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Executive Board Elections: Should You Run for a Position?

If you’re a member of PRSSA, you’re likely familiar with the Executive Board.  The head honchos of our student chapter.   Our fearless, flawless leaders.  Our brilliant, overqualified, super-human overachievers.  Or at least, that’s what we like  to tell ourselves.

In reality, every board member got their start with an ordinary membership.  We just knew we wanted to get more involved, felt like we were ready for the responsibility, and took the steps we needed to take to move forward with the election process.  

How Do You Start the Process?

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Running for the board might sound intimidating, but really all you do is choose the position or positions that you think you’d be best suited for, attend one of our open board meetings (the last one is on March 10, mark your calendar if interested), and submit your application and resume.  From there, you go through an interview process and give a speech to your chapter about why you think you’d be the best fit for your role of choice, and then the EB members are determined by popular vote.

But this begs the question: Why run for the Executive Board in the first place? To answer that question, I’ve outlined a couple of major benefits I’ve found from my experience on the board.

1. Resume-building Experience

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To say that a position on the e-board offers a breadth of experience would be an understatement.  Depending on the position you’re in, you might become proficient in social media management, writing, event planning, or networking with professionals. 

Regardless of what position you’re in, however, what remains consistent across the board is that you will learn how to work in a team and represent something bigger than yourself.  You have to learn to coordinate with and depend on your fellow members, while in many cases, also being the leader of your own committee.  

On your resume, a leadership position in PRSSA shows you’re dedicated to the industry.  It shows you’re ambitious and know how to thrive in a professional environment (plus the flashy “VP of ________”  title really catches the eye).

2. Long-lasting Friendships

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A great aspect of being a part of the board is the relationships you make along the way.  You work with your fellow board members to meet deadlines, advance PRSSA as an organization, and, through those tasks, bond with them on a regular basis.  Once everything’s said and done, you’ve likely made some meaningful friendships.  For example, I’m nearing the end of my experience with the board and can confidently say I’d recommend any of my fellow members to a future employer; if only because I would be ecstatic to have a chance to work with them again.

You’d think that what you’d miss most from your board position would be the professional perks or the opportunities that follow, but what you actually end up mourning the most is that you don’t have another biweekly board meeting scheduled where you get to catch up and work alongside your friends.

Conclusion

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Running for board can be intimidating, but the experience you receive from your position is more than worth it.  It puts you in a position to make professional connections, beef up your resume, and create lasting friendships with your fellow board members.

If I had one recommendation for anyone on the fence about applying for a board position, it would be: Just give it a shot!  You won’t regret it.

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Advice from the Vice President of Sponsorships for Sponsorships

Vice President of Sponsorships

by Indria Thijssen

 

You have to have a network…or be really good at networking.

Networking is a skill that most Communications majors work on and are good at. To put in perspective, the people in your network can offer a sponsorship in one way or another. Having a large network, or building a network, makes it easy to contact different people and open opportunities for you and them.

Be the traveling salesman.

You are selling your organization’s message and beliefs to potential buyers.  You need to be the traveling salesman that is knowledgeable about the organization and ready to answer any questions potential sponsors will throw at you. Think of ways to “sell” the message to potential sponsors and get them to become sponsors. Know your audience and work with their likes and dislikes.

 

You’ll learn the value of rejection.

Also being a traveling salesman, embrace rejection. A lot of people you approach will tell you “no”, and you will quickly learn the value of rejection. With rejection, you learn how to mold your message to different people with each attempt. I’ve learned that with every ten people saying “no”, there will be at least one person interested. The people that said they are not interested before, might turn around. Persistence is key!

 

Being a people person and a nice, genuine person

You are talking to a person. Be genuinely be interested and invested in the happenings of your sponsors and potential sponsors. Be that friend that always texts first and is willing to catch up. People and businesses are more likely to help out, or sponsor, friends and nice people. People are not all bad.

 

The role of Vice President of Sponsorships isn’t for everyone.

