By Dr. Brittany Rowe-Cernevicius

What do you do for a living?

I’m a college professor.

That must be great—you get the summers off!

Well, nothing could be further from the truth. Many of us spend our summers catching up on our scholarship and getting ready for the upcoming school year.

This year, I was one of nine educators selected for a Plank Center for Leadership in Public Relations Summer Fellowship for Educators. This professional development opportunity enhances educators by giving them the chance to get back into the field and benefits host practitioners by giving them a chance to learn from the educators. I had the privilege of spending my two weeks learning from the professionals at DEVENEY in New Orleans. DEVENEY is an award-winning agency that provides strategic marketing solutions and prides itself on using research to create campaigns that open the dialogue between brands and their key stakeholders. They specialize in hospitality, healthcare and crisis.

Before I was ever an educator, I was a public relations practitioner in the non-profit sector. When I worked in the industry, I spent time in front of a fax machine sending releases and alerts to media contacts. Twitter didn’t exist; Mark Zuckerberg was just dreaming up Facebook in his dorm room. In an industry that is constantly evolving as new communication tools are developed and as a society moves to a global one, programs like the Plank Center Summer Fellowship are vital. They allow educators like me who have been out of the industry for years to refine our skills, learn new ones, and practice what we preach in the classroom—even if it is only for two weeks.

I’m learning a great deal about life in an agency (something I never experienced while working at various non-profits), seeing firsthand how critical social media is to the practice of public relations, and getting the opportunity to discuss industry trends and best practices with people who are putting them into work on a daily basis.

If you are a company, agency, or non-profit, consider inviting a local academic to spend some time with you over the summer. It is a great way to begin a partnership that enhances public relations education, your organization and ultimately betters the future public relations practitioners you may one day employ.

Brittany Rowe-Cernevicius is an Assistant Professor of Public Relations at Westminster College. She also serves as the adviser for Westminster’s PRSSA Chapter.

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