As part of its mission to further public relations education and professional development, the Public Relations Foundation of Texas (PRFT) and TPRA jointly sponsor two student programs:
Silver Spur Intern Program and James W. Hart, Jr. Intern of the Year
Silver Spur Student Campaign Competition
Silver Spur Intern Program
Each spring, a call goes out to TPRA members asking for applications for a summer intern.
Based on the scholarship budget, the TPRA board determines the number of interns which will be placed, and the companies that will be their hosts. Internship companies are announced to TPRA academic members in early spring, and they communicate with their students.
Students interested in internship placements apply directly to the TPRA internship company of their choice. Prior to the end of the spring semester, the companies notify students who have been selected.
In order for students to qualify for these internship opportunities, they must meet the following criteria upon completion of their internships:
- Be graduating in December 2008 or later;
- Have worked approximately three months or 120 hours (to be determined by the sponsoring organization);
- Have met expectations of employer and successfully completed tasks assigned;
- Have performed a variety of PR duties such as writing, editing, event planning, media relations, etc.).
TPRA provides each intern with a $1000 scholarship, and the opportunity to participate in the Intern of the Year program. If chosen as James W. Hart Intern of the Year they receive an additional $1500 scholarship. All interns attend the Annual Conference as the guests of TPRA, but must provide their own transportation.
2008 Intern Companies Selected
EnviroMedia Social Marketing
(unpaid) At EnviroMedia Social Marketing, we create campaigns that reveal our clients' commitment to a better world. Together, we incorporate the vision of healthier communities into everyday business. We are a full-service public relations and advertising firm that promotes environmental and public health issues. The intern will work with the Media Relations team. There are several learning opportunities for the intern: Writing press releases, media alerts, fact sheets and other PR materials, Developing media lists, News monitoring, Managing client media clips, Pitching select stories for the agency or for pro-bono clients, and Assisting with campaign launches, as they occur. For first-time students, internships are unpaid; exceptional students are invited back for a second semester, which is a paid internship. The student may seek course credit through their college/university. The internship is available in summer or fall 2008. Contact: Cathy Levine, Internship Coordinator, 512-476-4368. Â Interested candidates should send their resume to clevine@enviromedia.com.
Newfield Exploration Company
(paid - hourly rate of $10) Newfield Exploration Company is an independent crude oil and natural gas exploration and production company with headquarters in Houston, Texas. Newfield's domestic areas of operation include the U.S. onshore Gulf Coast, the Anadarko and Arkoma Basins of the Mid-Continent, the Uinta Basin of the Rocky Mountains and the Gulf of Mexico. The Company has international exploration and development projects in Malaysia and China. Newfield is offering a broad-based internship for a student interested in working with all facets of public relations at its Houston headquarters during the summer of 2008. This internship is in the Investor Relations/Corporate Communications Department. The intern will assist in creating the Horizons employee publication, the @NFX publication for financial analysts, special publications, website postings, news releases and fact sheets. The intern will be expected to participate in crisis communications drills, update crisis communications material and assist the department in the event of a crisis. The intern also may assist in special events for financial analysts and reporters concerning company operations and other duties as assigned. Contact: Keith Schmidt, 281-674-2650. Interested candidates should send their resumes to kschmidt@newfield.com.
NuStar Energy L.P.
(unpaid) NuStar Energy L.P., a publicly traded company based in San Antonio, is the No. 1 asphalt supplier in the U.S. and the No. 2 independent liquids terminal operator. The Corporate Communications internship includes a wide variety of tasks, including writing news releases, editing various materials, drafting stories for the company newsletter, designing graphic materials, planning and coordinating events, and much more. While the intern will be expected to help with some administrative duties (like everyone else on staff), he/she would certainly get a lot of great portfolio-building and confidence-boosting experience. The Corporate Communications group coordinates many of the company's employee programs from its service award recognition and family day events, to its scholarship and volunteer of the year award programs. It also oversees all government relations, advocating on various issues at a local, state and national level. And, it leads all community relations programs, from overseeing the United Way campaign and the NuStar NuHope Golf Classic which raises money for the homeless, to the activities of the Volunteer Council. Contact: Chris Cho, Corporate Communications Coordinator, (800) 866-9060. Interested candidates should send their resume to: corporatecommunications@nustarenergy.com.
These companies hosted interns during the 2007 competition.
BlueCurrent Public Relations * Munoz Public Relations * Newfield Exploration Company
Other Intern Opportunities
James W. Hart, Jr. Intern of the Year Award
Each summer, TPRA places students in internships across the state. Each receives a $1000 scholarship from TPRA. These students then compete for the James W. Hart, Jr. Intern of the Year award, which offers an additional $1500 scholarship, and $1000 for the student's University.
