Two VCU PR students receive scholarships from PRSA Richmond

The Richmond Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America announced that two VCU mass communications students have been named as recipients of the Richmond Public Relations Foundation scholarships. Shana Bernabela and Cassie Ann Williams, both seniors majoring in PR, were recognized at the November 28 PRSA membership luncheon. Each received a $1,000 check.

Bernabela is the winner of the Bill Dietrick Memorial Scholarship.

The Newport News native has completed five internships including ones with Warner Music Group, the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society and Average Girl Magazine. She maintains a 3.4 GPA and plans to pursue a career in New York City in the entertainment PR industry after her May 2008 graduation.

Williams is the winner of the David Hurdle scholarship.

A double major (her second major is Spanish), she maintains a 3.0 overall GPA. She serves as treasurer of VCU’s PRSSA chapter. Among her accomplishments are a semester studying abroad in Seville, Spain. The Danville native will graduate in May 2008 and hopes to pursue a graduate degree in the VCU Strategic PR Program.

The Richmond Public Relations Foundation solicited scholarship applications from students attending numerous other area colleges and universities offering a PR curriculum including the University of Richmond, Virginia Union University, Virginia State University, Longwood University and Randolph Macon College.

Rhoda Weiss, chair and CEO of the Public Relations Society of America, will meet with VCU students

Don’t miss this opportunity to personally meet Rhoda Weiss, APR, Fellow PRSA, on Wednesday, November 28. Weiss will be available 10:15 to 11 a.m., and will meet with students in Temple 2211.

As PRSA’s chair and CEO, she leads the 32,000 members of PRSA, the world’s largest organization of public relations professionals and students. She also is president of Rhoda Weiss and Associates in Santa Monica, Ca.

For more than 30 years, Weiss has been a nationally recognized health care executive and communicator.

During her career, she has traveled more than six million miles speaking and consulting with more than 700 organizations across the country.

She has authored more than 300 journal articles and a book, Managing Health Care Reform: Ideas from Leaders. She has been a UCLA public relations extension faculty member for 23 years and is a PhD student in leadership and change.

Rhoda Weiss is the recipient of dozens of honors, including several lifetime achievement awards for her contributions to the profession.

Her client list includes the top U.S. health systems and hospitals, including national and regional health systems; academic, community and teaching hospitals; aging programs; military and veteran's health; home care, hospice, and ambulatory settings; physician organizations; health plans; behavioral health, specific-disease organizations, and much more.

Get December '07 graduation details here

You've worked hard, and the time has finally come to graduate! Get the details you need here:

http://www.has.vcu.edu/mac/index-DecemberGraduationDetails.html

Student Work / School of Mass Comm in the news

Check out these links to articles published by Mass Comm students, and articles that feature VCU's School of Mass Communications:

http://www.has.vcu.edu/mac/student_work-MC_in_the_news.html

Mac Lab: Special Thanksgiving hours

Special Thanksgiving Hours: The Mac lab will have regular hours through Tuesday Nov. 20. It will be closed from Wednesday Nov. 21 thru Sat. Nov. 24. The lab will re-open on Sunday Nov. 25 at noon.

The VCU CreateAthon onCampus team is taking applications from nonprofits: Deadline is Nov. 20

The VCU CreateAthon onCampus team invites you to encourage your favorite nonprofit organization to submit an application for our Spring 2008 creative blitz event. Any 501(c)3 organization in need of marketing materials to help their socioeconomic cause can apply. The application deadline is Nov. 20.

WHAT IS CreateAthon onCampus? CreateAthon onCampus will be a 24-hour, work-around-the-clock creative blitz during Spring Break, 2008. During this event, VCU Mass Communication students will produce marketing and creative services for selected area non-profits. Each student team will be partnered with local advertising, design or marketing professionals who will mentor the students’ work, ensuring high-quality and effective materials.

CreateAthon onCampus is the student expansion of RIGGS’ national CreateAthon event. This annual program is a 24-hour creative blitz for professional agencies held in September. During CreateAthon, advertising agencies across the country generate marketing and advertising services for their area nonprofits on a pro-bono basis.

TO APPLY OR GET MORE INFORMATION, HAVE NONPROFITS visit www.createathononcampus.org, or email Peyton Rowe, prowe@vcu.edu

Ad Photography Class

Master the power of visual communications. This new course is all about making better photos for advertising. This is a hands-on course where you’ll create images that help communicate something about a brand. You’ll study the work of accomplished commercial photographers and visit a commercial photo studio.

There will be a lot of picture taking. Access to and working knowledge of a digital camera is required. The class meets once a week for 10 weeks and is worth one credit.

Details:

• MASC-491 Section 005
• tue 2:00 – 3:15
• registration call number 21019
• prof. scott sherman
• sfsherman@vcu.edu