semester, we decided to take an internal approach to not only give us a different perspective in PR, but to also build awareness of our organization around campus.
Our client will be Weber State’s Communication Department. Camille Twitchell, our Vice President, and her team will focus on increasing awareness about the department’s bachelor’s and new associate’s degree. Account Executive Chelbie Hunger will lead her team in the planning of the COMMfest event that the department will host in the spring semester. More information on our clients and teams inside. On Sept 17 at 2 p.m. Trey Fitz-Gerald, vice president of Broadcasting & Communications for Real Salt Lake, social media in PR and what it has meant for his role at RSL. This is open to anyone who would like to come, so feel free to join us for an interesting discussion. Thank you to everyone who continues to support Ogden Peak and PRSSA. We have grown so much in the last couple of years and hope to make this semester one to remember!
Photo Credit: WSU Photo Gallery
FALL VOLUME I, September 2014
FALL 2014 OGDEN PEAK CLIENT DETAILS Associate’s Degree in Communication Weber State University (WSU) currently is the home of seven academic colleges. Each college is sub-divided into departments that offer bachelor’s degrees. However, an offering of the associate’s degree is less common, and only a few of the Camille Twitchell colleges on camVice President pus are able to boast this fact. The Telitha E. Lindquist College of Arts and Humanities hosts the communication department, and as such, is announcing its new
associate of communication degree. Many students view the associate degree as a stepping stone on the way to gain a bachelor’s degree. The benis locking in those general credits early, and less worrying less as graduation with a bachelor’s degree looms closer. An associate degree is the celebration of at least two years already in school and is a reminder to many students that they are halfway there. Working with the Department of Communication on this associate degree entails deep and intense research. Research is key to everything in Public Relations, and must be fully
understood in order to progress.We will be analyzing all aspects such as objectives, strategies, key messages, publics and the current situation. Once this research is in place, the promotion of this degree can move forward. Ogden Peak Communications is very thrilled and excited about the chance to work in-house with the communication department on this new associate degree. This degree will offer new options and chances for incoming students looking to secure their futures. This degree will secure students passion of communication early-on in their school careers.
“I’m a great believer that any tool that enhances communication has profound effects in terms of how people can learn from each other, and how they can achieve the kind of freedoms that they’re interested in.”– Bill Gates
COMMfest 2015 Weber State University Department COMMfest this coming spring 2015 semester. COMMfest will showcase the faculty’s work of shaping students into professional communicators. This event highlights what the department Chelbie Hunger Account Executive as a whole
has been striving for throughout the school year. Each bachelor’s degree will present their accomplishments - from awards won, great student projects, and participation within the community and University. Public Relations Society of America (PRSSA) is thrilled to be involved in the planning and execution this event. As future PR professionals, we are taking this opportunity to research what it is that student know and do not know about the communication department.
We will also be putting emphasis on the new Associate of Science in Communication that was launched this past year.
Did you know The Signpost, KWCR 88.1 FM, Studio 76, Wildcat ONE and Weber State Debate are all communication programs?
STUDENT SPOTLIGHT: Rachel Koch Why did you choose to pursue a degree in Public Relations? I have always wanted to help people. Once I learned
Age: 22 Graduating: December 2014 Fav. Food: Cafe Rio Fav. Movie: You’ve Got Mail or It’s Kind of a Funny Story
job as a PR professional is to communicate the efforts of an organization to the public (or multiple publics). So what better way to help someone than to inform others about an incredible cause? I love working in groups and learning what each group member has to with people from different backgrounds, to come up
with ideas on how to help promote and inform an audience.
What do you think are some essential skills a PR professional should have? (obviously). It’s important to communicate effectively and way. I also feel like creativity is important because as a PR new ways to promote your client.
What do you like to do when you’re not studying? and drawer… sometimes I do things on Adobe Illustrator (I’m not super good at it yet, however I’m still learning). I love spending time with my husband, Wade. He’s pretty great. I also love to spend time outside—especially at my cabin in Island Park, Idaho.
What has been your favorite experience in college I really have loved learning. Sometimes the homework, tests, papers, etc. can seem a little overbearing, but I’ve learned so much and I’m so grateful that I’ve been able to go to college. I still think there’s so much to learn, but I’ve loved the variety of things I’ve been able to at and feeling proud of the work I performed, knowing that it was the best I could do.
Who is one of your role models? As cliché as it may sound, it’s totally my mom. If I could be like her when I grow up I would be thrilled. She’s the most giving human I’ve ever met. She does anything she can to help people and never expects anything in return. She’s also so passionate about life and is an incredible hard worker. She’s always taught me to dream big, work hard, and if you do both those things you can accomplish anything you set out to do.
WSU DOES IT AGAIN: PR STUDENT OF THE YEAR 4-YEARS RUNNING
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By Laycee Moss Digital/Social Editor
ast spring’s annual Utah PR Student of the Year Competition proved once again that WSU’s PR students are the ones to beat. Recent public relations and advertising graduate Thomas Judd extends Weber State’s consecutive winning streak and domination of this competition. He joins previous winners Amber Price (2013), Amy Fiscus (2012) and Randee Jensen (2011) in the proverbial hall of WSU PRSSA fame. The purpose of the annual competition is to provide Utah’s undergraduates with the opportunity to apply what they have learned in their public relations classes to a realistic scenario. Judd said that he learned about the competition when He knew right away that the competition was something he wanted to do. “To me, it seemed like the ultimate place to put
all the things I had been learning in the classroom to use,” Judd said. “And it was.” In the 2014 competition, Discovery Gateway was the nonBob the Builder exhibit. Judd’s entry had to contain a cover letter, executive summary, the plan, the campaign timeline and a press release about an activity presented in the plan. “The competition was the ultimate crash course in public relations,” Judd said. “I would, without a doubt, recommend every student enter this competition. Don’t let your other school obligations like organizations or workload hold you back from taking part in one of the best experiences of your college career. I am lucky to have been able to be a part of the experience and win the title - for which I owe much gratitude to the faculty and staff in the Weber State University Communication Department.”
What is Communication? Wildcats visited the communication booth at the block party to let us know what communication means to them! #wsucomm
Congratulations to our block party prize winners: The Selfie (1/8 page color ad) - Cameron Quintana and Tinisha Toussaint The Ultimate Selfie (1/4 color ad) - Tyler Parker iPad Mini - Kimberly Holiday