From the FPRA Student Chapter - Sherona Edwards

WHO WOULD HAVE THOUGHT,

Recap of my Experience at the 75^th Annual FPRA Conference

FT. MYERS, Fla. — I can remember like it was just yesterday, on Aug. 4, 2013 just weeks before entering into my Senior year at Florida Gulf Coast University, I was given the opportunity to attend the 75^th annual FPRA Conference, Located in St. Petersburg, FL.  As a Communication major concentrating in PR, I can honestly say that the general sessions along with the breakout sessions have truly changed my outlook on what to expect once I fully enter into the field of PR. 

One of my most eye opening moments was when I attended the first general session featuring motivational speaker, Scott Burrows. In Burrows opening dialogue he quoted “Life is what you make of it,” as he proceeded into his speech, he began to explain what had happened for him to get to the point of testifying why “life is what you make of it.” Well, a while back in his youthful years, Burrows the All-American athletic prodigy had got into a bad car accident that ended up leaving him paralyzed.

 As he continued on with his life story, recalling all of the challenges, and failing moments that he endured; he reassured us that in life we will have failing moments but through it all we must “Be willing to fail, but unwilling to quit; our fears can paralyze us more than a person that is paralyzed. But if we go with what scares us, it will give you an unbeatable strength.” Closing with his last quote “Mindset: is what you do with what you can’t control,”  who would have thought that Scott Burrows would have taken one foot after the other foot off his wheel chair foot rest, to stand up, and begin walking across the stage. This ended with a standing ovation of applauses, and eyes full of life-touched tears.      

After witnessing such a remarkable moment such as that, I can truly say that my outlooks on life whether facing my fears, nurturing my strengths, and working towards bettering/ improving my weaknesses, have positively changed. Now that my senior year has begun, changes have been made, and I am striving to properly strategize, and execute my desired goals upon finishing up my final year at Florida Gulf Coast University. Go Eagles!