Tag: education

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Incorporating My Passion for Food into My Future

A photo of an assortment of fruit and other food on a plate with a bottled drink to accompany it

With graduation six months away, my mind is being pulled in so many different directions of where I could see myself. On one end, I see myself living the glamorous city life in San Francisco. On the other end I see myself moving across the country to North Carolina living a humble life on the lake with extended family members.

Both these situations are completely different, but I want to be immersed in something I am passionate about while utilizing the skills I learned in Tehama Group Communications.

I have been surrounded by cooking and baking my whole life. My dad has always had a passion for cooking. After his career as a golf pro ended he decided to start a catering business, Fuget About It Catering, out of our tiny suburban home kitchen.

Since then it has developed into an incredible business that spread throughout our community by word of mouth. He now has a commercial kitchen and multiple catering jobs a day to prove his success. We started working for him right away as a way to make some quick cash but it soon turned into an amazing learning experience in the kitchen. Cooking is a means to express my creativity and come up with meals using ingredients I would have not thought would be good together.

So, how do I incorporate these passions into my future?

According to an article in Economy Watch, “the food industry comprises a complex network of activities pertaining to the supply, consumption, and catering of food products and services across the world.” This includes the marketing, distribution and advertising of products. That’s where I am most interested within the food industry.

Human’s basic needs will always include food and water therefore the food industry has nothing but room for growth and a profitable future. The food industry is a trillion dollar industry with is wide variety of networks.

O’Dwyer’s released a ranking of the top food and beverage public relations firms and amongst the top three are Edelman ($116,626,00),  Hunter PR ($16,500,000) and APCO Worldwide ($16,283,000). These are just three of a list of 48 agencies that work with the food and beverage industry. These growing numbers prove to me that I can work to incorporate my passion for food with my personal professional goals.

So, what’s next?

Network, network, network! That is the number one word I hear when I do site visits and it’s the way I plan to weasel my way into employers minds. I hope to stand out within these lucrative companies by incorporating my passion for food into my application process and researching their projects that involve food in some way.

Hopefully, in ten years when I am looking through old files I read this blog and have a smile on my face. The smile will be a result of incorporating my professional goals with my passions for cooking and baking.

By: Miranda Carpenello

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How to Be An Inclusive Writer

As an aspiring public relations professional, words are a big part of my job. From press releases to Instagram posts, my words matter and they affect a lot of people. That being said, here is a resource guide for being an inclusive writer:

Race: When we, as professionals, are writing for a diverse audience, we are first representing our clients, first and ourselves, second. We must take into account that our audiences are diverse and may not have experienced the world from our vantage point. We do not want to offend our readers, plus, we have our clients’ reputation on the line with every keyboard click. Research always needs to be done when writing about race. Here are four different resources in regards to writing about race. These resources provide you the opportunity to break out of your bubble and be a more conscientious and inclusive writer.

Gender and Sexuality: Gendered language haunts the English language. We use gendered language everyday. It is ingrained in us to say, “policeman or mailman.” Sometimes, it is hard to identify gender-neutral terms for words that we say everyday without a second thought. One way to work in gender neutral terms into your everyday language is by using the singular they/them pronouns. If you are addressing someone and don’t want to assume their pronouns, a good rule of thumb is to use they/them. I have provided a resource along with other links below:

Ability/Disability: Often, means of ability are glossed over by media or negatively portrayed to emit a sense of shame. Instead you could use, “people with different abilities.” Avoiding stigmas around abilities will not only make your writing more inclusive, it can help empower people. Here are some resources to consider when writing about people with different abilities:

As professionals in a fast-paced environment, research before writing is KEY.

Being able to write in an inclusive manner can make your audience feel welcome and safe. It will create a sense of trust and transparency around your company and that can greatly improve its relationship with the public. When a marginalized community can see you took the time to include them, you raise the standards for  companies around you.

As professionals dedicated to the ties between company and community, you CAN do better to be more inclusive. My hope is that this resource guide can be used as a stepping stone to successful inclusive writing.

