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.