College of Journalism and Communications
Department of Public Relations
2085 Weimer Hall
PO Box 118400
Gainesville, FL 32611-8400
352-273-1220 Tel
352-273-1227 Fax2
Department of Public Relations
2015 Fall Advisory Council Business Meeting
Tuesday, October 20, 2015
Council members/special guests in attendance: Erin Hart, Craig Dezern, Susan Gilden, Nancy
Fullerton, Keith Bowermaster, Karen Oliver, Jay Magee, Lisa Malone, Bill Imada, Vicki Johnson,
Jeanne Mitchell, Tina, McCorkindale, Sarab Kochhar, Margaret Gaylord, Angie De Leon, Martha
Collada, Ryan Baum, and Joshua Ferrari.
Public Relations faculty in attendance: Juan-Carlos Molleda, Spiro Kiousis, Mary Ann Ferguson,
Deanna Pelfrey, Rita Men and Kay Tappan.
I.
Opening comments: Jay Magee officially called the meeting to order and thanked everyone
for attending. He then gave a special thanks to Keith Bowermaster for helping to coordinate
the class visits.
II.
Approval of minutes: Jay Magee said the first order of business would be to approve the
minutes from the last meeting. Bill Imada moved to approve the minutes from the previous
spring Advisory Council meeting and Keith Bowermaster seconded the motion. A vote was
taken by the Advisory Council members present and was approved.
III.
State of the Department report: Dr. Juan-Carlos Molleda welcomed the group and then
thanked all of those members in attendance for coming to the meeting. He then shared a
PowerPoint presentation with updated information about our Department and answered
questions. For more details, please see the attachments.
IV.
PRSSA Alpha Chapter report: Dr. Molleda introduced Joshua Ferrari, PRSSA President.
Joshua thanked the group for giving him time on the schedule to share information with them
about all the wonderful things PRSSA is doing, he gave a Power Point presentation and
answered questions from the group. He also introduced Veronica Mingrone. PRSSA National
VP of Career Services and she address the group and gave information about PRSSA
National. For more details, please refer to the attachments.
V.
Committee reports:
(Please see the attached committee reports for more detail)
 Designated Gifts Committee- Vicki Johnson, chair of this committee, gave an update to
the group and explained that she is speaking with Margaret Gaylord regarding the
development efforts of the College to see how our group could help them identify people
who may be interested in providing financial support to the Department.

Gator Futures- Susie Gilden, the chair of this committee, gave a brief update regarding
the panel session which will be held the next day in the Principles of Public Relations
class. She thanked Jay Magee, Keith Bowermaster, Craig Dezern and Jeanne Mitchell for
agreeing to participate on this panel.

Internships- Lisa Malone, chair of this committee gave a brief report and asked the
council to try and help get placement for the students wanting internships. She reported
that a committee conference call had taken place last month where they discussed the
counseling of graduate students individually. She also reported that Bill Imada had hosted
a UF intern and encouraged all members to try and provide an opportunity like this for
students to intern at their organizations. It was mentioned that the group is also working
on a “Career Tips Sheet” which is currently being updated and will be made available to
students very soon.

Nominating Committee- Christine Pietryla, chair of the committee, gave thanks to the
previous members of the group, Debbie Mason and Julie Spechler, who helped close out
their service by reviewing the nominations for potential new members. She reported that
the list of recommended candidates was then sent to the faculty who voted and chose a
group of nominees. The invitations to join the council will go out to this group of
nominees before the end of the year. Dr. Molleda will then update the council members
with an official announcement of who has accepted the invitation and will be joining the
Council starting in 2016. She thanked everyone who sent in nominations and helped to
recruit such an excellent group of candidates.

Communications Committee- Nancy Fullerton, chair of this committee, gave an overview
of the work they did which included the coordination of class visits, which was led by
Keith Bowermaster. She also reported that this group has been working with Randy
Bennett to create a new web page on the College website which is now live and provides
information about our council like bios, minutes from previous meetings and a summary
of activities and events coordinated by this group. She explained that she has pushed out a
pre and post meeting newsletter in a new format and it seems to be working better. She
also announced the Jay Magee had put together a letter which was sent out to the students
sharing information about the council and inviting them to participate in the meeting and
get to know council members while they are in town. The idea for the next meeting is that
we will have a “meet & greet” for the student in place of the mentoring sessions so that
we could reach as many students as possible.

