by Olivia Toliver

What student organizations have you managed social media for, and how did each program have unique needs? 

I am the current Vice President of Marketing for Belmont University’s chapter of Alpha Gamma Delta. This position oversees all social media and merchandising efforts. Previously, I was the Director of Social Media for Alpha Gamma Delta. Being in charge of a sorority’s social media efforts is very exciting because you have the opportunity to shape and strengthen both the relationships within the chapter and within the community. This positon can be overwhelming at times, which is why I have made it a priority to create content calendars to keep up with it all.

I also spent a year serving as the Digital Marketing Specialst for the Wishes Foundation, a non-profit founded by two Belmont graduates. This organization has a very specific and unique mission and it was during my time serving the Wishes Foundation that I discovered my passion for branding. 

Finally, I spent two semesters as an Associate for Tower Creative Communications, a student-ran public relations firm on campus. In this positions, I was able to upload a few social media posts and help build the new brand of TCC. 

How has managing these accounts prepared you for internships and other work? 

I feel extremely prepared for work after college because of the opportunities I’ve had the honor of having these past few years. Specifically, my position within Alpha Gam has prepared me for the large workload that comes after graduation as well as working efficiently with a team. Life after college will come with several surprises and challenges, but I’m grateful to feel a little more prepared due to the amazing opportunities I’ve had at Belmont University. 

What’s your favorite part about creating a cohesive brand for an organization? 

I enjoy getting to know the values and mission of an organization and working with them to build a unique brand, tailored to them. Color psychology is always so fun to research and it comes in handy when creating a brand for an organization. I also love playing around with different styles of language and seeing what tone works best for each organization I represent through social media.

What role do you think social media has played in student life during the pandemic where fewer in-person events are accessible to students? 

I would argue that social media has become essential to everyone this year because social media offers everyone a way to directly communicate with one another, even if you’re not face-to-face. On a personal level, I used social media as a way to stay connected to my friends and family during one of the hardest years that anyone has experienced. This same concept applied directly to my work within Alpha Gam. For a year, we have not been able to experience anything together in-person.

Therefore, social media became one of the most important ways for students to feel engaged and connected to the organization. It was a very challenging time because we needed to post more content than ever before in order to feel connected, however, content was almost impossible to find. My team and I used live streams, takeovers, and spotlights as ways to keep everyone within the chapter engaged and to make them feel important. It can be so difficult to feel significant in a such a chaotic time, so we made an effort to show our members how important they truly are through social media.

Olivia Toliver is a junior at Belmont University  double majoring in Public Relations and Creative and Entertainment Industries. She has a passion for creating, implementing and maintaining unique and personalized brands through digital marketing.

by The Belmont Bateman Team

From a fast-growing Christian university in the heart of Nashville, TN, Georgia McKee sets the standard for how students can use their voices to spark change and become something so much bigger than themselves. Hailing from Frisco, TX, McKee is a Faith and Social Justice major at Belmont University. She committed to Belmont in 2014 as a catcher for the university’s softball team and has been an influential member of the student community since stepping foot on campus in the fall of 2017.  

To fully understand how McKee models civil discourse for her peers, it is important to define civil discourse first. Civil discourse is the act of engaging in a respectful, honest, and productive conversation that involves equal parts of listening and talking. By no means does civil discourse mean always agreeing with someone else. It is about finding a way to respect and accept different opinions. While McKee was never asked to provide her own definition of civil discourse, she did define social justice. In McKee’s case, many would consider her more of a social justice activist, however, she utilizes civil discourse in her social justice activities. According to McKee, social justice is “the process of holing accountability to systems and people for the greater good of human flourishing.” Social Justice and civil discourse go hand in hand. It is impossible to achieve successful social justice activism without meaningful civil discourse. 

