Reflection Paper 485

Stephanie Probert Due: Tuesday March 4 Comms 485
Reflection Paper
Looking back on my experience in the Communication department at BYU evokes many feelings for me: stress, joy, accomplishment, pride, anxiety - but most of all, gratitude. To sum up my experience in a mere four pages seems to not do it justice, however, in this paper I will discuss what I have learned and my feelings about my overall BYU journey as a public relations student. Knowing that I was able to graduate from one of the top five public relations programs in the nation overwhelms me with grateful for the amazing education I have received. I have learned from some of the most experienced professionals in the industry, created lifelong friendships, and gained a knowledge that I know could not be matched or more tailored for my life. I will first discuss the life lessons that I learned in my experience, and then expand on more specific skills that I obtained. One life lesson that I hope no student in the program leaves without is to not feel entitled. The public relations program at BYU knocks out any sense of entitlement one feels, and although that sounds harsh, it is a wonderful life lesson. For a millennial such as myself, it is natural to feel entitled to things; jobs, grades, classes, and so on. This program has taught me that success is all about what you work for and what you do with your abilities. I can honestly say that not many days go by that I do not think of this lesson and apply it to my life. Right now I am searching for jobs, and although it is a long road and a stressful one, learning the lesson not to be entitled has helped me
tremendously. Learning not to be entitled is a hard lesson to learn, but I am not sure I could have learned it any better way than through this program. The next life lesson that I value is responsibility. I have always been a responsible, self-driven, and motivated person, but being a part of this program I have seen much growth in myself in each of these areas. I am sure many of my colleagues would agree with me, being a part of Dr. Wilsons class lights a fire under a student to become responsible! Not just Dr. Wilson though, almost all of my teachers have held me accountable for deadlines, expected my best work, and pushed me to find out answers for myself. I was able to learn this invaluable lesson in the program because nothing was handed to me; I was pushed and had to learn and grow on my own. We were never handed a template or given hints of what the teacher wants. In campaigns, essays, and projects we were fully expected to go off on our own and find solutions. Although this was both frustrating and difficult at times, I have seen tremendous growth in myself that I know will carry over into my work experience, and life experiences in general. A large part of the program involved working with peers on projects, papers, and creating deliverables. Throughout my years in this program I have learned how to become a better team player, as well as a leader. I often saw my groups more than my own family at many points, but I have truly seen growth because of it. I have learned the importance of pulling your weight in a group, being accountable to your word, and accepting the ideas of others. As I have worked with some great team players, and some who were harder to work with, thus creating an expectation of myself and the kind of group contributor I want to be. When I do start working, it is very likely I will have to work among groups. I am grateful for the skills I have learned at BYU while working in
so many group projects. I feel I have always been a leader and have the skills it takes to make group work more efficient. Leadership skills and the skills of being a team-player translate into so much more than a work environment; I will take these skills with me into church callings, family relationships and many other aspects of my life. It is obvious to see that I value the life lessons I have learned in my experience at BYU. Graduating from a program as excellent as BYUs I am also leaving with numerous tactical skills in the public relations field. I felt coming into the program I had all this skills I needed: writing, strategic thinking, people skills and so on. This program has taken those raw talents and developed them into where I am in a position to be an asset to a company. I feel I have learned the matrix to a point where I am comfortable with it and understand each components purpose. When I did my first case it took me over 20 hours. I was so stressed and each component was difficult for me. Now I feel I can create a whole campaign within a few hours. I have come so far in understanding strategy and the key points to a campaign. I have also learned other public relation necessities such as how to write a press release. I do not feel as strong in this area as I can honestly say that in my program experience (not including internship) I have only written three press releases. I feel I have the basics of writing a press release, and I will continue to develop this skill upon entering a career. One of the many reasons that BYU has such a strong public relations program is the fact that the students are required to perform a 280-hour internship. As I am halfway through my internship I feel my experience and knowledge grows everyday. I have always felt that I learn best by doing, and that is exactly what an internship does for a student. It has been a hands-on experience for me where I have learned not only tactical
skills, but also lessons about how to be a better-qualified employee. Although 280 hours seems daunting at times, I know that it gives me an advantage when applying to potential jobs. One of the greatest skills I think I learned from BYU that I know I would have likely not learned anywhere else is the Matrix (by Wilson and Ogden). This system of creating campaigns is truly the simplest, most logical and most strategic way I know. I think that as BYU students we are at a real advantage once we start our career with the knowledge we have of the Matrix. The simple steps flow logically into a strategic campaign for any situation. I know I will rely heavily on this system in my career and likely teach it to my colleagues who did not have the opportunity to learn it. Overall, my experience in BYUs public relations program has been a success. I am grateful to have been a part of such a prestigious program and I know my life has benefited in many ways already because of it. Having this experience and earning my degree is something I will value for the rest of my life and something I can be proud of that I personally accomplished.

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Stephanie Probert Due: Tuesday March 4 Comms 485

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