Communication Advisory Council Member Keith Lindenburg Shares Career Advice to Communication Students.

            Early Friday morning, guest speaker Keith Lindenburg made an appearance in Patrick Harwood’s multimedia reporting class to speak with students about life in public relations and communications. Lindenburg is currently the corporate communications leader and chairman of the
Communication Advisory Council. He has had a career in Communications for more than 25 years.
            He started out as a trade journalist before working for major companies and PR agencies. He said he was interested in advertising but it was a tough market for that career route. Because of this, he got into journalism and found a job writing about certain products. “I had no idea what a press release was,” said Lindenburg.

Lindenburg also said that the more exposed he was to public relations the more he liked it.  At IBM, he became the chief spokesperson and in charge of operations for the corporate communications team. He managed the PR agency of IBM and also worked as the managing director for the public relations for Deloitte. He managed all the media relations and hiring opportunities for Deloitte.

Lindenburg said that there are three pieces of advice he would give to students majoring in communications.

First, he spoke about relationships. Although PR stands for public relations, he also said that it stands for personal relationships. Personals relationships can be involved with the media, a client, and even with your team members. Networking is a great way to get your name out there in order to encounter new opportunities.
Lindenburg also suggested that as students we should take advantage of the communication department's advisory council. There are many members who have connections to many different companies around the world. He also mentioned the Mentor Protégé Program in which a higher-level professional guides a student.

Lindenburg also said that writing skills
 are a huge advantage to be more
hirable. He says you want to present
information in a professional and skilled
 way, showing a potential employer that
 you can write eloquently. There are many different way of writing and a good writer will be able to write effectively given and task. Lindenburg said, “ How can you be humorous with only 144 characters?” A good writer will be able to handle that request and will be able to get to the point and be interesting while writing.

Lindenburg also stressed interpersonal skills. “Be a chameleon and be able to adapt to any situation,” said Lindenburg. Also, he said it is important to say what you can do for a company during an interview. Be desirable.

Lindenburg closed with the question “What are you passionate about?” Passion can be natural or learned. However passion is obtained, it is what will make one successful.

Are you ready to ROCK...THE VOTE?!?!?

Early this afternoon on the Physicians Promenade, the College of Charleston Bully Pulpit Series and the Student Government Association came together to host an event called Rock The Vote. The event encouraged students and teachers to register to vote if they have not already so. The deadline to vote is October 6,2012. Election day is November 6, 2012.

There were many tables set up around the Physician’s Auditorium with information regarding the election. College Republicans, and Democrats had their own table with specific information on their views. The Political Economy Club also had set up a table in order for students to see what their club had to offer.
Cistern Yard Radio provided the music in order to keep students and faculty excited about the event. One of the songs that played while people were registering was “Gangnum Style” which is a popular Korean pop song that many students like.

Also, there were many fun giveaways like sunglasses, t-shirts and school supplies that were handed out to anyone who decided to attend this event.
 “I heard there was free pizza and I got sunglasses!” said Myles, a senior majoring in marine biology and French. Many students came for the free food and giveaways but they also find election rather interesting. Antoinette, a junior majoring in communication, said, “Yes, I am going to vote this year, I am on the fence about who I will choose but I am very interested to see if Obama will win again.”

Rock The Vote constantly had many students and faculty members registering to vote.The Post and Courier reported that 100 students registered to vote at this event!

Eat Mor Chikin !

Do you want to “Eat Mor Chikin”? Well, there is no need to go searching because a new Chick-fil-a has opened in the heart of downtown Charleston. It is located on the corner of Calhoun and St. Philip Street, which makes is convenient for many students and individuals to grab a bite to eat.

Chick-fil-a offers a full menu of breakfast, lunch and dinner. It is open from 7:30 a.m-10 p.m. This gives many students a chance to get some chicken sandwiches before and after class.  

After being asked about the serious issue of gay rights, the CEO of Chick-fil-a expressed that he is against gay rights.  This caused a major uproar for many people around the world, even our city of Charleston. Many students have been surprised that another Chick-fil-a was going to be established on campus because the Stern Center already has a Chick-Fil-A.

After the huge controversy, people who are against gay rights were rallying many Chick-fil-a establishments. Because of this homosexuals would plan “kiss-ins” which is the action of walking in to a Chick-fil-a and kissing.  Regardless of this controversy, the new Chick-fil-a still has customers ordering their breakfast chicken minis and delicious milkshakes.

What do some students at College of Charleston have to say about the new Chick-fil-a?

"I don't eat there! They support organizations that support anti-gay rights. Not only are they anti-gay, they also support harmful methods that try to find a cure for homosexuality when homosexuality is not a disease, it's just the way people are. It seems like discrimination to me even if it is not as visible as color or religion."

-David Finlen, 21, International Studies major

"The service was good. I think it was mishandled considering the CEO said that the company did not believe in gay marriage. He should have not spoken for the whole company because he does not know everyone's views on marriage and even though he made that flaw in her announcement he has the right to believe what he wants."