As soon as Belmont University announced it would be hosting the final 2020 Presidential Debate, McKee applied to be part of the Student Engagement team. Despite the student body’s fears concerning the debate due to rising political tensions associated with the 2020 election, McKee saw this as an opportunity to be a part of something bigger than herself. “I see politics as an opportunity for justice and love,” said McKee. “It is a very powerful part of our society and so we need people to engage with it in ways that are constructive and full of love and really thoughtful.” For 11 months, McKee worked with other Belmont students to create programs to engage students with the debate and make them excited. Her work on the team focused on engaging students in discussing the relationship between religion and politics, voting, and engaging in politics and party while still being a religious person. “Without discussion and without proper knowledge of what is going on in the world and what the person who lives next to you thinks, we’re never going to get anywhere.” 

(McKee speaking at the Black Lives Matter protest in Frisco, TX. Photo courtesy of Georgia McKee)

In the midst of the Black Lives Matter movement, McKee made Dallas headlines in June, 2020, when she organized a massive march through her hometown. To stand in solidarity with the black community, so she planned to just stand on the side of a road by herself. “I thought maybe some of my high school friends or anyone would want to join me, so I threw something up on social media and it caught wildfire,” she says of the march. “Within 24 hours, 5000 people showed up and we shut down the largest street in our hometown.” Sharon Grisby with the North Dallas News reported, “I’ve watched a lot of powerful local responses to the heinous tragedy, but the one that’s most stuck with me was the 2,000-strong — and by some estimates much larger — swarm of Frisco residents, including Mayor Jeff Cheney and Police Chief David Shilson, marching Monday along Eldorado Parkway.” The Frisco March marked an important place in the Black Lives Matter Movement because a town largely known for living in a white, suburban bubble shattered its own stereotype and came together to stand in solidarity with marginalized communities.

Following her success in Frisco, McKee was asked to speak at two collegiate athletic panels about student social justice. The first panel, College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA), asked McKee to speak regarding student-athlete activism. This year, McKee was asked to discuss student-athlete activism for a second time at the NCAA organization-wide conference where she shared what student-athlete activists need from athlete administrations to encourage peers to use their voices for subjects that matter to them and their culture. Student-athletes are in a special position in the collegiate world because they have a platform that other students may not have. “In athletics, a lot of times our names are plastered everywhere and our stats are plastered everywhere. It’s all about our athletic ability and our name,” McKee said. “How can we use that platform for the greater good of something far beyond athletics?”

No matter what she was talking about, there were two omnipresent themes in everything McKee said: Intention and willingness to change your mind. When receiving media attention for her efforts in Frisco, McKee said, “I never planned for that protest to be big, I never wanted to be interviewed by newspapers and news channels. I’ve had to take a lot of steps back in the past year of really recognizing my intentions and recognizing how I’m going about conversations with my peers and my actions regarding social justice.” She revealed how she’s struggled with navigating her activism as a young, white woman and how she really had to evaluate why she believed what she did and her motivations to take action, which is what brought her to the decision that she had to be willing to change her mind. She had to be willing to learn. “The past four years of my college experience, I have found that being willing to change my mind is very important to me. I think that’s been the biggest theme during my past four years at Belmont…If we aren’t willing to change our mind, if we aren’t willing to have conversations with people, we’re going to be stuck in this gridlock of anger and hate.”

In her final comments, she offers advice to students entering the professional world. “It’s great to share words with each other, I love words, I think they’re really powerful…but people our age need to listen more. We need to reevaluate our intentions, listen to people who do not think like us even if it makes us angry. Listen to people’s intentions, ask questions. Don’t just make assumptions. Before we put labels on people, ask them questions about why do you think this, what lead you to believe what you believe now to be true? We will be better employees, we will be better citizens and we will be better neighbors.”

McKee will graduate from Belmont this April. She plans to continue her education with a Master’s in Divinity studying the intersection between religion and politics in America.

For more information on the importance of civility, please visit our website to learn more about our campaign.

