UWG SCFM 42nd Media Day: A Gateway to Success and Growth for Aspiring PR Professionals

Cindy Martinez

PR and media-oriented professionals are invited Wednesday, March 6 in the Campus Center from 10:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. It will be a day you don’t want to miss. The UWG School of Film and Media will hold its signature event, the 42nd annual Media Day. Over fifty companies and experts will be present to advise on the tools students need to become successful PR and media professionals.

“Media Day will feature roundtable talks with experts on a cross-section of topics including content creation, building a successful career toolkit, maximizing internship opportunities, film and video brand storytelling, and many others,” said Dr. Hazel J. Cole, Associate Professor and PR Head.  “PR students will be able to engage with alumni and other professionals representing PR firms such as Babbit Bodner, Rhythm Communications, William Mills Agency, and corporations such as Georgia Power, Southwire Company, and media organizations such as CNN and Cox Media Group, to name a few of the over 50 companies participating this year. We’re excited about Media Day and the career readiness opportunities we provide our students.”

Media Day debuted in 1981 and has since helped students become more connected within the Public Relations media industry. This year, the School of Film and Media expects students to achieve similar results due to the high volume of professionals attending.

“Media Day has been around long before me,” said Williams. “While it isn’t my original idea, it is my baby and I passionately love this event. Planning Media Day lets me fully dig into the RPIE model for public relations: Research, planning, implementing and evaluating. It’s how we push ourselves to excellence.

“I think aspiring PR professionals benefit from Media Day because a large part of being a PR practitioner is building and maintaining relationships, and Media Day is a place to do that,” continued Williams. “Even if you aren’t a PR practitioner, Media Day is a place to build your network, and as you’ll hear from one of our guests at the table talks, your network is your net worth.”

In addition to the professionals attending, Media Day also offers benefits for students by providing knowledge on career readiness, jobs and internships.

“As a former senior-level PR executive, I understand the need for students to become business savvy and be exposed to industry trends, advances in technology, and professionals who are seeking to hire highly skilled talent,” said Cole. “Media Day, SCFM’s signature event, focuses on student success, as well as opportunities to network with industry professionals across media and the corporate sector who offer firsthand career readiness insights and internship opportunities. Many of my former students met their current employers through our networking event at Media Day. That’s powerful.”

Media Day will be a day for expansion, networking and experience, especially for Public Relations students. This event not only benefits PR students but also students in other concentrations. This event is growing bigger every year, providing more open doors for students.

“My dream is to grow so big with Media Day that we outgrow the campus ballroom,” said Williams. “We’re almost there. I want to see this event expand to the Coliseum or perhaps even an off-campus venue one day. I want students to continue to find what they need by meeting networking professionals in our various media industries.”