Public Relations Management focused on the public relations aspect of a business environment, what to do if the organization is in crisis, and the steps to improve an organization’s image. I learned in this course about the importance of a positive public relations image. This is important because I will use this idea after college in the workforce. Maintaining and having a great public relation image is vital because nobody wants to be a part of something that is negative. I was able to apply this knowledge while the President of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC).

            A respectable public relations department maintains a relationship with clients and addresses concerns the business has with the public. Organizations are also concerned about public perception. In order to have longevity, organizations have to interact positively with the people. The SAAC is not a business; therefore, the steps to address public relations were different.

          Often times, the student body views the student-athletes as privileged, having their own set of ruling in which to abide. In order to create a positive image of student-athletes, I had to make the student body aware of the SAAC. The Committee had to become more visible on campus. The challenge was to inform the student body about SAAC and its positive accomplishments. The goal was to change the negative perceptions of student-athletes on campus while maintaining a relationship with the student body.

         Some students at the university were not aware that athletes have a committee working to make a better experience for student-athletes, which often involves positive outcomes for non-athletes as well. In order to inform the student body, I reflected on what I learned in class about creating and maintaining a relationship with the public to show the business cares about the concerns of the public. Although SAAC is not a business, I was able to implement what I learned in the classroom. The committee executed social media platforms as a way to make SAAC constantly visible. For example, updating Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook pages exposed student-athletes and the student body to the changes the SAAC is making to benefit the university. In addition, an SAAC website was updated to post meetings, events, game schedules, and news regarding the athletic department. SAAC posters were also created in order to educate and connect the committee to the students. 

         Through daily class discusstions and group case studies, Public Relations Management inspired me to change the negative image of student-athletes. Learning about companies failing as a result of negative public relations, my goal was to stay in front of the message and incorporate more ways to make athletes have positive public relations on campus. As President of SAAC, I wanted to create an image of student-athletes as students giving back to the university. The SAAC organized these efforts. For example, a food drive competition against Clemson University, called Carolina Can, was started to unite students against a common adversary.  The event allowed student-athletes to work alongside the student body, help the community, and create positive public relations.

           Businesses, and organizations alike, need a strong public relations team.  Negative public relations can destroy a company and are often difficult to reverse. As a leader within the SAAC, my goal was to create change and make a lasting difference. After implementing small changes, I realized that public relations management was the path that needed to be pursued. Using the knowledge I gained in the classroom about public relations management allowed me to make positive changes for the SAAC and athletics at USC.