Also, be sure to check us out on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.

by The Belmont Bateman Team

When You’re Not Sure Where to Start…

With social issues being the center of attention these days in the media, the word ‘civil discourse’ seems to be coming up in conversation more than before. We’re constantly hearing that listening and understanding are the best ways to implement civil discourse, but that sometimes feels too broad. Maybe you’re feeling that you have already been implementing civil discourse in your daily life, maybe you’re unsure if how you’ve been living is a representation of civil discourse and maybe you aren’t even sure what civil discourse really means.

Wherever you are in your journey to civility, these beginner steps to implementing civility in your daily life can be used to better understand and listen to one another. Why is it important? We’re human beings that live in a world that’s designed to communicate and be in community with other human beings. Unfortunately, or fortunately (glass-half-full perspective), not all of us, rarely any two of us will agree on every issue, topic, or situation that occurs in this lifetime. Every once in a while, you will encounter another human being who disagrees with you and happens to be your co-worker. With civil discourse as a priority in daily life, we are able to better live and work together if we can understand each other and accept that there are different opinions.

Below, is not everything, but are some ideas and tips to begin conversations and practices for civil discourse:

1. Create space for civil dialogue:

The first step to engaging in civil discourse is creating an accepting and welcoming space for conversation. Sometimes the best way to start implementing civil discourse is to just ensure that the conversations you have are not closing off differing opinions. Regardless of your belief, someone is going to disagree with you, and the more you can accept this truth, the easier it will be to approach the inevitable conversations.

2. Set Boundaries

When you start to open up this kind of conversation, it’s important that you are still aware of your personal mental, and emotional boundaries. If there’s a specific issue or topic that you don’t feel like you can discuss without feeling anxious or overly uncomfortable, then let that be known. The conversation should be respectful of all individuals involved meaning boundaries should be a priority throughout the conversation. Whether that be the amount of time spent engaged in a conversation, specific issues that cause anxiety or just the person you talk to, give yourself grace.

3. Focus on the issue and stay relevant

Miscommunication is real and can quickly cause a turn in the civility of a conversation. Sometimes it can be easy to have a conversation about one issue spiral into another. While this is entirely acceptable and normal, it’s essential that all individuals in the conversation are on the same page so that miscommunication on the topic can be prevented. The more each individual keeps their evidence, comments and conversation to the topic at hand, the easier it will be to have productive conversations and be a successful advocate.

4. Listen well to one another

While this tip goes without saying most times, I think that listening when trying to engage in civil discourse has a new meaning. Listening first off means that you’re giving each individual the space to talk and hear them out. However, it also means approaching the conversation with an open mind and really trying to listen and understand what the other person has to say. At the end of the conversation, if you don’t believe their point of view, then that’s ok, but the important thing is that you tried to understand where they were coming from. Chances are they are just as passionate about the issue as you are if they’re willing to have a conversation.

5. Be honest

Civil discourse doesn’t mean censoring or downplaying your beliefs because you want to avoid conflict. It’s in fact the opposite. Be honest with your ideas and share them when the situation is appropriate and the person with whom you’re sharing wants to hear them. You have the right to your own ideas, beliefs and opinions, so be honest with both yourself and others. However, let the tone in your honesty be one that is not arrogant or condescending, but respectful.

6. Be mindful of your mental health

If civil discourse were easy, then everyone would be implementing it and this blog post would be unnecessary. However, we are human and our emotions, passions and beliefs sometimes take over the way we approach a conversation. With that being said, your mental health and the amount of these challenging conversations you can take are important to be aware of. Sometimes these conversations can lead to increased anxiety if not approached civilly on both ends. Don’t push yourself past your limit and give yourself grace.

For more information on the importance of civility, please visit our website to learn more about our campaign.

Also, be sure to check us out on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.

by The Belmont Bateman Team

Imagine this: You’re having a conversation with your best friend about something that is really important to you. She keeps asking you to repeat yourself. You can tell by her body language that she’s paying more attention to her phone than she is to you. You become increasingly upset and begin to be short with her. Your friend becomes defensive and you become increasingly argumentative. The conversation turns sour and you leave it with hurt feelings. 

