2007 PRSA CHAPTER DIVERSITY AWARDS ENTRY: GREATER CLEVELAND

Transcription

1 2007 PRSA CHAPTER DIVERSITY AWARDS ENTRY: GREATER CLEVELAND The Greater Cleveland Chapter of PRSA has a strong commitment to diversity with the goal of making our organization and ultimately our profession stronger, culturally richer and more inclusive. We aim to attract and involve professionals of diverse backgrounds with regard to age, gender, race, sexuality, religious preference, physical abilities and other dimensions of difference. In Cleveland, among our biggest challenges is the under-representation of diverse ethnic and cultural backgrounds in our organization and profession. The Diversity Committee is helping our chapter respond to the challenge by focusing on four key priorities: Building commitment across the organization to diversity and inclusion; Attracting members with diverse backgrounds through targeted recruiting; Providing opportunities for members to be engaged in activities promoting diversity and inclusion in our chapter and community; and Providing development and networking opportunities to students of color who are interested in the public relations field. In November, 2006, the chapter held its fourth annual Diversity Committee Reception, which was open to all current and prospective chapter members. The evening event was hosted by Eaton Corporation and featured local radio personality Ronnie Duncan of The Ronnie Duncan Radio Show on WERE radio. The event was well attended and received excellent feedback from participants. We will hold the next annual networking event this autumn. Throughout 2006 and 2007, the Diversity Committee continued its Student Outreach Program with area universities and colleges. Our goal is to foster the development of students of color who are interested in pursuing a career in the field of public relations. This program provides students with increased access, interaction and visibility with experienced PR professionals in our community though the following free services: mentoring, job shadowing and field trips. The

2 mentoring program has been particularly successful. It matches individual students with members of PRSA for one-on-one mentoring relationships. The mentors and students are asked to meet each other in person at last three times and maintain regular contact throughout the rest of the academic year. Students who participate in this program also receive an invitation to participate in a PRSA monthly luncheon at no cost. The desired outcome is for students to gain insight about the field of public relations, receive valuable career advice and build a network of contacts with professionals working in the field. In the school-year, we established eight student/mentor relationships. For the current school-year, we already have eight matches confirmed and are on track to reach our goal of doubling participation to 16 matches. The visibility of our diversity efforts has led to increased interest in sponsorship from business partners. In addition to Eaton Corporation s annual sponsorship of our reception (an $800 value), the Federal Reserve Bank has also offered to host an event in Two companies have also made direct financial donations totaling $1,500 to support our efforts in Diversity in our chapter is driven from the top. We have two African American women serving on the board, one of whom is also the Secretary of the Executive Committee. The two chairs of the Diversity Committee, Montrie Rucker Adams and Dawn Hanson, provide reports at every meeting of the board and publish regular updates to the entire membership in the chapter s monthly newsletter. At a board retreat held in December 2006, the chapter s leadership identified improving diversity in our membership base as a key chapter goal for We have increased the number of ethnically diverse members from seven (as of ) to eleven (as of ). We are also currently recruiting three prospective members and are optimistic they will join. We still have work to do in Cleveland to improve diversity and inclusion in our chapter and profession, but we are making important progress every year.

3 About PRSA The Public Relations Society of America is the world s largest organization for public relations professionals. Its nearly 20,000 members, organized into 117 chapters, represent business and industry, technology, counseling firms, government, associations, hospitals, schools, professional services firms and nonprofit organizations. Chartered in 1947, PRSA s primary objectives are to advance the standards of the public relations profession and to provide members with professional development opportunities through continuing education programs, information exchange forums and research projects conducted on the national and local levels. The Greater Cleveland Chapter of PRSA serves the needs of public relations professionals in Northeast Ohio. Affiliated with the East Central District of PRSA, the chapter consists of more than 300 members. About the Diversity Committee The Greater Cleveland Chapter of PRSA has a strong commitment to diversity with the goal of making our organization and ultimately our profession stronger, culturally richer and more inclusive. We aim to attract and involve professionals of diverse backgrounds with regard to age, gender, race, sexuality, religious preference, physical abilities and other dimensions of difference. In Cleveland, among our biggest challenges is the under-representation of diverse ethnic and cultural backgrounds in our organization and profession. The Diversity Committee is helping our chapter respond to the challenge by focusing on four key priorities: w Building commitment across the organization to diversity and inclusion; w Attracting members with diverse backgrounds through targeted recruiting; w Providing opportunities for members to be engaged in activities promoting diversity and inclusion in our chapter and community; and w Providing development and networking opportunities to students of color who are interested in the public relations field. Diversity Committee Sponsors The Greater Cleveland Chapter of PRSA gratefully acknowledges Edward Howard and Dominion East Ohio for their generous sponsorship of the Diversity Committee in Student Outreach Program Connecting PR Students with Professionals and the Profession

