Chivers, K., Week 2

Welcome Back!

Throughout this week of experiential learning, I learned how different entertainment, media, and sports organizations operate and market their venues and experiences. My personal two favorites of the week were the Public Relations Society of American Conference and the New York Wine and Culinary Institute. Here's an in depth look at my experiences at these two locations:




PRXNE Conference

On Friday, April 28, I attended the Public Relation Society of America's Northeast Chapter conference in Corning, New York. At first I was a bit nervous to attend such a conference and be surrounded by such experienced professionals in the business field. However, throughout the conferenced I felt more and more welcomed. There were multiple lectures per hour, and every one interested me. However, I chose the lectures that I felt would most apply to myself and my current position as a college student. I learned a variety of things from how to approach media, tips to having successful interviews, global images and ideas and how to advertise to a global market, and learned about the well-known "I Love NY" marketing campaign. That was the most interesting to me because it was intriguing to hear how such a strong IMC program was actually implemented and how different marketing ideas and mediums were used to catch the attention of the phrase "I Love NY", and the different assets and locations of New York State. I enjoyed being at the conference and getting a feel of true networking, although I felt as though I did not network much myself. If there is one thing I took away from this conference, it would be the importance of beginning and maintaining relationships with colleagues and how networking can help me in my future career.


New York Wine and Culinary Institute

   

The New York Wine and Culinary Institute is a Not For Profit organization that presents and displays wine, beer, and culinary products from all over New York State. The beauty of the building and its location itself is enough to sell the idea and restaurant bistro located on the second level, which has beautiful views of Lake Canandaigua. The educational aspect of the organization is to teach people the basics of cooking and how to use fresh, local products properly. The institute also offers cooking classes, wine tasting, and private events. At this experience, I learned about the importance of using local products and how that is important to the farms and agriculture of every state and country. The institute uses this passion for New York State products to create a clear, consistent IMC message when marketing their operations to local wineries and customers. I was also able to fully experience their success through the delicious lunch their chefs prepared for the class, which contained homemade pasta, fresh asparagus, juicy chicken, and roots which were located in local woods. It was truly an experience like no other and it sparked my interest to think about if there are any institutions like so in my home state of Illinois.




Thanks for reading about a small glimpse of my experiences this week with this course, and I look forward to the next week of activities and experiential learning!