CPRS Students

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October 5, 2015
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CPRS Toronto Student Steering Committee Profile: Fiona Pswarayi, Vice President

https://cprstoronto.com/wp-content/themes/fildisi/images/empty/thumbnail.jpg 150 150 Admin Admin https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/f9a9d30e3678cd4b8295fcb4c358be3ad20be0ff5e7702db165f5166d2a8be56?s=96&d=mm&r=g October 5, 2015 October 5, 2015

Meet your 2015/2016 Student Steering Committee!

Stay tuned for more Student Steering Committee profile postings in the coming weeks.

Fiona Pswarayi

Humber College, Bachelor of Public Relations, second-year

This is my first year working with the Student Steering Committee and I’m so excited to serve as the Vice President. If you see me out and about, don’t let my face fool you. I might look grumpy, but I’m actually a very happy person. So come over and say hello!

Where are you from?
I was born in Zimbabwe, raised in England, and now live in Mimico.

Do you have any other post-secondary education?

I completed a General Arts and Science certificate at Fleming College, and attended both the University of Ottawa and University of Windsor where I studied Communications.

What are you most excited for this year?

I’m really looking forward to meeting students from all the different programs across the GTA. Without the CPRS, I wouldn’t have the opportunity to make those connections.

What event did you enjoy the most last year?

Building Media Relations and 360°: All things connected were my two favourite events last year. I learned so much from the media and PR professionals at both events and can’t wait to attend them again this year.

Have you interned anywhere?

Not yet, but I have had the pleasure of volunteering with a number of organizations and agencies over the past year.

What is your dream job?

This is such a difficult question as my dream job changes from day to day, but definitely somewhere involved with fashion, lifestyle or entertainment.

What do you do outside of school?

You can find me volunteering, exploring Toronto with friends, writing and editing my blog, or spending some quality time with Netflix.

Tell us something unexpected about yourself:

I’m a big adrenaline junkie. I’ve bungee jumped, white water rafted, cliff dived and zip lined. Next on my list is skydiving.

Find Fiona on:

Twitter: @fionapswarayi

LinkedIn: ca.linkedin.com/in/fionapswarayi

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October 2, 2015
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CPRS Toronto Student Steering Committee Profile: Terrence Freeman, Vice President, External

Meet your 2015/2016 Student Steering Committee!

Stay tuned for more Student Steering Committee profile postings in the coming weeks.

Terrence Freeman

Humber College, Bachelor of Public Relations, fourth-year

Hello!

My name is Terrence Freeman – I am currently a fourth-year student studying towards my bachelor of public relations degree at Humber College. I moved to Toronto about six years ago to pursue post-secondary education in a city full of opportunities. I am looking forward to the new experiences my role as VP, external will bring.

Where are you from?

Hamilton, Ontario

Do you have any other post-secondary education?

I studied sociology for one year at Ryerson University.

What are you most excited for this year?

This year, I am most excited about our fall Passport to PR event! Having participated in last year’s Passport to PR event, I am excited to help plan an event that is able to provide so much insight for students.

What event did you enjoy the most last year?

Last year I most enjoyed the Passport to PR event. I had the opportunity to tour and learn about PR at Sears Canada and the Eaton Chelsea. The PR teams at both organizations provided lots of great insight.

Have you interned anywhere?

In the beginning of my PR program I interned at a boutique lifestyle-focused PR agency. The summer after my second year I worked at a lifestyle agency called Rock-It Promotions, supporting the agency’s annual Tastemakers gifting lounge at TIFF. Finally, this past summer after my third-year of school, I completed an internship at Metro (the grocery chain).

What is your dream job?

My dream job would be communications director of an international corporate consumer packaged goods company like Procter and Gamble or PepsiCo.

What do you do outside of school?

Outside of school, I work part time at a restaurant and enjoy spending time with friends while catching up with them over dinner.

Tell us something unexpected about yourself:

I’m a twin!

Find Terrence on:

Twitter: @itsterrence

LinkedIn: ca.linkedin.com/in/terrenceGfreeman

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March 13, 2015
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Student Steering Committee Profile: Tysha Campbell

Meet your 2014/2015 Student Steering Committee!

Over the next few months, we will be posting profiles of CPRS Toronto’s 2014/2015 Student Steering Committee Student Representatives. Stay tuned for more!

Tysha Campbell, Student Rep
Humber College, Public Relations Postgraduate Certificate

Starting my journey at Centennial College and being a part of the Bachelor of Public Relations Management program has taught me a lot. Being able to also be a part of the CPRS Student Steering Committee has been the cherry on top. I was very excited when I received the conformation because I realized how amazing this year was going to be. I cannot wait to make more memories and see what other opportunities this year has to offer.

