ONU's Social Media Class

Real-Time Facebook Needs to Remember Foundational Basics

2011-09-28T12:49:00.002-04:00

In my daily Twitter feed readings, I stumbled upon Brian Solis article, “Whoops I didn’t mean for you to see this.” The article did a nice job summarizing why Facebook users shouldn’t be afraid of the recent changes. I thought the article was timely as I listen to the daily complaints of the new interface. Solis explains how Facebook is moving to this real-time thought process, which happens to tie in nicely with our current readings in social media class. As we’ve been reading and studying the past few weeks about real-time marketing, it seems as if Facebook has embraced the idea and is trying to get it millions of followers on board as well. The biggest problem I see with Facebook leading this real-time motion is that not all are ready. As we have discussed plenty of times in class, some are slower to jump on the bandwagon. Not everyone is an early adopter, and it’s almost as if Facebook is pushing all to become real-time machines now. While I can appreciate the effort, the massive changes made were not well explained in a way that my 50 something mother understands. All she knows is that Facebook changed something and now she is scared to death that everyone is going to be able to read all of her posts and know all of her business.

What this boils down to is Facebook needs to have a better system is place to explain changes and offer tutorials to those that are struggling with the changes. They have the tools. I’ve looked and their located under your arrow button up by your name and home button, scroll to the help center. Why couldn’t they just put a recent changed update button up by our search box for all to see easily at least for the first week? It’s hard enough to get my mom to log on, let alone try to find the help center to read about why her status updates are not going to everyone in the world.

While I’m all forward the new move to real-time integration into one of my favorite social media platforms, it would be nice if Facebook could still hold tight to the basics of keeping your target audience informed. I love social media tools as much as the next guy, but mutually beneficial relationships are still the foundational building block!

Chicago

2011-04-08T10:48:00.010-04:00

For the second year, the PRSSA group ventured beyond the cornfields of Ada to tour public relations agencies. This years destination? Chicago. The group of 18, 16 students, Dr. I and myself went to Ruder Finn, Ketchum, GolinHarris, Weber Shandwich and finished with the Chicago Cubs. Although each agency had there specialities and key opportunities, at the end of the three day whirlwind, a few key points emerged. Here are a few of my favorites:

Practice Makes Near Perfect

Internships. Not just something to do to graduate. Not just something to do before your senior year. Not just something to keep you busy during the summers. Each agency we visited stressed the importance of internships. Why? For practice, experience, knowledge and a foot-in-the-door to name a few. Besides helping you explore niche practices within public relations, internships can also give you an upper hand when it comes to working at one of these powerhouse agencies. From the advice of the practitioners that we spoke with, the larger agencies are now requiring internships after you graduate to “try you out.” After six months, interns will either get hired on if there is availability, or be recommended to one of their “PR friends” in what the practitioners said was a close knit network of colleagues around the city and beyond. Internships are no longer an option within the PR field, but instead a must-have in your arsenal of tools.

Date Before You Marry

No, I am not talking about dating your co-workers. In this analogy I am trying to stress the importance of the networking and follow-up that is needed in order to get your foot-in-the-door. Kelly McArthur at Ketchum made a significant effort to drill this point home, so if you were in attendance and still missed it, please come see me to change your major. It’s so important that you follow up with contacts that you meet, not only on this particular trip, but at conferences, Central Ohio meetings/luncheons and at your internships. A great point was also made by Kevin Saghy of the Chicago Cubs explaining, “you also shouldn’t just follow up when you want something.” Going the extra mile to drop notes to practitioners with relevant material in their specialty can’t be emphasized enough. I find it crazy that even with this point pressed, students still don’t follow through. It could make the difference between you and candidate x, so you might want to find the time to make the effort! If you need help getting started, come see me.

New York is Cold, Chicago is Windy, LA is Sunny

Each of the agencies have practices or specialty areas that are exceptional in helping clients. One of the sound pieces of advice was to find out where the speciality practice that you look for is located. For example, Joseph Tateoka from Ruder Finn spoke of how if you were interested public affairs PR and contacted their Chicago office to do an internship in this area, you obviously didn’t do your research as that practice speciality is centralized out of their DC office. We teach the RACE model in public relations, not to torture you, but to explain the importance an effective PR campaign. Research can be an importance skill set that can be judged from your follow up with contacts and their specialties, whether it in NY, Chicago or LA. Take the time to find out what office works on what accounts to save you the time, energy and embarrassment of contacting the wrong people.

Not Every Topic is Sexy, but Doesn't Mean it's Not Fun

Going off the last point of specialties… if you want to work in brands, entertainment/fashion/sports… unfortunately so does every other graduate. Not many go into the PR practice wanting to work on the non-sexy clients. However, as you learned if you were on the trip, healthcare, B2B and even research groups can be a great opportunity to get started in the field. Who knows…you may enjoy it! The point? Don’t be afraid to take the opportunity to work outside your comfort zone and engage with clients that might be as known as Nike or Gatorade. It may just set you on a path that you enjoy so much it earns you and your agency a silver anvil.

A special thank you to the all the PR agencies and Chicago Cubs for allowing us to invade your space and pick your brains. It was a packed three days of adventure, but my hope is that students gleaned some better insight of public relations and make some invaluable contacts to reach out to in the future!

5 Lessons learned from Bateman

2011-03-25T16:54:00.003-04:00

It is Friday. I really wanted to leave the office by 4:00 p.m. However here it is, 5:00 and I am texting and calling all over campus to help one of the Bateman groups with their printing issues. Why does this happen every year? No matter how much I move up the date so the teams are not overnighting to PRSSA headquarters, the past two years have been a nightmare in the final hours. So let's turn this into a teachable moment...

5 Lessons learned from Bateman

1. Things don't always go according to plan. Sometimes even the best laid plans can backfire. For the non-preventable ones (weather) you must roll with the punches. For the preventable, (printing not working) time must be built into the calendar. Which leads me to #2.

2. Build in extra time. Every campaign has hang ups. Whether it be a group member getting sick, mother nature dumping 10 inches of snow or proofreaders bailing out, extra time must be built into the campaign. If you believe something is going to take one week, build in two weeks.

3. Encourage teammates. The Bateman groups have done an excellent job of this for the campaign year. I have watched them not only encourage their own teammates, but also each others groups. Not only are you building relationships with each other, your nurturing a productive environment that all can enjoy.

