Cronkite Public Relations Lab

The Cronkite School is offering a full-immersion capstone this fall for students studying public relations.

The school's Public Relations Lab is a professional program experience that puts advanced public relations students to work developing campaigns and strategies in a real-world environment.

Under the guidance of Cronkite Associate Professor Fran Matera, the Public Relations Lab functions like a PR agency, with students serving in roles that mirror those in a professional setting and developing campaigns and strategies for real clients. Students leave with fully developed portfolios and professional experience.

Students may register for three, six or nine credits and take the lab in lieu of JMC 417 Public Relations Campaigns. The prerequisite is JMC 415 Public Relations Writing.

The students’ services include: strategic communications plans and campaigns; crisis communication; event planning and promotion; image and reputation management; internal and external communication management; and corporate communications.

The students’ agency is headquartered in one of the seven working newsrooms that are part of the Cronkite School’s new building in downtown Phoenix. The other newsrooms are devoted to professional program experiences for print, digital media and broadcast majors.

Clients for the Public Relations Lab may come from any type of business or nonprofit organization seeking quality, low-cost public relations services.

Past clients include:

Morrison Institute for Public Policy
Established in 1982, Morrison Institute is an independent, nonpartisan center for research, analysis and public outreach concerning public policy and key issues in Arizona. V3 Communications worked with Morrison to encourage public policy conversation by making their materials accessible and engaging for the general public. V3 also worked with Morrison to reinvigorate its Young Stewards Scholarship program through the use of technology and active engagement. For more information about the Morrison Institute, visit http://morrisoninstitute.asu.edu/.

Rock Boot Camp
Rock Boot Camp, based in Scottsdale, Ariz., is an action-packed, intense rock ’n’ roll weekend experience during which guitar players, bass players, drummers and vocalists of all levels come together to rock out! The boot camp, designed for ages 13 and up, is a nationwide, two-day event to help musicians improve their talents and foster community and self-esteem among musicians. V3 worked with Rock Boot Camp to maximize its use of social and traditional media for the Scottsdale event and to promote its new nonprofit alliance with the Boys & Girls Club of Greater Scottsdale. For more information about Rock Boot Camp, visit http://www.rockbootcamps.com/.

Greater Phoenix Economic Council
The Greater Phoenix Economic Council represents Maricopa County and 14 cities to project a regional identity. GPEC works with member cities and businesses to attract quality businesses to the greater Phoenix region from around the world. V3 Communication worked with GPEC to produce an event and series of videos that will identify influential people who will promote the Valley and engage businesses, policy makers and others in an active dialogue in order to present the Valley as a great place to work and play. For more information about the council, visit
http://www.gpec.org/.

Zooloo
Zooloo is a fast-growing Scottsdale, Ariz.-based Web startup that aims to be the premier social media aggregator. Zooloo offers widgets of popular social media sites all on one page for simultaneous access as well as the tools to conveniently and easily build websites. V3 Communication worked with Zooloo to raise brand awareness within the ASU community and among high school students in the Valley. V3 also conducted extensive survey and research to help Zooloo evolve with varying user needs. For more information about Zooloo, visit http://www.zooloo.com/.

For more information, contact Associate Professor Fran Matera.