Where are you from?
When I was younger I moved around a lot but always manager to stay within the GTA. My family and I have finally settled down however, and I am currently living in Oshawa.

What are you most excited for this year?
This being my first year in my program I can’t wait to actually see first hand what Public Relations means to Toronto. I was most excited for out Passport to PR event. I could not wait to get a first hands look at various PR companies and agencies that were located in Toronto. I wanted to see the creative side of the profession while meeting a lot of amazing individuals that could hopefully share their stories and inspiration with me. Overall, I’m really excited for everything that this year has to offer.

What is your dream job?
My overall end goal is to eventually run my own business. I want to be my own boss and make decisions based on my likings with shared views from people who also want to positively contribute to the PR industry.

What do you do outside of school?
I am currently apart of project fusion which involves groups of students from various programs collaborating ideas on how to enhance our community.

Tell us something random about yourself
My dad is the type of man who will drive absolutely anywhere if possible, so during our road trip to Guatemala, our car ran out of gas in Mexico. We were stopped at a bottom of a hill and there wasn’t anything surrounding us expect a lot of tall trees. I thought we were going to stranded there for a while, because the odds really did look like they were against us, that was until a man emerged out of the trees.

Despite being in a completely different country with a language barrier, and not knowing the man or the fact that we didn’t actually know where he came from, he actually ended up being a sweetheart. He pushed our car all the way up the hill by himself so we were able to get to the nearest gas station to pump some gas.

Find Tysha on:

Twitter: @teeec_xo
LinkedIn

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March 6, 2015
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Event post: Building Media Relationships

Authors: Molly Campbell and Natalie D.

On Thursday, Feb. 12 CPRS Toronto’s Student Steering Committee (SSC) welcomed students to the fourth-annual Building Media Relationships event at the Pilot Tavern. A panel of journalists and PR professionals shared insights with attendees. The panel consisted of Jessica Gold, Shaw Media; Robin Smith, H+K Strategies; Heather MacGregor, LCBO; James Bradshaw, The Globe and Mail; Carolyn Jarvis, Global News; Josh Rubin, Toronto Star and Justine Lewkowicz, Newstalk 1010. CNW Group‘s Nadine Tousignant moderated the animated discussion.

The biggest takeaway? “Just be a decent human being,” said Josh Rubin, followed with a laugh from the crowd. Rubin also outlined having a sense of humour, being respectful and valuing the other journalist’s time as being important, which received agreeing nods from the other panelists.

Media relations is taught in PR students’ coursework, but stepping out of the classroom safety net and doing the real thing is daunting. This event gave aspiring students the opportunity to find out what exactly makes news and how to navigate the media landscape.

When asked how newly graduated PR practitioners can avoid “annoying” journalists, every panelist quickly said they didn’t care about experience or age. What matters to them is the story, considering the audience, pitching an interesting angle, timeliness and relevance. The next most important thing is a practitioner’s attitude; being positive, respectful and doing research goes a long way.

Here are some key tips from the pros:

1. Ask the right questions – Begin media relations campaigns by asking your client about the results they want, said Robin Smith.

2. No matter what realm you work in, always follow the news – Heather MacGregor suggests setting up Google Alerts and monitoring Cision.

3. Don’t burn bridges – “You’re only as good as the relationships you’ve built, as well as your last job,” said Jessica Gold. Be willing to apologize for mistakes.

4. Don’t be annoying – Justine Lewkowicz warned sending too many emails can put you in a journalist’s bad books.

5. Know your medium – Know “who you’re pitching and why you’re pitching,” said Carolyn Jarvis. For TV interviews, choose someone who reads well on TV. For radio interviews, choose someone with an enticing voice. For print stories, get the point and avoid overusing adjectives.

6. Be open to collaboration – Getting caught up trying to control every element of a story can “turn a collaboration into an adversarial relationship” said James Bradshaw. Let the journalist develop the story. Sometimes the end result may not be exactly what you had in mind, but often through collaboration an even better story can be told.

Molly outlines some other Dos and Don’ts from the event:

Do make it personal. You stand out from the crowd when a journalists trusts you.

Do meet with journalists outside deadlines to build trust over time.

Don’t use social media as a public forum to criticize journalists.

Don’t take it personally when a reporter doesn’t respond immediately. Media deadlines can vary from every hour to every 30 minutes.

Don’t be a jerk.

