My most recent field trip experience was when I was in high school. Don't ask where, because I can't remember! But, I know it included the whole nine yards of field trip necessities: yellow school buses, permission slips, parent chaperones and the chance to miss all of the day's classes.
Now fast forward to collegiate life. I thought that field trips were long gone, but boy, was I wrong.
With the help of Professor Nardone, I am literally transported not into the museums and field trips of high school years past, but to the agency life of the future.
Professor Nardone flies in weekly to teach our class, and we get to touch upon all of the aspects of a PR firm prior to graduating and entering the working world. We discuss current events and issues facing the industry and analyze agency tactics from a myriad of perspectives, from the AAE to the CEO. Divided into groups, we are also acting as PR firms, working on RFP's and RFQ's, as well as submitting timesheets and putting our pitching and writing skills to work. (The firm my group chose to represent is French/West/Vaughan.)
Most recently, we held class via Webinar. For those of us in the class that were fortunate enough to spare the cell phone minutes, we were blessed with the rare opportunity to go to class while never leaving the apartment-- a Syracuse University student's dream! It is also the best kind of college field trip a student could ever ask for. Not only did I get to "go to class" in my pajamas, but I was also able to get a realistic glimpse of what it would be like to hold conference calls and group meetings as an agency employee.
But that isn't all. The best part is that this class is also a sort of field trip itself. By mimicking PR firms and submitting proposals for new business, we really do get the gist of what it would be like in the working world. And if doing the work and brainstorming creative tactics is half as fun as it is to learn about it, where can I sign up for that trip?