-Ashley Butts, 20, Business major

"No, I haven't eaten there. I actually worked for Chick-fil-a for four years but actually resigned the week this controversy happened considering my busy schedule and this controversy."

-Chris Piedmont, 20, Communication major

2012 Presidential Election

In less than two months, Americans will be lining up to vote in the 2012 presidential election. The presidential conventions were aired a couple of weeks ago and people are finalizing their thoughts on who they plan to vote for. Is our current president Barack Obama going to be re-elected? or is Romney going to win America's vote? Do you think it is important to vote? Here are some comments from various College of Charleston students and employees.

Name: Molly
College of Charleston Advisor/Internships
Hometown: Pittsburg, PA

 "It is important and a privilege to exercise our right to vote."




  
Name: Jamie
Age:22
Major: Political Science


"I don't like Obama's plan of foreign policy so I am voting for Romney this election"                                                                                                  

Name: Michelle
Occupation: Custodian
Hometown: Charleston, SC


"If we don't vote, our children will suffer and we need change in issues not just for poor people but for all people."

 Name: Kelsey
Age: 18
Major: Marine Biology
Hometown: Delaware

"It's important to voice you own opinion", Kelsey says when asked about why it is important to vote. She also expressed that her home state of Delaware was not as excited in the election as South Carolina is. Although she did not follow any of the political conventions, she is concerned about the welfare issues. She sees somewhat of a change since our current president Barack Obama has been in office. Because of this, she plans to re-elect him as president.

Name: Harvey
Age: 19
Major: English
Hometown: Columbia, SC

"Yes, I will be voting in the upcoming election because of two reasons: A) exercising our constitutional right to vote and B) to have a voice. Conservatism is not good right now. We need to take chances and push the envelope for faster solutions".

Time to Recharge at Battery Park

A tourist attraction. A beautiful view. A place for a picnic. A place to relax and be you. Battery Park is one of Charleston's historical attractions. I have always loved taking a walk around the battery and just relax. It's a beautiful open space full of trees and contains a breathtaking view of Charleston Harbor.

Many locals find it an enjoyable place to run. At one point, the gazebo in the center of the Battery was once used for a waltz dance session. Because this area is a beautiful and calm area, many couples take their wedding pictures at the Battery.

While working at my part-time job at Pandora, a newly hired CofC student claimed she loved running and exercising at the Battery. Many locals bike and run in this area because of the relaxing feel that the Battery presents. The Palm tress are swaying, the waves are crashing and dogs playing catch just adds to the beauty of the Battery. The Battery overlooks the Charleston Harbor while tourists scurry together to get a quick picture with it. 

The Battery also contains a beautiful gazebo where people like to take pictures. At times, people like to even come and play some music or even dance. The gazebo is at the center of the Battery and is open to the public.

Also, there are certain times where dogs can be unleashed and the owners can just pop a squat on the bench and watch the mesmerizing sunset. A local dog owner claimed she loves coming to the Battery because of the fresh air and friendly people. She also states that most of the unleashed dogs are super friendly and love playing with other dogs.

The Battery is THE PLACE to come and relax. It never gets too loud with crazy tourists but provides the locals a place to chill with their dog and maybe even get a small tan out of it. The Battery has always been my go to place to just have lunch or do homework. It's a place where people are relatively friendly and dogs are trained companions. It is always nice to just lay out a blanket and talk with friends or family about anything and everything. The Battery is the perfect place to do it.

For a virtual tour of Battery Park please click here.

Want to reserve the park for a special occasion??
 Please Visit:
http://www.charlestoncity.info/dept/content.aspx?nid=278&cid=1091

For more info on The Battery:
http://www.dreamcharleston.com/charleston-battery.html

Crossroads: A Dance Project by Maura Garcia

      The clock hits 7 P.M. and everyone takes his or her seats to watch Maura Garcia display her work. A poem is voluntarily read before the performance starts. As soon as the last word of the poem is said, music spontaneously blasts from the speakers and Maura Garcia starts dancing to the sounds of Charleston.

     “Representing every piece of historic Charleston with a dance move is very clever…,” said by an audience member.  Stories about Charleston were read aloud by various audience members and were portrayed by Garcia and her dancers.  Audience interaction was a key element in making this an enjoyable performance for people of all ages. Not only was the audience narrating the stories, but also each person had the opportunity to dance.

     The music was a variety of slow and fast tempos with showcasing many different instruments. Garcia’s beginning dance started off with a slower tempo and simpler movement and later displayed the opposite with a faster tempo with banging drums and quicker dance moves. The audience was sliding towards the edge of their seats when the music would progress.

      The performance ended with Garcia in many different items of clothing representing the different types of obstacles and roads people go through.This performance was a great opening to the Piccolo Spoleto Festival because Maura Garcia displayed various types of art from dancing to acting.

MAURA GARCIA

    

Program of CROSSROADS

Inside the Charleston Library Society

Scattered Clothes which represented all the crossroads and obstacles of life.