4. Don't lose your cool. We have all witnessed that one member that is stressed to the max, maybe not just with campaign responsibilities, but also with life in general. Losing your cool helps no one. The only thing it does is sends a negative vibe to everyone else and let's them know that you are not a fun person to work with on a campaign. If you need to walk away for a few minutes to regain composure do so.

5. It's not over until the "PRSSA Headquarter" sings. While you might feel like your finished when you do the last event, hand in the planbook at the end of the quarter or even get all the proofreading changes completed, it's not over until PRSSA headquarters sends me an email stating they have got your entry. Mini celebrations are warranted along the way, but the major singing happens when the email arrives. Whatever campaign you work on in the future, it's not over until you get the "job well done" pat or better yet, the check in the mail!

My Mobile... Can't live with it, Can't live without it

2010-01-15T15:44:00.004-05:00

If you are like many other Americans, you have a love/hate relationship with your cell phone. If you are more like me, you mostly hate the thing, yet realize it is your lifeline to friends, family and even your foes. There are very few times you catch me without it, and when I can’t find the darn little thing, I instantly become panicked. Although I will tell you most days that my phone is terrible, I still will not go without and if I had to scale back due to finances, my phone would be one of the last things on my list to downgrade.

Apparently I am not alone. In the January 11 issue of Ad Age, the article The New Necessities, spoke of in the gloomy economic times of 2009. While some industries were paddling to stay alive, the smart phones industry was instead taking off until new heights, growing 6% in the U.S. in the past year. It makes sense. Several students or friends have asked me about my smart phone and my likes and dislikes. While I openly share my dislikes, it still doesn’t deter from wanting the new and latest technological toy. I admit, I don’t ever want to go back to a normal phone that is only used for calling or texting. I love getting my e-mails directly to my phone where I can manage all three accounts. I can update my Facebook status, Tweet, and check out the scores of my favorite volleyball team, the ONU volleyball team, all from the same device…even when I am visiting my grandparents who still believe in dial up computer service.

I am willing to give up my cable, my pricy haircuts and my favorite Starbucks. Heck, I’ll even turn the heat down in the house 5 degrees to save money, but don’t ask me to give up my smart phone. I won’t do it...and it sounds like I’m not alone.

Proctor and Gamble Win PRWeek 2010 Editors' Choice

2010-01-11T15:56:00.004-05:00

I finally had an opportunity today to crack open my January issue of PRWeek. One article caught my attention, the editors’ choice/who to watch feature that chose Procter & Gamble as the 2010 winner. Living in Lima, Ohio, only a few miles away from one of the Proctor & Gamble plants, this story caught my attention. The editor outlined integration of communication and investment through research and evaluation as one of the leading factors in choosing the close-to-home company.

I find it refreshing that such a powerhouse of a company is still referring back to the basics that we teach in our Introduction to Public Relations- the RACE model (Research, Action, Communication, Evaluation). So many times PR practitioners get caught up with the hype of the campaign, that when the end of the campaign draws near a close, evaluation is lost. The article speaks of how P&G is able to evaluate brand PR’s contribution. By doing so the company is then able to determine and continue with those things that work, and re-evaluate or eliminate those campaigns and ideas that are not working.

As a guru of social media, the closing paragraphs of the article offered another comforting confirmation. Although public relations practitioners are continuing to use our foundational blocks, social media is something that drives us forward into 2010. Hassall, the global external relations officer for P&G spoke of an area that he’s especially concerned about addressing in the upcoming year- digital. Examples of Hassall using his Flip camcorder while speaking of the importance of video, both internally and externally for P&G lends credibility to the importance of teaching our future public relations practitioners now the significance and best practices of using and implementing social media in our public relations agenda.

Lesson learned…. The so what question answered…. Well, I think the takeaway here is that although public relations is leading us to engage with our public in new ways, the foundational blocks must not be forgotten. If you have the strong base, the rest is bonus. When that bonus is working with social media, which it sounds like P&G is moving towards, count me in!

November off to a brilliant start

2009-11-16T19:07:00.003-05:00

I know, I know... You haven't heard from me in a month. I wanted to share with you why-maybe to shed some light on why I've gone missing.

First and foremost---the "project" (AKA my dissertation) has been progressing nicely. On Wednesday Nov. 4, I handed in the final copy to my committee. What a relief. I have been working relentlessly on it for over a year, so when I hit the send button I didn't know whether to rejoice with gladness or puke. (I went with the former)

The morning after, I jumped on a plane to sunny San Diego to the PRSSA/PRSA national conference. What a great conference. I found myself constantly running between the two hotels-yes the students were about a mile away from the professi

onals this year-to attend every session that would not only benefit my students, but also myself professionally. One of my favorite sessions at PRSSA included the faculty round tables to discuss topics including student-run firms, the Bateman competition, and fundraising ideas. At PRSA, a session called publish or perish with speakers Deborah Worley, Jeanette Drake, Suzanne Fitzgerld, Tina McCorkindale, and Terri Johnson. These wonderful women presented an enlightening presentation about the importance of publishing and finding your niche in PR world. Another highlight of PRSA was my

FAVORITE co-worker, mentor, teacher and friend.... Dr. Steve Iseman was awarded the PRSA Outstanding Educator of the Year.

Because PRSSA/PRSA coincided this year with ONU's dead week, I jumped on a plane in order to take the red-eye flight back home in order to get another day with my beloved students before finals week. I had one day to unload and re-pack for my next conference that would start one day after I landed in Ohio--National Communication Association (NCA) annual conference.

NCA this year was held in the windy city---Chicago. I chaired and participated in a panel this year with several of my social media buddies from around the country. Karen Russell did a wonderful job summarizing our session, so here is a link to her blog post. I also got to meet up with my dissertation chair at the conference where we discussed a date and time for the final defense.... After many e-mails after I returned, Friday Nov. 20 at 2:30 p.m. will be my "project" defense. I will be sure to keep you all posted on how that fairs.

So all in all, it's been a crazy November. Plenty of things going on and more to do before the holidays.

Social Media helps FYE Class Service Project

2009-09-23T13:26:00.008-04:00

On Sunday, September 20, 2009, my Ohio Northern University First Year Experience Class (FYE) ventured to Anna, Ohio to participate in our class service project. Our goal was to raise $1,000.00 in an effort to support the American Lung Association fight against asthma.

