Speaker Amy Paul at UW-Whitewater

 Amy Paul is a recent public relation UW- Whitewater Graduate.  When in college at the university was involved in PRSSA on campus. Teachers always said she was a hard worker and really like the field of PR. Her hard work paid and dedication to PRSSA paid off.

Three weeks before graduation she Amy landed a job with the Milwaukee County Executive Office. This was an amazing learning experience.  When she started she had a bit of a hard time like all of new PR professionals would; she moved to Milwaukee County and walked into her first day of work and was asked to go write a press release about an even. She had no knowledge of the county or the event itself. She took the challenge with grace and didn't let other workers see she was so scared of not doing well. It all worked out and I’m sure they wanted to see what she could handle, because PR is such a fast passed field to work.  

After working for the Milwaukee County Executive Office, she continued her professional journey and headed to work for Bottom Line Marketing and Public Relations as a Public Relations Assistant.  After putting in her time with them she stared at Ascedia where she is today. Her job duties include but aren't limited to: Interactive Account Coordinator, Digital Marketing, Website Design/Redesign/Content, and Social Media.  Amy is very successful in the field and loves every minute of it.

Amy gave students great advice. She really pushed the whole idea of getting involved and staying involved in PRSSA or other organizations on UW-Whitewater’s campus.  Being involved gives your real world experiences outside of the classroom. The best thing about being involved is that you can use events and activities that the organizations do to build your resume. Employers really like to see candidates that where active in college.

She also suggested that students start their search for internships early, do their research on companies, know how to dress and act appropriately, and that when you get the job ask questions if you don’t know.

There were a couple things that shocked me about an average day in PR. One thing was people working in PR need to be able to shift their focus fast. One minute a worker is focused on press releases for a client and then a phone call comes in and another client needs something down urgent. One needs to be able to change their focus and not get all flustered over it.

Overall, Amy Paul is a great professional in the PR field. She does an amazing job representing the University of Wisconsin- Whitewater. If you want to find out more about Amy, she is on LinkedIn and Twitter.  

The PR Student

I am Lindsey O'Connor; I am supper excited to be starting a blog. It will be something new and exciting for me.

A little bit about me, I am a senior at the University of Wisconsin Whitewater, where I Study Public Relations and Fine Art. I chose to study these areas because I have always enjoyed getting dirty in an art room and it makes my day to be able to communicate and meet new people.

This upcoming Fall Semester 2013 will be a great one. I am taking the last of my major classes in Public Relations and Art. Some of the courses I'm pumped to be in is Ceramics, 2D-Design, and PR Tactics II. By the end of this semester I should have the tools to work on the potters wheel and make 2-Denominational art using a computer. As for Public Relations Tactics II, I will have the knowledge to execute appropriate writing formats, ability to respond to public relations problems, evaluate the effectiveness of the various public relations communications, be able to present information in a user-friendly manner, identify and use a variety of non-print technologies, understand the role of social media in public relations, have appreciation for diversity and communicating with diverse communities, and the ability to work in a high stress environment. With all those skills I should be equipped with the tools it takes to a land a job after college in the field of PR.

After graduation, I plan to continue to work for Minhas Brewery and Minhas Micro Distillery. I have been with the company for the last two years and am happy to say I don't plan on leaving anytime soon. I enjoy every day at Minhas; the team I work with is incredible. They keep me motivated and continually interested in my work. As of right now,  I am a tour guide in the Micro Distillery, where I meet new people every day and educate them on how our distillery mixes, bottles, and ships, liquor(s). It is a very time sensitive, unique process that I encourage everyone experience.