CPRS Toronto Students

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CPRS Toronto Student Steering Committee Profile: Fiona Pswarayi, Vice President
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Meet your 2015/2016 Student Steering Committee!

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

Fiona

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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CPRS Toronto Student Steering Committee Profile: Frances Sesay, Vice President, Internal
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Meet your 2015/2016 Student Steering Committee!

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

Frances

 

Frances Sesay

Humber College, Bachelor of Public Relations, third-year

Frances Sesay is a self-motivated and passionate individual who strives to meet and exceed expectations set before her. She is always ready and willing to lend a helping hand to anyone who may need it. Her goal is to successfully complete the Humber BPR program and move on to a prosperous career in PR.

Where are you from?

I was born in Kingston, Ontario but have lived in Toronto all my life. My ethnicity is Sierra Leonean (in West Africa).

Do you have any other post-secondary education?

I attended The University of Toronto, Scarborough campus. I took co-op sociology, psychology and health studies with the intent of getting into gerontology, the study of aging.

What are you most excited for this year?

I’m most excited about being the VP of Internal and having the opportunity to network with other PR students in the GTA as well as industry professionals.

Equally, I’m looking forward to having the opportunity to encourage PR students to attend CPRS events and expressing the importance of putting yourself out there to get ahead.

Have you interned anywhere?

I’m currently interning and volunteering with Pride Toronto as a media relations team lead. I’ve been with them since November 2014.

What is your dream job?

My dream job is still to be determined.

What do you do outside of school?

I enjoy reading by the lake, free writing, spending time with family and friends and volunteering.

Tell us something unexpected about yourself:

I love all things cheetah print.

 

Find Frances on:

Twitter: @frances_sesay

LinkedIn: ca.linkedin.com/pub/frances-sesay/65/30a/a74

 

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Student Steering Committee Profile: Tysha Campbell
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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

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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Event post: Building Media Relationships
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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.

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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.

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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.

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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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Student Steering Committee Profile: Katryna Fernandes
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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!

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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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Student Steering Committee Profile: Shamique Bowes
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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!

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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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Student Steering Committee Profile: Matthew Palmer
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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!

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

Author: Richard Rotman

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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.

Become a Better Writer

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

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Event post: Work Hard, Play Hard student pub night social
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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!

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A few choice tweets from the night:

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Why I joined CPRS
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Read our first winning submission from the new CPRS Toronto Student Blog Contest!

New topics are posted every two weeks, so be sure to submit your content for your chance to win. The next topic will be announced Saturday, November 22.

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The Best Career Move I’ve Made and Why You Should Do the Same

My fellow soon-to-be industry professionals, I’m about to let you in on a not-so-secret secret of mine: the top 4 reasons I joined CPRS (also known as ‘The Top 4 Reasons Why You Should If You Haven’t Already’ list). So without further ado, here’s why becoming a member was the best career move I’ve made so far:

1.NETWORKING

Let’s get the obvious one on the table first: PR is All. About. Networking. This is rule #1 in the handbook, and for good reason. As individuals not yet employed in the field, being a member is a great way to mingle with those who are. As a student member, you’re given access to the Membership Directory in which hundreds of new contacts are at your fingertips. You are immediately connected with like-minded individuals who share your passion and drive. Basically career gold.

2. VOLUNTEERING

In the very competitive world of PR, internships are the Holy Grail; highly coveted, hard to obtain. So how does one land an internship? It’s no secret that experience helps tremendously. And how does one gain experience? Enter volunteering. Nothing shows commitment to a goal more than offering your time and efforts without being paid. As a student member, you are given priority over non-members in terms of volunteering opportunities, including spending time at the ACE Awards, CEO Award, Annual General Meeting and other fun events. With volunteering, you are able to gain some seriously valuable knowledge, meet some hard-working and intelligent people and add some seriously good things to your resume. Win-win-win.

3. EVENTS

The CPRS Student Steering Committee doesn’t play around when it comes to the events they graciously plan. The exceptional Passport to PR event sold out within 3 hours of registration opening, and guess who got first dibs on their choice of PR agencies and offices to tour? As a student member, you’re always the first to be able to sign up for events like Passport, as well as others. Even before you’re given the first opportunity to register, all student members receive a very considerate reminder email regarding the coming event. Being a member ensures you never miss the signup date for events that may catch your eye.

4. GETTING TO PARTICIPATE IN AWESOME INITIATIVES LIKE THIS BLOG

(This one is arguably the most rewarding) Being able to write for CPRS and have my own personal post featured for my peers to see is definitely an accomplishment, but something I wouldn’t have been able to do before becoming a member. As a recognized student within CPRS, you are given opportunities to succeed in an environment filled with people you respect and look up to that non-members simply don’t have access to. When I first came across CPRS while researching public relations, I never would have guessed my blog post would be read by students just like me, but I’m grateful to say that it is, and there’s absolutely no reason why the next contributor couldn’t be you… or you… or you. Just remember folks: to observe is one thing, but to actively participate is quite another.

So there it is! Waste no more time missing out on the events, networking and opportunities awaiting you. And trust me… the grass is greener on the members’ side.

(Also, to make your life easier: https://www.cprstoronto.com/studentmembershipapplication/)

 

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Cheyenne Freitas is a fourth-year political science and media studies student at the University of Toronto. Find her on:

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