This is a situation that everyone has experienced with a best friend, family member, or significant other. Zoning out during a discussion fosters poor civil discourse. By zoning out, you are showing the other person that you are not interested in hearing their side of the conversation. Civility is a two-way street, and being a good listener is crucial to engaging in effective civil discourse. Here are 5 tips for anyone looking to become a better listener: 

1. Ask More Questions 

One of the easiest ways to let someone know you are interested in what they are saying is to ask questions. This may seem simple, but it shows active engagement and empathy towards the other person. In addition, asking questions can help clarify parts of the conversation that you may not understand. This clarification can lead to more effective discussions later on, as there will be less prior misunderstandings. 

2. Listen as Much as You Talk 

To foster healthy civil discourse, your listening-to-talking ratio should be 50/50. No conversation should be one-sided. Check-in with yourself and see if you have a tendency to be more direct and overpowering in a conversation or if you fall more on the quiet and passive end of the spectrum. By engaging in self-reflection, you will be able tp pivot your conversation style to achieve a 50/50 listening-to-talking ratio. 

3. Don’t Interrupt 

When a great point enters your head, it can be tempting to say it immediately. However, it is important to be respectful of the other person. Wait until they have finished sharing their point before you speak. Not only that but be certain to listen to their point and consider it fully before jumping back into the conversation. 

4. Make Eye Contact 

Avoiding distractions is key to engaging in a civil discussion. Civil discourse requires respect, and that means being fully present during a conversation. One of the best ways to avoid distractions is to maintain eye contact. Fight the constant urge to look at your phone, check out your surroundings, or roll your eyes. Maintaining eye contact shows that you the conversation is important to you.

5. Be Honest 

Emotions play a huge role in how conversations escalate. For example, after a long day of work, the last thing you want to do is have a discussion with your roommate about cleaning the dishes. This doesn’t mean that this topic isn’t important to you, it just means that you can’t engage it in right now. It’s okay to let the other person know that you’re not in the right mindset to have a civil discussion. If you’re not emotionally ready to engage in a civil conversation, you are avoiding a potential fight that leads to feeling being hurt. You know that you cannot currently give that person the respect they deserve. Let your roommate know that having the conversation is important to you and you would be interested in discussing it at a different time in the near future. 

For more information on the importance of civility, please visit the website to learn more about our campaign. 

Also, be sure to check us out on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.

The Belmont University Chapter of the Public Relations Student Society of America and its members received several national honors during the PRSSA International Conference Oct. 26-29.

Belmont PRSSA and its sponsoring professional chapter, the Public Relations Society of America Nashville Chapter, received the 2020 Dr. F. H. Teahan Award for Outstanding PRSA/PRSSA Chapter Relationship.

Belmont PRSSA received a Star Chapter Award, recognizing excellence in 11 categories including ethics advocacy, professional development and community service.

Jamie Anderson, Class of 2020, received a National Gold Key Award in recognition of her leadership in Belmont PRSSA.

PRSSA Chapters awarded in the 2019-20 Bateman Case Competition were also recognized, including Belmont’s team for their “Shape Belmont and Nashville’s Future” campaign on behalf of the  U. S. Census Bureau. Team members were Shelby Cage, Morgan James, Allie Mena and Sarah Beth Crowe.  Dr. Christie Kleinmann was faculty adviser on the project, and Hope Cooper Buckner was the professional adviser.

Belmont PRSSA and PRSA Nashville previously received the Outstanding PRSA/PRSSA Chapter Relationship Award in 2007, 2015 and 2017. Belmont PRSSA is one of only two Chapters nationwide to receive the PRSSA Star Chapter Award every year since it was established in 2009.

