Blog Posts - PRSSA SACRAMENTO STATE

Meeting Recap 03/05 - Professional Development Workshop- Cesar Espinoza

3/10/2020

On Thursday, March 5th, PRSSA held a professional development workshop for its members. We discussed how to get the most out of Linkedin and how using business cards can enhance in-person networking.

Linkedin is one of the most important tools for professionals. Linkedin is a social networking platform for professionals; it makes connecting with people in industries you’re interested in as easy as clicking your mouse button. Linkedin can also serve as a digital resume. It is a convenient and easy place to list all your previous work experience, volunteer experience, organization (PRSSA) affiliations, published work, and skills. Staying active on Linkedin, by sharing and commenting on anything that interests you, shows employers what you’re interested in. Here are a few Linkedin do’s and don’ts discussed in the meeting.

Do: Keep the background neutral and simple, wear professional clothing in your photo, and use a headshot.
Don’t: Use low quality photos, use an old photo, and have other people in your photo.

Linkedin is just one tool to enhance networking. Another tool used to enhance your networking experience amongst professionals is by creating business cards.

Business cards make connecting and networking easier. Instead of testing your memory and trying to remember who you met, you now have a card to exchange and remember the person by. Having a business card that reflects who you are adds a personal touch during first impressions. Keeping that in mind, business cards can be an effective marketing tool as well. Including a title, and/or your major, helps people know what you do or what industry you are interested in. A cool tip from the meeting is that as a graduate of public relations, one can identify themselves as a “Public Relations Practitioner.”
There are plenty of websites to design and print your own business cards. Hop on Canva and get started today!

If more help is needed, the career center on campus is the perfect resource to get feedback on your Linkedin profile, resume, business cards and cover letters. Set up an appointment with one of their career counselors and they will help you build and improve every one of those tools needed to thrive in the professional world. Not to mention, they are also running workshops throughout the semester to help with cover letters, resumes, interviews, and Linkedin.

Meeting Recap 2/27/2020 - PRSSA @ Sac Republic HQ - Jacob Mendoza

3/3/2020

On Thursday Feb. 27, PRSSA was honored to hold our meeting at Sacramento Republic Headquarters, where we were joined by the soccer team’s communications and public relations duo, John Jacobs and Will Strome. Members were also thrilled to be briefly joined by the president and COO of Sac Republic, Ben Gumpert, who kicked off the meeting with an inspiring message: “We are building a stadium, but we are also building culture.”

To begin, John Jacobs, a Sacramento State alumnus, and Will Strome spoke about how they ended up as the two-person team for the Republic. Jacobs explained how he had started in advertising sales, a job he came to despise. His real passion was in sports, and so he pursued a communications career at the Sacramento Kings, gaining enough experience to take charge at Sac Republic. Strome spoke about his work in sports writing, tedious free-lance work that eventually led to communications roles at Fox and the LA Galaxy. Strome then went out on a limb to come work at Sac Republic, a city and team he has since grown to love.

Jacobs offered our members some extremely valuable advice, exclaiming that we must “Kick in your own doors!”, encouraging us to not let anything hold us back from our dreams! Both Jacobs and Strome also emphasized the importance of forming professional relationships, especially in an industry as tight-knit as sports communication. He even cited PRSSA as a great start for building connections and taking initiative. Furthermore, he assured us that a positive attitude will take us far in life!

To conclude, Jacobs and Strome highlighted the significance of our position as students, explaining that now is the time for our members to be searching for ways to get our feet in the door. Whether it is a blind email to a large corporation or a conversation with one of PRSSA’s guest speakers, Sac Republic urges our members to “Shoot your shot!” We offer many thanks to Sac Republic for inviting us to have a look around the headquarters and for providing insight into the many aspects of communications and public relations.

