SJMC Refresh

Drake - School of Journalism & Mass Communication

A day of networking & learning with the Drake SJMC. Professors will be sharing what's new and noteworthy in their field of study.

Drake Unversity, Collier-Scripps Hall

Are you a communications or business professional looking to keep up-to-date with the latest skills? Join us for the one-day event at Drake University on May 10, designed specifically for professionals just like you.Eight Drake School of Journalism and Mass Communication professors will be presenting classes on topics ranging from hands-on content creation to corporate strategy. The chair of Drake&#x27;s Artificial Intelligence department will join to share ideas and answer questions about using AI in your work.This event is open to the public (no need to be a Drake University grad).SJMC professors will be presenting classes throughout the day in two different tracks.Whether you&#x27;re looking to improve your skills, build more meaningful relationships with clients and colleagues, or develop a more effective marketing strategy, our workshop has something for everyone. You&#x27;ll also have the opportunity to network with other professionals in your field, share insights and experiences, and build valuable connections.Don&#x27;t miss out on this unique opportunity to grow both personally and professionally.The event will be followed by a retirement party for Professor Lee Jolliffe.A portion of proceeds will go toward scholarships for SJMC students.If you have any questions, please reach out to Chris Snider at chris.snider@drake.edu.We will start the day in Collier-Scripps Hall room 301.<h2>Tentative schedule (may change depending on number of attendees):</h2><h3>9 a.m.</h3>Welcome - Dean Catherine Staub and Associate Dean Kelly Bruhn <h3>9:20-10:10 - Breakout 1 </h3>Step Into (or Out of) the LightSandy Henry, professorLight not only makes your video look good, but it also sets the tone for your message. Bring your phone/camera because you’ll learn how to utilize both natural and supplemental lighting, and apply those skills to enhance your visual storytelling.Advocating for Change: Building a Strategy for SuccessJennifer Glover Konfrst, APR, associate professor Working for change and finding success takes on many layers, and it can seem overwhelming in the face of political division and complicated systems. Professor Konfrst will share keys to successful strategies to gain bipartisan support for initiatives to increase nonprofit funding, remove regulatory barriers, and engage government leaders to build public-private partnerships. She’ll share her thoughts from the perspective of a political communications expert and an elected official on what works, what doesn’t, and how to stand out. <h3>10:20-11:10 - Breakout 2 </h3>Future of Search: Writing Copy for Audiences, Algorithms, and AIRyan Stoldt, Ph.D., assistant professorAudiences are no longer the only readers of your writing. Search engines like Google and artificial intelligence platforms index online writing and drive content to audiences based on this data. This session will teach you algorithmic logics to improve how you write for audiences, search engines, and artificial intelligences.New Rules of Engagement: Patterns of Corporate Social Advocacy Eric Kwame Adae, Ph.D., assistant professorCorporations (and their agents) are increasingly pursuing greater good causes that may have nothing to do with obtaining financial profits. This is signaling significant shifts in corporate communications. Be poised to explore some of the emergent patterns of corporate advocacy, including examining the motivations, issues/causes, strategies and tactics, consequences, safeguards, and guidelines for implementing safer and more effective corporate social advocacy campaigns.<h3>11:20 a.m. - 12:10 p.m. - Breakout 3 </h3>How to Succeed in the Changing World of Social MediaChris Snider, associate professorEverything you know about social media likely changed in the past year. TikTok ushered us into the age of the content algorithm (no more friends and family). Cuts at Twitter opened the door for a slew of new app (Bluesky, Mastodon, Post.news, Lemon8, T2, Artifact). This session will help you set the reset button on your social media strategy moving forward.Putting it all Together: Building a Strategy for SuccessKelly Bruhn, Ph.D., APR, associate dean and professor This session will highlight the vital skill of strategic planning, helping participants develop measurable objectives and creative strategies to lead organizations to success.<h3>12:10 p.m. Lunch on your own </h3><h3>1:30-2:20 p.m. - Breakout 4 </h3>Film Like a Pro with Your SmartphoneLakshmi Tirumala, assistant professorThe session discusses ways to produce professional video using our smartphones. We will look at apps and smartphone gear that helps improve the overall production quality of the video/film. If time permits, the session will also look at mobile phone’s variable frame rate and how to solve the issue in Post. Keeping up Your Brand’s StyleJennifer Wilson, Fisher-Stelter Chair of Magazine JournalismWhat brands say and how they say it is as powerful as any press release, story, or social post. In fact, the language of your brand powers all of these—and gives your people the language to tell every story. But how do you evolve a brand’s language to stay current and fresh without getting bogged down with meetings and hand-wringing? This course proposes an efficient editorial process for a brand style guide that keeps your brand’s language evolving. <h3>2:30-3:15 p.m. - Breakout 5 </h3>Adding AI to your Work PipelineChris Porter, Ph.D., Associate Professor and chair of Drake&#x27;s AI departmentNew generative AI tools such as ChatGPT and DALL-E 2 are bringing rapid changes to the nature of work and productivity. How can we responsibly use these tools? This session will discuss strategies for the effective use of generative AI tools.Overcome Writer’s Block and Make Messages More Meaningful Amy McCoy, assistant professor of public relations and strategic political communication Hey, we’ve all been there, stuck with a blank screen and blinking cursor with someone anxiously awaiting an email, assignment, or report. Together, we’ll explore the strategies you can use to get the right words on the page and meet deadlines. This includes reviewing a variety of free tools that will help you overcome writer’s block and create more accurate, concise, and impactful messages.<h3>3:15 - Thank you + Lee Jolliffe retirement party</h3>

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