1. THE IMPRESSION
USF PRSSA Helps You “Land The Internship”
By Erica Everett, Staff Writer
USF PRSSA’s mission is to help public relations students build their professional networks and learn
skills they can use to explore the industry. This semester, the chapter has laid out a roadmap to suc-
cess through events and workshops that will help students land the internship of their dreams.
“We have never before taken on so much,” said Megan Doherty, USF PRSSA president. “I am super
excited to be putting on such a successful semester.”
The “Land the Internship Series” kicks off on Feb. 11 with the Brand Yourself workshop featuring
networking and social media guru, Kasandrea Sereno. She’s teaching students the ins out outs of
LinkedIn, resume dos and don’ts, and how to network like a pro.
Students will later be able to polish their new skills at Manners Under the Moonlight, this year’s edi-
tion of the annual Cocktail Etiquette Party, happening on Feb. 25. Students will learn from profession-
als about how to survive various professional outings.
Once they’ve tested the waters, it’s time to dive right into networking! USF PRSSA will host a profes-
sional mixer where students can mingle with members of PRSA Tampa Bay. This event is to be
scheduled for the end of March and will feature a broad range of professionals.
The Series peaks at the end of the semester with USF PRSSA’s internship fair. There will be dozens
of organizations and firms represented, and students will put all of their new skills to the test as they
attempt to land an internship.
USF PRSSA’s student-run public relations firm, KnoBull PR, will also give students the opportunity to
gain experience from its five client accounts: The Fashion Executives, Mojo Books & Music, Combat
Wounded Veterans Challenge, USF PRSSA and Celebrate Sound.
The organization will be actively supporting two philanthropic events on campus: KnoBull PR client
Celebrate Sound: Don’t Walk in Silence 5K, March 21 and USF Relay for Life, April 28.
Between the “Land the Internship Series” and gaining experience through KnoBull PR, USF PRSSA
is providing students the ability to prepare themselves to be the best they can in the workforce.
University of South Florida February 2015
Upcoming
Events:
Manners Under
the Moonlight:
Wednesday, February
25 at 6:45 p.m.
USF PRSSA invites
you to join us by the
MLK fountain for our
annual cocktail eti-
quette party. The event
will be co-hosted by
Tampa Bay
professionals.
General Body
Meetings:
Wednesday, March 11
at 6:45 p.m. in MSC
3713
Celebrate Sound:
Saturday, March 21
Come celebrate hear-
ing health with USF
PRSSA as we partici-
pate in our annual phi-
lanthropy event, the
Sertoma Club’s Cele-
brate Sound Don’t
Walk in Silence event.
Agency Tour:
Stay tuned for the ex-
act dates and times of
our local agency tours.
2. KnoBull PR Begins Spring Semester
with New Clients and Goals
By Tatiana Ortiz, Staff Writer
KnoBull PR is USF PRSSA’s student-run public relations agency, which operates pro
bono and provides students with real-world, hands-on agency experience. The firm
works alongside other student organizations and small businesses in the Tampa com-
munity.
“Many of our new clients this semester are allowing us to explore new areas of public
relations and integrated marketing communications that we have not covered in previ-
ous semesters.” said KnoBull PR vice president Helen Bierko. “We are getting to do
more with media relations, event planning and campaign strategies for bigger organiza-
tions.”
This semester KnoBull PR will be working with a total of six clients. The clients will con-
sist of three businesses: Mojo Books and Records, Celebrate Sound and Combat
Wounded Veteran’s Challenge; and two student organizations: Fashion Execu-
tives and USF PRSSA.
“The sixth client will be announced during the next club meeting this month,” said
KnoBull PR President Taylor Evans. “ It is really exciting to get everything started!”
By working with various types of clients such as non-profit, entertainment and fashion, the firm gives students an opportunity to gain experi-
ence in different aspects of the public relations industry.
Evans and Bierko are both looking forward to making a difference in the lives of others in the community. Bierko wants KnoBull
PR to become even bigger and better by giving students a chance to use their creative freedom with hands-on experience from clients.
“Involvement and over-communication is key to getting everyone known, better marketed, searched and rebranded,” said Evans.
Getting to Know the Clients:
1. Mojo Books and Records- Mojo Books and Records is an independent
bookstore, record store and coffee shop near the USF campus. They have
been a KnoBull PR client for multiple semesters.
2. Celebrate Sound- A non-profit that promotes raising awareness for hearing
health. KnoBull PR wants to help rebrand Celebrate Sound and get their name
known in the community.
3. Combat Wounded Veteran Challenge- A non-profit client that helps pro-
vide for amputee and wounded veterans by doing research at St. Petersburg College for prosthetics. KnoBull PR wants to raise awareness
and money for them within the area.
4. The Fashion Executives- A student organization for students who want to go into the fashion industry and do either writing or
designing.
5. USF PRSSA- KnoBull PR has added USF PRSSA as a client because in order for an organization to grow, the brand needs to
become more publicly acknowledged as well as trusted.
“Involvement and over communication
is key to getting everyone known, better
marketed, searched and rebranded.”