This particular walk raised money in memory of Ryan Dentinger who is a cousin of mine. His dad is also an alum of ONU, so supporting not only a good cause, but an alumni seemed like a perfect fit for our service project. On August 26, 2003, Ryan suffered an asthma attack and passed away at age 9 while playing football with his family in the backyard. Ryan was not a severe asthmatic but did use his inhaler as part of his treatment. The mission of his family, friends and walkers in this particular Asthma Walk is to make people aware of how asthma can affect people even though they are not considered severe asthmatics.

The tie to this social media class is the use of ALA of social media tools. Not only do they use the tools themselves, but they also encourage their supporters to find others through social media tools. Our class found that by posting our need for support on our Facebook pages, that friends and family could easily access our pages and support us with not having to exchange money, but the ability to donate online seamlessly. ALA also has a Midland Twitter handle that helps the non-profit communicate with it's target public. Brilliant! They are interacting and engaging their audience by encouraging them to vote on tag lines to updating them about important upcoming events. Their Twitter followers allow ALA to speak directly to those that already have self-proclaimed, by following them on Twitter, their interest in the American Lung Association.

Our class did reach our goal, in fact exceeded our goal, raising $1,060.00 for the fight against asthma. Bravo to not only our class, but also to ALA for their use of social media with this very important and worthwhile cause.

A Good Start

2009-09-20T23:14:00.007-04:00

Well I just finished reading everyone's blog post for the first week. Very impressive overall. I am excited that some of you have already added pictures and links into the body of your blogs. You're ahead of the

game! Grammatical errors seem to continue to be the biggest hang up. Not that I expect perfection, but I do expect AP style solid construction of sentences and the following of elementary grammar rules. We'll discuss this more in class.

On a completely different note, remember that we'll be taking the class picture on Tuesday pending corporation of Ohio weather.

Welcome Back Riders....How was your ride?

2009-09-08T16:04:00.002-04:00

Looking forward to a wonderful new fall quarter with my 2009 Social Media Class!

Interviews with PR Practitioners

2009-07-06T14:06:00.002-04:00

Eight students in my Introduction to Public Relations course recently contacted nine public relations professionals to gain a deeper understanding into the exciting career of public relations. I thought it might be helpful to compile a list of the questions answers so that others could learn as well.

Here is our ALL-STAR lineup who volunteered to be interviewed….

Erin Biehl, Public Information Officer for Ohio Housing Finance Agency

Billy Fisher, Business Development Manager, Oxiem Marketing Technology

Shane Haggerty, Marketing and Communications Director at Ohio Hi-Point Career Center

Benson Hendrix, Public Relations Specialist at the University of New Mexico

Bruce Hammond, Director of Communication and Editing Delta Sigma Phi Fraternity

Leigh Householder, Associate at Ologie Brand Story Telling and Social Media

Terrill Larson, Program Manager- US PR at Enbridge Energy Company

Kevin Saghy, Account Executive at Ketchum

Jamie Timm, Director of Marketing and Communications for the Columbus Chamber of Commerce

And now for the questions…

Do you have a specialized area of expertise?

Answers included crisis management, non-profit, social media, digital communications, corporate relations, media relations, and education.

How many years have you been in the profession?

This answer ranged from 18 years being the longest to 2 years being the shortest.

What are some of the National Organizations that you are professionally affiliated?

Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) was the most frequent response as eight of the nine named this organization. Others included, local chapters of PRSA, American Society of Association (ASAE), Association Forum of Chicagoland (AFCOL), Area Chamber of Commerce Executives (ACCE), and American Marketing Association (AMA).

What salary bracket do you best fall into?

30,000-40,000 with 3 years experience

40,000-50,000 with 3 years experience

40,000-50,000 with 8 years experience

50,000-60,000 with 4 years experience

50,000-60,000 with 8 years experience

60,000-70,000 with 2 years experience

100,000-120,000 with 18 years experience

Our students discussed and determined that indeed our textbook is correct in the wide variety of salaries. It is dependent on the sector or public relations each works, as well as education and years of experience.

What is the highest degree you’ve obtained and are there any plans to go further in education?

All of the practitioners interviewed had earned their Bachelors Degree. Two of the 9 had earned Master’s degree with several others hinting that this is a near future goal. Some practitioners indicated that their employer would help fund going back to further their education. A few of the interviewees also indicated that they would be studying or taking their exams to earn their APR--- which stands for Accredited in Public Relations. The accreditation examination in PR involves a portfolio presentation and panel interview with three accredited practitioners, as well as a rigorous four-hour computer-based test. Thos professionals who earn APR must earn 10 point every three years through education, professional development and public service activities in or to retain their status.

What do you feel are qualifications for working in PR?

Some common answers included- problem solving, listening, experience, familiar with technology, a degree, presentation skills, ability to be trusted, decision-maker, ability to relate and develop relationships with people, creative thinker, self-starter, organization, and critical thinker. Even with all these answers, one common thread rose to the top. Can you guess? Yes, effective writing. Almost all of our practitioners mentioned writing as one of the key, if not the key qualification for working in the field of public relations.

What is one thing you like MOST about job?

The variety! This answer varied from those saying public relations is constantly challenging and things are always evolving to those others that felt fortunate to do meaningful work and work on new things instead of doing the same things over and over. Everyone seemed to agree that in the field of public relations there is no time to be bored! The second most mentioned thing that PR professional enjoyed is working with the media. Others mentioned the ability to be creative and social media aspects to also be something that attracted them to the field.

What is one thing you like LEAST about job?

The unpredictability. Managing your schedule. A few mentioned the late nights and logging hours as not one of their favorite things. One of my favorite quotes from those interviewed? “The ball can drop for five different clients at the same time and they all need something right away. Sometime you can get a little worn out!” Others referenced reporters as being tough to work with at times. Traditional writing was not a favorite of one professional who stated that articles and news releases were not their favorite aspect of the job. One professional expressed her frustration with being constrained by government’s red tape as her least favorite part of her job, while another professional wasn’t quite as specific just citing paperwork as blah. Another practitioner told us that being a “one-man shop” as his least favorite part of his job.

What is a typical day?

Is there such a thing? Most students found that very few things in a typical PR practitioner’s day remain the same. Most expressed that checking email, social media, and daily newspapers are constant, but even those can be disrupted. Ah, and who can forget those wonderful meetings that take up so much of our day? Many referenced meetings-whether with clients or co-workers- as a common occurrence throughout the workweek.

How has the economy affected your company? Is your organization growing or downsizing?