Bateman Committee-Craig Dezern gave an update on Bateman Team and talked about the
new members of the team who were then introduced by Deanna Pelfrey. They explained
to the group that the client this year is an organization that works with veterans. The team
is currently doing research and talking about strategies for this campaign.

Department Research Support- Bob Grupp introduced, a graduate student who gave a
brief presentation on her research and asked the council for consideration in supporting
her research.
VI.
VII.
Proposed Dates for spring Meeting:
It was announced that Martha would send out a doodle poll and get feedback on potential
dates for the next meeting.
Other Business:
 Jay Magee handed out directions to the restaurant for those people attending the dinner.
 Martha requested that everyone take a moment to make sure their contact information is
correct and up to date.
 Jay also announced that Erin Hart would be the next chair of the council and so a new cochair would need to be elected. Iliana Rodriguez was nominated and a motion was made
by Vicki Johnson and seconded by Jeanne Mitchell to elect Iliana into this position. A
vote was taken and all were in favor.
Meeting was adjourned.
Submitted by Martha Collada
Office Assistant
Department of Public Relations
State of the Department of Public Relations Report*‐ Fall 2015
Juan‐Carlos Molleda, Ph.D.
Professor & Chair
* Adapted from multiple sources
Students & Alumni
Committed
successfully Chad Furst | BSPR ’15
Communications Consultant
Booz Allen Hamilton
Washington, D.C.
Ana Gómez | BSPR ’15
Assistant Account Executive
Edelman
Miami, FL
Paige Thies | BSPR ’15
Assistant Digital Associate
Weber Shandwick
Chicago, IL
Erika Oakvik | BSPR ’15
Public Information Coordinator Dialysis Clinique
Nashville, TN
Yimin Wang | MAMC 2005
Director of Greater China
Burson-Marsteller - Beijing
Reynaldo Delgado
Account Supervisor @ Edelman
Patrick Smyth
Executive Director
of Media Relations
Denver Broncos Football Club
Welcome to the 2015‐2016 Academic Year
Public Relations
Advisory Council Membership
Thank you for your support and excitement
Welcome returning members!
Allyson Park
Amy Gravina
Bill Imada
Bob Grupp
Christine Pietryla
Claudia Panfil
Craig Dezern
Debbie Mason
Del Galloway
Dwaine Stevens
Elena del Valle
Erin Hart – Vice Chair
Frank Ovaitt
Iavor Ivanov
Iliana Rodríguez
Jay Magee – Chair
Jeanne Mitchell
Julie Spechler
Karen Jones – Past Chair
Karen Oliver
Kathy Barbour
Keith Bowermaster
Lisa Malone
Nancy Fullerton
Ron Sachs
Rosanna Fiske
Susan Gilden
Tina McCorkindale
Vicki Johnson
Thank you!
Craig Dezern
Debbie Mason
Del Galloway
Dwaine Stevens
Elena del Valle
Julie Spechler
Robert Grupp
Diversity in Public Relations Panel
Panelists:
Cheryl Procter‐Rogers
A Step Ahead PR & Consulting
Barbara Bermudez
Account Coordinator, Ketchum
Bill Imada
Chairman and Chief Collaboration Officer, IW Group
Deborah Bowie
President and CEO, United Way of North Central Florida
Department Staff
Moriah Gaynor
Student Assistant
Martha R. Collada
Office Assistant
Rachel Donohue
Student Assistant
Iris Campbell
Senior Secretary
Josh Ferrari
Student Assistant
PRSSA President
Ann Christiano
J.C. Molleda
Deanna Pelfrey
Undergraduate Statistics
Number of Majors 585
Upper Division Undergraduates
464
Female
403 = ~87%
Male
61 = ~13%
Asian
18 = ~4%
Black
38 = ~8%
Hispanic
128 = ~28%
Indian
2 = ~<1%
Graduate Programs
Master’s and Doctoral Students
Certificate in Fundraising Management
• Dr. Kathleen Kelly, Program Coordinator
• Jennifer Leggett, Assistant
• College’s first on‐campus certificate program
• Major Department initiative to address regional professional development needs
Ph.D. Students and Main Advisors
Bayliss, Lauren (Hon/Kalyanaraman)
Chun, Jung Won (Lee)
Chung, Jieun
(Lee)
Fessmann, Jasper
(Molleda)
Khalitova, Luidmila
(Kiousis)
Kong, Sining
(Molleda)
Lee, Ah Ram (Hon)
Oloke, Toluwani
(Molleda)
Schweickart, Tiffany (Kiousis)
Solaun, Leticia (Kelly)
Song, Baobao
(Ferguson)
Stephen, Gabriel (Molleda/Leslie)
Won, Jung Yun (Hon)
Zhang, Tianduo
(Kiousis)
Faculty
Productive
Small, but • Welcome Rita Men!
