2010 - Public Relations Society of America

Conclusion
Integrating real-world clients in the classroom is a win-win proposition for all
concerned. Students gain real-world experience while acquiring valuable skills to learn
how to solve problems and how to create, write and present a public relations proposal.
Organizations receive free public relations recommendations that can be adapted for
actual use—and they also learn more about the “digital generation,” which is a target
market that many organizations are trying to reach.
Real-world proposals and presentations make the introductory public relations
class more dynamic and interactive. Student evaluations continue to be positive with
enthusiastic commentary, such as “the final presentation was a great simulation of a real
PR pitch and it taught me so much,” “made me want to continue learning about PR,” and
“incorporated relevant real-life experience.”
The public relations plan also has a lifespan beyond the classroom since it serves
as a creative sample for students to add to their portfolios for interviewing for internships
and entry-level positions. Students who use e-portfolios also post the proposals to
demonstrate their creativity and teamwork. Many students have told me that the
proposals impressed their prospective employers—and helped them receive an offer for a
job or internship. Some classroom clients also have become real-life opportunities for
students to serve as public relations interns, many of them in paid internships. In some
cases, the creative samples presented in the classroom resulted in paid freelance
assignments for the students.
References
Aldoory, L. & Wrigley, B. (2000). Exploring the use of real clients in the PR campaigns
course. Journalism & Mass Communication Educator, Winter, 46-58.
Bean, J.C. (2001). Engaging ideas: The professor’s guide to integrating writing, critical
thinking, and active learning in the classroom. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass,
John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Boyer Commission on Educating Undergraduates in the Research University (1998).
Reinventing undergraduate education: A blueprint for America’s research
institutions. Retrieved from http://naples.cc.sunysb.edu/Pres/boyer.nsf/.
Commission on Public Relations Education (2006, November). The professional bond –
public relations education and the practice. Retrieved from
http://www.commpred.org/_uploads/report2-full.pdf.
Daugherty, E. (2003). Service-learning integration in a public relations program
pedagogy for enhanced learning. AEJMC Teaching Public Relations Monograph,
Winter, 58.
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