While the economy can look bleak, for our public relations practitioners, business is looking up. Some mentioned that budgets are tightening; yet clients are not leaving. Instead those clients are looking to get the most for their money. One professional did say that the movement to social media killed their previous job, but in retrospect it has open other doors for those specializing in this sector of PR.

How important is your technological expertise?

Eight of the nine professionals expressed it was VERY important in their job. One professional said technology gave them the upper hand in securing a job. Another stated that writing is important in PR, but you must have knowledge about technology to get the job done.

Have an internship? Was it useful?

Most of our professionals agreed that internships were an integral part of gaining the experience needed to learn in a hands-on setting outside those lessons learned through the classroom. The number of internships held for one practitioner ranged from four to zero. Most at least had one.

Words of advice or encouragement

· Don’t give up. PR can be challenging but once you get through the first year of actual working, you can go far.

· Take initiative wins over having potential. Share ideas and be willing to make an impact. Don’t just wait for someone else to give you a task to do.

· Get as much as you can from your classes. Take advantage of very opportunity no matter how big or small. Do at least one internship, as it will help you figure out if the job you want is really for you or not.

· Even though the economy is bad, you’ll get a job. Networking is important, you need to get out and meet people.

· Start networking in college; employers are more cautious of potential employees after they graduate.

· Enjoy the time you have at school with fewer responsibilities make it easier to enjoy yourself!

· Soak up information from the smart people, such as Dr. I (professor at ONU). Break out of your comfort zone, Take a variety of classes such as web design, graphic design, business management and become well-rounded.

· Work on your writing and editing. Know AP style backwards and forwards. Good field with good people. There will be more opportunities for people who can write well.

· Start early. Dabble in what you like and dislike. Get different internships to see what you like and don’t and help find the best path for you. If you start earlier you can develop your skills and can stand out if you are an underclassman taking on leadership roles. Writing for the newspaper helps too.

· Network and intern as much as possible while you are in school. Be involved in PRSSA when in school.

In closing, thank you for all those who woke up in the early morning hours to be interviewed by our students. You are appreciated and hopefully by posting your answers others will gain a deeper understanding of the field of public relations.

AAA Introduces a Social Media Tool to Their Arsenal

2009-03-12T17:07:00.003-04:00

In reading my March/April issue of the Home&Away magazine that is published by AAA for its members, I ran across an article that I struck my social media cord. Article title? AAA Travel Information Enters the Blogosophere. (First off---why is Blogosphere spelled wrong? Moot point). The blog is part of the magazine’s actual Web site and allows those viewing to read about AAA writer’s travel experiences, as well as travel tips, news, and trends.

I am impressed with AAA for venturing into this social media endeavor. From what I have observed thus far, the posts have been both informative and humorous- a great combination. I am sure the staff is itching for more action however. I went through the last couple months posts (they post roughly one a week) and they have only had two people comment. As a blogger myself, I know that you desperately want others to respond (sometimes either way-positively or negatively) just to know that someone is out there listening. I guess my best recommendation is… “Just hang in there.” I know that I was unaware of this blogosophere, seriously why the extra o?, until the recent article in the magazine. Hopefully this will draw other AAA members to at least check it out a few times, and better yet, maybe even comment. Wasn’t it the movie Field of Dreams that said “If you build it they will come?” I hope that Home&Away continues to put the time and effort into the social media tool so as they continue to build upon their solid foundation that “they” will come and participate in the conversation. As Li and Bernoff would say, they are building the Groundswell.

PR Nightmare or Dream for Ohio University's Admission Office

2009-02-07T18:10:00.007-05:00

Today as I was logging out of my hotmail account, the MSN homepage popped up on my screen. What was the main story? Americas Most Popular Colleges. In small print at the bottom read Plus: Top 10 party schools. Now as a faculty member and alumni of ONU, I wasn't expecting to find our campus of 3500 students and 1 college bar (ok, I think we may be up to 3 now) to make the list, but I was looking for an Ohio school on the list.

Back up... for 6 years I was an admission counselor and toured the great state of Ohio trying to recruit brilliant students to attend our fine university. Usually in assigned tables at college fairs, I was always near Ohio University. You become friends with the counselors from the other schools and hang out together as you tour your territory of the state. I remember the OU rep always cringing when students walked by their table without stopping and would say...I don't want to go there it's a party school.

So now back to the top 10 list posted on MSN today. I quickly glance down the list and low and behold, #5 party school in America is Ohio University. My thoughts quickly shoot to the college table scenario and the public relations that must be strategically planned in order to combat this newly posted list. On one hand, students could be attracted to this list. Outstanding---I hope they graduate. But I see how this could become a problem when the perspective student's parent realizes that they are paying how much for their child to attend the #5 party school in America? I would venture to guess that questions like first year retention and graduation rates will be asked more than a few times to their Admissions staff in the coming weeks.

So is this a PR nightmare or Dream for the OU's Admissions Staff? I am guessing that at some point this coming week at a staff meeting, counselors will be brushing up on their key messages in order to calm anxious parents. As for the student that is looking forward to attending the party school, note that NO homework gets done during halloween weekend, so work ahead and arrange your schedule accordingly.

Phelps in Crisis Mode

2009-02-05T16:18:00.006-05:00

*Note: Posted first on PR Profs Blog

Celebrities can be fun to watch. We rush home from work to turn on our favorite channel in order to enjoy an evening of make-believe. Sports celebrities are even better because they are the “real” deal. If lucky enough to land tickets, we can go to the venue to see them in action whether it is on the court, the field, or in Michael Phelps case…in the pool. In the recent weeks, I would wager to bet that Phelps wishes he were more of the make-believe superstar than the role-model action figure. Recently Phelps, who owns a record number of 14 career GOLD Olympic medals (8 in this past 2008 Olympics), was photographed smoking marijuana through a bong. The photograph was published Sunday, February 1, in the tabloid News of the World.

From a PR perspective I find this to be a crisis management issue on behalf of Phelps. In Steve Wilson’s (2002) book Real People Real Crises, he breaks it down to seven key steps to take when one recognizes a real crisis.
1. Gather as much information about the situation as you can
2. Alert key members of your crisis team
3. Assign tasks and continue fact-finding
4. Develop potential solutions
5. Implement your solution
6. Communicate what you are doing
7. Review the actions, messages and ultimate outcome

Questions worth elaborating on include many in step one. Obviously some have been answered at this point including who was involved and where it took place. Yet riskier questions loom including; Could it get worse? Hopefully this is the only incident involving Phelps and illegal activities in recent years. Otherwise this could get downright ugly. He was already tagged in 2004 for a drunken-driving arrest and now this. Strike three and he may be out. Step five and six go hand-in-hand. Phelps has issued a public apology for the incident. Many of the top American news outlets did pick it up. Here is a video clip from the Today Show.

