Final Portfolio

Strategic Writing
Bryanna Hames
Table of Contents Page #

Instagram……………………………………………………………........... 3

Twitter White Paper……………………………………………………….. 4

Press Kit including a Fact Sheet, Press Release, and Cutline……………… 11

Baby Boomer White Paper…………………………………………………. 18

News Jacking Case Study - “The Dress”…………………………………… 23

Self-assessment……………………………………………………………… 28

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 https://www.instagram.com/bryannahames/

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 Social Media White Paper
By: Bryanna Hames
March 6, 2017

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 Using Twitter as a Professional Development Tool
How to tailor Twitter for your success

Introduction

Twitter allows people to share thoughts ideas, news, and media in 140 characters or less. Social

media acts as a way for people to communicate through websites or applications, which enable

users to create and share content. (Google) The web has created a way for multiple people to use

social media platforms like Facebook, Tumblr, Instagram, LinkedIn and many more. The unique

identifier that sets Twitter apart from other social media sites begins with the limits it sets on the

amount of characters you can write and how you share content.

Twitter allows us to build a community and contribute thoughts and ideas, which is a valuable

tool for anyone. A tweeter who runs his or her own business or even a college student looking

for jobs can use Twitter as a tool to build rapport and networks. The concept of Twitter has made

a platform that captivates audiences in the athletic world, movie industry, scientific geniuses,

politicians and everyday people.

By simply making a Twitter account you set a foundation for professional success. From there,

you can share links or post pictures just like other social media sources, but Twitter allows for

you to “retweet” what you see, similar to the concept of sharing on Facebook. You may

“follow” others on Twitter to see what they share, retweet posts or pictures, or even “heart” or

like a post. Another cool aspect of Twitter can be the idea of “following” people. There isn’t this

need to necessarily know the person to create a connection. Even replying to another person’s

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post by clicking the reply button demonstrates how Twitter differentiates itself from other social

media tools. If you want to tweet The President of the United States, you can.

Lastly, creating a Twitter handle or username adds to how your followers will view you, making

it one of the most important aspects of your Twitter. Depending on how you use Twiiter, your

handle elicits a positive and professional image. For the purpose of a professional Twitter

account, pick a handle with your name for a more formal and personable outlook. You try to

create a Twitter in which companies find you compelling and interesting through the things you

retweet and contribute. The more you create an unique identifier the more you captivate an

employer.

Problem

Everyone can use Twitter to share their life, brand him or herself to the world, spread funny

commentary, and add valuable thoughts, but currently businesses overshadow Twitters real

personal branding potential. Twitter used as a professional development tool benefits college

students, young adults, and people currently in the workforce and those looking to build a larger

network. Twitter allows you to share your interests professionally and some affective ways to do

so starts with simply separating the 2 P’s: your professional life and your personal life. This

means that you may still follow your best friend or follow your favorite football team, but you

should also be following people you find interesting in a professional setting. You should follow

companies and blog sites that give important information about the field you’re in. For example,

following PR professionals reflects that your interst in PR. Challenge yourself to follow people

you may not agree with, to add diversity of thought to your perspective. Just as people separate

their home life from their work life, Twitter should act in the same idea.

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What to Tweet and Remembering You’re Human not a Company

Using Twitter as a professional development tool means you have to understand the importance

of professional voice. You have something to offer and your interests are fascinating to

employers, coworkers, friends, and academic scholars. Use this powerful resource to connect and

grow. Even with those tactics, if you still struggle to tweet, understanding the value you can add

to Twitter can help. You can do all of the following:

1. Educate

2. Learn

3. Develop Relationships/Network

Twitter allows you to place your thoughts and ideas into 140 characters. A professional Twitter

should be used to convey your ideas, while educating the audience about your interests. Your

following may be small but anyone can view your tweets, so recognize the value in the open

nature of Twitter and foster the relationships you build, based off what you contribute. Further,

the language and dialogue that is created on your professional Twitter should be different from

that of your personal. More formal, less conversational, and definitely do not use profanity.

Share what is respectful to others and recognize how to address controversial topics tactfully.

The characteristics you wish people to see in you should be present on your professional Twitter

account.

