Blog Entry # 7

Calvin Hayes

Blog Entry # 7

My internship experience this semester is professionally fulfilling and is preparing me for my career in every way. I work with the FAMU Office of International Education. In this capacity I work as a public relations intern and a special assistant to the director of the program. My job has a structured atmosphere; however, the staff grants me as much flexibility as needed. I spend equally as much hours in the office as I do out of the office. Being that much of my job involves outreach I prefer to be out of the office engaging students about international programs. My average work week involves work everyday of the week, but I put about 5 hours in each Tuesday and Thursday because I have the least amount of classes on those days. Overall, I feel like I work for the office every single day because, I constantly find myself doing something to promote international affairs on campus most of the time. Personally, my internship is more like a lifestyle and less like a job.

I am learning more than I expected from my internship. In my pursuit to expand global awareness on campus, I find myself learning about growing trends across the international spectrum. The field of public diplomacy requires one to be fully engaged in current events that are going one throughout the world.  In order to communicate effectively about international programs, it requires me to know a great deal about the climate of each country that I converse about. In addition, there are new study abroad programs and fellowships that are formed each day. Usually, I can learn about programs and fellowships that I can apply for after graduation. I also enjoy my internship because it allows me to meet and engage the many international students that are on campus. Although FAMU is an HBCU, the institution is very diverse. It is a pleasure to help these foreign students and make them feel welcome to the university. My favorite part of the internship is finding students from all majors and explaining to them how they can take their degree to a global platform.

There are many goals that I would like to accomplish on my internship. Over t he course of this year, I have been able to get a lot done. One of my biggest goals was to form a partnership between the Office of International Education and Student Government. Recently, I was able to get these two entities to form a sustainable committee so that they may garner a better relationship and share resources. Another goal that I had was to form a partnership with the FAMU Recreational Center. As a PR Intern, I have already been instrumental in getting the recreational center to start non- traditional sports programs to include international students. Additionally, I have been able to get 7 additional students to take critical language courses offered at the university. My internship is purpose driven and I’m accomplishing goals that will have a lasting impact on the university.

Blog Entry # 6

Calvin Hayes

PR Practicum

Blog Entry # 6

Mr. Ron Sachs proved to be one of the best public speakers I have ever heard in my entire life. Mr. Sachs followed an outlined and structured approach to engage the class in a powerful way. Although he didn’t have much time to present, he was sure to compact very details in a concise manner so that it was meaningful and understandable to the audience. Before Mr. Sachs began to speak, I didn’t think he was the joking or humorous type. Instead, I thought he was a serious and traditional public relations specialist that gave us the pure facts and nothing else. Although, I thought he would give a standard presentation, he went above and beyond my expectations and delivered the most powerful crash course in surviving in the public relations environment. Mr. Sachs was both inspiring and insightful. The key point that was most meaningful to me has everything to do with not settling. He suggested that it is better to get paid less to follow your passion, then to work in a field that does not interest you. In my own life, I know that my career is one that requires a gradual process in order to become extremely successful. His advice taught me to never take shortcuts and also to spend my time only doing the things that will develop me in the long run.

Mr. Sachs’ 50- minute presentation went quickly. There were several aspects of PR that I wanted him to expound upon that he wasn’t able to because of time constraints. I personally wanted Mr. Sachs to talk more in detail about building your personal brand. After reading a recent article in our PR Practicum class about personal branding, I have been intrigued by the overall concept of branding. I am sure that a man of his stature, caliber and career experience has had to work increasingly hard to cultivate his personal brand. Hence, that’s why I thought it was necessary for the class to learn from the best about this particular subject. If Mr. Sachs wanted to make his presentation better he could have asked the class personal questions about our career goals and desires. If he asked us those types of questions he could tailor all of his responses to help us with our specific needs and concerns. Overall, I think we could have had more time to do the presentation. If we had more time, there could have been more questions asked and additional advice given. I thought it was a great presentation regardless of the time.

Mr. Ron Sachs presentation taught me different skills that I can use to make my internship more meaningful. One of the ways he mentioned individuals could be successful is by being the first person at work and the last person to leave. I am going to adopt this strategy with my internship at the FAMU Office of International Education. I think this will show the staff that I am willing to contribute extra effort to complete a given tasks. A move of this type also would show that I have good character and that I’m willing to sacrifice my time for the well being of the office. I understand that time is a very scarce resource. Therefore, showing up early and leaving late would show that I am willing to use my most scare resource in the aid and development of doing great work without getting paid. Doing more than expected is truly the mark of a real leader.