Sponsorships is not a role for everyone. You can learn the different people skills needed for the job. If you are planning on pursuing nonprofit PR or opening your own firm, being Vice President of Sponsorships can help prepare you. It is a difficult job that does demand a lot from a person. If you’re interested in this position, I recommend having a committee to help you out, being organized down to a calendar, and having a personality that is willing to roll with the punches. It is a rewarding position and I appreciate the things that I have learned being the Vice President of Sponsorships.

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Love Money? Then This Position is Perfect for You!

Vice President of Finance 

by Allison Thuang

I’ll admit, as the VP of Finance, I don’t get a ton of people lining up wanting to take over my position next year. As the previous VP of Finance before me said, “I’m lucky to have at least one member interested.” Of course, maybe the idea of handling all of the Chapter’s funds and working with spreadsheets scares a lot of PR students who are stereotypically great at writing and… not so great with numbers.

Here are some common myths about the VP of Finance position, and my rebuttal through my personal experience this past semester:

Myth #1: You need to be good at math to be the next VP of Finance.

Are you able to use a calculator correctly? If yes, then that makes you qualified to be PRSSA’s next money manager! Essentially, all you have to do is add and subtract from the total budget whenever money is deposited or withdrawn. The math is very simple- you won’t be needing any advanced calculus courses to do this job well!

Myth #2: Excel is scary. Numbers are scary. Everything about being the VP of Finance is scary.

Although I do admit I don’t necessarily think this is true because of my business background, nothing about this position is scary. It can be challenging, but I would argue that any job out there will have its challenges. If you know how to stay organized and are willing to learn specific analytical skills required for this role, like Excel, nothing will be scary.

 

Myth #3: This position is a huge snooze.

 

Yes, finance may not seem as exciting as the other positions on the Executive Board, but it will definitely keep you on your toes. You’ll be required to allocate funds to each board member at the beginning of each year when you establish the Chapter budget, so you’ll need to know a little bit about how each position operates. You’ll be getting visits from board members for help with anything money-related, and it is your job to consult them on what to do financially. This position is anything but boring! People will value your input, so expect to be involved in a lot of the logistics within PRSSA.

Bottom line, being the next VP of Finance has a lot of growth potential, especially in your ability to think logically. After all, you are the backbone of the whole organization. If there’s no money, there’s no PRSSA! You’ll call the shots on how much money we should spend and what items to cut, so it does come with a little bit of power.

You don’t need to have a lot of financial experience; you just need to be interested in finances.

By the end of the year, you’ll be a pro at budgeting, which you can apply to your resume and even your personal life. You’ll be able to say that you were fiscally responsible for a nationally recognized organization that consisted of over 200 members.

Also, the joy you give someone after giving them their $300 reimbursement is priceless. How many other Executive Board members have that opportunity?

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Admin, Shmadmin, Piece of (Cold Leftover) Cake!

Vice President of Administration

by Samantha Panganiban

Picture this: You arrive at the venue and open your laptop.  On the screen, you see five organized columns on your spreadsheet, ready to check in all the excited attendees for this event.  The time is 6:45 p.m., and you look up to call the first person in line.  They head inside and you look back up, but suddenly, the line has tripled.  You are now frazzled dazzled and they get hungrier as the line moves in, but with a smile on your face, you ask each person in the quickest way possible, “Hi, are you a member or non-member?  Can I get your name, email, and graduation term?  Thank you!  There’s food when you get inside and enjoy the event!”  The time is now 7:00 p.m., everyone’s seated and you are left with yet another full spreadsheet and a plate of cold leftovers. And you LOVE it – another successful night.

As the VP of Administration, this is the kind of rush you experience and feel at each PRSSA event!  You collect and manage all membership information, and while it seems easy, your organization skills (and patience) will definitely be put to the test when you’re in charge of over 200 names.

Along with the memberships, you are also the designated record keeper for the chapter.  During each board meeting, the VP of Administration takes notes on any recaps, position reports, and ideas that the Executive Board discusses and votes on.  Don’t forget, every PR person should have the receipts, so make sure your phone is on Do Not Disturb, each Executive Board member has your undivided attention and you’re ready to type because you don’t want to miss a thing!