• Her research interests include employee engagement, leadership communication, measurement and evaluation, relationship/reputation management, and social media public relations.
• Deanna Pelfrey, APR, PRSA Fellow
• Chair of the College Faculty Senate
• Bateman Academic Advisor
• Secure Getting to Know Europe grant; a collaboration between the UF Center for European Studies and CJC
• Linda Hon, Chair of the CJC 2020 Task Force. Her current research in Digital Social Advocacy.
• Spiro Kiousis spoke at the Worldcom Public Relations Group’s Conference of the Americas in Atlanta, Oct. 15, 2015. Ann Christiano
• frank gathering 2015 a success!
• 2016 in progress
• Executive trainer and speaker
• Moon Lee, carries out a research agenda in health communication and emergent communication technology in the context of health promotion and media effects. She is enjoying a one‐
year sabbatical in which she is working analyzing data, writing a research report, assembling a team of expert collaborators, and submitting a grant proposal to the NIH by 2016.
Juan‐Carlos coordinated and moderated a panel on Public Relations Professionalization in South America at the first Association for Education
in Journalism and Mass Communication (AEJMC) International Regional Conference in Santiago, Chile, October 2015
Some Priorities • Job placement and workplace impact
• Increase grants and sponsored applied and academic research
• Thought leadership
• Increase diversity in undergraduate student body, including geographical diversity
• Maintain quality and variety of co‐curricular (immersion) activities
• Identify and secure clients for The Agency and Alpha PRoductions
• Increase number of residential master’s students
• Maintain and promote quality of doctoral education
• Launch online master’s in Public Relations and Communication Management (English and Spanish)
• Articulate and tell the story of the Department of Public Relations to national and international audiences
State of the Department of Public Relations College of Journalism and Communications Fall 2015 Faculty at a Glance The communications landscape continues to evolve rapidly. Publics can broadcast their grievances via social media, ushering in an era of unprecedented stakeholder empowerment and demand for organizational transparency. Startups and the sharing economy have shifted the fundamental nature of organizations. Globalization and the changing economics of higher education have increased the need for quality, online education. Public institutions increasingly forge partnerships with corporations, foundations, and civil society for public good. Faculty have published books; book chapters; articles in refereed journals; posts in trade blogs; and presented at conferences 43 times during the last academic year. Publications included the Public Relations Journal; the Journal of Public Relations Research; Public Relations Review; and more. A glance at our faculty illustrates that we have kept pace and will continue to do so in the near future. Professor Ann Christiano, the Frank and Betsey Karel Chair in Public Interest Communication, continues to build the professional community of public interest communication; last February marked the second annual frank gathering for public interest communication. Christiano was named UF’s Teacher of the Year for 2014 – 15. Dr. Mary Ann Ferguson, professor, has international recognition for her expertise in the area of corporate social responsibility. Her recent research examined the perception discrepancies of the functions of public relations departments existing between public relations and marketing departments in South Korea. During the 2014 – 15 year Ferguson served on a committee to examine and update the College’s graduate curriculum. Dr. Linda Hon, professor, Al and Effie Flanagan Professorship, serves as Program Director for the Public Relations and Social Advocacy Project in the Center for Media Innovation + Research. The Project is dedicated to exploring collaborative communication solutions to social issues, particularly using digital activism in the public interest. Her recent publication examined the role of digital social activism in the Trayvon Martin case. Hon currently serves as co‐chair of the 2020 Task Force, which will design the roadmap for the College’s direction in the coming years. Dr. Kathleen Kelly, professor, has parlayed her internationally recognized expertise in fundraising into a Graduate Certificate in Fundraising Management. The program is likely the first in the U.S. that is partnered with a university‐affiliated foundation, the UF Foundation. State of the Department of Public Relations (1) Kelly continues to play an active role in the Arthur W. Page Society, an invitation‐only, professional association composed of the chief communication officers (CCOs) of the world’s largest corporations, the CEOs of the leading public relations agencies, and a few distinguished academics from public relations and business. Dr. Eunice Kim, assistant professor, shares a joint appointment with the Departments of Advertising and Public Relations. Her recent research has examined the role of social media in relationship building as a venue through which consumers interact with and about brands. Dr. Spiro Kiousis, professor, leads the College as Associate Executive Dean. His research