Student Corner: Think Outside of the Book this Summer!

Just in case you thought PR learning stopped with the last final of the semester, FPRA has several things in store that can change your thinking. Summertime is one of the best times of the year to grab that perfect career opportunity! Below are a few tips for making the most of your summer vacation:

• Internships: Unless you're taking summer classes, you've got a few extra hours in your day to fill, and internship opportunities are great ways to make those ever important contacts. Check with your school's student services resources and academic advisor for potential openings.
• FPRA Conference Student Track: This is really a two birds-one stone kind of event. Not only can you attend top-notch training sessions and seminars for a fraction of the professional cost, but you can also network with PR pros from around Florida. Check out this brochure to learn more!
• Tweet-up with a Keynote Speaker: The 2010 FPRA Annual Conference will be held in Naples at the Naples Grande Resort on August 8-11. In addition to the Student track mentioned above, there are also several events happening that might be of particular interest to students. Deirdre Breakenridge, co-founder of the #PRStudChat on Twitter (held monthly between public relations professionals and students) and one of the keynote speakers of the conference, is participating in a special tweet up on Sunday night at 5 p.m., directly before the President’s Welcome Reception. All professionals and students are encouraged to attend. This is an excellent opportunity for new connections and mentorships to form offline with Deirdre and other PR practitioners.

Extra Credit! 


Sunset Social at Conference: This event is a fundraiser for the Florida Public Relations Education Foundation (FPREF). This foundation grants scholarships to PR students each year and the fundraiser is a really fun way to find out more and to chat up other PR professionals. Everyone lets their hair down a bit to dance, bid on silent auction items at a themed event. This year it fits in with the "Big Picture" theme of conference, sort of. It will be an 80s party (because everything was "big" in the 80s). Plan to see a few traditionally straight laced pros in their funkiest neon get ups from a totally rad decade! Watch for a flyer coming out soon on our blog and the state site: http://www.fpra.org/.

FPRA State Conference Scholarships Available

You don’t want to miss The BIG Picture: Bringing PR Leadership and Strategy into Focus. August 8-11, Naples Grande Beach Resort

You have probably heard the saying Either Go Big or Stay home. Well this year we get to do both as members of the FPRA Southwest Florida Chapter with the 2010 FPRA Annual State Conference “The BIG Picture: Bringing PR Leadership and Strategy into Focus” being held August 8 – 11, right in our own backyard at the beautiful Naples Grande Resort.

This year our Chapter is offering three full conference scholarships to members. The scholarship covers the registration fee for the entire conference and events, however, recipients are responsible for their own personal expenses such as hotel and transportation.

If you are interested in applying for a conference scholarship please submit a short essay (two or three paragraphs) covering the following:

• Involvement in FPRA (past and present)
• Financial Need for scholarship.

Applications should be emailed to Pam Nulman, APR, CPRC, by March 26, 2010. Scholarship recipients will be announced at the Image Awards the evening of Wednesday, April 14.

Catch the latest information on “The BIG Picture” on the annual conference Facebook fan page and on the FPRA You Tube channel.