Current officers in Belmont PRSSA are Olivia Blumb, president; Leah Kuhn, vice president of professional development; Emma dela Pena and Lucy Walsh, vice presidents of member relations; Emily Stembridge, vice president of events; Lexi Stewart, vice president of communications; and Abigail Roering, executive director of Tower Creative Communications, student-run firm. Dr. Bonnie Riechert serves as faculty adviser to Belmont PRSSA, and Keith Miles of MP&F Strategic Communications is professional adviser. Dr. Kevin Trowbridge is faculty adviser to Tower Creative Communications.

Belmont PRSSA was chartered in 2005 and has received national awards each year since 2006. PRSSA now serves nearly 9,000 students at 300-plus Chapters in the United States, Argentina, Colombia and Peru. PRSA Nashville Chapter sponsors PRSSA Chapters at Austin Peay State University, Lipscomb University, Middle Tennessee State University and Western Kentucky University.

The featured image was taken of Belmont PRSSA’s 2019-2020 officers attending the October 2019 PRSSA International Conference in San Diego, Calif. 

By Molly Barresi

Every spring, I have stood at the Boulevard Team booth for Be Belmont Day, and every spring I hear the phrase “I watch #TakeoverThursday every week!” at least fifty times. As Belmont University’s most-watched social media campaign with at least 3,000 weekly viewers, it’s not shocking that so many perspective students recognize it. 

 

For those who don’t know, #TakeoverThursday is a weekly series that focuses on one Belmont University community member through their day on the university’s Instagram story. Typically, the series follows a student, but faculty and alumni have also taken part.  

 

I have been part of Belmont’s student social media team, The Boulevard Team, since my freshman year and most of my responsibility has been leading most of the university’s Instagram content calendar. A lot of what the university posts on Instagram comes from one of the six Boulevard Team members. Most of freshman year was helping the upperclassmen with different projects, like the Why Belmont Wednesday series on Youtube. My sophomore year, most of those upperclassmen graduated, and I was left to “take over” the #TakeoverThursday campaign. 

 

For the past three years I have recruited and supervised about 94 #TakeoverThursday stories.  I have seen the great ones, and I have seen the less great ones. In the Boulevard Team’s Takeover Hall of Fame, we have Tori Capps (Class of 2020), Noah Cornelius (Class of 2023), and Levi Blaser (Class of 2021) among others. All three of these Takeovers did all or most of five things that can help make your Takeover one of the best. 

 

 

• Go off campus—Just because it’s a “Belmont” takeover does not mean it has to happen only at Belmont. The takeover is about you and what you do on a regular day as a student. Don’t be afraid to hit up your favorite spot(s) off campus! Perspective students want to see what there is to do off-campus as well.  

• Answer some questions—but the Takeover is not the place to post your 25 minute Q&A. Perspective students may feel more comfortable asking their questions to peers than to an admissions counsellor, so you are more than welcome to answer some questions about Belmont. Don’t answer them all though. It’s best to answer the questions that ask specifically about your experiences or maybe even some odd ball questions. 

• Showcase your projects, hobbies, or talents—Belmont is a very creative environment, and most of us are working on some sort of project or performance during any given day. If you have a project you’ve been working really hard on, show it off! Practicing for a performance? Show us! Have a hobby that you’re passionate about! Let us know! Part of what makes Takeover interesting is seeing what makes you, you!

• Introduce yourself—and make it big! Let the audience know who you are by answering all the classic, ice-breaker questions (year, major, minor, etc.) but you don’t have to just stare and the camera and say it. We’ve seen Full House style intros, musical intros, and middle-of-sports-practice intros. Some great examples are Levi Blazer’s paparazzi opener and Noah Cornelius’s morning-radio-like self-introduction. 

• Show off your favorite on-campus spot—One of the most asked #TakeoverThursday questions is “what’s your favorite spot on campus?” Go there! Be specific! Bonus points if it’s a pretty, hidden corner of campus (It doesn’t have to be though, mine is literally the corner of the caf that looks at 15th and the lawn between Johnson and Baskin.)