expertise in the interplay among political public relations efforts, news media content, and public opinion in traditional and interactive mass mediated contexts will undoubtedly lend invaluable insight to the field in the upcoming election year. Dr. Moon Lee, associate professor, carries out a research agenda in health communication and emergent communication technology in the context of health promotion and media effects. She is enjoying a one‐year sabbatical in which she is working analyzing data, writing a research report, assembling a team of expert collaborators, and submitting a grant proposal to the NIH by 2016. Dr. Rita Men, assistant professor, joined the faculty this fall. Her research interests include employee engagement, leadership communication, measurement and evaluation, relationship/reputation management, and social media public relations. She is currently working as part of a global research team dedicated to developing the measurement standard for excellence in internal communication and on several projects concerning how organizational leadership, culture, new technology, and strategic communication factors interplay to influence public relations effectiveness. Dr. Juan‐Carlos Molleda, professor, leads the Department as chair. He spearheaded the launch of an online MAMC with a specialization in Public Relations and Communication with delivery modes in English and Spanish (to launch in summer/fall 2016). He serves as co‐director of the Latin American Communication Monitor, the largest study of strategic communication and public relations in the Latin America region. Molleda was also named UF’s Doctoral Mentor and Advisor of the Year for 2014 – 15. Professor Deanna Pelfrey, Lecturer, has served the Department for 8 years. In addition to her teaching responsibilities, Pelfrey is the adviser UF PRSSA’s Bateman team. The Bateman team won second place (out of 50 universities) in the PRSSA National Bateman Case Study competition in 2015 for their “Home Imagined” campaign. In 2014, the team won first place. Pelfrey recently served for two years as chair of the University Faculty Senate and currently leads our College as the 2015 – 16 chair of the College Faculty Senate. Professor Kay Tappan, Lecturer, recently launched a new course, Sight, Sound, Motion, which is a requirement for all communications majors in the College. The course prepares students for an increasingly visual digital world. Tappan also spearheads The Innovators series, which has recruited and State of the Department of Public Relations (2) hosted Vox co‐founder Melissa Bell, Storyful founder Mark Little, and Skift founder and CEO Rafat Ali, among others. The innovators Series bring leaders in the information industries to UF. These speakers focus on media innovation and emergent ways of communicating. Student Body/Enrollment The Department of Public Relations at the University of Florida College of Journalism and Communications has a notable student population that displays great numbers, diversity, industry involvement and recognition. According to numbers from the 2014‐2015 year, there are 585 students enrolled in the program as compared to 580 in the 2013‐2014 year, and 587 in 2012‐2013. While our numbers are stable, we have seen an increase in the percentage of students in the College enrolled in the public relations program. Compared to 25% of all students in the College of Journalism and Communications for the 2012‐2013 report and the 2013‐2014 report, we fostered 35% of students in the College (585/2265 students) by the end of the 2014‐2015 academic year. The Department has increased minority enrollment for the Hispanic population from 118 students to 155 (31% increase since 2012) and the Asian population from 8 to 20 students (150% increase since 2013). Populations for Black, White, Indian and International students remained steady. Students in our program have made great accomplishments in the industry. In 2014‐2015, 190 students interned for class credit with companies such as Max Borges Agency, Metro Public Relations, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, PR Consulting and PDQ. Additionally, students have earned national recognition and received awards such as a University Scholar scholarship; the 2015 Florida Public Relations Association Golden Image Award; the Charles Wellborn Service Award; the Jack Detweiler Professional Promise in Public Relations award; the Frank F. Rathbun PRSSA Award; the Florida Public Relations Association Award; and the Ruth and Rae O. Weimer Award, the most prestigious award bestowed upon a student in our College. The UF Alpha Chapter of the Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA) was named a Star Chapter by PRSSA National in 2014‐2015 and was featured in the “Setting the Pace” column in the fall issue of Forum. The PRSSA Chapter was also selected as one of eight chapters nationwide to make a chapter development presentation at the 2015 PRSSA National Conference. One UF PRSSA member was elected to the PRSSA National Committee as the National Vice President of Career Services. UF PRSSA’s student‐run public relations firm, Alpha PRoductions, enabled 50 students to work for paying clients, including The Greatest Save, one of Major League Baseball’s nationally recognized charities; and Wendy’s. The firm earned almost $10,000 in 2014‐2015, 80% of which is currently being used to provide top notch programming for PRSSA. Additionally, more than 150 students volunteered at the 2015 frank gathering. More than 50 students per term are employed in The Agency, a professional‐run and student‐staffed full‐
