Category Archives: Uncategorized

Another Semester of ‘Experiential Learning’ Begins at Rider University

Leave a reply

Fall 2018 at Rider University looks like it’s going to be another exciting semester of “experiential learning” (or, as I like to say, “learning by doing”) in both my COM341 Publicity Methods class and my COM107 Writing for the Media class — and I can’t wait to get started tomorrow (September 6th)! 

This semester, my students and I will be working and learning with Hackensack Meridian Health‘s Meghan Higgins and Margaret Fontana, producing a “Social Media Embassy” at the HMH Women Rock event on October 14th in Asbury Park, NJ. (Tyra Banks will be at the event, too!)

We’ll also be working and learning with the newly formed nonprofit, the James R. Halsey Foundation of the Arts, and its founder, Joseph A. Halsey, taking a hands-on approach to learning how to develop and promote the organization.

Additionally, my COM107 students will collaborate with Patrick Jones and Bryan Evans from Greater Trenton. We’ll be writing articles for the new online publication, Trenton Daily.

Yes! It’s going to be a very busy — yet FUN — semester… stay tuned!

P.S. I know it’s been a while since I’ve posted on this blog… I’m not going to make excuses, but I am going to promise to try to post more frequently and to restart the flow of information and conversation here. (In fact, I missed telling you about last semester, Spring 2018, when my students produced a super-successful event at Rider U. working with Seven13 Films… Maybe we’ll talk more about that in a future blog post?!)

But, I’m back — and I’m happy to be bringing this blog back to life, and I’m looking forward to teaching and facilitating another semester of “experiential learning” at Rider University!

Learning By Doing: Rider University Students Take Over Social Media at #HMHWomenRock Event

Leave a reply

I’ve always been a big believer in the concept of “learning by doing”! myLIpost WOMENROCK

This semester (Fall 2017), my “COM341 Publicity Methods” class at Rider University has had the wonderful opportunity to work with, and learn from, Meghan Higgins, Online Conversation Starter for Hackensack Meridian Health (HMH), and Margaret Fontana, HMH Digital Information Officer. Meghan and Margaret are our class’ “real-world” clients, and they’ve been helping us to learn everything we can about communications, social media, digital media, event planning, promotion, publicity, business, and more!

After weeks of planning during our class meetings and Skype sessions with Meghan and Margaret, on Saturday, October 21, we accomplished a “social media takeover” at the HMH Women Rock event in Asbury Park, New Jersey. Throughout the afternoon event, which was attended by hundreds of people, we expertly handled the social media coverage. We also were fortunate to have the assistance of a few photographers from my class and from Professor Jessi Oliano’s photography class at Rider. It was a great day – and an awesome experience for everyone involved!

A big “thank you” to these special people:

  • Thank you to my Rider students and Prof. Oliano’s photography students for doing such an amazing job! You make me so proud to be associated with you and Rider University. 🙂
  • Thank you to everyone at the #HMHWomenRock event who participated with us in real life (IRL) and on social media – Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat and Pinterest!
  • And, most of all, a BIG “THANK YOU” to Meghan Higgins, Margaret Fontana, and the folks at Hackensack Meridian Health who made this learning experience possible!

 

‘Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm…’

Leave a reply

syllabi fall 2017American Poet Ralph Waldo Emerson said, “Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm.” I agree 100%! That’s why I’m so excited to be starting another semester working with my students at Rider University. This semester, I’m teaching “COM107 Writing for the Media” and “COM341 Publicity Methods.” I couldn’t be any more enthusiastic about meeting my students (although I’ve met a few before) and about moving ahead with the activities planned for Fall 2017.

It’s go time! Classes start this week, and my syllabi are complete and already shared on Canvas (Rider’s learning management system online). Enthusiastically, I anticipate Fall 2017 will be a GREAT semester! Bring it on!

New Opportunities Require New Ways of Thinking! (#Repost2017)

Leave a reply

I originally wrote and published the following blog post in June 2011, but I think it’s still relevant and appropriate for today’s world. What do you think?… Over the past few months (in 2011), I’ve been exploring new opportunities and paths, specifically looking for additional revenue streams to add to my “collection” as a self-employed professional. On several occasions, I’ve run into a similar mindset shared by people in management/leadership positions, and I’ve heard these words over and over again: “Don’t try to change us. This is how we do things…”

cropped thinking brain

I can’t help but wonder why people develop this mindset, and why they’re closing off any new ideas. Why, at this time, when our economy is suffering and sales are slow in every industry, would we want to continue doing things the same way we did 10 or 20 (or even 30) years ago? Why don’t we want to change? Why wouldn’t we want to embrace new ideas and opportunities?

When I ran into my high school social studies teacher about a year ago, she said hello and she also said that she remembers that I always asked a lot of questions in class. — She did add that they were “good” questions, by the way… ;-) — I guess I haven’t changed much in that way: I’m still asking  a lot of questions. But, over the years, I have changed in the way I see the world around me, and I’ve learned that new opportunities require new ways of thinking.

What do you think? If you have answers to any of my questions, please share them here.

Until next time, take care and thanks for reading!

Kathy

Do You Schedule Your Time and Work in a Way that is ‘Natural’ for YOU?

Leave a reply

In business, and in life, in general, timing is everything. I came across this blog post this morning: A Resting Revolution: Insight from Martha. croppedsunriseWhile Martha Beck, a popular life coach, author and motivational speaker, wrote this post in 2012, I believe I discovered and read the blog post at just the right time for me.

