Twenty local non-profits will be on display when students from the West Virginia University Perley Isaac Reed School of Journalism, showcase their public relations service-learning projects on Tuesday (May 1) from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Mountaineer Room of the Mountainlair.
The open house will showcase the semester-long service-learning projects completed through the WVU Center for Civic Engagement.
Students worked with community agencies to create a public relations portfolio that promoted the issue, event or cause of the organization. Some of the agencies involved included the Rape and Domestic Violence Information Center, the Morgantown Police Department, Big Brothers Big Sisters of North Central West Virginia, Girls on the Run of Mon County, Morgantown Area Meals on Wheels and the Alzheimer’s Association, WV Chapter.
While some of the agencies requested assistance in building awareness in the local community, others needed more specific promotion or facilitation of a fundraising event.
“Service-learning is a valuable life experience, because it allows the inevitable crises that happen to test your skills and professionalism,” said Stephanie Murphy, a junior public relations major. “It also provides a profound joy of success that may lead to your future career.”
Public relations professor Dr. Elizabeth Oppe believes service-learning is beneficial for students to gain real-world experience.
“Service-learning provides a practical application of the course learning objectives,” Oppe said. “Community agencies benefit, because the much needed public relations work is prepared by students who benefit through the compilation of the public relations portfolio. The non-profit agency receives a PR toolkit and the promotion of an event, while the students gain the experience, and more importantly, the portfolio to showcase during internships and job interviews.”
Administrators, faculty members, community agencies and students are invited to the open house to learn more about the projects and the work prepared during the courses. Refreshments will be provided.
“We love when dedicated faculty decide to incorporate service-learning into their classroom curriculum,” said Alexis McMillen, program coordinator at the Center for Civic Engagement. “Experiential learning and the pedagogy of service-learning allow students to have real world experiences, while still gaining top-notch classroom knowledge.”
To learn more about service-learning and engagement at West Virginia University, visit http://cce.wvu.edu.
-WVU-
04/30/12
CONTACT: Alexis McMillen, Center for Civic Engagement
304-293-8344, Alexis.McMillen@mail.wvu.edu
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