Do have phone etiquette. When calling, always ask, “are you busy right now?”

Natalie is a graduate from Seneca College’s Corporate Communications program.

Molly is a student representative on CPRS Toronto’s SSC.

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March 3, 2015
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Student Steering Committee Profile: Katryna Fernandes

Meet your 2014/2015 Student Steering Committee!

Over the next few months, we will be posting profiles of CPRS Toronto’s 2014/2015 Student Steering Committee Student Representatives. Stay tuned for more!

Katryna Fernandes, Student Rep
Centennial College, Corporate Communications & PR Post-Graduate Certificate

Hello! I am Katryna, but I often go by Katie. I did my undergrad at Wilfrid Laurier University and I am currently a Centennial College post-graduate student. I loved planning events at Laurier so I am really excited to be on this committee to help plan events for the CPRS Toronto students!

Where are you from?
I grew up in Ajax, ON and then moved to Waterloo for four years for university. It’s good to be back home in Ajax now, but Waterloo will always have a special place in my heart!

What are you most excited for this year?
So far, one of the best aspects about being on this committee is attending events and getting to meet other PR students from the GTA. It’s really interesting chatting with others who are partaking in similar programs, and hearing about their ambitions within the industry. I love meeting new people, so that is what I am most excited for this year!

Have you interned anywhere?
Sadly, I have not yet had the opportunity to intern in the PR industry, although I am looking forward to doing so at the end of this school year. However during my undergrad, I interned for four months in the live music industry at a booking agency called The Agency Group. It was a blast!

What is your dream job?
I would love to find a job working in the entertainment industry. Music has always been a big part of my life and it is a big interest of mine. One day, I hope to involve my passion for music as I move forward in my career.

What do you do outside of school?
I love to sing and play guitar. Performing and jamming with other musicians is my favourite activity! I am also a huge advocate for live music, and I love nothing more than being in the audience when a good band is performing!

Tell us something random about yourself
I have never seen Star Wars, and I couldn’t get through Lord of the Rings. I hope we can still be friends.

Find me on:

Twitter: @_katiefernandes
LinkedIn

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February 19, 2015
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Student Steering Committee Profile: Shamique Bowes

Meet your 2014/2015 Student Steering Committee!

Over the next few months, we will be posting profiles of CPRS Toronto’s 2014/2015 Student Steering Committee Student Representatives. Stay tuned for more!

Shamique Bowes, Student Rep
Humber College, Bachelor of Public Relations Program

Deciding to pursue my bachelor degree in public relations has not been easy, as I once took a safe path, in pursuing my diploma in business management. Even though the transition was hard, I have no regrets in following a passion that has brought nothing but a bright future and opportunities n my life.

Where are you from?

I was born in St. Elizabeth, Jamaica and immigrated to Canada in 1992.

What are you most excited for this year?

I simply cannot wait to start participating in upcoming CPRS and CPRS student committee events, such as Passport to PR. This year I hope to sharpen and apply my skills to other organizations such as Speakers Academy; travelling amongst at-risk schools within the GTA and conducting workshops.

Have you interned anywhere?

I have not yet interned anywhere. However I have a vast array of volunteer experience. My most recent and unforgettable experience was volunteering for the NKPR IT Lounge. In the past I had the privilege of volunteering within the marketing communications Sector for the CPRS Ace Awards. Also, being a strong activist for women’s rights I volunteered for IWAA (International Women Achiever Awards), as media relations assistant.

What is your dream job?

With a variety of interests and passion for agency life, I hope to work for an esteemed agency such as NKPR. NKPR continues to be an agency that excels at its craft and delivers perfection.

As motivational speaker Zig Ziglar says, “If you can dream it then you can achieve it.” Even though in awe with this Toronto-based agency, my ultimate goal would be establish my own PR firm.

What do you do outside of school?

When not attending school, working or volunteering, I try to stay active within the theatre community. Besides attending plays, I take classes at Soul Pepper theatre and improvisation classes at the Freedom School of Arts. Being a big yoga buff, you can catch me at Goodlife Fitness attempting the downward dog.

Find Shamique on:

Twitter:@Shambowes
LinkedIn

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January 28, 2015
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Student Steering Committee Profile: Matthew Palmer

Meet your 2014/2015 Student Steering Committee!

Over the next few months, we will be posting profiles of CPRS Toronto’s 2014/2015 Student Steering Committee Student Representatives. Stay tuned for more!