Another plus is that you’ll be an excel pro by the end of your term (not the math functions though)!  The VP of Administration handles all the lists and databases.  Whether it’s making an email list for outreaching to other members or creating a social media database with every nationally affiliated PRSSA Chapter for the Chapter’s internal use, always make sure you do your research and double, triple check your information because one misplaced line can throw off everything.

 

Lastly, you act as the assistant to all other Executive Board members, just in case they need you to cross-reference any member information or need additional help in their role, so it’s important that you’re flexible, have a good attitude when you work with your team and willing to give them a hand.

All and all, staying organized and having a sharp eye for small details are the #1 keys to being a successful VP of Administration, especially when you have to keep track of over 200 memberships, take minutes, and update and maintain databases and documents for the chapter.  While this position may not seem like the most rigorous job on the Executive Board, you aid to keep the internal flow for CSUF PRSSA run as smoothly as possible, no matter how tedious it can become.

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Fostering Relations, University Relations

Vice President of University Relations

by Kristen Cuaresma

 

I’m not saying being the Vice President of University Relations is the equivalent to being Wonder Woman, but it’s kind of the equivalent to being Wonder Woman. Not that I do anything particularly amazing, but I like to think of it as a diplomatic position.

As the Vice President of University Relations, I get to interact with a variety of people in the College of Communications. I spend my Mondays with an excellent group of individuals from CICC, the Communications Inter-Club Council, and other organizations in the College of Communications including ETC, FMAA, LPH, NSSLHA, Titan Radio, STANCE, LJ, SPJ, and Ad Club. We discuss and try to allocate money to our specific organizations. Working together, the council tries to make each organizations’ events possible.

There are some difficulties to the job. The VP of University Relations has to decide what food to bring to events and work it into their schedule to pick it up. Additionally, it can be difficult managing the needs of your organization with the needs of others, but council members each learn that there is a balance. We learn to work together as a team. The busiest time is the beginning of the year considering that the Vice President of University Relations helps out with National Conference. However, arguably, this is not the hardest part of the job. The real battle is that meetings are at nine in the morning on Monday’s. Bummer. But it’s rewarding in the fact that I help make PRSSA events memorable.

I love this job. It allows me to meet other people who I usually wouldn’t meet otherwise. The structure of the meetings is also appealing as it’s a protocol not often used. Also despite having to commit to Monday morning meetings and Wednesday afternoons to pick up food, this position is flexible enough as long as the work is finished by the deadlines. With this position, I am able to offer up my services to help others in PRSSA.

If you love people and want a job in which you can also offer up your time to other positions and activities, I highly recommend applying for this job.

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So, What is Public Relations Anyway?

Vice President of Outreach

by Rachel Mayhew

 

Are you the type of person who always volunteers to speak first in class? Do you have no trouble adding your name to the top of the karaoke list? Is speaking in front of crowds something you enjoy doing? The VP of Outreach is the perfect position for you!

Don’t get me wrong, a year or two ago these things all terrified me. I used to panic at the idea of speaking in front of a small group, let alone a lecture hall full of 200 students. However, after taking my first public speaking class, I knew that it was something I could learn to be good at. Naturally, the Outreach position really enticed me, and I saw it as an opportunity to really push myself and perfect my speaking skills. Being the VP of Outreach really helped me learn to speak eloquently in front of a crowd, not be nervous to pick up the phone and call someone, and gave me awesome networking skills.

 

So what does the VP of Outreach do?

One of my favorite parts of my job is getting to speak with new and potential PRSSA members. I am really passionate about the benefits that PRSSA has to offer all students, and getting to share that information with others gives me a lot of joy. You have to be very familiar with what PRSSA is, what we do, and how it helps people enhance their education, launch their networks, and broaden their careers. Also, it’s important to know the answer to everyone’s favorite question, “what is Public Relations?”