 

 

If you follow these guidelines, your #TakeoverThursday (or any social media takeover) is sure to be a hit. The whole point of #TakeoverThursday is to show the world how awesome our students are and how those amazing people fill their days. Not too hard, right? 

 

 Interested in being featured? Email Molly Barresi at molly.barresi@pop.belmont.edu 

Molly Barresi is a senior public relations major from Cincinnati, OH. Apart from the Boulevard Team, she is part of Belmont University’s Public Relations Bateman Team for 2020-2021 and is a member of PRSSA. While she enjoys writing, she is passionate about crafting and conducting meaningful social science research. When she isn’t getting too excited about a research project, she can be probably be found at McDougal’s Chicken on 21st Avenue.

By Leah Kuhn

Across all of my classes, all of my professors seem to continually share the same piece of advice, “play the college student card.” If you’re scratching your head in confusion, don’t feel bad, I did the same thing. What they mean by that, is your time as a college student is brief but overflowing with opportunities and resources. Take advantage of them all. 

One of these many available resources is the opportunity to have a professional mentor. Although it might feel intimidating to approach someone and ask for wisdom or guiding advice, more often than not, they are not only willing to help but eager to do so. They remember what it felt like to be a college student, swimming in a sea of countless paths and opportunities, unsure what to go after, or how to do it. Here, I’ve highlighted three of the many reasons you should get a professional mentor. 

 

1. Multiply your network. Although it can feel tiresome to continually hear about the importance of building and maintaining your network, it is truly essential. Think about your professional network as a tree- each time you make a new connection you add a new branch, which could have 15 other small branches on it. Networking is not a process of addition, but of multiplication. The more connections you have the faster your network will grow. 

 

2. Learn their story. Most people do not have a perfectly straight line from graduation day to their dream job. As students, we oftentimes feel insecure about our aspirational uncertainties. Hearing the journey of someone standing where we might want to go encourages us to embrace our own story. 

 

3. Get the inside scoop. Oftentimes job descriptions or media portrayals of an industry do not show the full picture. The best way to learn the full truth, the good and the bad, about a job or career field is to talk with someone in the midst of it. This can help you to make a truly educated decision about the direction of your career. 

There really is no downside to having a professional mentor. Especially in times such as these, where uncertainty penetrates every decision, it can be exceedingly helpful to get some expert insight. If you are interested in getting connected with a professional mentor but are not sure how to go about it, reach out to learn more about the GROW mentorship program with Belmont’s chapter of PRSSA!

Leah Kuhn is a sophomore public relations major originally from the Chicago area. She is Belmont PRSSA’s current Vice President of Professional Development and formerly served as the chapter’s VP of Member Relations. To receive a GROW mentor, register to join Belmont University’s award wining PRSSA chapter and email Leah at leah.kuhn@pop.belmont.edu to receive a mentorship pairing. 

By Emily Stembridge

Studying abroad has many obvious benefits: learning new cultures, experiencing new things
and building friendships that will last a lifetime. When I embarked on my first, second and third
study abroad programs during my time at Belmont, these benefits were apparent to me. But
what I didn’t know was that studying abroad would not only make me a more well-rounded
person, but also a better public relations student. Here are three stories from my time abroad
that highlight what prepared me to be a better student and successful PR practitioner.

1. Planning- Belmont in England: Month in London 

My first trip abroad was in the summer of 2018. At the time, it was the largest Belmont study
abroad program ever, with well over 80 students and faculty flying across the Atlantic. As study
abroad students quickly learn, you are faced with free time in between all your group activities
and your coursework (yes, you will still have coursework). What you do with this free time is
entirely up to you — which means you have to plan. Planning is one of the most vital steps in the
public relations process, and is just as important to your travels abroad. I used this opportunity
to plan a trip to France.