Twitter is not just a resource for the audience but a learning tool for you as the user. You can use

Twitter to keep you up to date on news, interesting topics by searching recent hash tags, viewing

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the top trending stories, and even more. Twitterchats, hashtags, retweeting, replying, tweeting are

all great ways to help educate yourself and others. My favorite Twitter learning experience is

from my freshman year of college. I had a snake outside my dorm room and naturally I freaked

out and posted all over social media, but the best thing was I tweeted at a snake expert and asked

what type of snake it was. His response was helpful and even gave direction on what we needed

to do next. Expand your knowledge and find new areas of passion using Twitter.

Lastly, networking on Twitter. Twitter can connect people together that may have never met

before just by a simple hashtag. Classroom conversations happen across the country because of

Twitter that may have never be utilized before. (DeWitt) Keeping up with the social scene

through the web can be daunting, because of the lack of face to face interaction, but responding

to tweets or retweeting and liking posts creates many connections. The Harvard Business

Review, represents a credited source and gives valuable and reliable information, so retweeting

an article shows you are informed on up-to-date information, learning, and engaged in more than

just memes. Others will notice your interests and a network of business connections are built

from single posts. Remember that when using Twitter as a professional development tool, that

you aren’t the business, you are a person, an individual that has ideas and thoughts that make you

unique. Your professional Twitter account should have something about you written out in the

biography, a flattering and professional picture, and an appropriate Twitter handle.

Summary

Create your Twitter for you and tailor it to what drives and impacts you. Find the professional

selling points that employers would like to see and add those interests to your page. Remember

to add commentary and tweet yourself, not just retweet what others post. Check what is trending

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and see if any of the hot topics relate to you as a professional. If someone follows you, follow

him or her back. And finally, have fun making your Twitter yours.

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Works Cited

DeWitt, P. (2011, December 05). How Twitter is Changing Professional Development for
Educators. Retrieved March 06, 2017, from
http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/finding_common_ground/2011/12/how_twitter_is_changing_pr
ofessional_development_for_educators.html

How Do Educators Use Twitter For Professional Development? (n.d.). Retrieved March 06,
2017, from http://www.heinemann.com/blog/onlineplc-howtotwitter-1-27/

Glaser, A. (2016, May 06). How to Use Twitter: Critical Tips for New Users. Retrieved March
06, 2017, from https://www.wired.com/2016/05/twitter-onboarding-tips-for-new-users/

Google. (n.d.). Retrieved March 06, 2017, from

https://www.google.com/webhp?sourceid=chrome-instant&ion=1&espv=2&ie=UTF-8#q=social
media definition&*

Morris, T. (n.d.). All a Twitter. Retrieved March 06, 2017,

https://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=2SFhqmWc_M4C&oi=fnd&pg=PT23&dq=twit
ter+as+a+professional+branding&ots=OeJi4HpVdM&sig=QKIJwQp7MRIF2f2oZ38ClekXtkQ#
v=onepage&q=twitter%20as%20a%20professional%20branding&f=false

Welcome to the Purdue OWL. (n.d.). Retrieved March 06, 2017, from
https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/owlprint/546/

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 Press Kit

By: Bryanna Hames

April 3, 2017

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Child Advocacy League
1 American Way
Washington, DC 20001
(202) 555-1212

FACT SHEET CONTACT:

Bryanna Hames
(202) 555-1212
bryannahames@cal-children.org

April 3, 2017

FREE AND REDUCED LUNCH FOR LOWER INCOME CHILDREN IS A NECESSITY FOR
CHILDHOOD HEALTH AND GROWTH

What is the Free and Reduced Lunch Program?

● A federally assisted meal program operating in over 100,000 public and nonprofit private schools.
● Founded in 1946 and ran by USDA
● 30 million children are fed daily using the Free and Reduced Lunch program.
● More than 224 billion lunches have been served since the program began.

Child Poverty Rates in the United States

● There are nearly 72 million children under the age of 18 years in the United States.
○ 43 percent or 30.6 million live in low-income families
○ 21 percent or 14.8 million live in poor families
● 1 out of 5 kids lives in poverty compared to 1 in 8 adults. That’s 15.5 million impoverished
kids in the U.S.
● Food insecurity has a lifelong effect: lower reading and math scores, more physical and mental
health problems, more emotional and behavioral problems and a greater chance of obesity.
● In 2014, the top five states with the highest rate of food-insecure children under 18 were
Mississippi, New Mexico, Arizona, Alabama, and Arkansas.