The ultimate outcome is still to be seen. I ran across an article form Sporting Life that now talks of Phelps skipping the 2012 Olympics because of the wave of controversy. Fans hope that his bad judgment one night last November at the University of South Carolina doesn’t lead to withdrawing from the next games, but only time will tell.

Social Media Resume

2009-01-13T18:27:00.003-05:00

I ran across this article today and couldn't help by post a link to share with all. The article by Dan Schawbel talks about how to build the ultimate social media resume. It is very insightful and encouraging to everyone in my social media class who should have learned all these tools last quarter. I have worked with a few of my students on creating their social media resumes, and I know for a fact that one student may land a job because of the SM resume over a traditional paper one. I am a strong proponent that the SM resume gives students in the public relations field a definite advantage over their peers with just a traditional resume.

Now don't get me wrong. I am not advocating that you throw your traditional resume in the trash. I am just very encouraging to students to invest time in adequately spend the time to fully develop both. However for those of you that took SM this fall, you have all the component that Schawbel speaks of in his article to make the ultimate resume. You have your blogs...hopefully you have be faithful in updating them at least weekly (if not, get back on the horse!). You have an online video that is for a non-profit campaign. Show your ability to not only shoot and post, but possibly even more importantly create content. Podcasts---check. Obviously you need be be sure your social networking sites are appropriate, but your Linked In, PR open mic, twitter accounts are all excellent ways to stay connected and for others to engage in contact with you while finding out more about you and your personality. Finally, visual CV is still my favorite to put all the pieces together, but their are others.

So if you are looking on how to stay on top of the resume pile of potential jobs or internships, be sure to check out Schawbel's Post. It will take you some time to develop, but you will be rewarded for your efforts!

*77 TRUE or FALSE

2009-01-05T12:34:00.003-05:00

So I just got one of those emails that people forward on and I am wondering if it is true. This is where I ask you! The email goes something like this.

If you get pulled over by an unmarked police car, you may dial *77 on your cell phone to tell the police dispatcher that you will not be pulling over right away, but instead proceeding to the nearest gas station, ect. This is legal and recommended.

So is it true or is this some bogus email that still is traveling around in email world?

Twitter Handle

2009-01-02T20:27:00.002-05:00

For all of you who are dying to find out my mundane normal life stuff...my twitter handle is

@alisaagozzino

Enjoy!

Dissertation Topic Approved

2008-12-16T17:53:00.005-05:00

I received word today from my advisor that two out of the three topics that I sent her earlier are fine to pursue for my dissertation. I am choosing the one I am obviously more passionate about writing for the next 6+ months. I am excited and bummed at the same time. Excited that I can finally start working on the writing this "book" and bummed that so much of it needs to be done over the holiday break. Like so many of you, I too love to coast home and chill and relax and just enjoy the holidays. This dissertation is bound to get in the way! The goal is to hammer out at least the first three chapters over break. That is roughly 75 pages or so. Ugh. I have done plenty of researching work so I should have all the information, now it comes down to organizing and writing complete and coherent thoughts. Just wish I could have a few weeks extra off--who doesn't?

You are being talked about ONU PRSSA

2008-12-09T12:46:00.003-05:00

I know only a very select few of you are still following and keeping tabs on your SM blogs from how much you've been posting. BUT you need to be monitoring what others are saying about you. Remember? We spent an entire class discussing this very topic. Well, I think you should know what others are saying about you within the last week.

If you missed PRSSA on our first week back, boo on you. At any rate, know that you missed a topic notch speaker Bill Balderaz, President of Webbed Marketing in Columbus. Furthermore, do you know what Balderaz posted about YOU... Be sure to check out his blog post. He gave some great tips at the meeting of insights of social marketing. If you have a few extra minutes, be sure to play around on his blog. He has some excellent links and insights weaved throughout.

Is MySpace pages a credible source?

2008-12-07T21:55:00.002-05:00

I was reading an update that I received on my twitter account about two girls who died in a car crash early Friday morning from Allen East High School (about 6 miles from ONU). Indeed this is a very sad occurrence. However what struck a chord with me and being a social media nut, was a source cited in the article. Towards the bottom this article the reporter is discussing one of the boys that were in the car with the two girls. In describing him the paper reads, "According to his MySpace page, Scarberry attended Apollo Career Center." Really? Are we coming to this type of reporting in which we cite social networking sites as our sources? I find it cool and creepy at the same time.

Cool that we can get information like this in a short amount of time, unobtrusive to the family who most likely are busy with other things than sitting down recounting the entire accident with a reporter. Creepy in a way that no longer is any personal information private anymore. Everything is a "google" search away. I guess what I find most intriguing is that the reporter stated the MySpace page as the source. Instead of calling Apollo Career Center and verifying that that is indeed where the young man was attending school, they chose to just cite the social media networking tool. Interesting.

I am seeing little birdies

2008-12-05T13:16:00.003-05:00

I did it finally. I joined Twitter. My handle is alisaagozzino if you are searching for me. Yenne spent the last hour in my office trying to help me figure out how to use this new social media tool. I feel like a fish out of water. I just want to be able to jump on and start going and you really need to take the time to figure it out. I get so impatient. After my lesson though I feel much better. Like I might be able to figure it all out before christmas!

On a different note, the first week of classes is over. It flew by so quickly. The drama continued over in the chapel as I had difficulty pulling up a YouTube video today in class. Ugh. Luckily I had Pat C. that works in the building come in and sign in with administrative passwords and downloaded flash so we could watch a 4 minute video. I hope next week is a better week in that building.

Is this a sickness?

2008-12-04T12:19:00.004-05:00

Yes, I caught the marathon bug yet again...for the fourth time. This time I am trying to drag two students down with me. Katie W. and Amber U. wanted to run a half marathon. I coordinated a full marathon training schedule for them instead. I know they can do it, and once they are half way, they might as well go the full 26.2 miles. :)

So today is day four of the five month schedule and I am so sore. The most we've run so far is only 3 miles, but I haven't run consistently for a few months now, so running every day is a new concept. Tomorrow we have off-thank goodness. The long run this weekend is only 5 miles though, much more doable than the 20 miler we'll do in April. Ugh. We are running the flying pig marathon in Cincinnati in May. Hopefully they decide to stick with it and run the full thing. There is nothing like it and even though every time I finish I tell myself I'll never do it again, a week goes by and I find myself wanting to train for it again. It is a sickness I tell you!

