Eastern Michigan University’s chapter of the Public Relations Student Society of America held its 13th Annual Student Development Conference last Friday on the third floor of the Student Center. This year’s theme was, “It Only Takes One Spark.”
Following the introductions, people began to break into groups choosing either to do the resume critique or go to a workshop.
“The conference is an excellent way to help students,” said EMU public relations professor Lolita Cummings-Carson. “It only takes one spark to affect you, one spark to give you the encouragement to go out and be successful. We are here to remind the students and to help them with that.”
In the resume critiquing room, students were offered one-on-one critiques of their resumes, giving them the opportunity to get useful information and ask questions.
Christina Bester of Global Educational Excellence was one of the critiquing professionals.
“It’s important to tailor your resume to the employer,” Bester said.
“I liked the resume critiques, very helpful, very personal,” Chase Johnson, a junior, said. “I got valuable information all in one place.”
All of the workshops took place in a lecture-styled setting with the speaker using either PowerPoint presentations or props.
The Tips and Tricks Workshop, which was given by EMU’s communications lecturer Margie Brooks, was about interviewing techniques.
Brooks gave points about how to dress and what not to do at an interview.
“If you get asked to go to lunch with an interviewer, be sure not to order spinach,” she said. “Pick something simple and easy to eat. No alcohol and after you finish, place your silverware and napkin on the plate. There’s the first impression.”
The second workshop was about responding to job postings and how to create a professional and effective cover letter. The speaker, Mark Gallup is also an EMU communications lecturer.
“Employers know that they won’t be getting everything on the list,” Gallup said referring to detailed job postings.
The conference even attracted students from different universities.
“I really enjoyed the workshops,” U of M Dearborn student Dan Williams said. “I’m a senior and I can use those tips in the future.”
The keynote speaker was EMU’s very own Tim McIntyre, vice president of communications for Domino’s Pizza. McIntyre is also the spokesperson for many major companies throughout the U.S.
His speech, which was themed with the event, was about a moving childhood memory that later sparked his interest in public relations.
Throughout the speech, McIntyre gave advice on what to expect in the industry.
“You cannot talk yourself out of something you behaved yourself into,” he said referring to certain celebrities in the media. Also saying, “It’s better to be how you want to be perceived.”
McIntyre had been working with the media for more than 20 years and still had the same spirit and love for the craft as he spoke.
“Sparks come from within,” he said.
Meghan Sears, a junior at U of M Dearborn, said, “I loved the speaker, Tim McIntyre. I also liked the workshops, there was a lot of pertinent information for the field.”
Afterward, there was an internship fair including companies such as Habitat for Humanity, Quicken Loans and 89.1 WEMU. Some of the internships were paid and others even offered college credits.
“We’ve had this conference for a while now, but we dedicate this one to Melissa Motschall, our adviser that passed,” said Brittany Meier, president of EMU’s PRSSA.
