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Did You Know…
If you are interested in any of these opportunities, please contact Elizabeth Lennox for further details. April 5, 2007 In this issue:
Dear friends and colleagues: Unbelievable! At the end of May I will be recognized for 10 years of service to Mount Royal. Looking back over the years, I was struck by the simple fact that it is not the teaching of students, but the success of our program’s graduates (now alumni) that we can claim as our greatest achievement. It seems particularly appropriate that we launch our Alumni Mentorship Program just about one decade after launching the applied degree. I calculate that we have approximately 225 BAC (PR) graduates who have joined the several hundred alumni from the program’s highly successful diploma program. The brand new Mentorship Program is our first major alumni initiative in what we hope will become a vibrant, sustainable and mutually beneficial relationship that will develop and grow over time. We could not have come this far without the hard work of Elizabeth Lennox, our PR Outreach Coordinator who did the research, designed the program and then has pushed, cajoled and made it happen. What’s next? This issue outlines lots of possibilities for you to get involved. In this issue you will hear from three of our alumni who have joined us as instructors. You’ll hear about our advisory committee and opportunities to advise and guide us as a member of PRAC. We are also delighted to announce that Cindy Drummond who graduated last year has joined us in the role of Public Relations Work Experience Coordinator in Career Services. She would love to hear from any of you with placement opportunities for our students. Connecting with alumni has made this past year a real joy for me. Together, let’s make the network grow and prosper. Stay in touch! Janice The much anticipated Public Relations Mentorship program was launched this month with the matching of 10 second year students with 10 of our premier alumni. We were pleased to receive applications from public relations professionals in a variety of fields – government, the tourism industry, the corporate sector and non-profit sectors offering our students a wide range of experiences. We anxiously await the orientation session on May 8th where our students will meet their mentors for the first time. Thanks to Wendi Gramantik for her time and expertise in the development of the materials for this program. Wendi is a partner in Capisce Coaching and Consulting. As an alumna of the program from 1998, she agreed to review the materials and give us her comments both from a student and a mentor perspective. If you have considered participating in this very rewarding venture but could not manage the time this year, there will be other opportunities next January. I’ll keep you posted. Take a look at our new mentorship website at www.mtroyalcommunications.ca/pralumni/
From Wendi Gramantik… I was honoured to receive Janice’s call to ask if I would provide some support to the development of the Mentorship program. It is a program that I would have loved to have been able to take advantage of while I was in the program from 93-95. I have been involved in developing mentorship and coaching programs inside organizations and this was a great chance to share some of my professional learning with the MRC PR program – turning the tables so to speak! In my role now as a consultant and professional coach I understand the value of developing learning relationships between people and appreciate how much value a mentorship relationship will bring to both the mentor and the student. I would love to see the program grow to double the starting size and much, much more and am committed to doing whatever I can to help make that happen. Travis Davies (class of 2002) tells public relations students that theory is critical Travis said, "The journey from MRC's Communication program to Goldsmiths Masters degree in Transnational Communications and Global Media has been exciting and rewarding. My introduction to communication theory in Lee and Avril's class was extremely influential and a critical base for the graduate work I'm doing now." Former students return to teach… Jamie Leong-Huxley (class of 1985), Teresa Scarlett (class of 1996) and Pam Ashcroft (class of 1998) know first hand what it’s like to be a student in the Public Relations Program. All three are graduates who have come full circle to teach in the program at Mount Royal. Jamie wrote… I feel very lucky to have stayed connected with the program over the years and am very much enjoying my first semester teaching Applied Writing I. I also continue to teach the Intro to PR course in the certificate program on Monday nights. If I have an overall goal as an instructor, it’s to try to make each student’s learning experience as wonderful as mine has been over the years within the walls of MRC. And my learning continues - there's nothing like being in front of bright, curious and energetic students every day to keep you on your toes! Pam wrote… Things have come full circle. I went from being one of the first students to graduate with a BAC (PR) to being a part-time instructor in the Centre for Communications Studies with a few interesting jobs along the way and the smile on my face is because I love the direction my career has taken. I am also smiling because the students don’t think I know what they are doing - just as I thought I was hiding it from Walter Bruno all those years ago! Our Job Seekers network is a vibrant and growing tool for alumni to share opportunities in the communications arena. If you are aware of an opening in the field and would like to share this information with alumni of the PR program, just send me a posting and I will fan the information out to our growing list of participants. If you would like to be added to the list, just drop me a line and let me know where you are. We would also love to hear from you if you have a story to tell about our job seekers network. Don’t worry. This list is strictly confidential. My email is elennox@mtroyal.ca. Success Stories Heather Holmen wrote… From extensive theoretical training and applied work experiences to post-graduation networks and support, Mount