_{Communication Studies}

Public Relations & Event Management

One of the fastest growing areas in Communication Studies is Public Relations and Event Management (PREM).  PREM students gain hands-on experience, as well as knowledge, in both creative and business aspects of the field. 

CNN Money ranks public relations as one of the best jobs in America, noting that practitioners in this field "plan and direct public relations programs designed to create and maintain a favorable public image ..."* 

Public Relations and Event Management prepares students to play essential roles in for-profit and non-profit organizational success, developing skills for professional communication and organizational reputation management.

^{*"Best Jobs in America," CNN Money (retrieved from http://money.cnn.com/magazines/moneymag/bestjobs/2009/snapshots/31.html on Nov. 7, 2009).}

Faculty Experience

Dr. Gay Wakefield is associate professor of communication studies and PREM area coordinator.  Dr. Wakefield came to Tarleton after a decade at TCU, where she directed the Center for Professional Communication.  She headed public relations degree programs at three other universities.  Prior to completing her doctorate, Dr. Wakefield directed PR and advertising for the Hyatt Regency Dallas/ Reunion Tower/Union Station complex, worked in creative services for a major agency in Dallas.  She also taught for the US Defense Information School.  Dr. Wakefield's public relations and event consultancy spans Texas, Missouri, Illinois, and Indiana.  She has dozens of PR publications and presentations to her credit, has been named an Honored Member of Strathmore's Who's Who Registry of Business Leaders, and was proclaimed an International Woman of the Year.  She has been listed in such publications as the International Who's Who of Professionals, International Who’s Who of Professional & Business Women, Who's Who in the World, International Authors and Writers Who's Who, The World's Who's Who of Women, and Who's Who in American Education.

Dr. Jennifer Edwards, assistant professor of communication studies, previously was coordinator of Multicultural and International Services at Sam Houston State University (SHSU).  There she planned university- wide events, including the SHSU Diversity Leadership Conference, Diversity Week, and annual Tree of Light celebration.  While working on her doctorate, Dr. Edwards coordinated  public relations and advertising for the SHSU Educational Leadership and Counseling Department.  She also created and sustained a university-wide SHSU volunteer program in conjunction with the Presidential Volunteer Student Service Award program.  Dr. Edwards has more than 50 presentations and publications to her name. In her spare time, she volunteers with non-profit organizations by writing news releases, creating electronic media kits, and producing quarterly newsletters.  In addition, she is passionate about planning and managing special events for non-profit and for-profit groups. Dr. Edwards plans to continue her research on the impact of new media on the public relations field.

Program Requirements

PREM requirements mirror expectations for professionals in the field. 

Meeting standards of the International Consortium for Public Relations Education, PREM provides background in marketing and a minor in technical writing, in addition to required major courses in promotional writing, public relations, event planning and management, and cases and campaigns. 

Elective PREM courses and additional minors allow flexibility for personalizing the major for specific areas of public relations and event management, such as:

• Fundraising management (ranked in Forbes' top-ten highest-paying white-collar jobs for five consecutive years*),
• Marketing communication,
• Corporate event management,
• Nonprofit promotion,
• Private event management,
• Sports promotion,
• Arts and entertainment promotion,
• Agricultural event management, and
• Many more.

^{*"America's Highest-Paying While-Collar Jobs," Forbes (retrieved from http://www.forbes.com/2009/10/07/best-white-collar-careers-leadership-jobs.html on Nov. 7, 2009).}

Keeping It "REAL"

^{Cody Dodd and Monica Segura sell raffle tickets at the International Texas Longhorn Association's championship show and convention, where another PREM student (Hannah Fair) announced show rounds.}

Real-world Experience Applied to Learning (REAL) is a major underpinning of the Public Relations & Event Management program, so PREM students learn social responsibility in action—a principle foundation of PR theory and practice. 

Class teams work with nonprofit organizations on fundraising, promotion, volunteerism, reputation management, and special events. 

^{While working the silent auction at a charity benefit for needy children, students Candice Caldwell & Brittany Ramsey pose with Dr. Wakefield.}

PREM projects are typical of professional PR practice, resulting in unusually high levels of student dedication, critical thinking, problem solving, and professionalism. 

Students' work generates positive public relationships and media coverage for their class clients, for the Public Relations & Event Management program, for the Department of Communication Studies, and for TSU.

2009-10 CLASS Clients

• Texan News Service
• Longhorn Drover
• Texas Steak Cook-off
• Dublin Dr Pepper annual anniversary party
• Hannah Fair wedding
• International Texas Longhorn Association convention
• Children’s Charities of Fort Worth annual Margarita Ball
• Class of 1974 reunion party at TCU
• Tarleton Equine Assisted Therapy (TREAT)
• TSU Rodeo Association
• TSU Cheerleading Squad
• TSU Football Program
• TSU 2020 Master Plan
• Dick Smith Library
• Tarleton departments:
  • Career Services
  • Communication Studies
  • Student Activities
  • Management, Marketing, & Administrative Systems

• TSU academic programs:
  • International Business
  • PR & Event Management
  • Journalism & Broadcasting
  • Management

2008-09 Results

Efforts of student teams resulted in about two dozen verified instances of media coverage or other public exposure, including a great deal of newspaper and radio coverage.  PREM events included:

• Chamber of Commerce Fall Festival bingo to support the Stephenville senior-citizens center
• Bake sale and raffle, with Wal-Mart matching funds, for the Stephenville 4-H Club
• Campus promotion of Holiday tour of homes for Cross Timbers Fine Arts
• Volunteer recruitment of high school and college students, and also community members, for The Treehouse after-school program for at-risk children (newspaper story resulted in unsolicited $500 donation)
• Activities to increase participation and contributions for Tarleton's Relay for Life
• "Popcorn for Pups" raffle to secure supplies for the local Humane Society
• Team roping and raffle for a Boy Scout troop's High Adventure trip
• Campus-organization donations of hygiene products for Foster's Home
• Wish-list lunch/auction and team volunteerism for the Ft. Worth Ronald McDonald House
• Lock-up lunch and firefighter collections for the Muscular Dystrophy Association
• "Better Beginnings" gala dinner and Darryl Dodd concert to benefit Cross Timbers Family Services, with Meadows Foundation matching funds (over $50,000 donated; now planned as an annual event)
• "Take a Hike, Ike" hurricane-recovery supplies drive and delivery logistics organized by a single class member, Jarrod Prince (Won 2009 Tarleton Program of the Year).