Another big part of Outreach is… well…. outreaching. A classic method is classroom pitches. This may be disappointing to some, but you have to be able to feel comfortable talking in front of a crowd to thrive in this position (and all board positions, really). It’s super important to be able to delegate to other members of the Executive Board and the Outreach Committee because it is impossible to reach all the important COMM classes on your own. Having a strong sense of leadership is important for this position. You have to make sure to teach everyone your pitch, and make sure they know it to a T. Consistency is a must!

Outreach isn’t all public speaking though! You are also in charge of choosing and ordering all the outreach materials for the Chapter. Who else can say that they got an order of 300 bottle opener fidget spinners sent to their home? It’s a lot of fun getting to research popular trends and choose what awesome SWAG to order for the Chapter.

Overall, being the VP of Outreach is a really rewarding position. Walking into Kick Off and seeing a huge crowd is an amazing feeling, knowing that all of your hard work paid off. Who else can say that they successfully recruited nearly 250 members for their organization?

If you can speak well in front of a crowd, have a creative eye for outreach materials, and have a strong handshake, Outreach may be for you.

If you’re interested in learning more, feel free to contact me with any questions!

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The Wonderful World of VP

Vice President

by Emma Bramer

“Nice to meet you! What are you Vice President of,” a member asks me at one of our events.

“I’m Vice President of the Chapter,” I answer with enthusiasm!

“But I thought Arianna was VP,” they reply.

“I can see how that can be confusing, Arianna is VP of Special Events,” I say.

“Oh… Well what do YOU do,” they ask with a look of confusion on their face.

Well, if you’ve ever wondered what is it I do for our organization, now’s your chance to discover the wonderful world of VP!

As Vice President of CSU Fullerton’s PRSSA Chapter, I am here to provide assistance to all of our PRSSA members-whether you are a part of our executive board, on a committee, or enjoying your membership benefits from home!

Some of my main duties are ensuring members understand all the benefits they get from paying their fees! This can be physical benefits, such as your membership certificates you can show your employers to prove you were an active member of the organization, the special business cards that members who joined Fall 2017 received for our 50th-anniversary celebration, or even how to order your grad sash if you are graduating Spring 2018! I also update members on internships available in the area, as well as coordinating with our executive board on advertising exclusive volunteer opportunities.

Behind the scenes, I am our President’s wingman. Whenever he needs assistance in decision making for our chapter, I guide him through and give advice on what our best options are. For our other board members, when someone is unable to perform their duties at an event or during the week, with the help of their President we assist them in finishing their work.

Between my duties, as well as assisting others in theirs, I have learned so much in leadership development, human resources, graphic design, pitching, and more that will help me move forward with my career! And what I’ve learned and do not only helps me but can help you!

If you ever need help editing your resume, applying to an internship, have any questions about your member benefits, or just want to talk about Disney, don’t be afraid to email me or set up a meeting with me!

As your Vice President, I hope we are giving you all that you need and want from our organization!

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Walk the Walk and Talk that Talk, Professional Development

Vice President of Professional Development

by Nicole Freeman and Daniel Smoke

 

Alright slip on your most mysterious black sweatshirt and throw on the hood, it’s time for some online stalking… I mean researching, yeah researching…

The role as Vice President of Professional Development is composed of many things. A big part of the job is acting as a headhunter, looking for Industry professionals online and through the database. And while it’s one of the biggest and longest parts of the job, the hard part comes after pitching and confirming them as a speaker for an event.

Before each semester starts the VP(s) of PD have to plan out each event. Including event titles, presentation materials, speaker gifts, room setup, scripts, panel questions, and content creation.

On the day of each event, the VP(s) are in charge of purchasing parking passes for the guest speakers and greeting and hosting the speakers upon their arrival.

As part of the position, you are also responsible for moderating the bi-weekly events and panels.

…but it actually kind of is required so you need to be comfortable with public speaking.

