Plan ahead

Yesterday I spent the half the of the day at the second half of the project management workshop. I think I picked up a lot that I can use, especially when I begin planning the Parents Brunch this fall for PRSSA.

Although there were parts of the workshop that didn’t apply to me, I still learned quite a bit. I’ll post more soon, but one of the main ideas is that you need to take time at the beginning of a project to plan out everything ahead of time (or else there will be the “hassle curve”); figure out how long it will take, who needs to be involved, who is accountable for what, etc.

I got a press release in my mailbox relating to the one new article I have to write for CMUWY, so I pulled what I could out of that. I also did a little bit of research pertaining the event I will be attending June 14. I will be writing an article for Reference Point on the event.

I also proofread the PBS ad that I worked on. When I returned the file to Dan, he and Mark (the director of publications) explained a new project to me. For a new web page I had to write some copy. I will be working with Ryan in Marketing on this project. The page is especially for new students of the second summer session. 

Not only am I excited that I will be working on another project, but I also am going to get more hours (much needed since purchasing my car!!). 

Yesterday I researched it and figured out more about the links that I had to write a short explanation for. There were about seven main pages, with several other links to go with it. 

Lesson of the Day: Before starting a big project, do three things: Plan ahead, plan ahead, plan ahead

Never save your best quote for last…

Yesterday I worked on CMUWY articles. I’m still getting in approvals and making changes. For some reason, my spreadsheet tracking everything related to the publication was deleted. I save every approval and email related to CMUWY in a file, so it wasn’t too big of a deal to go back through and make another speadsheet to track the approvals and anything else I am still waiting on.

Since there is a tabloid-style paper for orientation, Dan told me to go out and track one down. I went around campus and couldn’t find any. I called student publications and they said I could go pick one up from their office. My feet were killing me, so I returned to my office. While I was out, I picked up an orientation guide. It gave me a few more ideas on what I could do with CMUWY.

By Thursday, I should have the page dummies in and be able to start working on the actual publication. They put a new computer in my office with InDesign CS3. Since I had to drop that one class, I plan on stopping by the library today to get a book on InDesign.

I was asked to cover a story for Reference Point on a Saturday in June. I had to check my schedule, but it looks like I can do it. I don’t know much other than what the invitation says right now. Basically, it is a library luncheon with a speaker.

Lessons of the Day: Dan gave me two writing tips today: (1) Never save your best quote for last, and (2) Write tight – so tight that it will be hard for your editor to cut anything.

Short Note

Yesterday I was moved around a lot. I worked on articles, getting approvals, etc. I was assigned another article about an academic adviser.

Today I went to module 1 of a project management workshop. I didn’t get paid for the hours I showed up today, but having the opportunity to learn more was worth it. 

I don’t have much time so check back soon for my project management posts.

Lesson of the Day: Go to a workshop to learn more…even if it doesn’t make you money (because it probably will someday!)

You Just Need Ambition…

Yesterday, I mostly worked on CMU Welcomes You. With any new information I had, I finished up a few articles and sent them to be approved. With any approvals I received, I changed any information that needed to be changed. This morning I received several more approvals. I think that the publication materials are coming along pretty well.

I also typed up some copy for an ad going into the PBS booklet. It was fairly simple to do. The only thing I missed was to italicize the title of the exhibit at Clarke Historical Library.

I’m excited about this upcoming Friday because I will be going to a project management workshop. I won’t be paid for the time I will be there, but that doesn’t bother me. I’m sure it will be well worth it. I think I will learn a lot.

I do have some bad news. Originally, I was going to be taking a second class this summer that teaches you how to use Adobe InDesign. After purchasing a car this past weekend (and spending more than I had planned), I had to drop the class. The class fills up quickly every semester, so I will have to wait and see when I can take it next.

I do plan on teaching myself more about Adobe InDesign. There are several books about InDesign at the library that I plan to check out soon. Dan has already taught me the basics, so I know I can learn a lot by myself.

Lesson of the Day: You don’t have to take a class if you want to learn. You just need ambition and a good library book.

InDesign, Writing, & Editing

Yesterday was a great day. In the morning, Dan gave me a short tutorial on how to use Adobe InDesign. I had been using Microsoft Publisher for most things before. In high school, I did the layout for the newspaper with Publisher for two years. I caught on very quickly to InDesign. I practiced setting up pages with text and photos whenever I had free time during the day. Now that I have a basic understanding of the program, JRN 302 should be a breeze (in JRN 302 you learn to use InDesign).