The Child Advocacy League

● Mission: The Child Advocacy League raises awareness of the effects of poverty on U.S.
children’s health and well-being.
○ Education, lobbying efforts, and fundraising allow further work to support children living
in poverty.

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Child Advocacy League
1 American Way
Washington, DC 20001

Bryanna Hames
(202) 555-1212

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

April 3, 2017

FREE AND REDUCED LUNCH PROGRAM IS VITAL

In response to Secretary of Education’s thoughts on the Free and Reduced Lunch Program, the
Child Advocacy League supports and advocates for continued program growth and health of our
nation's children

WASHINGTON D.C. - On Thursday, Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos addressed the public

at a Conservative Political Action Conference and specifically referenced the back-and-forth

discussion with former presidential nominee Bernie Sanders. In this address, DeVos said, “I,

however, pride myself on being called a mother, a grandmother, a life partner, and perhaps the

first person to tell Bernie Sanders to his face that there’s no such thing as a free lunch.” By

saying this, DeVos suggests that there is no such thing as “free lunch” when in fact the Free and

Reduced Lunch Program feeds 42 percent of the nation’s low-income children.

President Truman initiated the Free and Reduced Lunch program after he signed the National

School Lunch Act in 1946. The Free and Reduced Lunch program helps feed many children 18

years of age and younger, and costs $11.6 billion dollars yearly. The growth from the program

has spread from feeding 7 million children, in 1946, to 31 million children a day, in 2017. The

statements made by DeVos, concern parents, educators and welfare specialists, not to mention

the lack of sympathy as Secretary of Education. No child should go hungry, and our Secretary of

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Education is a mother, not just to her children, but the mother for our nation's children. Support

for the Free and Reduced Lunch Program and the children struggling to be successful daily is

needed by community leaders.

“Child poverty is increasing, as ordinary families are living on low income salaries and the costs

of living rise yearly in the United States,” says Executive Director of the Child Advocacy

League, Trisha Smith. “Help for struggling families has been a continued focus for the Child

Advocacy League and the increased number of food insecure children alarms us. The comment

made by DeVos does not reflect today’s figures of the nearly 31 million children fed daily by the

Free and Reduced Lunch Program. The price of inaction is a formation of devastation for many

children’s lives,” Smith explained.

Nearly 13.1 million children under the age of 18 living in households where they are unable to

consistently access enough nutritious food. The Free and Reduced Lunch Program has provided

224 billion meals so far and it will continue to need support. This week’s speech is dangerous

and distressing to the Free and Reduced Lunch Programs future. Action is needed to follow

through by community leaders and public officials.

Child Advocacy League (CAL) was founded in 2009 and has a vision to help provide all children

living in poverty with the opportunity to live up to their God-given potential. For any further

questions about CAL, please reach out to Bryanna Hames, Public Relations and Fundraising

Coordinator Director at (202) 555-1212 or bryannahames@cal-children.org. Further contacts

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include Elizabeth Jacobs at elizabethj@cal-children.org or at our website http://www.cal-

children.org.

Cutlines

Former First Lady Michelle Obama eating lunch with elementary school students in Farmington, New
Mexico. The first lady has made it a mission to help embrace children in healthy eating initiatives and
expansion to the Free and Reduced Lunch Program. The Let's Move! Program and the School Lunch
program, started by the first lady, continue to have bipartisan support.

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Students at Lakefield Elementary School in Queens, New York are given more nutritious options, after
USDA initiates changes school lunch menus. Students have taken to the new menu and school staff has
seen a difference in student behavior. Prior to the changes in 2012, school lunches didn’t require fruits
and vegetables every year.

At Lakefield Elementary in Charlotte, North Carolina, 3rd grader Michael Thompson, eats lunch with
friends. For all meals in North Carolina schools, a fruit and a vegetable is required in all school served
lunches. This is important for children’s growth to have a balanced meal they my not receive at home.