Matthew Palmer, Student Rep
Humber College, Public Relations Diploma

This is my first year being a part of CPRS Toronto’s Student Steering Committee representing Humber College. I am incredibly excited to work with the many driven Public Relations students and professionals that are a part of CPRS.

Where are you from?
I am born and raised in Burlington, Ontario!

What are you most excited for this year?
I am actually really excited about everything to do with CPRS this year. Networking with my peers and professional in the industry is an amazing opportunity that I hope to extend to my classmates as well!

Have you interned anywhere?
I volunteered with the communications and public relations teams with Fan Expo HQ Canada. Learning about what goes on behind the scenes at Toronto Comicon and Fan Expo Toronto was an eye opener and I gained a lot from the experience.

What is your dream job?
I am really into sports, so working for an organization like the MLSE would be a perfect balance between my interest and my job.

What do you do outside of school?
I balance a part time job with school and being a part of the CPRS Student Steering Committee. Outside of that I loving playing pool with my friends.

Tell us something random about yourself
I have a healthy obsession with loose leaf tea, especially from DavidsTea. I have about 30 different kinds of tea at home and try to find interesting flavour combinations with them.

Find Matthew on:

Twitter: @Matt_Palms
LinkedIn

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January 19, 2015
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Guest blog: Become a better writer overnight

Become a better writer overnight: A guide to perfecting media writing

Author: Richard Rotman

I am almost finished with a book about writing. It’s called “Of, Is and By, a guide to perfecting media writing.” It will help readers become better communicators overnight. Based on my encounters with Humber College students and a lifetime editing copy, it should be finished soon and will be free to Humber students. Here is what it’s about.

Communications writing is different. Learning it is similar to mastering a foreign language but much simpler. Its basic tenets are simplicity, compression, plain language and reading speed. It was developed to save space or time in publications or broadcasts with limited amounts of it. Today, with short attention spans in the video and Twitter age, it’s even more important. It communicates the greatest amount of information in the shortest time.

No one wants to read extensive websites or blogs; Twitter proved this with its wildly successful 140-character limit. Online writing and journalism are primarily information vehicles although there are wonderful practicing writers in the field. Novels are for literature classes and bedtime reading’s sheer pleasure. Academic papers are written for professors who generally know nothing of smooth, lean prose, with few space limitations. Students must write numerous university papers to graduate and believe this confers a degree and an ability to write, which it might for those never intending to work in media’s many branches. On arrival at Humber they are often shocked that much of what was learned about writing at Western, Guelph, Queens and U of T must now be erased.

In a few easy lessons, students of journalism, public relations, marketing and advertising can become better media writers. In fact, if they just master the book’s three watchwords — of, is and by — their writing can improve overnight. Yes, overnight. I mean it. Writing with flair and style can then become your key to career success. It attracts positive attention from supervisors and managers who recommend promotions and salary increases.

You only receive the audience’s attention momentarily; take advantage of that. Shorten, prune, edit, always eliminate unnecessary words: these are time-honoured lessons that the great E.B. White pioneered in the still worthwhile Elements of Style.

How to become a better writer
Improving writing is like the old New York joke, where the tourist asks, “How do you get to Carnegie Hall?” and the street-smart Brooklynite says, “Practice!” There is no substitute for writing whatever you can, whenever you can. Treat every writing occasion as practice: don’t let emails be less than excellent. They represent you as a brand. Malcolm Gladwell’s 10,000 hours rule, as explained in his excellent Outliers, applies. Those who master their craft, from the Beatles playing nine hours a day in Hamburg dives to Bill Gates taking over his prep school’s computer, must do so for at least 10,000 hours. Improving writing is less about mastering forms like the news release, pitch letter or memo and more about specific words and constructions used every day. Good luck. I look forward to your comments about the book even if you are not a #humberpr grad.

About the author:

Currently an instructor at Humber College, Richard has worked in journalism and PR in Canada and the U.S. His widely published PR writing includes content in the Globe and Mail, Chicago Tribune, National Post, PR News. Follow his musings on PR and writing here.

You can find him on:
Twitter
LinkedIn
Website

Admin
November 26, 2014
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From start to finish: Centennial College post-grads plan charity events

Authors: Jessica Chong & Katryna Fernandes

Student highlight: Centennial CCPR event class

Every year, Centennial post-graduate students must plan a charity event. Groups of four to six students and are given just under two months to plan a charity event with no budget. Add a final grade to the event and the stakes are even higher.

At the Pickering campus the events management course requires students to plan, promote and execute an event. In the Durham region with a smaller population to work with and few local business and facilities, the challenge was fierce. Groups were tasked with raising at least $1,000 for a charity of choice.

