Relay for Life Kickoff '09 = SUCCESS!

I am very proud of my PR Administration class for planning the Baldwin County Relay for Life Kickoff party... Not only was the candy table and food delicious, but the turnout was awesome and the room looked so festive! At first, we weren't sure if we could pull off the "birthday party" theme the Relay committee asked us to do but we made it happen. With candles and birthday presents all over the room, the joy of a birthday celebration was definitely in the air! As part of the decorations committee, I want to give a special thanks to Cara Wilmer for all her time and hard work. Not only was she sick in the midst of all the planning, but she worked diligently to make the decorations look perfect. Also, a special thanks to Kara Teresi and Lyric Burnette who were also in charge of planning this wonderful event, we really couldn't have done it without you guys. And last but not least thanks to our professor, Dr. Ginger Carter Miller, who guided us from start to finish. Everyone played a special role in the success of this event and I can only hope next year's will be as successful!

Defining "PR"

Defining "public relations"...How difficult is it for you? Apparently it's not so easy for some of my friends. Since being accepted into the Mass Communication program at GCSU, I've been surprised on numerous occasions at the amount of people who have trouble defining PR. When I sat down to think about what to blog about, I realized that the people in the same room with me had a tough time putting their definition into words. Check out the clip of some of my friends hanging out during finals week...even if they don't know exactly what PR entails, they gave it their best shot!

Cancer Survivor Feature on Megan Purcell

“More than anything, I’ve learned it could always be worse.”

This is what Megan Purcell, 21-year-old Georgia College & State University student, had to say about her battle against cancer that began in the summer of 2007.

Her sophomore year in college was quickly approaching and Megan was participating in her sorority’s recruitment on campus when she found out she had leukemia, a cancer of the blood or bone marrow. Recruitment was hectic and she was meeting hundreds of incoming students so quickly, her biggest worry at the time was getting the crazy day of rush over with.

There was no family history of the disease and her overall health was normal. The clue leading up to her diagnosis was a suspicious lump in her breast. After having the lump checked out by her doctor, she was shocked to find out the news that she did not have breast cancer, but her blood work showed signs of something else. It was a confirmed case of leukemia. She and her family and friends were devastated.

During her first CAT scan, a medical test that helps physicians diagnose and treat medical conditions, Megan kept her eyes closed tight. She didn’t want to know what the inside of the large machine looked like.

“I prayed the entire time,” she said. “It was pretty scary to think about what was happening.”

Her quest for recovery began as she was put through numerous rounds of chemotherapy. One of the most inevitable side effects of this treatment set in as she slowly began to lose all her hair.

“Losing my hair made me realize how much people our age focus on how we look. It also made me realize how people treat you differently when you don’t look like everyone else. After I went bald, I finally started to not care about having hair. It was kind of a relief when it was finally all gone.”

Megan needed a bone marrow transplant; luckily her sister was a match. This was an obstacle that was tough to overcome, but they got through it together. The transplant was painful, but her family was always by her side to support her.


As a college student, Megan missed out on spending time with her closest friends and wished she could be with her sorority sisters more often. One of her most memorable times in the hospital was her 21st birthday celebration. It was not typical, but special to her. The nurses and doctors at Emory University Hospital did what they could to make it as normal as possible.

“I was lying in bed when I got a cold Budweiser beer from the pharmacy in the hospital. It was so funny because it had a pharmacy label on it.”

Megan has been in remission since February and is currently weaning herself off of the steroids she was taking after the bone marrow transplant. In December she will have a 9 months test update that will let her know where she stands.

“I’m not looking forward to the test because it’s going to be so nerve-racking, but I’m hopeful about the results,” Megan said. “More than anything this has made me appreciate the time I do have with my family; this has made us all so much closer.”

The Tipping Point

Malcom Gladwell's, "The Tipping Point," is a #1 National Bestseller that describes the social process by which epidemics begin. With the perfect title, Gladwell's book explores the so-called "tipping point" phenomenon - which ultimately determines the way people are selling products and disseminating ideas. As public relations professionals, "The Tipping Point" is the perfect guide for mastering the keys to innovative diffusion and mass acceptance.