service strategic communications firm. State of the Department of Public Relations (3) Programs/Courses Faculty of the UF Department of Public Relations have reviewed and adapted the curriculum to better equip students for changing industry standards and trends. Over the 2014‐2015 academic year, we have received approval from the University and State of Florida for six new classes: public relations undergraduate research, sports communication, public interest communication, social media management, global social change communication, and audience analytics. Students now have a more comprehensive curriculum. We also introduced a combined graduate degree program (4+1) in fall of 2014. This program allows students to earn a graduate certificate in global strategic communication, web design and communication, or social media management. All of these degrees are taught exclusively online and represent a completed first year of a graduate program. In addition to these graduate classes, we offer five undergraduate classes taught online and use web‐based supplements such as the Canvas platform to enhance all of our residential courses. We have also grown outside of our class curriculums as The Agency, a new professional‐guided and student‐staffed full‐service strategic communications firm, officially opened in February 2015. The Agency works to develop programs and campaigns such as MAVY, a nationally representative panel of millennials developed through a partnership with C+R Research in Chicago, to gather opinions, behaviors, and insights of current and future generations of stakeholders and consumers. The Agency gives our students practical experience working in a full‐service firm environment with paying clients, as well as experience working in an integrated setting alongside students from other majors of the College and majors in other colleges, such as Business Administration, Engineering, Computer Science, and Economics. Besides The Agency, some other examples of our interdisciplinary work include the frank gathering; our work with the UF Bob Graham Center for Public Service to bring in Lisa Malone, NASA Kennedy Space Center’s public affairs manager, as Knight Fellow‐in‐Residence; our design and presentation of a four‐year campaign plan for the UF International Center; and three teaching modules in the 2015 Summer Institute, an interdisciplinary College effort to recruit high school students. The Department presented a panel on diversity in public relations with general practitioners and executives in January 2015, sponsored by the Hispanic Marketing and Communications Association. The Department is also planning the Executive Communications Summit, funded by the Jack and Linda Herrmann fund, which will bring in four nationally recognized communications professionals for a day of workshops and an evening panel. Workforce Impact Graduates of the UF Public Relations Program hold a bachelor’s degree along with a portfolio documenting a variety of experiential learning activities (i.e., internships, service‐learning client projects, event planning, social media and web communications plans for various units on campus, and other co‐curricular programs) that results in job placements or the pursuit of graduate education. During the 2014‐2015 academic year, 171 students graduated with a State of the Department of Public Relations (4) bachelor of science in public relations. Recent graduates have been placed in various organizations, such as Athens Theater (Ormond Beach, FL), Booz Allen Hamilton (DC), BodenPR (Miami), Brunswick Group (DC), CH2M (Gainesville, FL), Dialysis Clinic (Nashville), Duty First Consulting (DC), Edelman (Miami/Fort Lauderdale), EY (Atlanta), FleishmanHillard (Chicago), Institute for Public Relations (Gainesville, FL), Jacksonville Jaguars (Jacksonville, FL), Ketchum (Atlanta), Marcaden Consulting (Saint Petersburg, FL), O’Donnell Agency (Austin, TX), Public Health Burness (DC), Ronald McDonald House Charities (Columbia, SC‐Gainesville, FL), Sony Music (New York), Strauss Media Strategies (Miami), The Axis Agency (Miami/Fort Lauderdale), and Weber Shandwick (Chicago). Close to 43% of the 2015 class have a full‐time job or internship in public relations and related practice areas; about a quarter of all graduates pursue graduate degrees in management, law, international business, entrepreneurship, among others; close to 19% work in sales and marketing, while approximately 13% do not have a public relations related job or have not disclosed their professional status in our alumni tracking system. In the 2012‐2013 academic year, 145 undergraduate public relations degrees were awarded, and 175 in 2013‐2014. These are the collected placement data for 2012‐2013 (39% public relations/related areas, 26% graduate studies, 21% marketing sales, and 14% non‐public relations/unknown ) and 2013‐2014 (41% public relations/related areas, 24% graduate studies, 20% marketing sales, and 15% non‐public relations/unknown). Alumni placed in public relations or related practice areas currently work for local, national, and