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 Sources

http://www.feedingamerica.org/hunger-in-america/impact-of-hunger/child-hunger/child-hunger-fact-
sheet.html?gclid=CK6j3-r5h9MCFdqPswodD1oM2w?referrer=https://www.google.com/

https://www.google.com/search?q=example+of+a+fact+sheet&espv=2&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&
sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjE4ufP_IfTAhVMxCYKHTjCAxcQsAQIIA&biw=1026&bih=610#tbm=isch&q=e
xample+of+a+fact+sheet&chips=q:example%20of%20a%20fact%20sheet,g_1:press%20kit&*&imgrc=-
o9GIs5s3wesxM:

https://www.fns.usda.gov/sites/default/files/NSLPFactSheet.pdf

http://www.nccp.org/publications/pub_1170.html

https://www.google.com/search?q=press+kit+example&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwi
3gbnFhYjTAhVBOSYKHXNHCvYQ_AUIBigB&biw=1026&bih=610#tbm=isch&q=press+release+exa
mple&*&imgrc=elXtv8NNv5bqMM:

https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/press-release-template-ht#sm.000bcnj2117zqdnr10i6bkee6oism

http://www.heritage.org/budget-and-spending/report/federal-spending-the-numbers-2014-government-
spending-trends-graphics

https://theoutline.com/post/1154/betsy-devos-is-in-charge-of-a-system-that-literally-serves-millions-of-
free-lunches

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/actually-betsy-devos-there-is-such-a-thing-as-a-free-
lunch_us_58afb3a3e4b0780bac2805d4

http://www.cpag.org.uk/content/child-poverty-jumps-4-million

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 White Paper on Baby Boomers
By: Bryanna Hames with contributions by Dana Chwatt and Rachel Sears

May 11, 2017

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 How to attract Baby Boomers to Consumer Products: Tailoring Media to the Consumer

Who are Baby Boomers?

The generation that made the boom heard across the country can be seen in one of the largest

generations still alive today. People born between 1946 and 1964 inherited the name Baby

Boomer. “Almost exactly nine months after World War II ended, ‘the cry of the baby was heard

across the land,’ as historian Landon Jones later described the trend.” In 1946 the boom was

evident with 3.4 million babies born which was more than any other year in history. In 1947

another 3.8 million babies were born and then in 1952 3.9 million more. What became even

more shocking was the birth of 4 million babies every year until 1964. After the boom ended in

1964, 76 million babies were born in less than 20 years, a 40% population make up.

During the boom, an influx of babies were born. The name “baby boomers” came when the

young and middle age adults had children at the same time following the war. Once World War

II was over, the country was confident and ready for a fresh start. No better way to do that than

to start a family. It became a commonality for Baby Boomers to move to the suburbs that had

cheaper homes than apartments inside cities.

Boomer Impact

Baby Boomers contribute to a whopping 77% of the wealth in the U.S. and represent one of the

highest-earning generations in the history of the country. With this statistic in existence, it’s no

wonder that they’re one of the most important generations of consumers in the country. Baby

Boomers buying habits continue as some of the most influential, and without their business,

companies across the board would suffer from much lower profits and incomes.

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Baby Boomers make up such an immense population; they mainly fall in the category of elderly

and demand responsibility for large impacts on the health care and social security for the United

States’ future. Plus, they invest heavily in the politics revolving around it.

Boomer Media Identity

Boomers lived during two of America’s largest wars, the Cold War and the Vietnam War; they

established identity embracing culture, prosperity, and technological advancements. Known for

their love of music, specifically Rock n’ Roll, they are the first generation to grow up with

television and to have some of the greatest musicians of all time, including The Beatles and the

Rolling Stones.

The stories of this generation encompass some of America’s largest historical events including,

the Kennedy Assassination, Martin Luther King Assassination, the Cuban Missile Crisis, and the

first man to walk on the moon. These historical events created an image of individuality, hard

work, a powerful spirit, and experimentation among the generation. Since the age of Baby

Boomers began in 1946 and ended in 1964, a number of boomers distrust the government, after

childhoods of wars and governmental conspiracies. Boomers responded to the critical events by

taking part in economic strikes and social marches to display their opinions.

After much technological advancement, television became and still serves as one of the most

important means of communication for Boomers. Today, Boomers embody some of the heaviest

social media users, including 65% of Baby Boomers using Facebook to find up-to-date content.

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Most surprisingly, Boomers spend more time consuming web content than over any other

generation. As social media users, Boomers are more likely to share a status, click on

advertisements, and visit company websites than other generations.

Still, television acts as a prime media service, with Boomers watching up to 184 hours per

month. Seeking news through both Facebook and television, Boomers represent some of the

heaviest users of both media outlets. As technology continues to take over the world’s intake of

information, Boomers focus more on customer service and valuable products than world trends.

