Public Relations Management Forums: “Creating your future”

By Grazy Mengue

Public Relations Management (PRM) is a field where practice is essential, Ms Deidre Porthen, a PRM lecturer and subject coordinator has shown her interest in the students’ academic career by organising forums to equip them with the knowledge they need. 

The first term’s forums has been titled with “Creating your Future”, this theme has been assigned to all levels of study in the PRM department up until the BTech year, simply because from the first year to  Btech students are all creating their way into industry life.

The second year and Btech student forums were on Friday, 8 March 2013. The presentations were done by PR graduates who succeeded in sharing their experiences with the students. Among the presenters were Ms Marisa Logan and Ms Leandi Jamneck who created their own company called “Butter Knife Consultancy”. 

Mr. Bongani Gxekwa, a Public Relations Management student who is currently completing his third year internship at Associated Media Publishing, presented to the second year students who will be sent out into industry next year.  

One week later, Friday, 15 March, with the same theme, Creating your Future, the first and third year forums were organised. Ms Bronwyn Ellman, a PRM graduate, who really enjoys sharing with the first years, did not miss the occasion to interact with them, at the same time Ms Regine le Roux was presenting to the third year students.

Ms le Roux, a Chartered Public Relations Practitioner (CPRP) and expert in reputation management, was talking about professionalism in the work place as the students are currently completing their internship in different industries.

Overall the forums were successful in the sense that the students acquired essential knowledge to equip them in their studies and future careers.

PRM Btech students visit the Sentinel School

By Grazy Mengue

Situated in Hout Bay, the Sentinel School is a Non-Profit Organisation (NPO) that the Btech students will have to assist to raise funds in support of the organisation.

To fully participate and help the NPO, the students went to visit the school on Monday, 4 March 2013, in order to know what the NPO is about and what they can do to assist them. Moreover the students are dedicated and enthusiastic to help the Sentinel School reach its goals. 

The first area that the students will have to focus on is the school’s library which will involve them seeking book donations from the communities as well as various companies.

Ms Ruth Oppelt, who is responsible for the NPO, was happy to see the interest that the Btech students demonstrated to the project. The visit to the school has helped the students to have an idea of what the area looks like and what they can to bring to the Sentinel School.

Team Building: “Success is a choice”

By Grazy Mengue

On Wednesday, 20 February 2013, the Public Relations Management (PRM) department at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT), held a Team Building day called “Success is a Choice”. The event was held at the Wellington campus and was attended by the PRM staff as well as the 1^st and 2^nd year PRM students. 

The aim of the event was to teach the students about creating trust and building relationships with each other with the assistance of professional facilitators and team building activities.

The team building exercises were created for the students to get to know each other better as they will be working together for the rest of their academic career. 

The event was well organised and a great success because it got all the students talking, sharing and generally interacting with the fellow classmates.

The Annual Public Relations Management’s First Year Orientation

By Grazy Doriane Mengue M’assoughe

To welcome the Cape Peninsula University of Technology’s Public Relations Management (PRM) 1^st Year students, the department has annually organised an orientation day for the new elite in the field.   The 2013 orientation day happened on the 20 January 2013 and took place on the Roeland Street campus. 

The purpose of the Orientation Day is to welcome and give the future PR practitioner a direction of what the course will entail, what is expected of them and to help them build relationships with their peers and lecturers. The event was well received by the students who were really excited about the day and also about the goodie bag they received, which included sponsored items from Eskom. 

“I really appreciated this Orientation Day, it helped me get to know my fellow classmates better and  also gave me rules and guidelines to follow during my academic career.“, said  1^st year PR student.

Along with the PRM staff members, Kim Webster from Gecko Connect, a communications agency, and Raiel Le Roux, a member of the Media industry, also presented and welcomed the 1^st years. Other speakers crucial to student life at CPUT included the HIV unit and Student Counseling.