If any of you groupies that follow this blog still want to train with us, let me know...you are more than welcome to catch the bug!

Day 2 of Quarter 2

2008-12-02T13:54:00.002-05:00

As of today, I have met and taught all my classes for the quarter. Each is unique in its own way and each has its pro's and con's. I would just like to state once again how much it frustrates me to teach in another building. Today the computer wouldn't work and I am unsure of who to contact in the building to help me. I went to the secretary (very sweet), but she didn't have any suggestions or recommendations on who to contact in order to fix the problem. My back up plan was to use the white boards, but it took 5 minutes and another professors help to put up the screen. I could feel my body heat rise in frustration that every thing in the room seemed to be against me. When I finally did get started, it was a very engaging conversation about PR. Too bad it took forever to get going. Furthermore, I was going to stick around after class to try to figure out the computer, but it was froze and students were walking in for the next class that started in 5 minutes. I gave up. Defeated, I walked back across the campus to the Freed Center.

My other classes I teach out of "home base" PAC 133. I love it there. Students do have computers in front of them the entire period, which leads to a huge distraction. An understandable distraction, yet annoying as the professor. Both of the classes I teach in PAC 133 are PR classes, which is always intriguing and fun. I heart PR writing. I have a sickness for correcting and editing papers. The other class is Bateman, which is a competitive PRSSA competition that I basically serve as a mentor. Although it is a classroom setting, I am here to remind students of the basics, and let them set and implement their own campaigns---mistakes and all.

Round 2...AKA Winter Quarter

2008-11-30T20:19:00.003-05:00

Every new quarter brings a new set of students, expectations and textbooks; but this quarter is bringing with it a new building. The Freed Center does not have adequate classrooms to hold all all the classes that our department teaches. Therefore, this quarter, every day at 11:00 am I will be trucking over to the chapel to hold my Introducation to Public Relations class. Ugh. Nothing is worse than walking to a different building in the winter in Ada!

Other than this major challenge, winter quarter is looking to be a busy one. My schedule rocks. I don't start teaching until 11 am. This translates to me teaching some days well into the night hours, but that is my ideal schedule. I am going to try my best to drag my butt out of bed and get to King Horn to work out in the mornings. I hate mornings, but if I get up and go work out, it not only is done for the day, but it also wakes me up.

For the students who continue to keep their blogs going strong~ well done. I enjoy reading your posts. As for this blog, while I am not teaching social media anymore, I hope to just post about my life at ONU and also how my dissertation is going on social media and PR. Feel free to stop by my office and visit! Have a great new quarter.

Objective in your Resume?

2008-11-25T21:17:00.003-05:00

I hope some of you will continue reading mine and other classmates blogs throughout the rest of the school year because some great things are being posted! I thought you might find this interesting...expecially after our discussion in class. The post is about putting an Objective in your resume. The author makes a valid point. Thought I would share. PS...if you haven't added this blog as a favorite, you are missing out!

Job Hunting Advice

2008-11-12T19:47:00.002-05:00

So in all my free time (which is as limited as yours), I ran across this post. It speaks of having a open mind when searching for your first PR job. Furthermore, if you read all the way to the end, you'll see that you are able to get a free subscription to a PR magazine. You might want to jump on this---as these subscriptions are not cheap. Just thought I'd give you the heads up.

Twitter & PR

2008-11-07T15:23:00.003-05:00

Well I have been holding onto this newspaper clipping from PR Tactics forever waiting to incorporate into class. I searched today and found it online--saving some trees. Nothing like waiting until the last class to post. Since so many of our speakers here on campus have spoken about the social media tool Twitter, not to mention the folks who spoke about it at PRSA conference, I found it to be an appropriate article to have you review to discuss in class. BUT, since you are all overwhelmed and have no time, I won't assign it as a must do project. However, if you have a few extra minutes sometime in the future take a look. It's worth your time.

Potluck Anyone?

2008-11-07T11:41:00.003-05:00

So I was thinking of a peace offering. How about a potluck in class on Tuesday? I'll provide the lasagna and if each of you could contribute by bring something as well, we'll have a final week feast. Please comment on what you intend to bring so we don't have any repeats...

Working You to the Bones?

2008-11-04T22:34:00.002-05:00

Dear Social Media Class,

This note is to all my wonderful students in the Social Media Class this quarter. I want to start by saying---maybe it is time to grow up. I have been stewing for over 8 hours now about this class and I've decided to blog about it. I've tried to be reasonable, flexible person. I gave you an opportunity to adjust the assignments. I tried to spread out assignments at decent pace, but today you really pushed my buttons. Guess what... there are going to be times when your boss calls you into his office on a Thursday afternoon and has a deadline of Friday by 5. Are you going to whine and throw your head on your desk and act like you did today in class? I hope not, because not only will you look like a typical "millennial" worker, but you may find yourself looking for a new job. My future PR practitioners... you must suck it up and do what you can to the best of your ability.

First off, you've know about the podcast assignment since week 5 and have 2 more weeks to complete-what 7 weeks total to do a 2 minute podcast that should take you roughly 45 minutes not enough time?

The video assignment. Known about it for 2 week and given a 3 day extension... hope your clients are as understanding.

Social Media Resume. I have adjusted to do in class next week so there is no "take home" work. Remember that when your client springs up a job that forces you to stay in the office until the wee hours of the morning and you don't even feel like going home is worth it, because you are turning around in 3 hours and coming right back.

Quiz #2-AKA the final. Lessen the points to 50, offered open book which you all voted down, and anyone who has had/worked with me before knows that I'll help you study. Yes, I know that my test are difficult, but on the last one the lowest grade was a C+---people that is great.

And finally, the 8-10 page essay on ethics that I assigned today. My bad, but I thought since I had such a great group of intelligent students that have unbelievable potential to win the scholarship for this contest, that I would offer points to accompany the assignment to sweeten the pot. I am giving you 2 weeks (14 days) to write an opinion paper. This is NOT the research paper that you need to go out and find 15 sources to site, or one that will be graded heavily on every mistake. If you were listening, all I asked is that you followed the guidelines and write a coherent paper that had a logical flow and few grammatical errors. Remember that content is the most important. I can help with the writing. Let me break this down for you.... 1/2 page a day single spaced (which is actually probably LESS than you write for your blog) it would only take you a week to write this paper. PS---you have 2 weeks. I guarantee that you write more in your emails or text messages in a day than you would for this paper.

