Yesterday was quite a day! The Flex Group (my campaigns team) executed its final presentation yesterday in Dr. Carstarphen's capstone class, PR Campaigns. With Gaylord faculty, staff, and administration including Dean Hockett, Dr. Carstarphen, and Kathy Sawyer, along with guest judges and the client present, the stakes were high, but our team spoke with enthusiasm and intensity to explain the research, planning, execution and evaluation of a comprehensive public relations campaign created for Big Brothers Big Sisters (BBBS) of Cleveland in order to gain support for fundraising efforts such as Bowl for Kids' Sake in the OU community.

I opened the presentation with a quote from Margaret Mead: "Never doubt that small group of committed people can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has."

The presentation was a HUGE success, and at the conclusion of our presentation, we were able to present Diane Murphree, area director for BBBS of Cleveland County, with $3,600 that will yield three new Big/Little matches for an entire year. It was an enthralling experience and excited me to think about my public speaking opportunities at MCAAP.

When I begin my career with the Department of Defense, I will be able to engage in several opportunities to exercise my public speaking skills such as orating new employee briefings and administering installation tours to distinguished guests. I am so glad that the coursework in the Gaylord College, namely in Dr. Carstarphen's PR Campaigns class, has greatly prepared me and will directly correlate to my professional career.