Boomers share written and video content more than using a hash tag, and are less likely to use

social media tools like Instagram and Snapchat to communicate. They find the condensed forms

of media like Instagram to be a less valuable source of communication. Boomers contribute to

social media outlets like Facebook, blogs, and Twitter more than picture-focused platforms.

These social media sites allow for slide sharing, video and image sharing, and consumer input,

which all contribute to important means of communication for the Boomer generation.

Boomers maintain a balance between analog media and digital media; to attract Boomers to

products and businesses, we have to understand how to use both tactics and to remember that

Boomers still check email, mail, and value digital media. Boomers take pride in having

knowledge, and gaining information through social media as a way to build their communication

networks, and to be a professional communicator means tailoring to their needs.

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Summary

To understand Boomers thought process and buying process, professional communicators need

to understand where Boomers get their information. With a better grasp on the media outlets

Boomers use, strategic communicators can blueprint ways to persuade and impress multiple

generations.

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 News Jacking Case Study
By: Bryanna Hames

May 8, 2017

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Background

In 2015, a picture of a dress surfaced the web and created one of the largest worldwide

conversations about the human eye and the exact color of the dress. The dress originally

circulated when two young women went dress shopping for a wedding and noticed a photograph

of the dress with strange coloring. So like all do in this age, they posted the dress to social media

and people retweeted the photo, including celebrities and scientists, to create a massive

conversation. More than 10 million people mentioned the dress on Twitter through hashtags

#thedress, #blackandblue, #whiteandgold. Marketers and communicators noticed the trend and

started to use “the dress” as a tool to market their brands. Oreo, M&M, Macmillan Cancer, Just

Eat UK, Tide, and the Salvation Army are all organizations that took the photograph and made it

their own. (Please see photo below.)

Above is the original picture of the dress. It can be seen in many different colors depending on
who views it and the angle and lighting depicts different images on the retina. People argued
over the color to be either black and blue or white and gold. The discussion captivated multiple
audiences including organizations and the science community, but sent marketers and
communicators on a rush to create clever captions.

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Narrative

Realizing the opportune moment, many companies used the dress to take advantage of the

market. For some it was light hearted and clever, like Tide who stated, “Looks like a problem

when you don’t use Tide Plus ColorGuard,” but for the Salvation Army in South Africa the dress

could inform many on a much bigger issue. The Salvation Army of South Africa used it to show

a controversial and powerful message. The photograph, pictured below, shows a woman wearing

the dress in white and gold and appears beaten “black and blue.” The purpose was to raise

awareness of abuse and also garner a response from viewers, and the post did just that.

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The Salvation Army of South Africa made the ads above, in March of 2015. Taking social media
by storm it brought a lot of attention to the issue and how the Salvation Army decided to use the
dress to raise awareness on a large issue.

The ad allowed many in the social justice fields to contribute comment. Director of Inspiring

Consultancy, Matthew Sherrington, said the following.

“In this case, Salvation Army in South Africa, where violence against women is particularly

endemic, has simply and effectively ridden the viral wave of the #TheDress, and exposed people

through something frivolous to something deadly serious. An effective juxtaposition that gives

people pause for thought. Pause to think deeply and understand all the underlying issues? No,

that’s asking too much of a poster. But from conversation can come questions, and the challenge

is to think how you take that conversation on. The poster has be seen for what it is, as an

opportunistic communication amidst others that hopefully address the issues more fully.”

Many agreed with Mr. Sherrington, and the statements that the dress ad creates conversation but

others find the social media tactic and the use of a dress to be barmy and light-minded. The

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issues faced by the Salvation Army were that they used a scare tactic and took the dress, which

was so insignificant, to make light of such a prevalent issue. On the other hand, such a violent

and harrowing topic, that affects multiple countries, the dress may seem as a meager closet item,

but it caught the attention of many, which sparks conversation. When Googled, the ad comes up

as one of the first displayed photographs and though the dress may be insignificant, it reached

innumerable groups of people.

Takeaway

From the dress, the people can learn about the value of picking an audience and recognizing

whom your audience is. The dress ad received a lot of backlash and certain groups, like the

LGBT and other marginalized groups, went as far as saying it was racist and hypocritical.

