CBPA News

Government Communicators Give Students Valuable Career Insights

(Sept. 30, 2009) - A trip to Kentucky’s capital city recently gave an up-close view of government communications careers to Murray State University students majoring in public relations.

Members of MSU’s Public Relations Student Society of America, or PRSSA, learned about promoting tourism, communicating health & family services messages and providing communication support to the governor’s office while visiting Frankfort Sept. 17 and 18.

“This was a great experience for us because we got the chance to learn details about PR campaigns and working with media from some of the top communications professionals in the state,” said Erin Atha, a senior majoring in public relations.

On the first day the PRSSA group met with Kay Berggren, president/CEO of the Kentucky Tourism Council, and also toured the capitol building as special guests of Rep. Eddie Ballard from Madisonville. On Sept. 18 the students received a briefing from Vikki Franklin and the communications staff of the Cabinet for Health and Family Services, and later that day discussed aspects of media relations and public affairs work with Jay Blanton, communications director for Gov. Steve Beshear’s office.

“These educational experiences away from campus are an extremely effective way for our students to learn firsthand about what a career in public relations is like, and the one-on-one face time they have with these top communications professionals is an invaluable networking opportunity,” said Robin Orvino, faculty member in MSU’s Department of Journalism and Mass Communications, and head of the public relations major.

Orvino noted that one of the professional communicators that students got the chance to learn from was Megan Tubbs, a 2008 graduate of MSU majoring in public relations who now is communication and sales coordinator for the Kentucky Tourism Council.

Students participating in the Frankfort educational visit were Erin Atha, Robyn Ping, Reese Hawkins, Lauren Rosentreter and Ben Ballard.

The trip was organized by Orvino and Dr. Haven Miller, a new faculty member in journalism and mass communications who teaches public relations.

Students interested in joining PRSSA should contact Robin Orvino at robin.orvino@murraystate.edu, 270-809-5308.

Chris Tanner was the Speaker for Professional Organization of Information and Network Technologies

FROM: Bob McGaughey, 270-809-6874 or 753-5083, Robert.mcgaughey@murraystate.edu

MURRAY, KY—Chris Tanner, assistant director of the Regional Business and Innovation Center (RBIC) at Murray State University was the speaker for POINT (Professional Organization of Information and Network Technologies) in Murray Sept. 8.

Tanner, a patent attorney for 10 years, talked about intellectual property concerns for technology to include types of protection and software licensing contract issues.

More than 45 professionals attended the meeting, according to Loretta Daniel, director of the RBIC. The RBIC is one of the three partners that started POINT in February. The others are Murray State’s Department of Computer Science and Information Systems and the Center for Telecommunications Systems Management.

The mission is “to introduce and share knowledge in the high-tech fields of software development and information technology while providing environments for professionals to network on a regular basis.”

Daniel pointed out that membership is free and admission to the meetings is a business card.

Upcoming meetings will be Oct. 12 at Paducah’s Whaler’s Catch and Nov. 9 at Hopkinsville’s O’Charley’s Restaurant. The January, 2010 meeting will be in Murray.

For more information or to register for a meeting, contact Amanda Roach at (270-809-3501) or amanda.roach@murraystate.edu.

MSU Beta Alpha Psi is a "Superior Chapter"

FROM: Bob McGaughey, 270-809-6874 or 753-5083, Robert.mcgaughey@murraystate.edu

MURRAY, KY (9-10-09)—The Murray State University chapter of Beta Alpha Psi, professional accounting society, has received a “Superior Chapter” rating for the 2008-09 academic year.

This marks the twenty-second consecutive year the chapter has received this honor, according to Dr. Don Chamberlain, department chairman.

The chapter is evaluated on student participation in professional activities and on programs, according to co-adviser Dr. Leigh Johnson.

The chapter had 30 members and averages about 25 a year. Each student must put in at least 16 hours of professional service. Many of the accounting students participate in the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program, directed by Dr. Floyd Carpenter of the department.

The students are certified by the IRS and they assist students and staff in tax preparation and review.

Another program Beta Alpha Psi conducted was “Kids Count Too.” The program, modeled after the national “Feed the Pig” program, is designed to teach students in the local elementary schools the basics of saving and sound financial strategy.

The students, in partnership with the Kentucky Society of Certified Public Accountants, went to the schools and gave out piggy banks and gave information about spending and saving.