Time management is a beautiful thing. I, like some of you, love the art of procrastination. But even I know my limits. You would probably smile if you ever saw my "post-it-note" wall in my office here at home with all my things-to-do lists. I put everything on it and like you, find myself overwhelmed at times. Yet, this is life. I hate to inform you all that it never ends. It's always something. You need to prioritize and relax. We all know that somehow it all gets done. Take each day in grace and just do your best. Honestly, you are bright young adults that have the potential to do great things. I hope when you look back on this class, you won't remember today (which in my opinion tarnished 8 weeks of pure social media bliss). I hope what you take away is a greater understanding of social media in a classroom which didn't encourage a test systematically every 2 weeks over material, but instead hands-on activities that nourished your understanding of the subject matter. I hope you continue to supplement your education by a continuation of your blogs to show potential employers your mastery of the social media tool. And of course, I hope you put some thought into the ethics of blogging, as not only can it enrich your understanding and stance on the subject, but it can also win you some extra dough. Anyone interested in graduate school will also have a solid paper to present at a conference some day---maybe even this spring.

In closing, I hope you realize I did not assign any of these assignments to torture you or make your last 2 weeks of social media class unbearable. My intent is simply to push you all to your fullest potential and prepare you for the future in the busy whirlwind PR career, in which big assignments fall upon you with nearly no turnaround time. So take a deep breath and decide today is the day you are going to take on the challenge to mature to a new level. Today is the day you will grow. Grow as a student, a budding PR professional and most of all, a person.

With Love,

Professor Aggie

Your favorite Social Media Professor

Your least favorite teacher in the world

Meanie

A squared

Alisa

or whatever choice words you'd like to call me

For all my procrastinators...

2008-11-03T17:10:00.002-05:00

The video/ YouTube assignment has been extended until Friday. I know... you can thank me in class tomorrow.

Not Bad...for the state up north

2008-10-27T22:24:00.005-04:00

Anyone who really gets to knows myself or my die-hard husband knows that we bleed scarlet and grey. For crying out loud, my living room is painted gray with the OSU helmet strips running down through the middle. Yet in order to attend the International (Public Relations Society of America) PRSA conference this year would require me cross over into the "state up north." Since childhood I have heard nothing but rumors about this forbidden place, but I was determined to make the best of location and gather as much information as I could in order for myself and the students at ONU to gain deeper insight into the inter-workings of PR.

Well the state apparently marked my car in traveling up here. Within 15 miles of the conference, the state tried to kill me. Well, I succeeded....in staying alive. My car on the other hand is missing the drivers side mirror and has "war" wounds.

After finally arriving at the conference I attended the Fellows Dinner in which our very own was inducted. Dr. Stephen Iseman was one of the very select to be bestowed one of, if not the most highest honor of our field of PR. It is a very prestigious honor, so the next time you see Dr. I, make sure to tell him congratulations. *note picture above is from the dinner

The rest of the week was filled with insightful sessions and wonderful speakers. I have taken so many notes in the last few days that my fingers have permeant imprints. Some highlights included meeting two authors of our books that we are reading this quarter (Breakenridge & Gillin), awesome workshops on social media, and for of course, the ice cream social. So get ready SM class. Build your endurance..because I don't know how I am going to cram 3 days of lectures into ONLY 4 hours!

So all in all Detroit was much better than expected. The people were nice and the planning of the conference was outstanding. Don't get me wrong, I wouldn't want to stay, but it was a nice place to visit.

Are you Freakin Out Yet?

2008-10-10T16:54:00.003-04:00

So I've had most of you swing by my office today asking me "what's going to be on the test?" So here is your long anticipated answer...

100 point mid-term "quiz"

25 points of personal reflection of the handout (article) that I gave you in class on Tuesday. Remember this is not a summary-it is a reflection. There is a difference.

50 points of multiple choice questions---25 of them at 2 points each.

15 points of true/false question---15 of them at 1 point each

10 points of essay---2 essays worth 5 points each

All of the questions will be pulled from the books we have been reading. Look back at your notes from the PP, those are usually the questions that I focus on the most. If it was important enough for me to pull it from the book and talk more about it on my PP in class, it is probably important enough to be on the test.

Happy studying!

Survey Takers Please

2008-10-08T23:27:00.002-04:00

So you all know my obsession with survey taking. Well today I took an hour long survey that was all about non-alcoholic beverages. What was cool is that I could tie this survey into this class, as there were a multitude of questions pertaining to social media. Quite a few questions asked if I had seen ads on the Internet, talked about with my friends about particular brand on social networking sites, or checked out the brands social media tools (blogs, Web pages, YouTube videos). Don't get me wrong, they still asked about the traditional tools too, but I was excited to see companies gathering information on the use of social media tools. It is catching on quickly my fun PR people. Get on board!

Timeout

2008-10-06T14:20:00.004-04:00

After reading so many of your blogs this week, it seems like a common pattern is emerging. Many of you spoke about not having enough time in your day for social media. Believe it or not, I feel your pain. Between all the things that consume your time, social media seems to take so much time that it often gets pushed to the back burner. Here are some ways that moves it up on my list. Hopefully a few of these tips will help it move it up on your list.

Find time in your day that you can devote a 1/2 hour to blogging. I bet that it turns into an hour or more if you have the time to give, and if you don't have the time at least you've touched base.
For this class you need time devoted to blogging so your blogs contain enough substance for points. With this being said, create another link list with just random thoughts or issues. Use your 1/2 hour that you are blogging to post a few random thoughts that run across your mind. It will not only get you in the mood and flow of writing, it might be really cool to look back on these thoughts later in the quarter, or better yet the year.
All the social media tools can quickly become overwhelming to keep up. This is why you should link the ones you enjoy to your blog so you can check them out quickly. Also, don't sign up for every social media tool you learn. (unless of course I force you to) Pick a few that you really see your self wanting to know more about, or wanting to be more active with their Web site.
Finally, it is much easier to blog about something you are passionate about--remember that from your readings? Pick something you are passionate about and write on that topic. Writing will become easier if you care about the subject. I do allow you to pick any subject as long as it has to do with PR/Social Media, so connect it to something you like. If I made you write about scrapbooking, even though I am passionate about it, I am sure most of you would roll your eyes. At the point you don't want to write because you do not care, most likely it becomes more like work than fun. Social Media tools are fun... Keep them this way!