Blog Entry # 5

Calvin Hayes

Blog Entry # 5

The article titled “Likeability: It’s an Inside Job” written by Bruna Martinuzzi is both intriguing and highly informative. Likeability is a characteristic that is often overlooked and under analyzed when a person is seeking to land a job or even stay on a job. The trait is not overlooked by the employer; however, it can be easily disregarded by the person seeking to obtain or maintain employment. Most of the time, individuals think that there work ethic, experience and company knowledge sustain their career. However, the world is filled with talented people with bad attitudes. As a result, our world is occupied by many intellectual geniuses that cannot find a job. Therefore, I fully concur with the context of this article and believe that your attitude will ultimately determine your altitude. In addition, upward mobility in our society heavily rests on garnering personal relationships in the workplace. In order for a person to advance in their respective career it is required that they assess, cultivate and build their likeability at all times.

In my college career, likeability has worked in my favor numerous times. I am very conscious of my likeability and seek to improve upon it daily. One specific example of when likeability has worked in my favor is when I ran for a campus- wide political position. In the spring semester of 2009, I had the courage to run for Student Body Vice President. While in college, I had always been diligent in my duties as a student senator and worked hard to represent the best interests of the campus. Although, I worked hard to do my job well, I think it was my likeability level that helped me to ultimately win the election. Often times as a leader, people are not aware of the tasks that you are completing on an every day basis. However, they trust that their leader is making the right decisions. This type of trust comes from a likeability factor.  Leading up to the election, I was sure to cultivate positive and genuine relationships. As a result, I was able to win the election without a run-off and in turn I tried my best to serve my constituents at the highest level possible. Another instance of when I used my likeability is on my internship at the U.S Embassy in South Africa. Everyday I completed my tasks with a positive attitude. As a result, the Ambassador gave me the highest evaluation and approval ratings for an intern.

The fourth tip in the “Likeability” article is to “lead with your smile.” In the explanation of this tip, Sanders list four elements of personality that are needed for being perceived as likeable. Of the four elements listed, the one that I need to work on the most is empathy. Although I am a very understanding person, I try to limit the extent to which I get involved in the emotional affairs of others. I am very concerned about the general welfare of every person that I come in contact with, but sometimes I would rather to just know what the problem is and address it. Most of the times, I don’t spend much time trying to experience the feelings of others. Instead, I try to hear what their general feelings are and then help where needed. In regards to the other elements of friendliness, relevance and realness, I think I am rather strong in this area.  After reading this article, I am going to try to make a concentrated effort to have more empathy to increase my likeability.

Blog Entry # 4

Calvin Hayes

Blog Entry # 4

The article titled “Building Your Personal Brand” by Sherri Bakshi explains the importance of marketing yourself as a talented professional in order to yield positive results. Bakshi suggests that individuals seeking to be marketable in the PR profession should volunteer their talents; get published frequently, take advantage of public speaking engagements and join a local PRSA chapter. Additionally, Bakshi recommends that PR professionals constantly assess and increase their likeability. According to Bakshi, likeability is accomplished by developing an attractive personality, having respect for people’s names, keeping a smile and handling complaints as well as criticisms with grace. Overall, the author indicates that likeability is an inside job and that we must work hard to increase our personal worth.

Sherrie Bakshi advises individuals to seek out speaking opportunities in order to improve their personal brand. I think public speaking is especially important because it involves capitalizing on a skill that is rare but greatly needed. Some people’s biggest fear is speaking in front of others. If an individual can communicate ideas and goals in a powerful way, they could potentially motivate others to action. During my college career I have capitalized on numerous speaking opportunities. As a campus leader, I have traveled around the county recruiting for FAMU and representing the university at several community events. In addition, I have won several oratorical competitions for different civic organizations that I belong to.  On my internship, I could use my speaking ability to facilitate study abroad seminars and convince students to engage in coursework in different countries.

I personally believe that individuals should seek to improve their personal brand daily. Being an effective PR professional is about contributing your talents in both a tangible and a personal manner. In order to improve your personal brand, I suggest that individuals find a niche and work hard to make it a great asset.  Being able to complete tasks that others cannot will always keep a PR professional in demand. Additionally, individuals should seek to constantly expand their professional networks and stay connected to people who are where they want to be. Finally, if an individual is to truly increase their personal brand, reading daily and learning a foreign language is a must.