I completed my article about Pridgeon and submitted it to Dan. He read it over and said it was good and pointed out a few changes that I could make. He told me that he wasn’t going to tell me exactly what to put because he “didn’t want to take away my voice.” He said the article would be perfect if we were going to be printing it that day, but since it is for a publication he said we can perfect it even more. I thought this was great because I am able to learn to correct my own mistakes and perfect my own words. I know that I am a fairly good writer, but I want to become even better. I can already see that this internship is going to help me do that.

So I went back through the Pridgeon feature. I re-worked the lead and discussed it with Dan. The lead seemed to be the hardest part for me. Dan told me to imagine I was telling the story to my brother…how would I start it? I wouldn’t start by just bluntly telling the important details. I would first intrigue my audience to get them into the story. I re-worked the rest of the article and sent it back to Dan.

Dan sent two stories about a coach and asked me to edit them into one for the Viewpoint. It wasn’t a difficult task, although the fact that I know nothing about sports was a little intimidating. Luckily, the “complicated sports stuff” didn’t need editing. I sent it back to him and he said it was fine and he just moved a few little things around.

At the end of the day, Dan said that I would get more stories to write soon and other things to work on. I also will be starting work on CMU Welcomes You soon.

Lesson of the Day: Write like you’re telling a story to someone to their face. Intrigue them and draw them in.

Second Day

Yesterday was my second day of my internship. In the morning, I refined my interview questions and did a little brainstorming for CMU Welcomes You. I also worked on what little bit of the article I could, using information from a press release.

I also used Facebook to find people that are minoring in event management. Using the directory, I called one girl that sounded like a good interview prospect and left a message.

I interviewed Paul around 1 p.m. I had over 20 questions prepared, but afterwards I felt like I still didn’t have enough. But, I started typing my information and I had plenty! I worked on writing the article for quite awhile and then I spent a lot of time proofreading it. I proofread it over and over until I could read through it without wanting to change something.

Later in the day, I finally spoke with the girl I had chosen to interview about event management. I had chosen her because, one, her Facebook account looked decent (I was surprised at how many students had no privacy settings and had undesirable things shown), and two, she was in Mt. Pleasant still. I was hoping to find someone in Mt. Pleasant because then the photographer could get a few shots of her if we needed them. While talking to her on the phone, I found out that she had decided not to sign the minor so she could graduate earlier.

So back on Facebook I went, looking for another event management student. I sent several emails to some and called the ones that had phone numbers available.

Finally, I found one that looked perfect. She called me this morning and she is a signed minor. So now, all I have to do is put her information and comment in my article and I am finished with that feature.

The feature is due Thursday, 9 a.m., but it will be in before that. Dan also said that next week he will give me a short tutorial in Adobe InDesign so I can play with it when I have time. I have experience with other design programs, so once I learn the tools of this program I should be good to go!

Lesson of the Day: Have a back-up plan. I thought one girl was perfect for the interview, so I didn’t line up others until near the end off the day when I found out she wasn’t a signed minor.

First Day As A PR Intern

Yesterday was my first day of my first internship. I am working for CMU Public Relations and Marketing as a publications intern.

The first thing I had to do was review the publications I would be working on and writing for. At 9 a.m., I sat in on a staff meeting. After the meeting, I returned to my desk and continued reviewing the publications I would be working on. My main project for the summer will be CMU Welcomes You, a publication sent to incoming students. There are also other publications that I may be writing for such as the Professional and Viewpoint.

My supervisor, Dan, asked me to write down five goals of what I wanted to get out of the internship. He then wrote five goals of what he wanted to help me get out of the internship. We switched papers and amazingly we had very similar goals.

After lunch, I received my first assignment, a feature story about Paul Pridgeon, next year’s SGA President. I cannot give much more information than that right now. Although I want to blog about my experiences as an intern, I need to be careful about how much information I release.

I prepared my interview questions and tracked down his phone number. I called and left a message on his phone and I emailed him.

I spent much of the day just becoming familiar with the publications and brainstorming ideas for CMU Welcomes You. I also started the feature story, using what information I already had from press releases.

Paul called me this morning and we sat up the interview for Thursday between noon and 1 p.m. It might cut into my lunch hour, but I was planning on taking a lunch with me anyway.

My plan for Thursday is to interview Paul and begin writing the article. It needs to be about 400 words and is due the next Thursday at 9 a.m.

In the morning, if I am not given any other assignments, I will need to track down another contact for the article. I had contacted a fellow PRSSA member, but she had dropped the minor I was writing about. I asked if she could suggest anyone else for the article, so hopefully she will have returned my email. My back-up plan is to use Facebook to find another student with that minor.

Lesson of the Day: Setting goals can help keep you on track, but knowing the goals of your supervisor will help you better understand what you should be doing and whether or not the internship will be compatible.