However, the ad did reach a mass amount of people, just by looking at the tweets and retweets, it

caused many conversations. From a public relations perspective, the news jacking method was

effective but it also displays the need to cater to all audiences and be sensitive to those needs.

From a marketing perspective the 15 million people it reached would be considered a success.

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 Self-Assessment

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Self-Assessment
Please complete all sections where an answer is indicated by {}s

1. Portfolio Assignments

Instagram account

Discuss the value of your Instagram account as a tool to help you represent yourself well to a
potential employer. What can your Instagram posts tell your employer that a resume/cover letter
can’t? (3-4 sentences)

I believe my Instagram account addresses the professional side of me as well as the

personal side because there are elements of what makes me happy and what I value. Things
like athletics, Fellowship of Christian Athletes, travelling, my friends, and being a student
at Elon University are all captured in photos. I believe from my Instagram account you can
see that I’m well rounded as a student-athlete, which is important to employers, and that I
value being able to do multiple activities well.

How well does your Instagram account achieve the strategic writing framework of audience (a
potential employer) + purpose (to enhance your appeal as a job candidate)? Use a scale from 1-5
where 5 is the best and 0 is not at all and justify your answer. (1-2 paragraphs)

My potential employer will most likely be in the PR or Marketing fields and I think from
my Instagram they can see that I enjoy being a student-athlete, being a part of
SGA/marketing events, I enjoy encouraging my friends and teammates, and I find value in
leading in different parts of my life. I think when making the Instagram account I tried to
think of things I don’t post on my personal account that could definitely be posted in a
more professional setting. For me that was posting about academic achievements, athletic
achievements and my extra curricular activities.

The ultimate goal is to make an employer see what they can’t see on a resume. I talk at
length about being an athlete and how it impacts my determination and dedication but I
think with actual photos it can be seen. I posted about hosting the Athletic Banquet,
receiving the Black Excellence Award here at Elon, going to Greece, being with my FCA
family, and attending the most beautiful university in the country.

Social Media White Paper

Were you familiar with the white paper format before this assignment? No.

What was the most difficult part of writing in the white paper format? (2-3 sentences)

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For me, finding facts that are relevant to a specific topic and for all types of audiences. I
wrote about using Twitter as a Professional Development tool and although there were
books and articles about the topic it was hard to capture my words in an entire paper.
How well does your white paper achieve the strategic writing framework of audience (a strategic
communication professional/student) + purpose (to inform/educate/teach)? Use a scale from 1-5
where 5 is the best and 0 is not at all and justify your answer. (1-2 paragraphs)

I think a 4. It isn’t perfect. I don’t think the paper would ever be a perfect 5 because
technology, specifically Twitter is always changing, and the efforts made to be a
professional Tweeter and use it to make you grow as professional is different for each
person. I believe taking the purpose of your Twitter and how you want to brand yourself is
what makes a good professional Twitter. The purpose of me writing the white paper is to
teach someone how to get started and what to do when they have a Twitter to help make
them seen as a professional.

I think the biggest thing about the paper was it isn’t perfect and I have had to make a ton
of improvements to even make a better paper so that is why I gave myself a 4.

Press Kit

What did you learn about writing documents intended for an audience of reporters? (1-2
paragraphs)

The biggest thing I learned was make the document relevant to what the reporter needs. If
the reporter needs a story about E.coli breakouts at Chipotle and you’re a chicken supplier
that serves organic chicken, their needs to be relevance to why your organization and the
reporter should write about you. Make the connection for them and make sure to hear
their needs and try to make their lives as simple as possible. They don’t need to go on a
hunt for information and they should be valued as writers because they have tons of people
trying to get their story out there. Lastly, biggest takeaway maybe of all was be personable,
respond with a relationship aspect to reporters.

Of the available resources given to you, which of the following did you use to complete your
press kit?
 News values video Y
 Press release video Y
 Fact sheet video Y
 Cutlines video N
 Media relations tips podcast Y a lot.
 Handout with revision instructions Y a lot for all of my terrible mistakes.