Blog Entry # 3

Calvin Hayes

My internship experience has proved to be very productive this far. Working in the FAMU Office of International Education is the best fit for me for multiple reasons. Everyday I complete a project that I’m really passionate about and it feel as though I’m working toward fulfilling my goals. Some of the things that I have done so far are write an article about new language programs, host a study abroad seminar and introduce the new diplomat –in- residence to different facets of the campus. The internship is more than I thought it would be and it’s allowing me to grow and develop as a person. I am being extremely useful on my internship. Although I have a busy schedule this semester, I am still able to contribute a significant amount of work each day.

In order to be effective on any job, it’s necessary to know both your strengths and areas needed for improvement. In my internship capacity, I’m able to use my strengths to the greatest extent. One of my biggest skills is the gift of oratory. I have won numerous national oratorical competitions in the last few years. Being able to speak well allows one the ability to convince and motivate others to complete a given task. It is easy for me to convince a student to study abroad or learn a new language because I have learned the art of effective communication. In addition, I can write very well, which also makes me an asset to the Office of International Education in terms of completing press releases, newsletters and other forms of literature.

A long-term goal that I would like to achieve on my internship is completing a media kit for the FAMU Office of International Education. If I’m able to complete a media kit, I could build a more attractive Website and produce tangible products that would showcase the benefits of the office. Another long- term goal of mine is to convince 10 FAMU students to take one of the critical language courses offered at the university. This would contribute to my skills as a public relations practitioner because it would develop my skills of moving others to action and changing behavior. These few tasks are some of the hardest to accomplish as public relations practitioner. My goal is to defeat the hardest task and exercise all of my strengths to the fullest extent.

Public Relations Practicum Current Event # 2

A South African judge recently granted former Police Chief Jackie Selebi an appeal after being convicted of accepting a bribe from a drug dealer. Selebi was a senior official and a once respected leader in the African National Congress. This current event is of particular interest to me because I witnessed corruption first hand during my internship in South Africa last summer. While I was in South Africa, the police officers went on strike against the local government over a labor dispute. As a result, they purposely blocked the streets and threatened to hurt any person that attempted to pass them. It is extremely fascinating and sometimes unfortunate to learn of how other countries operate politically. While at times I am very dissatisfied about how America is governed, I must say that I am grateful that I live in a democratic nation that allows me the freedom of choice and where law enforcement does not rebel against the local government.

PR Practicum Blog Entry # 2

Calvin Hayes

Blog Entry # 2

Summer 2010 proved to be life changing and educationally enriching. I spent my summer as a Rangel Scholar intern with the U.S Department of State.  For six weeks I took classes at Howard University to prepare me for a career in international public diplomacy. These courses included Political Economy, U.S History of Foreign Relations and Intensive Writing. I also had the opportunity work and visit the World Bank, United Nations, State Department, Foreign Press Center and The Council on Foreign Relations. These activities were relevant to my PR degree and my future career in public relations because my goal is to be a Public Diplomacy Officer with the U.S Department of State.  My summer classes and work experience allowed me to understand the significance of being a Foreign Service Officer and their contribution promoting the interests the United States abroad.

 I am extremely excited about embarking on my final semester in college. I know that there will be several challenges ahead; however, I know that there will be just as many rewards. This semester I will be taking Public Relations Practicum, PR Campaigns and Basic Photography. These courses will be beneficial for my career in PR because the curriculum requires me to complete tangible projects that I can take into the workplace. In addition, the classes encourage me to garner skills that will be much needed for the rest of my life. My goals for these courses is to learn as much as possible, receive amazing grades and obtain skills necessary to be effective in my career.

 This final semester I will be interning at the FAMU Office of International Education. In this capacity I will be bringing attention to international programs at FAMU. In addition, I will be working to introduce new foreign language programs to the student body. I also would like to show students how to study and intern abroad at a low price. I will also use this final semester to prepare for graduate school, my career, participate in the Model United Nations and the FAMU Global Security Institute. I really want to serve the Tallahassee community in a greater way this semester, therefore, I will be heavily involved in my church and be the Community Service chair for my fraternity.