Kent State’s School of Journalism and Mass Communication (JMC) is working to change the conversation about the millennial generation by collaborating with the National Millennial Community.
Founded in 2015 by Bill Imada, Chairman and Chief Connectivity Officer of IW Group, Inc., the National Millennial Community hosts Executive Conversations and Think Tanks for millennials across the nation. By partnering with academic institutions across the country, the Community has developed a wide network of professions and industry influencers to engage with millennials.
One academic institution from each state is joining the community. Kent State has joined the ranks of universities like Fordham University, University of Houston and University of Hawai’i as it represents Ohio.
Kent State’s involvement will operate as a faculty-appointed sub-committee of the school’s chapter of the Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA). Two faculty members in JMC, Assistant Professor Luke Armour and Associate Professor Stefanie Moore, will serve as faculty advisers for the group. Public relations alumnus Chris Baldwin, ’94, founder and principal of True Digital Communications, will serve as a professional adviser for the group.
“This is a great opportunity that Chris brought to us,” Armour said. “His experience with both Kent State and his agency full of young professionals made it easy for him to see how PRKent fits into this larger discussion of millennials in the work force – that they’re not the stereotype, that there’s more to every generation label.”
The group hosts quarterly trips, along with monthly conference calls, allowing students to network with professionals from across the country. Past conversations with executives have included NBC Universal, eBay, Toyota Motor Sales, AECOM, Microsoft, Institute for Public Relations (IPR), Hilton Worldwide, and Bank of America Corporation.
This conversation dovetails nicely with the work of students in some of the public relations classes.
“We are currently wrapping up research in the Global Advertising and Public Relations course where we’ve spent the semester examining millennials’ work experiences in advertising and PR agencies in the United States and United Kingdom and how these agencies could better recruit and retain millennials,” Moore said. “In addition, many of my students in the Digital PR course have blogged about what it means to be a millennial.”
In June, National Millennial Community students will travel to Chicago to visit with corporate representatives of Allstate, Golin, Leo Burnett Advertising, McDonald's, and MediaVest/Spark to name a few.
“This is going to be a great opportunity for Kent States students to represent their generation, their university and their state to business leaders and executives around the country,” Armour said. “What Mr. Imada has created is amazing: a chance to change that conversation and to build a bridge between some Fortune 500 companies and students around the world. I’m thrilled Kent State’s PR program is part of that.”
Armour and Moore said they cannot wait for these companies to meet their talented students.
The sub-committee will become active during the 2017-2018 academic year. Up to four students will serve and have the chance to participate in calls and travel to some of the Community Summit Events.
“All PRSSA students will be able to listen in these calls with corporate leaders,” Armour said. “It’s a good deal for the group, too.”
To learn more about National Millennial Community, visit: https://www.nationalmillennialcommunity.com.