Group 1: Pushing for Power

At one Centennial campus, students were working on the “It’s Time” campaign to raise awareness for the International Day of People with Disabilities recognizing the power of disabilities. “Pushing for Power” sought to raise funds and awareness for CAF‘s It’s Time campaign!

Promoted entirely over social media using the Facebook page, Twitter account, and Instagram (@PushingForPower) the event generated coverage from the Ajax-Pickering Advertiser and Snap’d Newspaper.

MUMBA, the Markham-Unionville Minor Basketball Association, sponsored the venue and also provided the trophy, medals for the top three teams and reversible jerseys for players. Starbucks and Kerry’s Pizza provided refreshments and the wonderful referees, scorekeepers and volunteers kept the tournament running smoothly.

A total of 14 prizes were raffled, including $350 in gift cards, signed Adam Folker basketball gear, signed Raptors merchandise donated by MLSE and tickets to the February 2 Raptors game vs. the Milwaukee Bucks.

Every aspect of the event was sponsored or donated and all funds generated went directly to the

charity. In total $1,779.68 was raised for CAF.

Group 2: More than just a Brew

At the other Centennial campus, another team organized a coffee and tea tasting event at Aroma Espresso Bar at Bay and Dundas, featuring a guest speaker, live entertainment and sustainable activities centered on coffee culture. The eco-themed event showcased organic Pluck Teas with locally sourced ingredients from Niagara, Muskoka and Prince Edward County.

During the two-hour event, $1,500 was raised. These funds will directly benefit underprivileged children in local neighbourhoods through Evergreen’s children education programs.

Tips for planning your event

1. Sponsorship

Pound the pavement early

Sponsorship takes time and a personal touch. It was a challenge finding time to visit businesses during the day with class, part-time jobs and group work. Prioritize the time because raffle and auction items can be a big incentive for some guests.

Leverage your personal network

Don’t underestimate your personal connections. One instructor, Chrissy Newton, encouraged students to reach out to contacts in their personal networks. Through a previous internship, we reached out to The Body Shop’s head office which led to an armful of products for a raffle gift basket.

2. Promotions and media relations

Aim for a mix of pre and post-event coverage

Send tailored pitches to key media. I contacted Karen Bliss, the founder of Samaritan Magazine.. While she was unable to attend our event, she offered pre-event coverage. We also reached out to media featuring community events including City Nights, BlogTO and Snapd.

Be optimistic and don’t get discouraged

Reach out to media and influencers, but don’t be discouraged if you don’t hear back. You never know when your cause might resonate with someone. At the very least, they might give you pre-event coverage or a social media mention.

3. On-site at the event

Don’t fret over minor issues

Try to envision your event down to the nitty-gritty details leading up to your event, including raffle signage and assigning someone to take care of the band. Remain cool, calm and collected. The unexpected will happen. At our event, coat racks overflowed, signage didn’t stick well to textured walls. You can’t let the small stuff exacerbate your stress during the event.

Recruit reliable volunteers

I asked a few Centennial peers and my close university friends to help at the event. Find volunteers to help with minor setup and teardown tasks so you can focus on bigger tasks.

In total, Centennial College teams at the Story Arts Centre and Pickering Campus planned events in support of 16 organizations listed below. What other advice would you give to students planning events through school?

Jumpstart
Evergreen
The Children’s Breakfast Club
Interval House
Sketch
Red Door Family Shelter
Variety Village
Kids Now
Look Good Feel Better
Toronto Mental Health Association
Greenhope for Children
Leave Out Violence (LOVE)
Wilkinson Jr. P.S.
Canada Cares
Feed the Need in Durham
The Canadian Abilities Foundation

Jessica and Katryna are both students in Centennial College’s CCPR program and are student representatives on CPRS Toronto’s Student Steering Committee.

Admin
November 24, 2014
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Event post: Work Hard, Play Hard student pub night social

https://cprstoronto.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/20141119_211219.jpg 1920 1080 Admin Admin https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/f9a9d30e3678cd4b8295fcb4c358be3ad20be0ff5e7702db165f5166d2a8be56?s=96&d=mm&r=g November 24, 2014 November 22, 2014

On Wednesday, November 19, CPRS Toronto’s Student Steering Committee held its first-ever pub night social. Work Hard, Play Hard invited students and young professionals from around the GTA to join in on a casual night of networking. Students from Centennial, Humber and Seneca were present, as were some young professionals fresh in their careers.

Everyone had a great time and we look forward to hosting another pub night social in the new year!