How well does your press kit achieve the strategic writing framework of audience (reporters) +
purpose (to show the reporter that you have a newsworthy topic and convince her to write a
story)? Use a scale from 1-5 where 5 is the best and 0 is not at all and justify your answer. (1-2
paragraphs)

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I believe my press kit is by far the project I put the most time and revisions into so if
there’s the A for effort idea I’d give myself a 5, but when I read other professional press
kits I think I could get a 3. So I’m not sure. I’m far from where I want to be as a PR
professional writer in regards to press releases. I believe with practice I will get better. I
think the paper is effective, the cutlines are relevant to my point of making a reporter
understand the Free and Reduced Lunch issue in relation to the Betsy DeVos comment, but
there’s just that added thing I can’t seem to figure out what it’s missing.

Media Relations Book Group Presentation

Please describe your contribution to the group’s efforts. (2-3 sentences)

So between Kelsey H. and I, we both put a lot of work into the slides after the group didn’t
do what was decided on in class. Scott, Peter and I were supposed to present and we each
gave our commentary on the book but allowed the others make the slides. I ended up
presenting and doing half the slides with Kelsey.

Were there any members of your team whose contributions were either exemplary or
unacceptable? Please use the space below to tell me more.

Kelsey did a really good job and presented a lot of great information and input on the book
and I think that Scott and Peter did the best they could trying to learn the information that
our other group members put in last minute. There was clearly a miscommunication but it
was frustrating to come off of a meet and having already completed my slide and then
going to learn what I needed to say about others and then there not even being completed
slides. The assignment wasn’t that difficult so that’s what made it frustrating.

Crisis Communication Case Study Presentation

Please watch the video of your presentation to answer the following questions

Looking back, do you think you prepared enough for this presentation, or should you have
prepared more? Explain. (2-3 sentences)

I really enjoyed my topic so I didn’t have to prepare at length because it was something
that concerned me, as that I was training for the 2016 Olympic Games. I knew a lot of facts
it was mostly practicing how to display the information to the class and giving the
information that made the situation a valuable crisis communication to study.

How many times did you practice your presentation before giving it in class? Twice

If you had the chance to do your speech again, what would you do differently? (3-4 sentences)

I would put less pictures on the slides for sure. That was your feedback to me and I think
that less is more in this case, it was just difficult because I liked a lot of pictures and I
thought they were relevant. I also, this is a weird one, but I definitely wouldn’t of worn my

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hair like that because it’s HUGE! Other than my hair and the pictures, practicing to end
more at 3 minutes and not finishing a sentence when the alarm went off.

How well did your presentation achieve the strategic writing framework of audience (your
classmates) + purpose (to inform them about an organization’s crisis communication efforts)?
Use a scale from 1-5 where 5 is the best and 0 is not at all and justify your answer. (1-2
paragraphs)

I think a 5. I enjoyed this presentation because it’s a crisis situation where you can’t do a
ton. As PR professionals we will be put in difficult situations where there’s not a ton we can
do, but how we respond to other people’s frustrations and feelings will be the make or
break of a good crisis aversion. I think that also having fun with the assignment helped a
lot. It was something I cared about and kept following on this summer so it was nice to
present to my class about a crisis I care about and think they should of cared about.

Targeting Audiences White Paper and Presentation (Group Assignment)

What did you learn about the importance of knowing and understanding your audiences in
strategic communication? (3-4 sentences)

I learned that when communicating with different generations we have to recognize what is
important to them. I had the Baby Boomer generation and they find impact in working
hard and creating new ideas. The other thing is catering to your audience and being
sensitive to what is happening in the world. It needs to be relevant.

Please describe your contribution to the group’s efforts. (2-3 sentences)

I did the Baby Boomers Media Impact section. I researched their media identity now and
how they used to consume media.

Were there any members of your team whose contributions were either exemplary or
unacceptable? Please use the space below to tell me more.

Honestly this was the worse paper I have ever seen. After reconstructing a lot of the paper,
it was evident there was not a lot of effort put in and poor citations. It makes me angry
when I know everyone is busy but it isn’t hard to create your own sentences and then cite
the information/statistics. It seemed like my group members weren’t really on top of it and
missed part of entire sections, which is why there was no ending and the middle was so
short. Then it ended up being turned in that way which is just disgraceful. It was
frustrating as well because Rachel didn’t do her part so it was turned in later and meant
we were behind so out of all the group assignments I hated this one by far the most. There
wasn’t good communication and there was a massive amount of things that didn’t flow in
the paper, which meant a lot of reconstructing, aka the whole paper.

