reflection paper 485

8/12/2019 Reflection Paper 485

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Stephanie ProbertDue: Tuesday March 4Comms 485

Reflection Paper

Looking back on my experience in the Communication department at BYU

evokes many feelings for me: stress, joy, accomplishment, pride, anxiety - but most of

all, gratitude. To sum up my experience in a mere four pages seems to not do it justice,

however, in this paper I will discuss what I have learned and my feelings about my

overall BYU journey as a public relations student.Knowing that I was able to graduate from one of the top five public relations

programs in the nation overwhelms me with grateful for the amazing education I have

received. I have learned from some of the most experienced professionals in the industry,

created lifelong friendships, and gained a knowledge that I know could not be matched or

more tailored for my life. I will first discuss the life lessons that I learned in my

experience, and then expand on more specific skills that I obtained.

One life lesson that I hope no student in the program leaves without is to not feel

entitled. The public relations program at BYU knocks out any sense of entitlement one

feels, and although that sounds harsh, it is a wonderful life lesson. For a millennial such

as myself, it is natural to feel entitled to things; jobs, grades, classes, and so on. This

program has taught me that success is all about what you work for and what you do with

your abilities. I can honestly say that not many days go by that I do not think of this

lesson and apply it to my life. Right now I am searching for jobs, and although it is a long

road and a stressful one, learning the lesson not to be entitled has helped me


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tremendously. Learning not to be entitled is a hard lesson to learn, but I am not sure I

could have learned it any better way than through this program.

The next life lesson that I value is responsibility. I have always been a

responsible, self-driven, and motivated person, but being a part of this program I have

seen much growth in myself in each of these areas. I am sure many of my colleagues

would agree with me, being a part of Dr. Wilsons class lights a fire under a student to

become responsible! Not just Dr. Wilson though, almost all of my teachers have held me

accountable for deadlines, expected my best work, and pushed me to find out answers for

myself. I was able to learn this invaluable lesson in the program because nothing washanded to me; I was pushed and had to learn and grow on my own. We were never

handed a template or given hints of what the teacher wants. In campaigns, essays, and

projects we were fully expected to go off on our own and find solutions. Although this

was both frustrating and difficult at times, I have seen tremendous growth in myself that I

know will carry over into my work experience, and life experiences in general.

A large part of the program involved working with peers on projects, papers, and

creating deliverables. Throughout my years in this program I have learned how to

become a better team player, as well as a leader. I often saw my groups more than my

own family at many points, but I have truly seen growth because of it. I have learned the

importance of pulling your weight in a group, being accountable to your word, and

accepting the ideas of others. As I have worked with some great team players, and some

who were harder to work with, thus creating an expectation of myself and the kind of

group contributor I want to be. When I do start working, it is very likely I will have to

work among groups. I am grateful for the skills I have learned at BYU while working in


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so many group projects. I feel I have always been a leader and have the skills it takes to

make group work more efficient. Leadership skills and the skills of being a team-player

translate into so much more than a work environment; I will take these skills with me into

church callings, family relationships and many other aspects of my life.

It is obvious to see that I value the life lessons I have learned in my experience at

BYU. Graduating from a program as excellent as BYUs I am also leaving with

numerous tactical skills in the public relations field. I felt coming into the program I had

all this skills I needed: writing, strategic thinking, people skills and so on. This program

has taken those raw talents and developed them into where I am in a position to be anasset to a company. I feel I have learned the matrix to a point where I am comfortable

with it and understand each components purpose. When I did my first case it took me

over 20 hours. I was so stressed and each component was difficult for me. Now I feel I

can create a whole campaign within a few hours. I have come so far in understanding

strategy and the key points to a campaign. I have also learned other public relation

necessities such as how to write a press release. I do not feel as strong in this area as I can

honestly say that in my program experience (not including internship) I have only written

three press releases. I feel I have the basics of writing a press release, and I will continue

to develop this skill upon entering a career.

One of the many reasons that BYU has such a strong public relations program is

the fact that the students are required to perform a 280-hour internship. As I am halfway

through my internship I feel my experience and knowledge grows everyday. I have

always felt that I learn best by doing, and that is exactly what an internship does for a

student. It has been a hands-on experience for me where I have learned not only tactical


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skills, but also lessons about how to be a better-qualified employee. Although 280 hours

seems daunting at times, I know that it gives me an advantage when applying to potential

jobs.

One of the greatest skills I think I learned from BYU that I know I would have

likely not learned anywhere else is the Matrix (by Wilson and Ogden). This system of

creating campaigns is truly the simplest, most logical and most strategic way I know. I

think that as BYU students we are at a real advantage once we start our career with the

knowledge we have of the Matrix. The simple steps flow logically into a strategic

campaign for any situation. I know I will rely heavily on this system in my career andlikely teach it to my colleagues who did not have the opportunity to learn it.

Overall, my experience in BYUs public relations program has been a success. I

am grateful to have been a part of such a prestigious program and I know my life has

benefited in many ways already because of it. Having this experience and earning my

degree is something I will value for the rest of my life and something I can be proud of

that I personally accomplished.

reflection paper 485

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