Royal College provides innovative services and resources that help individuals make the seamless transition from student to graduate to working professional. The Job Seekers Network is a huge value addition to any graduate looking for his or her first exciting job. PRAC – Public Relations Advisory Committee The role of advisory committees is to help Mount Royal College ensure that its credit programs and courses meet the needs of its students and of the community it serves. Committees bring a new dimension of community contacts, resources, insights and energy into the College’s academic planning process. Hilary Dolhaine, the current President of the Public Relations Advisory Committee, is the Corporate Communications Manager for the Calgary Stampede. Not only does she bring a wealth of experience and knowledge to the position but she is also an alumna of the program. Hilary wrote… Passion for PR education I have been a member of the Public Relations Advisory Committee (PRAC) for approximately six years. I joined PRAC because I thoroughly enjoyed my experience as a student in the program in the mid ‘90s. It was during my time at Mount Royal that I learned how to actually be a public relations professional. I learned skills – including networking, concise writing, effective media relations and event management. Those are the foundational skills that I continue to draw upon each day – even more than a decade after graduating. Our industry needs to grow our ability to offer true, authentic education in the practice of public relations. This education is what will create consistency and credibility in our profession. To ensure that a PR program is effective, advisory committees that contain professional members from the community are vitally important. As our industry evolves over time, it is this connection and relationship that will ensure students receive relevant instruction and are better prepared to “hit the ground running” when they graduate. From the Office of Alumni Relations... We are excited to report that there is interest in developing a Public Relations Alumni Chapter. Some of the interested Public Relations alumni attended a Chapter meeting on March 13 to draft the Chapter Constitution and volunteer for board positions. The following positions have been filled: Vice-President, Debra Metcalfe and Director-at-Large (Faculty Rep), Elizabeth Lennox. The draft Public Relations Alumni Chapter Constitution will be reviewed for final approval once all Chapter Board positions are filled. The proposed mission of the chapter is:
Your Chapter is still in need of individuals who are interested in taking on leadership roles in launching the Chapter. Positions to be filled are: President, Secretary, Treasurer and a minimum of two Directors-at-Large. To express your interest in taking on a leadership role or for more information about your Chapter and available positions, contact Shirley Reynolds, Office of Alumni Relations at sreynolds@mtroyal.ca or your Chapter's Vice President, Debra Metcalfe dametcalfe@shaw.ca. Please note that if you choose not to take on a leadership role this first year, we welcome and encourage you to be an active member through chapter events and activities! We also encourage your fellow Public Relations alumni classmates to reconnect so we can update their information to ensure they receive information from their Chapter, the MRCAA, and the Public Relations Department. A PR Alumni Chapter link will be available on the MRCAA alumni website soon. Remember to keep your contact information updated by contacting the Alumni Relations Office. Phone locally at 403-440-700, toll free at 1-866-441-6101 or email at alumni@mtroyal.ca. Remember to let us know when you move or change jobs so we can keep in touch and let you know about all the great things that are happening in our program. Elizabeth Lennox This information is for Public Relations alumni. If you would like to be removed from the distribution list, just email: elennox@mtroyal.ca. |
On
Feb 15, Travis Davies spoke to the students in Avril Torrence's ACOM
4401 class while on a visit to Calgary from England where he is working
on his Masters at Goldsmiths College. He recalled the days of being
a student at Mount Royal. Travis spoke about his journey from student
at Mount Royal to working on his MA in international media and communications. 
While
I am only in my 40s, I sure do feel old! My Applied Writing II students are talking about bands and music I have
no clue
about
and are concerned
with things I vaguely remember. It gives me a chuckle every day.
What's great is the energy the students pass on....there's nothing
like it
and it certainly
is infectious!
It’s been 11 years since I graduated from the PR program at
MRC and as I
experience the program now as an instructor, I have to admit I’m
a little
envious of my students. I have such fond memories of my time in the
program and have stayed in touch with many of my classmates from
those
years. Now, from my vantage point at the front of the classroom,
I see the
students getting to know each other in their classes and working
on all
those group projects…oh the group projects! Of course it’s
of no use at
all to tell them these stress-filled days of midterms, job interviews
and
endless writing assignments may well be the ones they remember the
most
fondly.
It has been ten years since I was last in this computer lab. At
that time I was the one hunched behind the computer screen furiously
typing
emails
to various
friends (this was long before IM, text messaging, facebook and
myspace) and now, I am standing in front of the classroom teaching
Applied
Writing II
to second year public relations students. 
The Mount Royal College
Job Seekers Network enables students and alumni to access remarkable
opportunities
that may not otherwise
be available
through conventional employment services. Stemming from an academic work
term with the provincial government, I was interested in adding to
this foundation
by taking the next step and working for the federal government. With
the help of this network, I was able to secure an exciting position
in this
area, and
in no time I hit the ground running in government communications. This
experience is everything that I hoped it would be and more.