For the upcoming Relay for Life kick-off party in November, my Public Relations Administration class has to combine the skills of what Gladwell's refers to as the Connectors, Mavens and Salesmen. These three types of people ALL bring ideas to the table and must work together to make an idea tip. I am confident that the diverse group of women I'm working with will be able to do this.

If I had to choose what category of Gladwell's fits me best, I'd go with the Connector. Gladwell says Connectors are "people with a special gift for bringing the world together" (pg. 38). I wouldn't go as far as saying I have the ability to bring the world together per say, however, I thrive off of meeting new people. I love bringing friends together, and that's what this kick-off is all about. After much thought, I think that the Mavens in our group are going to be the most vital to the success of the event. Gladwell says "what sets Mavens apart, though, is not so much what they know but how they pass it along" (pg. 67). Because these types of people are information specialists, they will be able to provide intricate details that help with our budget and decor. And last but not least, the always persuasive Salesmen. Every public relations group needs a Salesmen. With the power of persuasion, these types of people are tough to resist. Gladwell says these people are "those with the skills to persuade us when we are unconvinced of what we are hearing" (pg. 69). These people will be key players when we work with the Relay for Life committee.

As my class plans the kick-off, we can apply Gladwell's ideas to the ways we utilize our group members strengths. Also, the use of local newspapers and social media is going to to make the epidemic start spreading in the Baldwin County area. As we connect and inform, we will all use Gladwell's insight in the way we think about and plan the event.

Blog Action Day 2009

Hope everyone is JUST as excited about Blog Action Day as I am! I just registered and am not really sure as to what I can contribute...BUT, I will say that climate change is not our friend. I'm sure of this. We must take action in some way, even if we don't know how. Becoming aware of the threats climate change involves is the first step we can all take. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA for short), one of the biggest things we can do is to reduce, to reuse and to recycle. Any Jackson Johnson fans out there know the "3 R's" because of his catchy little song that helps us remember our earthly duties. If you aren't a fan, become one...he's the jam. Back to our topic though: climate change. The earth is melting to say it simply. I don't know how you function at home or what your habits are like, but as a college student, I think we can all try and reduce greenhouse gas emissions when we're on campus. The Clean Air-Cool Planet on-line Campus Climate Action Toolkit (CCAT) is a resource for anyone who wants to to make their campus "climate friendly." Take a minute today to read about what GCSU's committees are doing to facilitate the implementation of more earth friendly amenities on our campus. And to all my fellow bloggers out there, stay classy and have a very very happy Blog Action Day!

Okay, Kanye...you're officially an idiot.

So what exactly is this dude's deal? I give him a teensy-tiny bit of credit for his latest hit "Love Lockdown," but I will not be buying any more of his jams on iTunes until he turns his act around. Who would even think about embarassing the lovely T.Swift? She's my girl...and as for Beyonce, talk about good PR, she's first class!!! With or without Destiny's Child, I'll always be a fan. But back to Kanye, what an arrogant jerk. I'm definitely jumping on the bandwagon with Stephen Colbert's Campaign to Humble Kanye. Maybe his next appearance will be on Tool Academy...or maybe he'll just hush-up before his publicist has a heart attack.

Why did I choose PR?

"PR, huh? What do you plan on doing with that?" - exact quote from my fabulous mother, Licia Evans. I'm still not so sure as to why I chose PR as a Mass Communication concentration, but what I do know is you couldn't have paid me to focus on Print Journalism or Telecommunications. It was all a process of elimination really...my mom is a nurse so I've heard the horror stories and didn't think I could go there. All of my aunts are teachers, don't think I have the patience for that either. My dad could care less so I just picked something that seemed to fit what I was searching for. Not to mention, my favorite character (Samantha Jones) on my favorite TV show (Sex and the City) is one of NYC's top PR buffs. I would be lying if I said she didn't influence me in some way. Cheesy? Yeah. Kind of lame? Yeah. But the point is I don't care. She is awesome and she dated Smith Jared for cryin' out loud. I'm sorry if this isn't a good enough reason but that's all I've got folks!