Meeting Recap 02/20/20 - You gotta shake it to make it - Ash Dondeti

2/24/2020

On Thurs, March. 20, we were excited to have Adam Martinez, Outreach Director at Blanning and Baker Associates come visit us. It was an honor to have him, as he spoke on his past and present experiences along with wisdom on building and maintaining your brand.

Adam Martinez is a Sacramento State alumnus as well as a former PRSSA executive board member. He emphasized the skills and personal things he learned while being in PRSSA, such as being able to work in groups, and how working hard and remaining active in the community is essential to your career. He mentioned that your first internship is where you can make your impression. That good impression includes showing that you can work with others successfully, and put in the effort to be the best you can be. Making the most out of what you are doing is very significant in the journey to working in the career you want to be in.

A student asked Adam what his day-to-day looks like, and he responded by saying it depends on what types of projects he works on. He spends most mornings debriefing his entire team and running through what must be done. He then focuses on new employee orientations and planning for the upcoming and ongoing events

Designing your brand and marketing yourself is something else that Adam spoke passionately about. His personal motto that he stands by is “shake it to make it”. Without shaking a few trees and hustling, you will not make it very far, he said. In order to build a brand, someone must first know what they care about and who they want to be. What do you want others to see about you through meeting you in person or brushing through your social media? Represent yourself the way you want to, and break out of any shells you may think you are bound by.

We were so grateful for Adam to have visited us and impart his experience and knowledge, and we hope to see him again next semester.

Meeting Recap 2/13/2020: Raymond “Dr. Death” Perez on PR & The Job Search - Jacob Mendoza

2/18/2020

On Thursday Feb. 13, PRSSA was honored to have Sac State alumnus Raymond Perez, speak to our members about his journey in the field of Public Relations. He backed the information with years of experience characterized by various internships, a stint as a die-hard sports podcaster, and more recently a lucrative media strategist at Augustine. Perez gave valuable insight into how college students like us can better navigate the vast field of PR.

Perez caught member’s attention by telling them about his experience as a sports podcaster. He first built a platform around a persona known as “Dr. Death”, who along with other Raiders fan, protested to keep the Oakland Raiders, in Oakland. This platform allowed him to enter the field of PR as a podcast host, even landing a feature in one edition of Sports Illustrated! From this experience he eventually transitioned into a more traditional PR setting. He emphasized the importance of writing as he told us about his struggles to move from sports podcasting to writing-intensive jobs in PR. For this reason, he suggests we must “write, write, write...and then write some more!” to refine our skills. Here are Perez’s 6 tips when entering PR!

Leverage your passions
Take a journalism class and learn how to tell a story
Master press releases, media alerts, pitches, etc.
Write A LOT (Platforms like blogs helps with writing samples)
Intern and/or build a portfolio
NETWORK

Furthermore, Perez shared the significance of the online job search and how to build a strong resume and LinkedIn, tailored to the needs of future employers across various fields. He suggests we immerse ourselves in PR by watching the news, following trends, and picking up new skills when possible.

To conclude, Perez gave some advice to anyone hoping to be successful in PR, explaining that one must always strive to be the best at what they do. He urges us to express our personality to every interviewer, and overall any situation we may find ourselves in. Be the best storyteller, and above all, challenge yourself! PRSSA gives many thanks to Perez for a phenomenal presentation and his guidance to those hoping to enter Public Relations.

Meeting Recap 02/06/2020: Digital Account Coordinator Alexis Polk visits PRSSA - Ash Dondeti.