I quickly recruited two friends to join me, with the understanding that I would provide the entire
schedule for the weekend. It was a hefty task, but spending hours on research, ticket buying,
and itinerary building was all worth it when my friends and I headed back to England following a
successful, memory-filled trip to France.

It feels good to know you’re capable of bringing an idea, or several ideas, to fruition, and it feels
even better when your planning positively impacts someone else, too. I could rest well knowing I
was partially responsible for memories that I, and my friends, will cherish for our entire lives.
This hands-on practice carried over into my public relations Campaigns class the next semester.
In that class, I was part of a group that was tasked with creating an PR Campaign, with a huge
emphasis on planning. My group later won a Nashville PRSA student Parthenon award for our
work. Planning my trip to France gave me real-world experience in planning, and I think it
deserves credit for my success later on in the classroom.

2. Teamwork- Belmont in Italy: Revolutions in Science
The following summer, I had quite a different experience while traveling to Italy. This program
consisted of 16 students and faculty, which meant there was a lot more team involvement, a
tighter schedule and overall a stronger sense of camaraderie. We were put in smaller groups for
our final project, but even the broader group of 16 taught me lessons about teamwork I never
knew I needed to learn. During this trip, we did everything together, similarly to how a PR
agency or department functions. Every PR student knows that we are notorious for doing group
projects in our classes; it’s actually part of why many people choose public relations as a major.
This serves us well because in a PR firm you are almost always working in a team setting to
best serve your clients. As a result, the values of honesty, integrity and hard work are instilled in
us from the very first day of PR intro class.

Being around this group in such unique circumstances highlighted the importance of extending grace to team members and co-workers, but also being firm in yourself and your expectations. For example, the importance of homework and exams were not lost on me, but I also realized that sometimes you just have to stop and
soak up the moment. This trip showed me what excellent teamwork looks like: friendship, grace
and a lot of fun sprinkled in along the way. It set the standard for my future groups in the PR
department, and ultimately made me a better leader across campus and in those groups.

3. Budgeting- Belmont Abroad Exchange: Regent’s University
This spring, I decided to return to London to complete an entire semester abroad. Unfortunately,
that semester was cut short due to COVID-19, but that didn’t stop me from soaking up all the
PR experiences I could during my (almost) three months there. For this trip, budgeting was
essential. In my previous weeks-long or one month long trip, budgeting was of course important,
but much easier to do than during a five month long stay abroad.
I sat down with my parents to plan out (remember lesson one?) a general budget for my time in
London. Writing out a budget for my trip, and then actually sticking to it, was truly an invaluable
life lesson which I know I will use both personally and professionally in the future. Budgeting
involved estimating monthly costs, looking ahead at future expenses and coming up with a
reasonable amount of wiggle-room for emergencies. As public relations Professionals, we have
many opportunities to build and use a budget, and the aspects of estimating costs and planning
for wiggle room go into creating that budget. From campaign launches to purchasing ads and
renting venues, PR pros need to know how to handle money. The necessity of doing this as a
study abroad student prepared me for the day when I am inevitably tasked with creating a
campaign budget for a company or client.

There are two main reasons I was so drawn to Belmont University: Extensive options for
studying abroad and its highly-accredited public relations department. After three trips abroad
and three and a half years studying PR at Belmont, I can definitively say that I made the right
choice. My experience as a student has been significantly enhanced by my decision to pursue
studying abroad, and I now know I will be a better PR practitioner, and person, because of it.

Emily Stembridge is a November 2020 graduate of Belmont University, studying public relations
and corporate communications. A Birmingham native, she has found a passion for writing and
traveling through her time at Belmont. She has sharpened her writing skills through internship
experiences with two Nashville PR agencies, Belmont’s own Tower Creative Communications
and the University of Alabama at Birmingham.