SlideRocket Rocks!

2008-10-03T13:50:00.003-04:00

We had another wonderful speaker at PRSSA last night. If you missed it, and I am keeping tabs, shame on you. Billy Fisher from b & a in Dublin spoke about the importance of social media. I was loving it. One of the cool new things that he alerted my attention to was a site called SlideRocket. It is basically a cool way to dress up your PowerPoints. I love use PP for class, as you all already have gathered, and this nifty little service helps you expand your tools. I am still in the very beginning stages, but I signed up today on their Web site. SlideRocket even has a blog. Be sure to check out the link. It is very cool.

Just watching television

2008-09-25T21:19:00.003-04:00

I was so excited to watch all my favorite shows tonight as the new seasons are beginning. I could not resist posting about the Tide commercial that was played. Did anyone else happen to catch it? It screamed social media. Basically they played an online video that was part of a campaign that invited consumers to post videos with their tide "talking stains" and then the best was aired tonight during the premier of The Office. What a wonderful way to incorporate social media to encourage customers to interact with their product. Here is a link to the Tide Web site to check out the details.

Caution...What you post could come back to haunt you

2008-09-18T14:53:00.006-04:00

Social media is so cool. However some people can get themselves into a real bind by posting pictures. Check out this top story on msn today. It illuminates how dangerous social media tools can be if used incorrectly or used without thinking of the consequences of your actions. Remember this when you are posting images of your favorite weekend as a college student. It could come back to haunt you!

Grading the Posts/Comments

2008-09-18T14:53:00.002-04:00

I just finished grading all your assignments for week 1. I had a few that only commented on 1 thing instead of the required 3. If you know you fit into this category, come see me. Overall I was very impressed with your posts. I love to watch some of you really get into this social media tool. If you want to stop by my office I can give you back your grade before you go to it again this week. Happy blogging!

Fahlgren Mortine's Aaron Brown Visits ONU

2008-09-12T11:29:00.003-04:00

If you were smart enough to invest in your future last night, you were able to hear Fahlgren Mortine's bright young employees Aaron Brown speak at PRSSA meeting. If not...shame on you! He was full on insights from the PR practitioner world and spoke extensively on social media and the more powerful role that is beginning to the PR field. Not only that he blogged about you! http://www.fahlgrenmortine.com/?p=395 Be sure to check out what he said and remember to post comments. :)

Ethics of blogging

2008-09-10T13:12:00.004-04:00

Next week we are going to talk extensively on blogging. I was reading my copy of P.R. Tactics today and I read an interesting article on page 4 about the ethics of blogging. I've posted a copy of the link here. Might want to check it out so we can chat more about this in class on Tuesday.

http://www.prsa.org/supportfiles/news/viewNews.cfm?pNewsID=842347558

First Day Fun

2008-09-09T22:43:00.000-04:00

Well today was our first day of classes here at ONU. It was also the first day of Social Media Class. I can't speak for the students, but the 4 hours flew by so quickly and it was so much fun. It was so cool to see so many of them working so hard setting up their own blogs. Some are such perfectionist that it was a stressful and they quickly became overwhelmed, but overall I think once they get home and actually get time to work on their blogs it will become very additive and fun.
I really enjoyed our class discussion and really look forward to reading your post, checking out your blogs and watching how you progress throughout the quarter.

One Week and Counting

2008-09-02T15:45:00.000-04:00

Well today is our first day back to school for faculty. Next week at this time we will be sitting in our social media class discussing all the interesting things that will take place this quarter. The good news is that the entire class has emailed me back now as receiving the email informing them of the reading that needs to be done before the first class. I am really getting excited to introduce you all to the new world of social media.

Working on the Weekend

2008-08-30T15:48:00.000-04:00

Students smile when you tell them you were working when they were not. Especially on a holiday weekend. I have checked a few more of you in my class off the list, as you responded to my previous email letting you know know that you must read before the first day of class. I sure that excites you, but since we only meet once a week for 4 hours, I figure we might not want to lose valuable time. I still have four of you who have yet to respond. I will have to make phone calls to you next week if I don't hear from you by Wednesday.

Although school doesn't start until the 9th here at Ohio Northern, faculty are to report back on Tuesday the 2nd. A nice long weekend before summer is officially over. I will spend the entire weekend preparing for my prelim exams to finish up my doctorate. The testing will start on Monday and last until the following Monday. My topic is none other than....yep, social media. So I have been reading this stuff inside and out all summer. I can't wait to share all the fun stuff with the students! Hopefully they will be as passionate about the subject as I am!

Moving on to the Assignments

2008-08-28T14:03:00.000-04:00

Well much to my surprise, I finished the syllabus at 7 pm last night. I basically worked on it all day. A special thank you to Dr. Corinne Weisgerber (you'll see her link to her class off to the side under St. Edward's) because she has some wonderful ideas and really helped my think tank get going. I am using two of the same books and some ideas for the assignments, but unlike St. Edward's, ONU is still on quarters. This translates to 10 weeks instead of 16, so I have to be choosy with assignments and readings. Thank goodness for the huge white board in my office. I had ideas and chapters written all over it to figure out how students could get the most bang for their buck. I think I'm finally satisfied with the result. I went so far as to put how many pages the students had to read after each reading assignment to make sure I wasn't loading them too much on one week and not enough on another. You'll notice that the heaviest reading is near the beginning, so by the end, they are not too burned out.

Another exciting thing that happened today was that the university approved for me to post our school logo on my blog. You might not think that is as cool as I do, but I was pretty excited to be able to add that graphic. Seems to make the site a bit more "official" maybe?

Today's goals are to email the class with the first reading assignment (since we only meet once a week and we meet the first day of class), which I am sure will have them jumping for joy!

Starting the Syllabus

2008-08-27T09:57:00.000-04:00

Today I am working on your syllabus for the class. It's rough trying to fit so much into a ten week period. I am trying my best to keep you engaged during the 4 hour time block that we have to work with every Tuesday. Honestly I have been tweaking this schedule all summer, but now as it draws nearer to the beginning of school, I am forcing myself to get it on paper for you. My plan is to have it finished and in ready order by Friday to post it to this site.