How well did your presentation achieve the strategic writing framework of audience (your
classmates) + purpose (to inform them about how to best communicate to your target audience)?

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Use a scale from 1-5 where 5 is the best and 0 is not at all and justify your answer. (1-2
paragraphs)

I think the presentation did address the identity of the Baby Boomer generation, we
described when they were born and the impact they had, so overall I would give us a 4. It
didn’t flow well because like I said before, there was awful communication, which meant no
practicing and slides, weren’t done until the day of. For the purpose to teach the class I
think that was met. I think our pictures also helped because it described them as
communicators before and now.

How well did your white paper achieve the strategic writing framework of audience (strategic
communications professionals/students) + purpose (to inform them about how to best
communicate to your target audience)? Use a scale from 1-5 where 5 is the best and 0 is not at all
and justify your answer. (1-2 paragraphs)

Before revisions, I’d truthfully give it a 2. It was dreadful. I honestly had to put the most
work into editing this white paper because it just didn’t flow well and seemed like it missed
some of the marks as a white paper. Now I would give it a 4. I think that it does achieve the
purpose of letting professionals know how to communicate with Boomers.

Newsjacking Case Study

What is your personal take on newsjacking? Is it a valuable tool for strategic communicators, or
is it more trouble than it’s worth? Explain your answer. (1-2 paragraphs)

I think news jacking is a creative way to take something happening and making a timely
response to it. It can be more trouble than it is worth because organizations seem to miss
the mark but when done effectively it is really valuable. It is good for strategic
communicators if they actually make the news relevant and recognize the content should
work on not offending their organizations audience.

How well did your case study achieve the strategic writing framework of audience (strategic
communications professionals/students) + purpose (to explain an example of newsjacking and
provide takeaway advice based on this case study)? Use a scale from 1-5 where 5 is the best and
0 is not at all and justify your answer. (1-2 paragraphs)

I believe after doing the assignment the case study would be a 5. It was one of my favorite
assignments we had because we got to pick something fun and it was relevant to our class.
The purpose of the news-jacking target was also impactful so it made it a good example of
positive news jacking. Multiple companies also were able to take “the dress” and make it
relevant for their needs so it was a perfect example of good news jacking.

Overall Course Work

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Please evaluate yourself on a scale of 0-5, where 5 is the best and 0 is the worst, on the following
areas of course performance:

Professional behavior: Do you come to all classes, on time, and pay attention? Do you
participate in class discussion? Have you prepared for classes by doing the assigned readings
and/or preparing assignments for the due date?

I have not made every class due to track, and I have been a few minutes late power
walking from my 8AM class, but I do come to every class if I am not travelling. I
participate in class discussions and try to contribute something valuable instead of just
talking. And I have prepared for all assignments and completed them on time with the
exception my news jacking paper which I didn’t complete all of it on time but finished
for the portfolio and for feedback.

Professional work product: Do your assignments represent you well as a communications

professional? Are they free of grammatical errors? Do they accomplish the stated goals of the
assignment? Do they properly address the stated audience for each assignment?

Yes. They accomplish the assignment goals and they address the correct audience.

Professional perseverance: When you receive constructive criticism, do you take it well? Do
you take the feedback offered and incorporate it into subsequent assignments? Do you
continue to work on improving your assignments when given the opportunity to do so?

Yes. I try really hard to make sure I took the feedback from each assignment and add it to
my other assignments.

What do you see as the most valuable knowledge/skill(s) that you will take away from this class?

The most valuable thing I learned was truly how to do a press kit. It was the toughest
assignment we had, but it seemed like something I would be doing in a professional setting.
I also became a better presenter, the less words the better.

What weakness (es) of yours have you identified that you will continue to work on as you
progress toward your degree?

My writing style isn’t where I want it to be as a PR professional, so I will continue to work

on making myself more distinguished. It takes practice and time and I think I have made
progress throughout the course.
Given the Elon grading scale where A=Distinguished, B=above average, C=average, D=passing,
and F=failure, what grade do you believe you deserve in this class and why? Please provide
evidence and know that merely showing up to class and turning in assignments completed
correctly and on-time is not “distinguished” but merely “average.”

-A. I believe I worked really hard and tried to push myself in the class to become a better
writer and communicator. I think I also learned about

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Honor Statement: Please initial here to indicate that you have completed this document without
help and that your answers throughout are truthful. BJH

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