Nadine Hoffmann: Associate Professor of Public Relations

Path from professional world to teaching…

“I got my masters before I went into the professional world and when I got my masters the last week of classes I talked to some of my professors and they said you should think about getting a Ph.D you would be really good at it and I was like no I am going to go be a professional and work in the PR industry.  The idea stuck with me and the more I worked in PR the more I realized things were missing such interpersonal contact with people. I wasn’t very good at sitting in an office all day. I was thinking about ways to have more people in my life and I noticed that I started to miss learning. You cant wait to graduate but once you graduate you are like am I supposed to stop learning. To me it was like a very weird thing it was just like oh what now.  As part of the Ph.D program I had to teach and realized that I really liked it.”

Ryan Rogers: Assistant Professor of Journalism and Sports Communications

Teaching journalism and changes in industry…

“I haven’t been teaching that long, but I try to incorporate the technology and digital aspects into my teaching. For example the use of social media and how technology is used now to report stories and information. I am definitely trying to teach that and make sure that people are aware that things are going digital especially in journalism.”

Landscape of Sports Broadcasting…

“It is a field that a lot of people want to get involved with and is a fun field that has a lot to offer. Sports broadcasting is a competitive industry that a lot of people want to get involved in. It is definitely beginning to adapt to the technological changes and it isn’t solely based anyone on what you can fit into a 30 minute segment; there is so much more to it. More flexibility with stories is being incorporated due to the changes and allowing for different types of shows including ones about fantasy sports. Using social media and other elements are definitely being incorporated into the industry.”

Kevin Sullivan: Writer/Producer at ESPN

Job on an everyday basis…

“I write and produce advertising content in any and all forms, mainly for television, but also for radio, print and social media promoting all properties on ESPN: NFL, NBA, MLB, NCAA, PGA, soccer, X Games, etc.  Every day is different, some days I could be writing a script for Monday Night Football and the next I might be designing an ESPN T-shirt.”

Best part about working at ESPN and his job…

“The best part of my job is that I get to do what I love for a living every day, which doesn’t really feel like work.  I love to write and create video, I love television and I love sports.  My job combines all of those and I couldn’t be luckier because of that.”

Lindsey Sacco: Field Marketer for Taboola

Her job…

“I’m currently working in Field Marketing for a tech start-up in NYC called Taboola. My main tasks are assisting with marketing event coordination and various brand awareness initiatives including social media tasks, managing promo materials, etc. The day to day is different depending on what the current event we’re focusing on is, but always includes sending a lot of emails and making contact lists.”

Stephen Colbert: TV Personality and Host of the Colbert Report

Being a TV personality…

“I can be exactly who I want to be without actually being that person, its great! Most people think I’m a real funny guy but outside of the show I am not that exciting. Hate to tell you this, although it might not be a surprise to you, I’m just Mr. Colbert, I save Stephen Colbert for my viewers. But I do really enjoy being able to express myself in a way people can relate to. Being dull and boring is only cut out for accountants.”

Aspirations prior to being on TV…

“Like anyone else I wanted to make it big, big enough to be able to land my private jet in my backyard at night. But I knew that meant I had to work hard, in order to have a huge backyard. You don’t learn the importance of working hard until you really find what you are successful at. It isn’t easy working for a boss you hate or working in a field that put you to sleep. Once you find that passion you will never want to stop. And once you have reached that point your goals become your path and your dreams become your goals.”

Clare McHugh: Group Editor at Time Inc.

Role of a Group Editor…

“As group editor that means that I oversee multiple magazines before they go into their last stage of publication. I am group editor to All You, Health, InStyle, Real Simple, and Coastal Living. Before each magazine goes into Top Edit, I make sure that we have all the advertisements needed and that they correspond with the stories. I make sure that the images are all clear and that content of each article is strong as it can be. But most importantly, I make any changes to the cover and make sure all tag lines are appropriately places on the page and work hand in hand with the cover photo.”

Brooke Denihan: CEO of Denihan Hospitality

Communications benefiting success in other industries…

“I think that communications is beneficial and relatable to most fields. Although my job description technically says hospitality, communications is key to success. You have to make sure that everyone is informed include the staff, stake holders, investors, employees, my family who help run this business with Patrick and I. We work separately throughout the day and collaborate at the end of everyday. This helps us to accomplish more and still be on the same page. I can get into plenty of stories of how we have miscommunication but I’m sure you’ve hear them all before. The most important thing is to know you have to communicate and make sure to get the message across.”

Travis Miller: Social Media Coordinator at MLB

Role of Social Media Coordinator…

“A Major League Baseball Social Media Coordinator assists any and all of the 30 teams with their daily social media content. Each team utilizes us in different ways, and some more than others. Whether it’s posting in-game updates, pictures, GIFs, videos, you name it – we’ve usually got a hand in it. Our platforms include Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, Tumblr and Pinterest. Oh, and Google Plus. How could we POSSIBLY forget Google Plus?”

Using social media effectively…

“Each person has their own style and tendencies when it comes to social media content that my department produces. There can be anywhere from 2 to 10 of us on during a particular shift. Some nights are good and some nights are bad, we just need to work as a cohesive unit and keep the machine moving.”

Lindsay Ganghamer: Public Relations Manager for the New York Rangers

Challenge working for a sports team…

“Many college students view Sports PR as a glamorous industry. Don’t be blinded by this preconceived notion. It is a daily grind that consists of MANY hours- including weekends and holidays, it takes hard work and dedication to succeed. ”

Differences between agency and corporate PR…

“Agency life is high stress with a constant, “go, go, go” mentality. At MSG, there are highs and lows. Game days are very fast paced and hectic, but there are days where I am able to sit down and finish all “housekeeping/admin” work. At an agency, you must always keep your finger on the pulse of all industries that your clients occupy. At the New York Rangers, I am able to fully concentrate on Madison Square Garden and the team.”

Matt Arnhols: Senior Digitial Strategist at Taylor Global

Role of a digital strategist…

“Everything! Just kidding, but occasionally it can feel like that. But before we get into what a digital strategist does, let’s talk about what a digital strategist is because it’s different depending on the agency. In our industry, there are more or less three types of agencies – Creative, Media-Buying and PR/Social. Each type utilizes digital strategists differently. On the creative side, they may be designers who build digital work. For media-buying agencies, digital strategists could be who buys the media where the advertising will be distributed. In PR/Social, we are the master storytellers in the digital space. We tell brand stories through social channels and create relationships between fans and companies. A digital strategist at a PR/Social organization will spend their time partnering with influencers, write social content, write comprehensive digital strategy plans and ultimately do their best to take an overall idea and find ways to amplify it digitally as best as possible.”