The Evaluation Of Public Relations Internship Program

Ever since Bernany’s work, public relations have continued to become a vital part to businesses success, as the field continues to grow. While this progression has occurred, different public relations functions also have developed. Specifically,

Internship is a period of work experience offered by an employer to give people (usually college students and graduates) exposure to the working environment. It gives them an opportunity to get first-hand experience. The growing need for practical learning led to the emergence of internship. It helps to bridge the gap between theoretical knowledge and hands-on experience. Internships in any form- paid, unpaid or co-operative learning has now become a standard practice for college students. It has

The most recent definition of public relations, according to the Public Relations Society of America (2012), states that “Public Relations is a strategic communication process that builds mutually beneficial relationships between organizations and their publics.” Through the rapid advancement of modern media and technology, there have never been more outlets and opportunities available for accomplishing the goals of public relations. Believing the development of social media has not created serious changes in the way public relations practitioners go about their duties would be foolish and a fast track to falling behind in this rapid world of communication. The main goals of public relations are “to

Due to the world's rapid change through advanced technology public relation became more and more a global activity. Nowadays it is one of the fastest-growing

Second, internships enable students to apply classroom knowledge to real world problems, strengthening skills, and acquiring experience that employers seek in a candidate (Florida International University, 2017). When selecting candidates, employers look at three significant factors, “an applicant’s field of study; a high GPA, leadership experience, and experience in their field (NACE, 2016, p. 3). Additionally, internships enable students to work in their chosen career path, giving them an insider’s

According to the 2009 Experiential Survey conducted by NACE Research, internship programs are one of the most powerful tools

PR professionals must broaden their market to adapt to the globalizing economic environment. Everyone knows about China’s impressive economic charge into the global market. But it makes sense to learn about reputed and veteran PR firms who know the ropes of the state-run media and regulated markets. Government affairs always intertwine with PR, so PR strategies must adapt to this fact. PR work is as much a relationship with the government as it is with the people.

The changing emphasizes shown above and throughout history illustrate that public relations is an evolving profession and term, which is being influenced by different factors around the

One of the roles of public relation is helping a new organization, products or person building reputation or brands for them. There are rising up thousands of companies in every year. Between March and December of 2009, the most recent year for which data has been provided as of January 2015, the number of business "births" ranged from 172,000 to 177,000, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (Sadeghi, 2008). Many public relation practitioners had already use public relation strategies to start a new brand. Brands building strategies can be seen in the environment, art, and sports fields often.

Over the last four years I have accepted, volunteered, or been assigned to contribute as an intern for more than 240 hours across five organizations in four industries: legal, nonprofit, retail, and business-to-business sales and marketing. I have been able to gain an exceptional amount of experience while working with each one, but the most interesting pattern I came across was that each of these organizations had their own preconceived notion on the definition (or application) of public relations. Some of these differences were simply minor details in strategy; others were based on completely different viewpoints altogether. With different industries came different points of emphasis, which inevitably led to different responsibilities at each. No matter the difference between each organization 's views, I was always able to see my employer 's objectives using the foundation provided by the Gonzaga University Public Relations program. It has become apparent that the ability to adapt and apply public relations knowledge to any given position is equally as important as learning the trade itself. The unique foundation of Jesuit/Ignatian values and the professional preparation provided by Gonzaga University’s Public Relations program has guided my journey for the past four years.

Throughout the process of the development of future professionals for various organizations the origin of their foundation and success can often times be directly attributed to a successful internship experience. According to the National Society for Internships and Experiential Education (NSIEE) an internship is any carefully monitored work or service experience in which an individual has intentional learning goals and reflects actively on what he or she is learning throughout the experience. (Gilbert, 1995) In the broadest sense, internship development encompasses the whole process of increasing the knowledge and the capabilities of the people of our society. (White, 1972) In most

At the beginning of a career, experiential education plays a important role in elevating prospects of employment candidates. Undergraduates with internship/placement experience are perceived to be better prepared and more marketable to employers. The paper affirms the internship as a component of experiential learning that can enhance the employability development opportunities offered by institutions of higher learning.

There are various publications that trace the emergence of public relations to the Public Bureau which was established in 1900. There are however various scholars such as Bernays (2013) who trace the history of public relations to early forms of communication management and public influence in early civilization such as the movement that was aimed at abolishing slavery in England and the settling of the New World. This treatise will carry out a meticulous analysis on a concrete overview of the specialization which will be backed by how the PR specialization has developed historically and also the importance. In addition, the study will also highlight the advantages and the disadvantages of the PR specialization and also the pros and cons

The Excellence Theory is a public relations theory that “specifies how public relations makes organizations more effective, how it is organized and managed when it contributes most to organizational effectiveness, the conditions in organisations and their environments that make organizations more effective, and how the monetary value of public relations can be determined” (L. Grunig, J Grunig & Dodier, 2002). The theory resulted from a study about the best practice in public relations, which was headed by James E. Grunig and funded by the Foundation of the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC) in 1985.

Only recently being recognized as a discipline in itself, modern day professional public relations practices can trace its roots to the early 1900s where the first public relations firm, the Publicity Bureau, was founded in Boston. In 1923, Austrian-American public relations pioneer, Edward Bernays, identified three fundamental concepts of public relations. In 1984, American theorists, Grunig and Hunt, conceptualized the now-famous four models of public relations and the excellence theory that were generally adopted by public relation agencies across the globe. With so many significant milestones and theories of public relations established in the United States, it stands to reason that public relation practices would naturally adopt a western perspective.