international public relations and communications agencies; local nonprofit and UF communications departments; major local business, such as CH2M, Cox Cable, Gainesville Regional Utilities, North Florida Regional Medical Center, and RTI Surgical. The College’s PATH/Academic Advising and the Knight Division for Scholarships, Career Services and Multicultural Affairs works closely with the Department to organize communications related job fairs for the College (in addition to the job fairs of the University) and to gather placement and job satisfaction date from public relations alumni. Our Development Office focuses on tracking and cultivating relationships with senior alumni who are often invited to the College to share their professional experience and advice with students. Graduate Programs Enrolled at the graduate level are 63 master’s students (live public relations N = 18, Online Global Strategic Communication N = 45), which is 24% of the College total, (N = 275), and Departmental faculty serve as primary advisers for 16 doctoral students, as of fall 2015. Ph.D. students are given the opportunity to assist faculty in teaching and research, and to become instructors of records in undergraduate classes. They are being placed in other peer institutions in the United States and the world, as well as in the industry as senior professionals and researchers. State of the Department of Public Relations (5) Professional Involvement/Association The College and Department maintain close ties with the Institute for Public Relations (IPR) through appointments to its board of trustees and our own public relations advisory council. IPR publishes research from faculty members and works with UF PRSSA to promote a national infographic design competition. IPR also offers internships and employment to our students and graduates. Faculty have additional affiliations with the Arthur W. Page Society and PRSA. The Department has just become an institutional member of the Global Alliance for Public Relations and Communication Management. Our students work diligently to connect with the industry through professional associations like PRSSA, the Florida Public Relations Association (FPRA), and the North Florida of PRSA. The UF PRSSA Alpha Chapter was the first chapter in the nation, founded in 1968. Since then, the UF chapter remains one of the most nationally recognized, consistently ranking in the top 10 largest chapters out of more than 300. The Chapter collaborates with the local FPRA chapter and its sponsor PRSA chapter in Jacksonville for monthly luncheons, annual agency tours and mentorship opportunities. In January, the Department hired student‐run firm Alpha PRoductions to assist in executing a panel on Diversity in Public Relations. The public event was designed to dig deeper into the important topic of diversity in the communications industry. Panelists included Bill Imada, Founder and Chairman of IW Group; Cheryl Procter‐Rogers, former PRSA chair and communications consultant; Deborah Bowie, president and CEO of United Way of North Florida; and Barbara Bermudez, assistant account executive at Ketchum. Department Faculty and Staff The Department has grown in the last few years, with significant growth in adjuncts, staff professionals and student assistants since 2012. With the inclusion of new immersive learning opportunities for students in the last year, the Department has grown from three student assistants in 2012‐2013 to five; from three staff professionals in 2012‐2013 to seven; and from seven adjuncts in 2012 to 11 adjuncts in 2013‐2014. Faculty credentials include four APR certified professionals; two PRSA fellows; and two endowed chair positions, the Frank and Betsey Karel Chair in Public Interest Communication and the Al and Effie Flanagan Professorship. The average year of combined academic and professional experience of faculty is more than 20 years. Faculty have served on several committees at the University; chaired the University and College Faculty Senates; and received distinctions for teaching and mentorship, among other accolades. Adjuncts come from a variety of industry sectors, including social media management, agricultural communications, fundraising, and public affairs. Adjuncts have been named a 2015 top‐40 digital strategist by the Online Marketing Institute and recognized as the 2014 winner of the Association of Cable Communicators Beacon Award. Respectfully submitted by Juan‐Carlos Molleda to the Public Relations Advisory Council State of the Department of Public Relations (6) Dept. of Public Relations
Advisory Council Meeting- October 20, 2015
Nominating Committee Update- presented by Nancy Fullerton, Committee Chair
First of all, a big thank you to Debbie and Julie -- two valuable members of the nominating
committee who helped close out their service by picking a great group of candidates. We sent
our esteemed faculty our recommendations a few months ago. The faculty voted and below are
the names of the nominees who were chosen. We are in the process of putting together a letter
asking if they would officially join the council starting in 2016. We will keep you updated of
their responses and then make an official announcement to the rest of the group before the end of
the year. Thanks to everyone who sent in nominations and helped us recruit such excellent
candidates.