2/13/2020

If you missed our latest PRSSA meeting, which generally takes place every Thursday, there is nothing to worry about because we are still at the start of the new semester. We have constant updates on our speakers, future workshops, and meeting times and places on our Instagram and Twitter @prssasacstate. Some quick important information you might have missed is to download Slack onto your phones because it is necessary if interested in joining one of our informative committees to learn essential skills for your future, such as writing, digital media, and so on. Membership dues, which are $85 in check or exact cash, are due by Feb, 13 and should be given to Maxx Schnurr. Digital Account Director, Alexis Polk from Randle Communications came to speak to PRSSA about her life and talk about her career in Public Relations and Digital Media. She graduated from the University of Southern Mississippi with a major in public relations and an emphasis on social media. She went on to apply to a public relations video contest and won, thus beginning her interest in the field. Polk flew out to Los Angeles to attend a conference and was hired for an interview on the spot. "You should intern and research what you want, they don't know who you are until you tell them who you are," Polk stressed while speaking to a room full of students. She went on to talk about her experience in various accounts before coming to Randle Communications. At Randle, she creates creative content for them as they needed more emphasis and specialization on their digital media front. Polk talked about the importance of finding a job that will work with you as a person and guide you through the process of working and learning through the job. When hiring for interns, she looks for those who are motivated, hardworking, and, most importantly, will take pride in their time and work by making sure it's at the best standard possible. At Randle, the day-to-day of an intern is one that is very similar to those who work as a full staffer, she believes in letting interns work as if they're hired because that is the best way for them to gain real-life experience. Prompted by a question from the audience, Polk talked about personal branding and projecting an image to others and employers. She suggested having two resumes, one that is simple and straightforward while the other is more creative and expresses personal style. To keep one's brand more apparent, produce more content that is geared towards the image you want to emanate. For example, Polk shared how video games are a big part of her life so she tweeted about how much she loved them and made it a part of her brand that companies can blatantly notice. Polk said public relations practitioners have some critical skills that are required to be able to succeed in the field, those of which are most important are organization, graphics and design, writing skills (more specifically APA), and copyediting. These skills are necessary because they are ones that are used every single day in the work field and should be considered the basics of public relations. Polk also talked about a topic that many people are familiar with, overcoming hardships. She shared how she went through a period of unemployment and overcame it by always keeping herself accountable and doing something. Whether it's researching or actively looking for work in little and big ways, she recommends keeping active. Polk also emphasizes taking care of mental health as priority number one, making sure to take breaks and allow for time to breathe.With all of her excellent advice and stories, we are very thankful for Alexis Polk to have visited us at PRSSA. There are plenty of upcoming speakers and workshops, so make sure to join PRSSA to be included in our community and take advantage of the resources available.

Activities for College Students During Winter Break

12/4/2019

Everyone looks forward to the winter break, but have you made plans for winter break? Maybe you will be taking classes over winter break or maybe you plan on working. Five weeks can be a short period of time to do many activities. However, winter in California are filled with many activities to participate in. Winter break is the perfect season to refresh yourself and give new opportunities a chance. Here are some things you can do during the winter break.

Visit Lake Tahoe
Lake Tahoe is beautiful during the winter season and with it only being a two hour drive from Sacramento, it provides the perfect opportunity to ski, snowboard or simply enjoy the beautiful scenery! There is an abundance of ski resorts in the area, that recently opened, for families, experts and beginners. Just be aware of the weather and road conditions as it can turn a two hour drive into a long, perilous situation.

Sacramento Downtown Ice Rink
Is Lake Tahoe is too far of a drive, but you still want to enjoy your winter vacation? Then how about going to the Downtown Sacramento Ice Rink? Located only a few minutes from Sac State, the Ice Rink is open daily from Nov. 1 to Jan. 20. For more information regarding hours and price visit the Ice Rink’s official website and get ready to create new holiday memories.

Volunteer at Sacramento Loaves & Fishes
How about spending your winter break by spreading some love and warmth to those most in need? Volunteer opportunities can make your day more fulfilling and meaningful. It is so easy to spread happiness and holiday cheer to those who need it most. For more information about how you can volunteer, please visit Loaves & Fishes official website. - Gyoungwon Jeong

Foster Youth on the Runway for Higher Education

11/24/2019

The 19th annual Foster Youth Fashion Show was held at Sacramento State in the University Union Ballroom on Sunday, Oct. 13. This year’s theme was “A World of Opportunities.”

