Last post as a college student!

So, I'm moving on. No more college life for me. I'm graduating this Saturday, May 8. My whole family is coming down to celebrate! It's time for me to go experience the real world and start my career as a PR professional. When I look back at everything I learned in PR I find myself concentrating on these top ten learning experiences.

1. Don't be scared to take charge. I was nervous to be the Relay for Life decorations coordinator, but I jumped right in and everything worked out. I gained a lot of experience and respect for PR event planners.
2. Every idea is a good idea! Even if your idea isn't picked, it might lead to a better one.
3. If you are going to be a PR professional make sure you have A LOT of time and caffeine, and if you don't have time, you better be good at time management. Know that you will be running on no sleep about 90 percent of the time.
4. Stay motivated and organized. I had to keep myself motivated when I was tired and I didn't want to do anymore work. Staying organized cut down on my time spend doing work.
5. I know you've heard this since elementary school, but its important---Always have a good attitude, especially when you are in PR. When you are working with people, it makes it so much easier when are nice.
6. ALWAYS have a back-up plan. Working on our final PR event this semester, I learned that a back-up plan is always necessary. Things change so you have to make sure you're ready for every possible situation.
7. Another really important thing I learned is that no matter how much you think you are right, you're not, the client has the final say and really only say.
8. Be on your feet at your event. Make sure you stay alert and know what is going on, you don't want to look unprepared and uninterested.
9. Network, network, network. Make sure you are meeting people and giving out your information...you never know when you might land your next job.
10. Know everything about social media.

So good luck future GC&SU PR students!

Corporate Social Responsibility-Final Paper

Corporate social responsibility (CSR) is an issue many companies are facing today. It is also known as corporate citizenship, responsible business or sustainable responsible business (Werhane). Whatever you call it, almost every large corporation embraces these ethical standards and international norms. Every business, small or large, is becoming involved with CSR; it is now becoming a deciding factor in whether or not consumers are willing to shop at that business (Werhane).
One business that is becoming involved with corporate social responsibility is CVS. CVS is a pharmacy as well as an all around, one stop shop. It carries baby care products, medicine, prescriptions, personal care, skin care, food and vitamins. CVS first became involved with CSR in 2008 when it released its first CSR report called, CVS Caremark. In this report it discusses issues like prescription safety, customer privacy, environmental management, as well as the safety of its products such as personal care items (Christal). Other issues the report covers includes providing a good workplace, making a difference in local communities, and one of CVS’s major concerns in the report is helping children with disabilities and healthcare for the uninsured (Christal). CVS took a look into the major issues that not only affect their customers but also their employees and developed this Caremark plan to take more social responsibility.
This report includes CVS Caremark Programs that range from infants to the elderly (CVS Caremark). These programs include, cash grants, in-kind contributions, sponsorships and fund-raising endeavors, as well as CVS employees’ charitable giving and volunteerism (CVS Caremark).
The program that involves CVS’s major concern, children with disabilities, is a program that helps kids from birth to when they reach the age of 18. This program is called the CVS Caremark All Kids Can program. This program is a five-year program, $25 million commitment to making the lives of children with disabilities easier (CVS Caremark). The program’s main goal is to raise awareness for the obstacles that kids with disabilities face, including medical rehabilitation (CVS Caremark). It provides support for non-profit organizations and local communities that focus on children with disabilities to help them in three main areas: learn, play and succeed in life (CVS Caremark). Some of the organizations partnering up with the CVS Caremark program to help children with disabilities include Easter Seals, Boundless Playgrounds, Meeting Street, and VSA arts (CVS Caremark). The National Center for Boundless Playgrounds is an organization that focuses on establishing playgrounds where kids, with and without disabilities, can play side-by-side (CVS Caremark). CVS Caremark program is going to give Boundless Playgrounds $1.1 million to help the cause (CVS Caremark). The other organization, Meeting Street School, is known for their dedication to helping kids with all abilities (CVS Caremark). This includes being a pioneer in education, early intervention, childhood development and related clinical services (CVS Caremark). Easter Seals is an organization that has received recognition as the nation’s premiere resource and nonprofit health care provider for people with disabilities (CVS Caremark). Easter Seals has over 550 million service sites across the country and focuses on medical rehabilitation, childcare, camping and recreation, job training and employment, as well as adult day services (CVS Caremark). VSA arts is one of CVS’s newest partners in the CVS Caremark All Kids Can program (CVS Caremark). This organization is a national nonprofit organization dedicated to helping people with disabilities learn through, participating in and enjoying the arts (CVS Caremark).
Another thing CVS is doing to uphold their reputation in social responsibility is becoming involved in Earth Day. In honor of Earth Day, CVS is donating five cents to the World Wildlife Fund for every GreenBag Tag sold in their store and GreenBag Tag holders are rewarded if they decline plastic shopping bags (PRNewswire). They are starting this April 1st to support the WWF in helping protect the future of nature around the world (PRNewswire). The GreenBag Tag is a leaf-shaped tag that is made up of recycled materials and it is only 99 cents to purchase (PRNewswire). This encourages CVS's ExtraCare cardholders to use recycled bags or no bags at all when carrying out items bought at CVS (PRNewswire).
All of these programs help establish CVS’s business. Having a part in bettering communities and other social responsibilities will allow for a better world and future. It is important for established businesses to realize that they have a part in corporate social responsibility.