By Abigail Roering

Nestled under the stairs of the Janet Ayers Academic Center on Belmont University’s campus is a small room that is more often than not, bustling with student activity. Recently, that room is quiet, and it is difficult to find a student working there like you would have one year ago. Instead, the creative juices flow online in a Zoom meeting twice a week as the associates and directors of Tower Creative Communications plan their next project. As one of only 20 student-run, PRSSA-affiliated public relations firms in the United States, Belmont’s Tower Creative is a unique opportunity for all students on campus. Consisting of on average a dozen associates each semester, TCC acts as a practicum that lets students try their hand at real life agency work and work with actual clients to develop public relations strategies and tactics. Each week, the members of the firm meet twice to collaborate on their client activities and dedicate an hour to working on client accounts. Here, the team works together as a cohesive group and is overseen by the panel of student directors who facilitate meetings, organize tasks and manage the expectations of associates and clients. 

Past

Tower Creative Communications was started 13 years ago in an effort to encourage students to expand their learning beyond the classroom. Since that time, over 100 associates have participated and many say it really helped them develop the skills they needed to enter the workforce. Chelsea Lomartire, a former executive director, calls Tower Creative “one of the best experiences [she has] ever had” and recommends joining to everyone. 

Present

Life at Tower has recently changed. With the continuation of the COVID-19 pandemic, Tower Creative Communications has switched to a fully online format, which brings new insights and challenges. “Working with everyone online has been interesting,” said a current associate, who wished to remain anonymous, “I miss seeing everyone in person, but the online stuff has given us a chance to develop new skills that we can bring to our professional lives after Belmont. Who knows when we’ll be in an office? So, learning [to use online tools like Zoom] is awesome!” 

For the Fall 2020 semester, associates are working as one large team focused on one client all semester, following a more in-house model of public relations development. Behaving in this hive mindset has created a tightknit community that intermingles with each other in and outside of the work environment. With all the creative minds working towards a common goal for one client, TCC and its associates are able to craft a comprehensive campaign and do more work than ever for their client. As a functioning PR firm, delivering great work to the clients is essential to Tower Creative.  Given that the work of TCC is focused online, this year has been based in social media.  Belmont University’s public relations department has recently unveiled its new social media management major, and Tower Creative Communications is a great place for a complete immersion experience that allows for hands-on work every day.  

Future

Part of the reason TCC has stood the test of time is due to its inclusivity. Although primarily communication and public relations majors, Tower Creative Communications’ one-credit practicum is open to any student who is interested. This allows for a diversified group of associates and encourages inter-departmental relationship building. In college, it is easy to stay within your college or major because it is your primary focus. Through having open enrollment, Tower lets students visit other disciplines and learning skills that are marketable in any future work setting, such as professional communication and working in a team.  

Additionally, this firm is a great resume builder and free elective. Every day at Tower Creative is one that is spent learning and developing marketable skills that directly correlate to skills needed both inside and outside of the classroom. Many associates use the connections they form here to launch their careers. Most students report that TCC is the first item on their resumes that potential employers ask about and is often the item they are most impressed by at the end of the interview. Working in an agency setting while in school and gaining class credit gives a student a competitive edge when it comes to their peers, which is definitely a large portion of the appeal of Tower Creative. 

Wherever a student’s talent lies, Tower Creative Communications is the forum to expand upon that talent. Tower Creative is always looking for new members to fill their vacant spaces in the next semester. The team of associates and directors at Tower Creative are working especially hard to ensure that the organization lasts for many more years to come. As you look around the Creative Grounds, bustling with student activity and collaboration, you can see the dedication in every keystroke and mood-lightening joke. The people in Tower Creative want to see it succeed and want to bring others into the firm so that they can reap the rewards that Tower Creative Communications has to offer everyone who participates.

Abigail Roering is a double major in Public Relations and Social Media Management and
currently serves as the Executive Director of Tower Communications. If you’re interested in
joining Tower Creative as an associate or working with as a client, please check out the website,
www.towercreative.org.