Who says college students don’t do real work?

I beg to differ with anyone who makes that statement. As part of my Integrated Marketing Communication Campaigns class, my group teamed up with Catholic Charities Wichita to create a campaign for their Angels for all Seasons keepsake collection.

Team members were responsible for creating a plan to promote the 11-piece collection, whose proceeds benefit Catholic Charities’ St. Anthony Family Shelter, a homeless shelter for families. As part of the project, the team utilized traditional public relations and marketing tactics, as well as newer methods. In addition to press releases, brochures and postcards, plans for the nonprofit’s Angels for all Seasons, Facebook and Twitter pages were also devised.

The decision to launch a new campaign for the keepsakes was made after the collection reached its 10-year milestone. For the 11th year, Catholic Charities wanted to rename the collection to give it a consistent look and feel.

This is where my campaigns group came in. In the past, the keepsakes have been marketed only as ornaments during the holiday season. One of our campaign objectives was to select a name that conveyed the versatility of each piece for yearround display. We met to brainstorm ideas and decided on Angels for all Seasons.

The newest addition to the collection is the Angel of Serenity.

The designer in our group, Carissa, created a new logo to unify the collection and give the new name some pizzazz.

The best part? Helping a local nonprofit and getting useful, real-world portfolio pieces out of the deal.

Last night, WSU played host to a celebrity.

Let me preface this by saying that I can be a complete news dork. My high school economics teacher used to play John Stossel segments for the class to help explain money and government. So I was really excited when it was announced that John Stossel was giving a lecture at WSU.

The “20/20″ co-anchor spoke to a packed auditorium at the Eugene M. Hughes Metropolitan Complex.

Stossel’s visit concluded the first day of sessions for Communication Week 2009. This year represents a milestone for The Elliott School of Communication as it celebrates its 20th anniversary.

Professor Les Anderson presents Stossel with questions from the audience.

I volunteered to usher as part of my Comm 626: Integrated Marketing Communications Campaigns class, and was rewarded with great seats near the stage.

Stossel’s remarks were witty, relevant and entertaining. Several news outlets covered the event, including The Wichita Eagle and KAKE-TV. Catch him at his new gig with Fox News, where he will host a weekly show on Fox Business Network and appear regularly on Fox News Channel.

I’m a sucker for a good routine. Give me structure over chaos any day. That said, there are moments when senior year gives me slight deja vu. Settling into the comfortable and familiar routine of classes and extracurricular activities sometimes has me asking: “Haven’t I done this before?”

So when the Ulrich Museum of Art offered to host one of our full-council meetings for Student Ambassador Society, I was as excited as Liberace in a sequin store. Why so much excitment? Well, the Ulrich is always at the top of my “places I hardly visit but always want to” list.

Instead of heading to our usual meeting place, the Marcus Welcome Center, the Ulrich closed down so we could browse their current exhibitions, Robots: A Cultural Icon in Contemporary Art and Snap: Andy Warhol Photographs, 1970-1987. Not a fan of Mr. Roboto or pop art? Check back in January when they switch up exhibits.

The VIP treatment didn’t stop there. They even fed us! Let’s face it, free food never fails when it comes to keeping poor college students happy.

The change of scenery was a welcome addition to a senior schedule that can get repetitive at times. I definitely hope the meeting at Ulrich is added to the long list of awesome SAS traditions, so that future ambassadors can enjoy!

To the friendly folks in WSU’s office of Cooperative Education and Work-Based learning:

First and foremost, please accept my sincerest thanks for setting me up with an internship that is nothing short of perfection. At Bothner and Bradley, every day presents me with the opportunity to learn something that is not only new and exciting, but will also help me build important career skills.

Instead of fetching coffee, I draft press releases for actual clients. Instead of sitting at a desk all day, I get to attend conferences to help promote client endeavors. Instead of working at a fast food chain, I gain valuable job experience, college credit and a paycheck!

One of my favorite coop tasks this summer was helping promote goPLAYkansas at the 5th Annual Working Well Conference. Started by the Visioneering Wichita Recreation Alliance as a way to showcase outdoor activities in the area, the site highlights parks, trails and outdoor activities right here in Sedgwick county. People can even search for specific outdoor goings-on in their area thanks to the creative Web genius of Wichita-based agency Howerton + White.

My job for the day was to assist H + W Account Coordinator Kristin, pictured above, in selling shirts to conference attendees. Because the site is nonprofit, the shirts are a colorful and clever way to help add funding.

Overall, my summer coop experience has been a good one. The best part? Being asked to continue my internship for the fall and spring semesters!

Once again, thank you for your hand in my success as a collegian. Best wishes to you continue to help students select useful internship experiences.

Sincerely,

Quinn