Angela Buonocore
Bridget Braxton
Fraser Seitel
Judy DeRango Wicks
Lou Capozzi
Michael Morely
October 15, 2015
UF PR ADVISORY COUNCIL INTERNSHIP COMMITTEE REPORT
Some committee members have changed since the last meeting. Amy Gravina, who has done a
great job as the committee chair for about six years, is transitioning this role over to Lisa
Malone. They have had several productive ‘hand-over’ telecons. Dr. Tina McCorkindale, the
Institute for Public Relations, replaces Frank Oviatt, who recently retired. Elena del Valle will
also be leaving the Council. Bill Imada, and Kathy Barbour are still committee members.
A committee conference call was held Sept. 30 and those in attendance were: Bill Imada, Amy
Gravina, Lisa Malone. They discussed the upcoming Council meeting and counseling grad
students, on a one-on-one basis, during the Council’s Fall meeting. Other council members are
most welcome to the informal counseling session.
Bill Imada reported that he hosted a UF intern who worked out very well in the California office,
but noted the student’s initial adjustment in a new environment was more to overcome than
expected. In addition, he submitted another internship opportunity in California to UF which was
forwarded to Dr. Molleda for student distribution.
A few months ago, Dr. Molleda found a 2007 Advisory Council “Career Tips sheet” which was
sent out to the full committee for comments and updating. During the upcoming council
meeting, we have requested time on the agenda to brainstorm ideas. The new ideas and tips will
be compiled, and the sheet updated and made available to UF students in a digital format.
Lisa Malone, is working with local Public Relations organizations in Gainesville to arrange a
field trip in the Gainesville area for grad students so they are able to learn first-hand about a
broad range of professional careers. Advisory Council members will be encouraged to assist the
committee in identifying future field trip opportunities.
All were encouraged to provide potential internship opportunities to the committee.
University of Florida Public Relations Advisory Council – Fall 2015 Meeting Communications Committee Update October 2015 Committee Chair: Nancy Fullerton, Committee Members: Keith Bowermaster, Iavor Ivanov Topics: Class Visits Several Council members are attending classes during the meeting, as schedules permit. We will continue to work on sharing this info with both faculty and Council members as far in advance as practical to accommodate travel schedules. See the notes below about the Speaker’s Bureau and increased Council participation for more thoughts about how to encourage more regular participation in classes throughout the year. UF Website The committee worked with Randy Bennett to create some new web pages on the College website dedicated to the PR Advisory Council. These are now live and provide bios for Council members, meeting minutes and summaries of the meeting activities and events. The url is http://www.jou.ufl.edu/prcouncil/. Revised On‐line Council Newsletter The Committee is using a new format and more effective tool to communicate to the Council pre‐ and post‐
meeting, moving away from the Vertical Response tool and using the University website to host an online newsletter sharing information before and after the meeting. This new format can easily link to other university web links, including the Communigator. Speakers Bureau The Committee has agreed to begin development of a Speaker’s Bureau for the College and faculty, highlighting the breadth and experience that the Council members bring to the table. Iavor Ivanov (Comms Committee) will be surveying current Council members to see if they are 1) interested in participating as part of a Speaker’s Bureau and 2) understanding Council member’s areas of expertise. Once this information is in hand, the Committee will work with the College’s digital team to share and communicate it most effectively, likely hosting it on the Advisory Council website. Enhanced Communications with Students As part of our ongoing efforts to engage with students (especially those other than PRSSA), the Council Chair (Jay Magee) will send a personal hello and welcome email to all students in the College, sharing information about the Council and inviting students to participate and meet Council members when they are in town. The Committee also brainstormed a number of other ways to engage a broader cross‐section of PR students across the college. Some additional suggestions:  Congratulatory note from Council to graduates in last year (also sets up good dynamic for potential future donors to the College)  Consider a “meet & greet” reception/drop in during the council meeting (could have in place of the mentoring session one time or fit in the second day during the day) and have Chair send out an email invite personally inviting students to drop by.  More regular communication to students from Council around meeting time about what is happening during the Council visit. Increased Opportunities for Council Member Participation The Committee has been discussing other ways for more Council members to be involved/visible in the classroom during the year – using virtual tools (Skype, Webcasts, etc). It seems only those council members with a personal relationship to a professor or faculty member are regularly participating during the year, which could be expanded if virtual tools are used and there is more familiarity and awareness of the expertise Council members bring.