The president of the chapter for 2008-09 was Jon Barclay, a senior from Mayfield. The other co-adviser was Dr. Holly Rudolph. This year Dr. Wayne Tervo serves as co-adviser with Johnson.

Johnson joined the accounting faculty in 2006. She has bachelor’s degrees in economics and in religion from Centre College. Her juris doctorate is from the University of Kentucky.

Rudolph has been a faculty member at MSU since 1981. Her B. S. and M.B.A degrees are from Murray State and her doctorate in business administration is from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale.

Tervo came to Murray State in 2006. His undergraduate degree in accounting is from the University of West Georgia. His master’s degree and Ph.D. are from the University of Texas at San Antonio.

Jasmine Paducah

While some college students spend the summer hitting the beach, two Murray State students spent their summer hitting the pavement in the Paducah market, promoting Jasmine Thai and Sushi.

Owner “Art” Apichai Charnpanichkarn, a Murray State graduate, planned on opening a sister location to his Murray restaurant. Murray State students Kara McCombs and David Szemeredy formed their own advertising and public relations agency to meet the needs of their unique client.

Szemeredy and McCombs teamed up with their designer friend, Helen Rogers to form [SMR], a full-service advertising and public relations agency.

With Jasmine, opening a new Paducah location involved many details beyond just the normal advertising fare. The [SMR] team handled details down to writing the menu copy, ordering the perfect to-go bags and writing wine-tasting notes. The opening proved to be quite an experience for two Murray State students.

“We really wanted to ‘wow’ the Paducah market,” McCombs said. “We planned several events leading up to the grand opening to get the market ready for the new flavor of Paducah.”

The team planned a soft opening with a benefit for the Paducah Arts Alliance. The benefit was a wine pairing dinner with a Paducah Symphony violinist. Guests included Mayor Bill Paxton and his wife Lucy, Nikki and Kenny Roof, Dr. Bob and Kate Lochte as well as many people from the Paducah art community who came out to support the Arts Alliance, whose mission is to promote art education and growth of the art community.

“Many people came out to support the Arts Alliance and enjoy a sneak-preview of Jasmine cuisine,” McCombs said. “The mayor even did a toast when we poured the Prosecco.”

The new Jasmine location opened on July 9 at Jordan’s Crossing Suite K.

“The most satisfying feeling,” McCombs said. “Was the moment when Chamber President Elaine Spalding asked David and I to step forward at the ribbon-cutting and help cut the ribbon.”

Working as a team, outside of the classroom, McCombs said, proved to be quite an experience.

“In the classroom,” McCombs said. “You learn educational theory. Once you step outside the classroom, you learn the application of that theory. There are certain things that you learn with hands-on experience that no one could tell you in the classroom. Performing an entire advertising and public relations campaign is a huge venture. You have to trust your partners and keep your wits about you.” Szemeredy concurs.

“There was something about Kara that I really liked from the beginning,” Szemeredy said. “We always worked really well together. I knew we would be a great team.”

McCombs said [SMR] plans on expanding its horizons in the coming years as the firm grows.

“David is really a go-gettter,” McCombs said. “I look at the pictures from the events and he really knows how to work a room.”

Szemeredy, an advertising major, set to graduate in 2011, plans to pursue an MBA at Murray State upon graduation. McCombs will graduate in December with a degree in public relations and plans to enroll in the MBA program as well.

MSU Shield Yearbook is Associated Collegiate Press Pacemaker Competition Finalist

Murray State University's yearbook, the Shield, was just announced as a finalist in the Associated Collegiate Press Pacemaker Competition. The book was one of 15 finalists nationwide. The Associated Collegiate Press is the oldest and largest national membership organization for college student journalists. The more than 20,000 students who staff ACP member publications work on yearbooks, newspapers, magazines, broadcast programs and online publications.

ACP's Pacemaker Competition is "college journalism's most prestigious and oldest prize for general excellence…[and] honors those who set the pace, surpassing all others," the organization's website said.

The editor-in-chief of the book is Jessica Smith Jeffress, a junior from Mayfield. Dr. Ann Landini, associate professor in the department of journalism and mass communications, serves as adviser to the publication's student staff.

Among the other schools selected as finalists for this year's Pacemaker Competition are University of Arkansas, University of Miami, University of Illinois, Indiana University, Kansas State University, Western Kentucky University, Wellesley College, University of Mississippi, Northwest Missouri State University, North Carolina State University, University of Oklahoma, University of Texas, Texas A&M University and James Madison University.