Work Cited:

Christal, Nancy. CVS Caremark Releases Company’s First Corporate Social
Responsibility Report. Woonsocket, RI (May 6, 2008). Retrieved from: http://info.cvscaremark.com/newsroom/press-releases/cvs-caremark-releases-company%E2%80%99s-first-corporate-social-responsibility-report

CVS Caremark. CVS/Pharmacy. Date Retrieved: April 26, 2010. Retrieved from:
http://info.cvscaremark.com/community/our-impact

Werhane, H. Patricia. Corporate Social Responsibility/Corporate Moral Responsibility.
Is there a Difference and the Difference it Makes. Retrieved from:
http://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=wrDJpCuodNwC&oi=fnd&pg=PA459&dq=corporate+social+responsibility%2BCVS&ots=59ZnqUI1Ya&sig=BYN0EVds_Ua0Qzmo1RBXWhZzVfM#v=onepage&q=corporate%20social%20responsibility%2BCVS&f=false


Woonsocket, R.I. PRNewswire. CVS/pharmacy To Support World Wildlife Fund with
Sales of GreenBagTag. (March 29, 2010). Retrieved from:
http://multivu.prnewswire.com/mnr/cvs-green-bag-tag/41563/

Is Social Media Important?

Just the other day I was walking with one of my friends and she asked, "Why is learning about social media so important?". I seem to hear this a lot around campus so I decided to take a closer look into the importance of social media.

Companies and people use social media to get a message out to a lot of people in a short amount of time. It is a way to stay updated with information from people and companies. Examples of some forms of social media are Twitter, Facebook, blogging and LinkedIn. Social media will raise awareness of your company. Social media is especially important in my major, which is Mass Communication. Since social media is such a big part of companies and the Mass Communication Department, most of my classes teach us how to use social media. This year I've learned how to blog and use Twitter. Since most students already know how to use Facebook, our classes did not use much time going over it. I am so fortunate to have professors to teach us one of the newest forms of mass communication. My recommedation to companies trying to raise awareness is to learn how to use social media! It will help you out in the long wrong and keep you up with the times.

Check me out on Twitter: CaraRyanW

Peace Corps

So after traveling to Belize, Panama and Costa Rica a couple of weeks ago, I realized that I wanted to make a change in the world. I wanted to be able to help people who need help. I was able to see a lot of the three countries and I thought they were absolutely beautiful! Though, some parts of the countries were devastated with poverty and crime. While traveling in Panama, my friends and I met an older man who showed us around his country. He was very wary of me and one of my friends wondering off without him. He warned us about how dangerous it could be for us to be alone in certain parts of Panama.
I've always thought about joining the Peace Corps, but this really pushed me to want to do it. If I join the Peace Corps after my internship, I will be sent to a random country to work on any issues ranging from AIDS to environmental conservation for 27 months of tough work. Even the application process can take a long time. The application to invitation can take anywhere from six to twelve weeks. It's definitely a commitment I would have to think long and hard about. I feel as though if I do not do it now, I'll never do it.



Click here for more information about the Peace Corps.

Corporate Social Responsibility

Corporate social responsibility is an issue many companies are facing today. It is also known as corporate citizenship, responsible business or sustainable responsible business. Whatever you call it, almost every large corporation embraces these ethical standards and international norms.

One company that is involved in this is CVS. In honor of Earth Day, CVS is donating five cents to the World Wildlife Fund for every GreenBag Tag sold in their store and GreenBag Tag holders are rewarded if they decline plastic shopping bags. They are starting this April 1st to support the WWF in helping protect the future of nature around the world.

The GreenBag Tag is a leaf-shaped tag that is made up of recycled materials and it is only 99 cents to purchase. This encourages CVS's ExtraCare card holders to use recycled bags or no bags at all when carrying out items bought at CVS.

To find out more about CVS and its role in the WWF check out this article: http://multivu.prnewswire.com/mnr/cvs-green-bag-tag/41563/

Mall Event

Our final event in PR has finally come! Our booth was set up this past Saturday, March 13 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Our booth was set up to promote shoplocalmilledgeville.com.
Courtney, Brooke and I got to the mall around 9 a.m. and set up all of the posters, hand-outs, and put together the "game". We also placed surveys on the table to gather information for research. We got at least 20 people to play our guessing game (guess how many businesses are in Milledgeville) and we passed out at least 50 hand-outs to people. We talked to so many people and I feel like we really accomplished what we were supposed to do. I feel like we left Digital Bridges with some good design work and some good PR work. Now its time to put together our final campaign book!
I'm excited to see everyone else's events!


Make sure you fan ShopLocalMilledgeville on Facebook!

Digital Bridges

So the day has come! My group, Brooke, Courtney and I, have worked so hard this semester brainstorming, creating, and planning our event that is this Saturday. Since this is our last PR class we wanted to make sure we learned everything we could from this last event before we are thrown out into the real world!
Over the past months we've met with our client, built a campaign and event, and created some PR pieces like posters, handouts, and kept up with Digital Bridges Facebook Fan page. I've learned so much about working with other people and time management.
Everyone in our class was split up into groups and our assignment was to promote a certain part of Digital Bridges. Some groups had to promote digital literacy, while our group was in charge of Digital Bridge's new endeavor, Shop Local Milledgeville. Some of our promotional material explained why it is important to shop local and our event is going to bring it all together. Our event is this Saturday from 10 a.m.- 5 p.m. at the Milledgeville Mall, so make sure you come stop by!