KCRA 3’s News Anchor and Reporter, Lisa Gonzales hosted this year’s fashion show. This year’s models were joined by special guest including Mckynz Jackson, Miss Black Teen Sacramento 2019, Annisa Ingram, Miss Black Sacramento 2019, 12 year old actor, Cooper Miller and former Miss Sacramento and Miss Central California, Kelsey Cardamone.

The show presented style, grace, high energy and of course, fashion. The runway models brought their best dance moves and live music accompanied them down runway. Special guest Cooper Miller performed a Dean Martin classic while the models strutted their stuff.

The models were comprised of former and current foster youth from Sacramento State and the Los Rios Community Colleges.
In attendance was Sacramento State’s President Robert S. Nelsen, who also gave the welcome address of the event.
The Foster Youth Education Fund’s goal is to help fundraise money to aid foster youth with scholarships to achieve their higher educational dreams.

“Eighty-four percent of 17-year old foster youth want to earn a college degree or higher,” according to the program’s brochure. “However, instability and trauma interfere with their learning, leading to early and persistent achievement gaps with only half ever graduating from high school and less than 3% of the state’s foster youth earning a bachelor’s degree.”

If interested in seeing next year’s show or volunteering visit fyef.org or visit on Sac State’s campus the Guardian Scholars Program. - Andrew Maestas

Meeting Recap 11/14: Digital Marketing Workshop

11/17/2019

On the evening of Nov. 14, the PRSSA organization gathered to participate in a very informational digital marketing workshop led by freelance Digital Marketer, Matt Lady. Holding 5+ years in digital marketing experience, Lady has worked numerous positions in the field, with organizations such as the Sacramento Kings, the Leukemia Lymphoma Society and many more!

To begin the workshop, Lady introduced the various components that make up a marketing agency, and provided a breakdown of the different roles of digital marketing such as design, content, web and account management.

To follow, Lady further discussed digital marketing/advertising in depth, mentioning the importance of Facebook and Instagram, and introducing concepts such as push vs pull marketing. With a combined monthly following of 3.2 billion viewers, he emphasized the impact Facebook and Instagram have had on the digital marketing world.

To end the presentation Lady did something extremely cool. Lady gave the audience a behind-the scenes look at one of his personal ad campaigns, designed for a company in San Fransisco trying to promote the use of electric vehicles. By giving a look at the inner workings of his own personal campaign, the audience was given a better understanding on how digital marketing work is monetized, depending on site traffic and advertisement views.

All in all, it was wonderful for the PRSSA organization to get better insight on the marketing industry and what it has to offer! A huge thank you to Lady, for the amazing presentation and helpful advice on entering the work world. - Maxwell Schnurr

Tips on How To Save Money & Cook at Home

11/13/2019

When it comes to the monthly expenses for a college student, food takes up the most amount of money next to rent. The obvious advice that we always hear is to cook more homemade meals and eat out less. This is waaaaay easier said than done, but don’t worry! Here are some tips on how to save money on food and easy meal ideas.

1. Understand what your body needs
One of the most important things to know when cooking homemade meals is to understand what your body needs in order to function. Something to remember is three food groups: protein, carbs, and fruits/vegetables. Incorporating all of these into a meal whenever possible will give your body the fuel and energy it needs to power through a busy schedule. If you only feed your body junk food, you may find yourself feeling sluggish.

2. Do some planning
Have a grocery list and a few recipe ideas when grocery shopping. You can do a quick search on Youtube or Pinterest to get some ideas and examples. It also gives you a great excuse to watch food videos! Plan to cook on a day when you do not have that late class, so that on the days that you do, you will already have a meal in your fridge.

3. Shop at more budget friendly grocery stores
If you live on or near campus you may be going to one of the big name grocery stores closest to you and overpaying for basic groceries. Safeway and Raleys' tend to be more pricey, especially when buying a week’s worth of groceries. There are some budget friendly stores that are also close to campus or a short drive away. Some of these include: Trader Joe’s, Save Mart, and Grocery Outlet in midtown.