The Professional Development database is used to record all previous and future speakers in one convenient place. It allows the most current VP(s)  to see whom we’ve had as a guest previously to make sure you don’t pitch to them too often but to also use previous connections in the future. It’s required that the database is updated every semester, but don’t get too behind or else you’ll be cramming it all into one night and end typing like this:

The job as VP(s) of Professional Development offers you the chance to expand and enrich your network outside the college community.  As the representative of CSUF’s largest communications organization, it’s rewarding to have the chance to bring incredible speakers and opportunities to members.

Some feelings you may experience as the VP(s) of Professional Development

 

When someone cancels

When a professional isn’t replying to your emails or calls

 

Hosting a successful event

 

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So You Want to Be a VP?

Vice President of Events

by Arianna Ford

 

When the common person thinks of public relations, they usually envision fabulous cocktail parties attended by fabulous people. They visualize bountiful food, drinks, VIP passes and security checks.

As a PR major, I have learned that is just one facet of the profession, one that is more glitzy and glamorous than the rest. Luckily for me, I have had the opportunity to serve as VP of Events for the CSUF PRSSA Chapter, allowing me to use my position to host some fun and creative events. Not only has it given me experiences and skill sets I would never receive in the classroom, but it has also opened up a lot of networks that are now indispensable for my future career.

Want to learn more about what it takes to become the next VP of Events? Read below for some and key elements of the job and tips from what I have learned so far.

You Call the Shots

As VP of Events, you are the main supervisor for the venue, theme, decor, program, food, etc. for any event outside of bi-weekly meetings. That being said, that comes with a lot of responsibility! This role allows you to be in a position of leadership and carry out noteworthy events. If (like this year!) your Chapter is selected to host a Regional Conference, the VP of Events also serves as acting Chair and overall director in the event – that’s a huge plus to your resume.

Unleash Your Artsy Side

Handy with a glue gun? Being VP of Events allows you to get creative, with the

job of choosing themes, decorations, color-schemes, etc. Remember our 2017 Halloween Tavern Mixer? The centerpieces, for example, were taken from used wine bottles and melted wax; cheap and effective!

Meet Professionals in the Field

One of the main duties as VP is booking tours, workshops and boot camps each semester for members. Not only does this position guarantee you get a spot in each activity (a win in itself), but it also allows you to make professional and personal connections with working experts in the PR field. PR is all about who you know; expand your network while serving on the board as VP of Events!

All That List-Making Has Finally Paid Off

Do you write everything down and have a great attention to detail? Events might just be the thing for you! When overseeing all logistics, it is vital to possess organizational skills in order to carry out a successful event. The VP of Events should not be afraid to voice concerns and have the ability offer solutions to problems that arise. Every small detail counts.

Improve Your Math Skills

As PR majors, it’s well-known most of us aren’t experts in mathematics. Heck, most of us chose this major thinking we’d never use it. Sorry to burst your bubble, but PR professionals use numbers every day, from budgeting to analytics. Working alongside the VP of Finance, this position allows you to get familiar working with numbers. You will work on budgets, decide event ticket prices, and figure out tactics to save money.

Sound like something you’re interested in? Start the application process today! If you plan on running as the next VP, here are a few tips to prepare you:

 

Always Be Ahead

Typically it requires about a 6-month head start on events. You will rarely go with the first choice of venue, caterer, etc.; the earlier you start, the less work you have to do later!

Know to Change on the Fly

Last-minute problems are bound to happen the day of the event. Always have a plan B, and be ready to make quick decisions at moment’s notice.

Double Triple-Check Your Budget

It’s fun to get carried away with ideas, but it’s important to stick to a clean, simple theme in order to stay within budget. Regularly run things past the VP of Finance to make sure everything runs smoothly and ethically; great ideas can quickly turn expensive.

Your Board is Your Biggest Asset

If there is one thing I learned during this last semester, is how much my position depends on other board members. Without VP of Finance, I wouldn’t have an allotted budget or guidance on finances. Without VP of Outreach, there wouldn’t be members to fill our meetings and events. Without VP of Digital Communication, all events would go unpublished. During your time on the board, I can guarantee you will work with each and every board member; you will learn tidbits of their own position in doing so. Go to your board for guidance, input, and help and offer the same to them; they are your biggest asset.    

 

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