The role of a public relations department may vary from organization to organization. The primary responsibility of Cedarville University’s PR team is to tell and connect the stories of faculty, students, and alumni across social and traditional media to enhance the university’s reputation.
Cedarville’s PR team has been focused on this mission for decades, primarily by leveraging student teams to effectively communicate to internal and external audiences. Many of our students pursue degrees in communications, including professional writing, information design, communications and broadcasting, digital media, and journalism. With two full-time professionals and five students, Cedarville’s PR team pioneers positive information that helps the university increase enrollment and fundraise success.
“The level of real-life learning that communications students receive by working in Cedarville’s public relations department is just as strong as an internship anywhere else,” said Derrick Green, communications department chair. “I have personally witnessed their personal and professional growth as students are treated as young professionals in public relations roles.As a result, they are prepared for a career in the communications industry. ”
“The level of real-life learning that communications students receive by working in Cedarville’s public relations department is just as strong as an internship elsewhere.”
While students gain practical experience, Cedarville University also benefits from regional, national, and, in some cases, international interactions.
“Our mission in Cedarville University Public Affairs is to help those who read or hear our stories learn more about Cedarville University and engage more deeply with our mission as a university. It’s about telling the story strategically,” said executive Mark D. Weinstein. “As a communications-focused department, we have an important responsibility to communicate well because we know our stories can have a wide-ranging impact on the lives of many people. Masu.”
For the past few decades, students have risen to the occasion to tell Cedarville’s story. In fact, over the past 10 years, teams of student writers have written more than 3,600 stories that have been distributed to media outlets across the country and led to interviews on the Cedarville Stories podcast (cedarville.edu/cedarvillestories). According to third-party media analysis firm Meltwater, the potential impact of these articles reaches millions of viewers or readers.
While this impact is notable, it pales in comparison to the skills developed and honed as student PR writers that lead students to high-stakes communications jobs after graduation. And these skills have positioned students to work at prestigious ministries and organizations such as Trans World Radio, The Kansas City Star, KWAM Radio in Memphis, Tennessee, Quantum Health, The Hershey Company, Stanford University, and Lancaster Bible. led to a career in University and Good News Media.
Kathryn Schill, who currently works as a communications manager for neurosurgery at Stanford University School of Medicine, started her career as an insecure student trying to figure out how to get into academia. She joined Cedarville’s PR team in 2014 and effectively leveraged her two years of PR experience to gain confidence in both her writing and professional development. As a result, she was awarded one of the most prestigious communications positions in higher education.
As a student writer, Sill was primarily assigned healthcare writing assignments at the Cedarville School of Pharmacy. In this role, she asked questions and learned more about the pharmaceutical industry and helped build the reputation of new pharmacy programs.
Little did she know that when she started working in healthcare in Cedarville, her healthcare assignment in Cedarville would pave the way for a successful career. In addition to her current position as communications leader at Stanford University, she has also held communications roles at the University of California, San Francisco and Gilead Sciences in Foster City, California.
“As I look back on my career, I find that working in Cedarville’s public relations department was extremely beneficial in preparing me for my career,” Schill said. “Since graduating from Cedarville, all of the communications roles I have held have been in the healthcare or biotechnology field. I am grateful for the opportunities and training I received as a Cedarville PR student. Because it helped me excel.”
Sil recalls that she didn’t come to the PR job with any confidence or experience writing about health care. She was a reporter for the university’s student newspaper, Cedars, but her duties were wide-ranging and did not include health care topics. Researching the role of the pharmaceutical industry and asking questions of Cedarville School of Pharmacy faculty has helped her develop both personally and professionally.
“As I look back on my career, I find that working in Cedarville’s public relations department was invaluable in preparing me for my career.”
Nathan Pilling, on the other hand, is focused on a career in journalism and used his experiences as a student to start his career in print journalism. He currently serves as a breaking news reporter for the Kansas City Star.
Pilling, who worked on Cedarville’s public relations team from 2011 until she graduated in 2014, catapulted her college job into a career in journalism, starting at the Xenia Daily Gazette near Cedarville. From there, he accepted a position with the Kitsap Sun in Washington state before taking his current position with the Kansas City Star earlier this year.
Pilling came to Cedarville to pursue a double major in broadcasting, digital media and journalism. It was in the university’s press office that gave him his first taste of what a real newsroom environment was like. It was during his college years that he honed his skills in interviews, insight, reporting, and understanding what it takes to capture the essence of a story.
“I had a broad perspective on news writing. Journalism was my destination, but my job in public relations perfected the communication skills I needed,” Pilling said. “There are countless skills like writing, editing, meeting deadlines, and interviewing that can’t be fully learned in a classroom. My time working at Cedarville helped me refine everything, no matter what field I chose. .”
Additionally, many former student writers have parlayed their Cedarville PR experience into meaningful careers (some outside of the communications profession).
Hannah (Fair) Kahn graduated in 2020 with a Bachelor of Arts in English and earned a certification in public relations and advertising, having worked in Cedarville’s public relations department from 2017 to 2019. I received my graduate school education in English. Kahn currently uses his skills to teach at Lancaster Bible College, Capital Theological Seminary and Graduate School in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.
“I learned that PR skills are extremely valuable and transferable to any job,” Khan said. “Being able to write, communicate, and represent an organization well is always valuable, and I have continued to develop the skills I developed as a student PR writer through the opportunities I had at Lancaster Bible College.”
Similarly, Alex Boesch, who graduated in 2023, credits his career with working in PR. Boesch is currently pursuing a doctoral degree in interpersonal and organizational communication at Ohio University, where he serves as a faculty member and associate chair of forensic medicine. While at Cedarville, Boesch was a member of the forensics team and a student writer.
“My most valuable time in public relations was learning how to talk to different people with different backgrounds and unique stories, both on and off campus,” Boesch said. “I learned how to talk to people and truly listen while making them feel heard, skills that I use every day in my research, at work, and with my own students. .”
For years, Cedarville PR student writers have made a lasting impact on Cedarville University through the stories they write, an impact that has also been noticed in national media.
“It has become very clear to us that Cedarville students are receiving a customized education from professors who want to make a difference in the lives of tomorrow’s leaders.”
– Richard Hunt, K-LOVE Radio
Some media outlets use Cedarville PR writers as stringers, or freelance writers, for their organizations. By adding a byline to their stories, students can create a portfolio of their work in reputable media. This visibility helps students jump-start their careers after graduation.
Bryson Durst is a prime example. He worked in the public relations department during his senior year, and his writing skills and the experience he gained paved the way for him to secure a job as a writer at the News-Herald in suburban Cleveland, Ohio, before graduating.
“We always enjoy stories from student writers at Cedarville University because they are well-thought-out stories in which young people actively participate in innovation, help others, and believe in Jesus. with photos that help them share their stories and create lifelong friendships,” said Richard Hunt, News Features and Digital Content Manager at K-LOVE Radio Network in Franklin, Tennessee. . “It has become very clear to us that Cedarville students are receiving a customized education from professors who want to make a difference in the lives of tomorrow’s leaders.”
Cedarville’s PR team of student writers continues to write compelling stories that are featured in local, state, and national media. And in return, these students gain valuable experience that can lead to meaningful professional careers, whether they go into public relations or other communications fields.
Located in southwestern Ohio, Cedarville University is a Baptist university with undergraduate and graduate programs in the arts, sciences, and professional programs. With 6,384 students enrolled in 175 areas of study, Cedarville University is one of the largest private universities in Ohio and is nationally known for its authentic Christian community, rigorous academic programs, and high graduation and retention rates. It is being For more information about the university, visit siderville.edu.
