Grady College to Host Edelman Digital Bootcamp
02/13/08
Author: Sherrie Whaley and Cindy Schnably
Contact: Cindy Schnably & Erin Caldwell, schnably@uga.edu, Erin.Caldwell@edelman.com


E-mail this article
Printer friendly Version

The University of Georgia's Grady College of Journalism & Mass Communication will host the "Edelman Digital Bootcamp" for students and educators from throughout the Southeast on Saturday, March 1, beginning at 8 a.m. in the Student Learning Center.

Edelman, the world's leading independent public relations firm, seeks to provide students and educators hands-on skills integration training about the professional use of new media.

Bootcamp participants will break into teams and Edelman practitioners will direct them in a mock campaign. Students will have the opportunity to work one-on-one with Edelman facilitators to research, design and implement a social media solution for the assigned client. This approach will allow students to network with professionals while also gaining hands-on experience.

An additional track will be available to educators, focused more on sharing ideas and encouraging the adoption of new media in more communication curriculums throughout the Southeast. Educators will have the opportunity to discuss the practicalities of teaching new media, share lesson plans and more.

Edelman intends to expand its Digital Bootcamp to other college campuses across the nation in what they hope will become an annual event.

"The use of new media continues to grow, making this event a valuable opportunity to learn and network with other students, colleagues and professionals," said Kaye Sweetser, assistant professor of public relations at UGA's Grady College.

EdelmanDigitalBootcamp.com, the official Web site for the event, will go live very soon and feature online registration information, photos, blog posts and other new media elements.

Edelman is the world's largest independent public relations firm, with 3,000 employees in 51 offices worldwide. Edelman was named a top-10 firm in Advertising Age's "2007 Agency A-List," the first and only PR firm to receive this recognition, and CEO Richard Edelman was honored as "2007 Agency Executive of the Year" by both Advertising Age and PRWeek. PRWeek named Edelman Large Agency of the Year in 2006 and awarded the firm its "Editor's Choice" distinction. For more information, visit www.edelman.com.

Established in 1915, the Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication offers seven undergraduate majors including advertising, broadcast news, magazines, newspapers, public relations, publication management and telecommunication arts. The college offers two graduate degrees, and is home to the Knight Chair in Health and Medical Journalism and the Peabody Awards, internationally recognized as one of the most prestigious prizes for excellence in electronic media. For more information, visit www.grady.uga.edu.

To read more about the Bootcamp and its origins, click here.

For more information about the Digital Bootcamp, please contact Cindy Schnably at schnably@uga.edu or (304) 283-6825.