4. Frozen vegetables are your friend
No one likes to be told that they need to eat their vegetables, so I’ll make this brief. Having some bags of frozen vegetables is a game changer. It makes preparing a meal with vegetables, easier versus actually taking the time to cook them, while still getting all the nutrients your body needs.

5. Pantry items
Canned foods and grains are super easy to store and last longer than refrigerated foods. They can be included in so many recipes and usually cost less.

6. Don’t waste food
After going shopping keep the grocery list to keep track of: what you bought that week, what has already been used, and what you have left. If you have something that expires in a few days put a note on your fridge to remind yourself. BONUS TIP: If you buy lunch meat do not throw away the container. Use it as tupperware to pack your lunch or even as food storage.

7. Cook in bigger batches
The ultimate goal for a college student is to cook as little as possible. If you are making dinner, rather than making a single serving, make a second or even third serving, in order to have plenty of leftovers for the next couple of days.

8. Meal ideas/examples
Breakfast: Fall Overnight Oats
Ingredients: oats, milk of choice, cinnamon, pumpkin spice

Fill a jar or tupperware with as much oats as needed. Pour in your milk of choice until all oats are covered. Sprinkle spices and mix in with oats and milk. Leave in the fridge overnight.

Lunch/Dinner- Pasta with Vegetables
Ingredients: Pasta of choice, frozen vegetables, sauce of choice

Fill a pot with as much water as you think is needed and bring to a boil. Adding salt to the water decreases the amount of time it takes to boil. Read directions for pasta cook time. Add uncooked pasta when water reaches a boil. When the pasta is half way cooked add in the bag of frozen vegetables. Drain when thoroughly cooked. Return pot to the stove and pour in your sauce. Mix all ingredients together on a low heat until sauce boils.

I hope you find this information useful. Now, get together with some friends and share ideas on easy recipes. If you have a friend or roommate that already cooks ask them for help or get a group together to make a fun time out of it. Happy cooking! :) - Cristal Black

Video to help inspire your first meal prep activities:

Meeting Recap 11/07: Learn More About PRSA

11/10/2019

On Thursday Nov. 07, PRSSA Sac State invited three members from the PRSA California Capital Chapter to its second panel discussion of the semester. Panelists included Tori Burnie - Marketing Director Outreach and Marketing Strategy at ABC10, Diedre Powell - Director of Communications for NUSD and Jordyn Dollarhide - Marketing & Events Coordinator for Stanford Youth Solutions and Sierra Forever Families. Dollarhide is also a former Editor in Chief of PRSSA Sac State. The panel provided attendees an insight into how being a member of PRSA has helped them succeed in their respective industries.

The panel educated us on how being a member of PRSA can open doors to new opportunities for young professionals who are in the field of public relations, communications, marketing etc. The chapter holds numerous networking events that provide endless resources and connections. Powell advised if you “work the room” and let people know who you are, then it can be a great way for students and young professionals to build relationships with people who are already in the industry.

The panel also provided us with some tips on how to succeed after graduation. Tips included information about how getting your Master’s Degree can be beneficial in earning jobs with better titles and higher pay. College students should also familiarize themselves with Adobe programs like Photoshop, Illustrator and InDesign as they are highly requested in professional workplaces. You can always learn more once you begin working. The best advice given by the panel was to apply for any job that you believe you are even mildly qualified for. It never hurts to give yourself the chance to succeed.

Lastly, if you are interested in becoming a member of the PRSA CCC, they offer payment plans or some organizations might even pay for you to become a member if it benefits their company. By being a member of PRSA, you will definitely make connections with a diverse group of people that are on the same journey as you. For more information about how you can join PRSA CCC, visit their website or social media accounts.

Website - prsaccc.org
Twitter & Instagram - @PRSASacramento
Facebook & LinkedIn – PRSA California Capital Chapter
- Saniya Ali

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