West Virginia native Emily Dodds is passionate about having a positive influence
on her community. For the past year, the Advertising and Public Relations major
has advanced pediatric health awareness in West Virginia through a grant-funded
internship with the West Virginia Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics.
“Not only have I extensively expanded my knowledge on how to promote health in children,
I have learned how to effectively connect with different types of audiences across
the state,” Dodds said. “I’m grateful that I have the opportunity to play a role
in achieving the Chapter’s goals of promoting and advancing the health of all children
in West Virginia.”
Whether it’s showing prospective students around campus or taking sideline photos
in Milan Puskar Stadium, Advertising and Public Relations (ADPR) students play
important roles at WVU. You see them in front of the camera as Homecoming Royalty
and the official Mountaineer Mascot, but they’re also working behind the scenes
in a variety of ways.
Senior ADPR student Paige McElroy was named WVU Homecoming Royalty in October.
The West Virginia University Reed College of Media was named to the
PRNEWS Education A-List for the second year in a row. The list recognizes the
best institutions of higher education for career advancement in public relations
and marketing communications.
The College offers fully online master’s degrees in
Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC),
Data Marketing Communications and
Digital Marketing Communications. In a recent survey of these alumni, more
than half said they have received pay increases of 25% or more since earning their
degrees. Additionally, 96% believed their degree made them more competitive when
applying for jobs, led to a better position or prompted a promotion.
Rhyanna Wiethe, a Journalism master’s degree student in the WVU Reed College of Media,
has been awarded the Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA) National
Gold Key Award – the highest individual honor bestowed upon PRSSA members.
Created in 1983, the award recognizes students who display outstanding academic
excellence in public relations and leadership qualities within their PRSSA chapter.
Wiethe was one of 26 students chosen nationally.
Favorite part of your job?My favorite part of my job is that I have the opportunity to speak with young professionals
who have a growth-oriented mindset. We're oftentimes so involved in our specific
majors that personal finance skills don't make the way into the picture. I love
having conversations with individuals with different backgrounds because they
are not alone, and I want to be there to help guide them along the right path.
Rachel Johnson (BSJ, 2022) and David Malecki (BSJ, 2022) spent part of their summer
break learning about the advertising and public relations industry from top executives
at Deutsch NY’s Summer Creative, Advertising and Media Program (C.A.M.P.).
The virtual, annual weeklong program is an opportunity for students and professionals
interested in agency work to network, further their development and get a crash
course on the industry.
Martin Hall Agency (MHA), a faculty-led, student-run advertising and public
relations agency operating out of West Virginia University's Reed College of Media,
was recognized at the West Virginia Public Relations Society of America’s (WV PRSA)
2022 Crystal Awards ceremony.
MHA was awarded three Crystal Awards, the highest honor a public relations campaign
can receive from WV PRSA, and one honorable mention during the ceremony Aug. 26
in Charleston – held in-person for the first time since 2019. Public relations
senior Cheyenne Oakes and journalism graduate student Rachel Johnson represented
the agency at the ceremony alongside Advertising and Public Relations Program Chair
Geah Pressgrove.
