What's it like to be in that major? cont'd...
Public Relations Major
Senior Rachel Orlopp chose public relations as a major because it was what was closest to fulfilling the career she wishes to obtain.“Public relations is a lot of writing,” Orlopp said. “We also do things like brochures and fact sheets. I want to do corporate event planning, and it was the major that related the most.”
Orlopp has had her heart set on event planning for about three years, she said. Past experience with high school student organizations helped to shape her interests in this sect of public relations.
As a PR major, Orlopp has benefited in many ways. In particular, she strives to work well with others in the classroom as if it were a real-world business setting. “I have learned a lot about cooperation and teamwork,” she said. “There are classes in the program where you have semester long group projects. It forces you to work in a team.”
After graduation, Orlopp hopes to get a job doing event, conference or meeting planning. If these don’t work out, as life often throws us a curve ball, she would want to work as a promotional person for environmentally friendly companies, she said.
PR is something for people who don’t mind being busy and can thrive in an environment with deadlines. Orlopp said her ability to work well under pressure and love for planning and organizing have helped her come thus far in her degree.
“The student organizations I have been involved in at UW-Whitewater have given me experience doing this type of work on a smaller scale,” she said.
As far as teachers and classes go, Orlopp had a few favorites. She recommended Gary Meyers as a good PR teacher, and PR Tactics I and II as effective classes to enroll in.
“Those classes allow you to create real examples of the discourse you will have to do in the field,” she said.
Orlopp chose an advertising minor because it fit well with her major and was of interest to her. She recommended taking professors Stuesser and Kranenburg for advertising classes.
“I love all of my ad classes!” she said.
Students can contact the Chair of the Communication Department Barbara Penington at 262-472-1983, or by e-mail at uwwcomm@uww.edu, with more questions.