James W. Hart and Intern Program Overview
 A panel of professional judges scores the candidates based on the quality of work performed during their internship position, such as writing skills displayed; variety of skills applied; initiative, organizational skills, follow-through, attention to detail; leadership abilities; and the quality of the student's final report.
Participating Companies and Judges Evaluation Form
2008 Intern of the Year: Rosary Mangano (interned with Newfield Exploration Co.)
Read: "It's Time to Get an Internship, So Now What?" by Rosary Mangano
Previous Winners:
2007 - Heather Keenan
2006 - Camden Gilman
2005 - Patrick Dyer
2004 - Adrienne Fleming
2003 - Jennifer Hoff
2002 - Shea Mayberry
2001 - Anne Hoar
2000 - Sylvia Mugica
1999 - Jennifer Wilhite
1998 - Karla Bradford
1997 - Kathleen Matthew Fisher
Silver Spur Student Campaign Competition
THE CONTEST
The Texas Public Relations Association will sponsor a Silver Spur Student Campaign Competition as part of the Silver Spur/Best of Texas Awards. Teams of students are invited to enter a public relations campaign they created for a college "PR Campaigns Class" or other curriculum course during the Spring, Summer or Fall semesters.
Neither the number of students per team nor the number of team entries from a school is limited. There is a $25 fee for each entry.
A panel of public relations professionals will judge the entries concurrent with the judging of the Silver Spur/Best of Texas Awards (in January each year). A winning Silver Spur Student Campaign entry will clearly demonstrate understanding of the public relations planning process. A winning entry will also include a creative, yet realistic, approach to research, objectives, strategies, tactics, evaluation, timelines and budget. Certificates of Merit may be awarded to entries that judges believe deserve recognition but do not quite meet Silver Spur Student Campaign Award standards. While unlikely, it is possible that judges could determine that no entry rises to the level of Silver Spur recognition, in which case no top-level award will be given.
Award winners will be notified by fax or e-mail in time to make plans to attend the annual Silver Spur/Best of Texas Awards Banquet in San Antonio. Award winners present at the banquet will be recognized. All award winners will be listed in the Awards Banquet Program.
One Silver Spur Award or Certificate of Merit per entry will be prepared for display on winning teams' campuses. Individual team members may order duplicate awards for a fee. Information will be sent with winners' notifications.
ENTRY RULES
1. Each entry must be submitted in a single, hardcover, three-ring viewbinder, not more than three inches thick. Judges will not consider the exterior of the binder in judging the entry. Entries not packaged in hardcover binders may be disqualified. One copy of the Entry Form must be inserted in the clear front cover of the binder. Another copy of the Entry Form must be enclosed in the binder's inside front cover pocket.
2. Team name - Each team must create a Team Name to use in labeling the entry binder and all entry materials. Enter the Team Name on the proper line on the Entry Form.
3. A typewritten summary - Double-spaced in 12-point type on 8 x 11 paper addressing each of the four judging criteria separately. (See "Judging Criteria" below.) Silver Spur Student Campaign summaries can be no longer than four (4) pages.
4. Support materials - Any materials you prepared to support the classroom presentation of your campaign should be included with your entry. Materials larger than the binder format must be folded or reduced to fit the binder. Reduced photocopies or photographs of materials produced are acceptable. If you enclose a videocassette, CD-ROM or floppy disk, be sure it is clearly labeled with the Team Name from your Entry Form and your school name. Also be sure these kinds of materials are enclosed in a sealed envelope.
JUDGING CRITERIA: The public relations campaigns that students may enter can be either "real world" that resolves an actual public relations challenge, or it my be resolving a "hypothetical" public relations case. Please specify which type of campaign you are entering.
Judges will look for both creativity and realism in your team's approach to the four areas of public relations planning. You will summarize what your team proposed for each of the four areas in your typewritten summary.
1. Research (25 points): What did you propose be done for planning research, implementation research and evaluative research? Why did you believe these methods would be effective? Did you conduct any of this research? What were your results?
2. Planning (30 points): What are your goals and objectives? Objectives should be measurable. Who are your key audiences? What are your key messages?
3. Implementation (30 points): What are your strategies and tactics? You should summarize, but not detail, your timeline and budget in this section. Include a detailed timeline and any budget you prepared in your support materials.
4. Evaluation (15 points): How will your measure your campaign success?
JUDGES' CRITIQUES: Judges will prepare a brief written critique of each entry. These will be mailed after the Awards Banquet to the contact person listed on your Entry Form.
ENTRY DEADLINE: Thursday, January 25, 2008
QUESTIONS: Keith R. Schmidt, APR - Newfield Exploration - ( 281) 668-2650 or e-mail krschmidt_3@hotmail.com
MAIL/SHIP TO: TPRA Office - 823 Congress Ave., Ste. 230 - Austin, TX 78701