The Shield was a finalist in the Pacemaker Competition in 2000, 2001 and 2002, and went on to receive the Pacemaker Award each of those years.

Winners of the Pacemaker Award will be announced in the fall at the ACP/College Media Advisers convention in Kansas City, Mo. For more information about the Shield, contact the staff at yearbook@murraystate.edu or by phone at (270) 809-4495.

Murray State Alum Surprises Ad World with Jump into Newest of New Media

January 29, 2008
For Immediate Release

Murray, KY – Murray State University alumnus Sean Finnegan shook up the international advertising world on January 22 with the announcement that he would leave his position as CEO of Omnicom Media Group Digital to become Chief Media Officer for new media leader Vibrant Media. Finnegan’s role with Vibrant will be to align the marketing, business development and product innovation departments with the company’s sales team; his start date is February 1.

According to Vibrant’s web site, the company defines itself as “the world's leading provider of in-text advertising and a contextual media pioneer”. In-text advertising involves the placement of hyperlinks in web text that open a window containing a text or video ad when users move their mouse over a link. Clicking on the link generally takes the reader to the advertiser’s web site. The links typically are double-underlined to differentiate them from other types of web links.

In an interview with Abbey Klaassen of Advertising Age, Finnegan explained his move, saying “It's a new environment, one that's intimate and entrepreneurial, yet still proven – [Vibrant has] 3,000 publishers, 120 million-person reach. It's doing extremely well revenue-wise, has a great reputation and performs well for advertisers. I made that decision about the environment and came to a place where I have passion about the product and a [place that has a] proven model. And Doug [Stevenson, Vibrant’s CEO] has given me the keys to oversee marketing, business development and product innovation.”

For more information, contact:
Sue Moore Fenske, Director of Development
College of Business and Public Affairs
106 Development Center
Murray, Kentucky 42071-3313
Tel. 270.809.3123
Fax. 270.809.3436

MSU Tonight returns to MSU TV-11

MSU Tonight returns to MSU TV-11 on Thursday evenings, starting January 31. The program, produced by the Department of Journalism and Mass Communication's JMC 358 class, features news, information and entertainment related to Murray State University and the surrounding area. If your organization would like to be featured in an interview segment, please contact Jeremy McKeel (TV Operations Director) at 809-3170 or at william.mckeel@murraystate.edu.

TV-11 is a cable-television service provided by Murray State University's Department of Journalism and Mass Communications. As a laboratory environment, TV-11 provides Electronic Media and Journalism students with the opportunity to gain hands-on experience in all facets of television production. An affiliate of Kentucky Educational Television's KET2 service, TV-11 provides the finest in television programming twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. Locally produced programming airs weekdays from 4 to 7 p.m.

TV-11 reaches 43,800 households in western Kentucky and northwest Tennessee. Locally, TV-11 is available on channel 11 to subscribers of Newwave Communications in Murray, Mayfield, Benton, and Calvert City, as well as subscribers of Murray Electric System Broadband in Murray. Subscribers of Mediacomm in Calloway and Marshall counties may view TV-11 on channel 7.

Scott Adair and awarded URSA grant

Scott Adair, senior marketing major at Murray State University, was recently awarded an Undergraduate Research and Scholarly Activity grant in the amount of $150. Adair will study economic development within Kentucky’s State Resort Park System and explore potential benefits and possible pitfalls linked to an increase of Public-Private Partnerships. Adair states, “A staggering $10.2 million has been invested in Kentucky Dam Village State Resort Park and Lake Barkley State Resort Park to make much needed renovations.” However, in order to maintain the high standard that Kentucky state parks have set forth, necessary renovations, due to common “wear and tear”, will need to be completed to every state park on a regular basis. Adair also states that in the past, “Kentucky Government has raised taxes only to find that this provided little relief”, which leads to his main question: “Where can fiscal funds be found when raising taxes is not an option?”

Dr. Terry Holmes, Chair of the Department of Management, Marketing, and Business Administration, will serve as faculty mentor on this project. As a recipient of URSA grant funds, Adair will present during MSU’s Scholars Week in April, 2008. He will be presenting his project during Posters-at-the-Capitol on January 31, 2008, in Frankfort, KY.