4 Student Outreach Program Overview Get a jump-start on your career by networking with local public relations professionals. Sign up now at The Greater Cleveland Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America is pleased to offer a student outreach program, which is coordinated by the organization s Diversity Committee. Our goal is to foster the development of students of color who attend area colleges and universities and are interested in pursuing a career in the field of public relations. We provide students with increased access, interaction and visibility with experienced PR professionals in our community through the following free services: Mentoring: Individual students will be matched with a member of PRSA for a one-on-one mentoring relationships during the academic year. The mentors and students are asked to meet each other in person at last three times and maintain regular contact throughout the rest of the academic year. Students who participate in this program will also receive an invitation to participate in a PRSA monthly luncheon at no cost. The desired outcome is for students to gain insight about the field of public relations, receive valuable career advice and build a network of contacts with professionals working in the field. Shadowing Experiences: Individuals or groups of students will be paired with professionals in the field for a half or full day on-the-job shadowing experience. The desired outcome is for students to get a glimpse into the daily lives of public relations professionals and gain an understanding of the job requirements. Field Trips: Groups of students are invited to visit area companies, agencies and organizations to learn about their public relations teams and capabilities. The desired outcome is for students to learn about the public relations functions of the local organizations and their recruiting practices and requirements. Apply Now: Students of color at area colleges and universities are the primary target for these services and will receive priority; however, in the spirit of diversity, the program is open to all students. Aspiring professionals who have completed their degree within the past year may also participate in the program. For more information or to sign up as a participant, visit studentoutreach.asp.

5 STUDENT OUTREACH PROGRAM OVERVIEW The Greater Cleveland Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America is pleased to offer a student outreach program, which was developed by the organization s Diversity Committee. Our goal is to foster the development of students of color who attend area colleges and universities and are interested in pursuing a career in the field of public relations. We will provide students with increased access, interaction and visibility with experienced PR professionals in our community through the following free services: (1) Mentoring: Individual students will be matched with a member of PRSA for a one-on-one mentoring relationships during the academic year. The mentors and students are asked to meet each other in person at last three times and maintain regular contact throughout the rest of the academic year. Students who participate in this program will also receive an invitation to participate in a PRSA monthly luncheon at no cost. The desired outcome is for students to gain insight about the field of public relations, receive valuable career advice, and build a network of contacts with professionals working in the field. (2) Shadowing Experiences: Individuals or groups of students will be paired with professionals in the field for a half or full day on-the-job shadowing experience. The desired outcome is for students to get a glimpse into the daily lives of public relations professionals and gain an understanding of the job requirements. 3) Field Trips: Groups of students are invited to visit area companies, agencies and organizations to learn about their public relations teams and capabilities. The desired outcome is for students to learn about the public relations functions of the local organizations and their recruiting practices and requirements. Students of color at area colleges and universities are the primary target for these services and will receive priority; however, in the spirit of diversity, the program is open to all students. Aspiring professionals who have completed their degree within the past year and are members of PRSA may also participate in the program. For more information or to sign up as a participant, visit or contact Dawn Hanson at dawnhanson@thefairmountgroup.com or by phone at /DH

6 STUDENT OUTREACH PROGRAM EXPECTATIONS FOR MENTORING RELATIONSHIPS The mentoring relationships established through the PRSA Student Outreach Program are designed to foster the development of students and recent graduates of area colleges and universities and are interested in pursuing a career in the field of public relations. By providing increased access, interaction and visibility with experienced PR professionals in our community, we aim to help students gain insight about the field of public relations, receive valuable career advice, and build a network of contacts with professionals working in the field. Participant Responsibilities and Expectations Individual students and public relations professionals are matched for a one-on-one mentoring relationship that will last through the academic year (Summer 2007 through Spring 2008). The mentors and students are asked to: Meet each other in person at last three times during the academic year. For one of the meetings, mentors are encouraged to invite their student to a PRSA monthly luncheon. The registration fee for the student will be paid by the Diversity Committee; please note this when registering. Maintain regular contact throughout the rest of the academic year and Provide feedback about the experience at the end of the academic year through an evaluation process to be coordinated by the Diversity Committee. Mentors and students have equal responsibility to set up meeting times and maintain the relationship. If a participant needs to withdraw from the program for any reason, he/she is asked to contact one of the co-chairs of the Diversity Committee immediately so another participant can be assigned to the mentoring relationship. Please also feel free to contact us with any questions or suggestions: Montrie Rucker Adams Dawn Hanson mra@visibilitymarketing.com dawnhanson@thefairmounggroup.com (440) (216) /DH

7 SCHOOL APPLICATION FOR STUDENT OUTREACH PROGRAM Name: Title: School: Address: Phone: Preferences: _ I am interested in promoting the mentoring program _ I am interested in promoting the shadowing experiences _ I am interested in organizing a field trip _ Other (specify) Please return this form to Dawn Hanson by at dawnhanson@thefairmountgroup.com or by fax at If you have any questions, call Dawn at /DH

8 STUDENT APPLICATION FOR STUDENT OUTREACH PROGRAM Name: School: Year: _ Freshman _ Junior _ Graduate Student _ Sophomore _ Senior _ Recent Graduate (specify date of graduation and school) Major: Age: Ethnicity: _ African American _ Hispanic _ Asian _ Native American _ Caucasian _ Other (specify) Address: Phone: Preferences: _ Mentor Program _ Shadowing Experience _ Field Trip _ Corporation _ Agency _ Non-Profit _ Other (specify) _ Morning meetings _ Afternoon meetings _ Evening meetings _ Other preferences (specify) Please return this form with your resume to Dawn Hanson by at dawnhanson@thefairmountgroup.com or by fax at If you have any questions, call Dawn at /DH