Right now, I needed to be reminded that “we should follow our own impulses rather than adhering to rigid external rules…” I believe this advice applies to just about everything in life. But, in this instance, Martha is referring to our schedules: when we work, and when we rest and sleep. In the article, Martha also quotes “brain rules” developed by Dr. John Medina, a developmental molecular biologist who studies the human brain. His “brain rule #7” is “Sleep well. Think well.” (I know that when I’m tired, it takes me a lot longer to get my work done.)

Our schedules can get crazy these days, with so many distractions, plus the demands of outside influences in our business and personal lives (school schedules, meeting times, sports schedules, travel requirements, etc.) Martha brings up a good point: Our school and work schedules today are based on timing and concepts developed during different times – and the world has changed A LOT since the Industrial Revolution. She says, “There is no reason to continue scheduling our activities based on a model from the 19th century,” and I agree.

Whether you’re naturally a “night owl” or an “early bird,” you’re most effective when you time your work – and your rest – to match your own natural rhythm. Good luck – and let’s get some rest! 🙂

In business, it’s okay to change your mind (and follow your heart)

Leave a reply
TheWriteWay’s pick for February 9, 2015:

“Change is good.” I’ve always believed this statement, and it’s refreshing and reassuring when you see people embracing change in their lives. heartBut the same “change is good” concept can (and should) be applied when we change our minds, especially when we’re following our hearts. Sisters and business partners Becca Nelson and Ellie Brown changed their minds and decided to keep their business, after Mark Cuban offered to buy it for $200,000 on TV’s “Shark Tank.” There was an article on NewsObserver.com that shared their story, and it offered some validation that it’s okay to change your mind in business, and to do what “feels right” to you. (The link to the article that I had posted unfortunately no longer works.) Best of luck, Becca and Ellie – and keep following your hearts! 🙂

P.S. In keeping with the “change is good” theme of this post, I’ve opted to change these weekly blog posts… I’ll be posting one article at a time (rather than two or three), so that each selection can get the focused attention it deserves. (And you may be seeing more than one post per week… Stay tuned!)

Change It Up!…Or Start A New Business — TheWriteWay picks for week of February 2

Leave a reply

Is it Time to ‘Change It Up’ in Business and Your Personal Life?

If you work for yourself (like I do), your business and personal life often “merge” or, at least, impact each other – A LOT. (It’s similar when you work for others, but maybe not as extreme?…) How do we manage this “merger” of our business and personal lives? @ChrisGuillebeau says we should take the time to think about our goals, both personal and business, each day. He says we should ask ourselves a simple question at the end of each day: “Did today matter?” How you answer this question can offer some guidance and perspective. Chris says, “Did today matter? If so, great. Do more things like it tomorrow. Can’t remember anything in particular that made a difference? Well, better change it up…” Read his post, 7 Alternative Ways to Evaluate Your Life Every Day, for some more guidance and motivation: http://bit.ly/1EoKHqd

Are You Dreaming of Starting a New Business in 2015?…

What type of business will you start? Each year, people starting new businesses search among sample business plans on the Bplans.com website, and the owners of the site track which searches are most popular. Then they publish and share a “Top 10” list. In her article on Inc.com, @MindaZetlin writes about the list, and she says, “It’s a fascinating look into the types of businesses most of us dream of starting, and how those dreams have changed over time.” Read Minda’s article, The 10 Most Popular New Businesses for People to Start, for more insight and the list of “Top 10 Business Plan Searches for 2014”: http://bit.ly/1LBmr6u

Marketing and Twitter… TheWriteWay Picks – Week of January 26, 2015

Leave a reply

How Will the ‘Less-Is-More’ Movement Affect Marketing?

The “less-is-more” movement seems to be picking cialis professional up traction lately. 31077_SMJPG_20150126092730284If you’re involved in marketing any type of product or service, you should be prepared. Society seems to be shifting away from a “materialism mentality,” and this could have big implications for the future of marketing and advertising – and the way we communicate and persuade people to buy products and services. Here are some interesting thoughts from Steve Taylor (@SMTaylorauthor) via @PsychToday: http://bit.ly/1Csdyrt

‘Communicate Less & Tweet More Links…’ and Other Good Tips for Using Twitter

I’ve said this before: @Twitter is my personal favorite social media platform, and I love learning all I can about using it for effective communications. Here are some helpful tips from @timsoulo via @SMExaminer for improving results if you’re using Twitter for marketing purposes: http://bit.ly/1ylWEES

 

WriteOn! – Week of January 5th, 2015 – This Week’s Picks:

Leave a reply

Let’s start the year being positive about business — and everything!

Happy New Year! Let’s start the year being positive about business – and life, in general! Here are some valuable lessons from Richard Newton (@richnewton) via the @Virgin blog:  http://bit.ly/1wPNDTU

How do YOU define PR?

Does anyone really know what “public relations” is…?! How do you define #PR?

I found this piece from John D. Wagner in the New York Times, and John’s honesty is very refreshing: “Learning a Foreign Language Called Public Relations” – http://nyti.ms/145ZRRB

 

Rebuilding. So, Please Stay Tuned…

Leave a reply

The sounds of the constant hammering going on around the corner from me this morning as neighbors build a new home has reminded me that I needed to share the news that this blog will no longer be silent, as it has been for the past eight months. construction2We’re rebuilding and fine-tuning a few things here at The Write Way — including this blog.

September — the start of the fall semester at Rider University — is the perfect time for a fresh start, don’t you think? Please stay tuned. In the coming months, I’ll be sharing information about communication media, creating and writing blogs, careers in the communication professions, and thoughts and ideas about the writing process, in general. In the meantime, I look forward to seeing you again in September! 🙂