-Taylor Evans, Student-Run Firm Director
University of South Florida February 2015
Want to win a free t-shirt?
Attend all the general body meetings for the chance to receive a grey, V-neck tee!
3. University of South Florida February 2015
Introducing Our New Executive Board
By Tess Woods, Staff Writer
Top (from left to right): Megan Doherty, President; Aroushad Tahsini, Vice President; Stephanie Livaudais, Director of Communica-
tions; Holly Lanier, Secretary
Bottom (from left to right): Taylor Evans, Student-Run Firm President; Kaylea Schule, Treasurer; Danielle Fox, Event Coordinator;
Kelsie Hall, Art Director
Not Pictured: Helen Bierko, Student-Run Firm Vice President
Photos by: Paige Casey
Social Media Member of the
Month: Javier Castrillo
Join us during meetings, events and socials on social media! Live-
tweet, upload to Instagram and Facebook and use our hashtag—
#exPRSSAyourself.
This month’s winner is Javier Castrillo. Castrillo posted his photo, left,
to Instagram with the caption “Honored to have met the Director of
Communications for the Tampa Bay Rays Dave Haller tonight.
#exPRSSAyourself”
Get involved like Javier by using our hashtag and following our social
media accounts, located on the last page of the newsletter!
The Public Relations Student Society of America is hosting their
annual National Assembly in Portland, Ore. this March. This
leadership conference will provide PRSSA members with net-
working opportunities, hands-on campaign experience and
more! Registration is now closed, but keep up with the Assem-
bly by following hashtag #PRSSANA.
4. Contact Us
Find us on social media
or contact our executive
board members for
more information.
Facebook
USF PRSSA
Twitter
@USFPRSSA
#exPRSSAyourself
Instagram
@USFPRSSA
#exPRSSAyourself
USF PRSSA Office
4202 E Fowler Ave
CIS 3003
Tampa, FL 33620
Created by:
Helen Bierko
helenbierko
@mail.usf.edu
Copy Editors:
Stephanie Livaudais
slivaudais
@mail.usf.edu
Erica Everett
ericae
@mail.usf.edu
Member of the Month: USF PRSSA Secretary
Holly Lanier Takes On the World
By Shahla Khan, Staff Writer
USF PRSSA Secretary, Holly Lanier, is a 20-year-old senior
who has already visited over 10 different countries. Lanier
comes from a military family, where she had the opportunity to
live in Germany for eight years.
“The first place I moved to outside of the United States was a
tiny airbase in Germany,” Lanier said. After two years, Lanier
transferred to an airbase in the heart of Bavaria, which she
describes as the most beautiful part of Germany.
“Bavaria has shady biergartens, half-timbered houses and
rolling hills broken up by tiny medieval villages where the
church bells ring every Saturday and Sunday, and the farmers
still use horse-drawn carriages to get around,” Lanier said.
“I've walked around London at 3 a.m. and I've chatted with a grocer in Edinburgh and sung ‘La Vie
en Rose’ with a French accordion player in Paris' Latin Quarter,” Lanier said, recalling some of her
most treasured memories from traveling. “I've stood on the edges of waterfalls in the Swiss Alps and
dug for agate and chips of precious stone in an abandoned German gem mine. Those are the things
that stay with you.”
Travel has shaped Lanier in more ways than one. “I'm more outgoing, cultured, adventurous and
organized than I might have been if I had never traveled,”she said. With so much exposure to life
outside of the United States, Lanier has gained a better global perspective.
“My attention isn't so much internally focused as it is globally focused. I like to know what's going on
in the world and what role we play in it,” Lanier said.
“I lived for the exquisite European pastries, which were never as sweet as they looked, the German
schnitzel, the gelato, and the pizza,” said Lanier, whose extensive travel has also gained her a pas-
sion for food and history, as well as a fear of driving.
As a history buff, she enjoys absorbing the culture of the places she visits. “When I go anywhere that
has a free museum, you can bet that I'm going to devote several hours to walking around in that
museum,” Lanier said.
Lanier acquired her driver’s license a year ago, but still prefers
walking to driving. “American cities should invest in light rails or
better railway systems. Amtrak and the dodgy bus systems aren't
cutting it,” Lanier said.
Not only has travel developed Lanier in personal ways, but it has
impacted her professional identity as well. “I chose to major in PR
because I wanted a job where I could work anywhere and do just
about anything,” Lanier said.
Traveling has also helped her to better understand certain as-
pects of working in public relations. “I understand how to ap-
proach the general public on a global scale. Due to the increasing
importance of corporate social responsibility, that external, inter-
national mentality is a strong asset,” Lanier said.
As a seasoned traveler, Lanier shares some advice for those
visiting a new country for the first time:
“Watch out for pickpockets, download WhatsApp to stay in touch with the folks back home and
spend as little time as possible in your hotel room. Don't be afraid to buy those cheap late-night the-
atre tickets, or try that weird local delicacy on the menu or go for a walk without thinking about where
you'll end up,” Lanier said.
So what’s next for Lanier? After she graduates in May, Lanier will be moving to London, England for
an internship at Pax Lodge, which is one of the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts
World Centre.
University of South Florida February 2015