Other related writing style guides:

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Adopting a Second Language for Success

What does it mean to be a native Spanish-speaking student with an English writing major? Well, for starters, at least for me, it means that I like to take on a challenge. There are really not a lot of students out there whose native language is Spanish (or other) and venture in a field predominated by the English language. It is hard.

But being bilingual only means that I am smart and have less chances of having dementia when I’m old, as described in this New York Times article.

However, it wasn’t easy. When I started, I felt that most of the time I was trying to catch up with my peers on assignments. As I progressed, it became easier. And today, I am totally rocking it!
Now, my peers are catching up to me. That is probably not true, but we are definitely at the same level.

Now that I am approaching the end of my era here at Chico State, I have started to reminisce about everything that I have learned, and I sometimes question if I have indeed, learned anything. But then when I write, it is then that I understand I have indeed learned a lot. I feel privileged to have received the best education from the best professors. Yup, Chico State has amazing, incredibly genius and dedicated professors that want and expect nothing less than perfection from students. For example, the professors of the Journalism and Public Relations Department.

English as my second language has only made me unique. And then that accent of mine, it just adds a plus to my uniqueness.

I would not change anything I have done even if it were possible because if I did, I wouldn’t be at this moment writing my blog. Because no matter how difficult college was, it has made me into the person that I am today, and I like who I am.

It is also about the experience of what it is like to succeed and make it through college. I knew as alluring as I might be (just kidding) it wasn’t going to be enough, so I worked very hard to be better, to be unique. And I think I am.

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The Importance of Studying Abroad

Before beginning college I knew I wanted to study abroad.  The thought of living in a different country for 6-12 months seemed so exciting!

After arriving at Chico State, I was pleasantly surprised when I found out that the university has many great study abroad programs. Chico State study abroad sends more than 300 students to 30 different countries every year. My  dreams of studying abroad seemed as if they might actually come true.

When I was a freshman I attended the informational meetings about studying abroad. I didn’t need to be convinced that it would be the best time of my life, but I did walk away feeling even more determined to make it happen.

At the meetings, the study abroad coordinators showed pictures and told stories of student’s experiences abroad. The study abroad team stressed even more that those who study abroad are set apart from those who do not.

College students often hear that they should study abroad for “personal growth.”  Someone might say to them “it’ll help you come out of your shell” or “studying abroad will help you to become more independent.” While this is true, studying abroad helps in so many other ways!

Studying abroad does help with professional growth. It stands out on résumés! When an employer sees that someone has lived in a different country for a long period of time, there are many desirable qualities the employer might infer about the potential job candidate.

Study abroad students may gain leadership skills, cross cultural communication and an understanding of many different cultures. All of these qualities are important to obtain when entering the job market.

So, study abroad! Not only will you meet great people and have the time of your life, but you are also investing in your future!

Hey, if living on the beach can help you land a job; why not take advantage of it?!

Surfers Paradise, Gold Coast, Australia. July 2011

View of the beach from my apartment. Surfers Paradise, Gold Coast, Australia. July 2011

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Expanding the Job Market Beyond the Borders

Graduating and moving into the workforce is one of the biggest transitions a college graduate faces. The stress of today’s shaky economy, coupled with rising tuition costs and an increasing unemployment rate can take its toll on the decision-making process for most students.

In times like these, it is more important than ever to be open to opportunities when they present themselves. Living and working abroad is one such possible opportunity that is unfortunately often overlooked by most graduates.

Internship opportunities abroad are often more plentiful than here at home, and some even come with excellent benefits that are usually rarely given to graduates in the United States! Programs such as Cultural Vistas or GoAbroad are available to guide students through the process of seeking work in various locations across the globe. 4-year graduates often already meet prerequisites for many programs, and a student is only required to have the willingness to experience something new.

The benefits of working abroad are numerous. Gaining a sense of international understanding is a great educational opportunity that develops confidence in one’s own work skills. Life abroad can also sometimes be cheaper than here in the states! Getting to travel the world, learning about new cultures, learning a new language, and gaining an advantage in the job market are just a few of the many benefits of seeking work opportunities abroad. No matter what your career path may be, chances are you have a skill that is desired elsewhere in the world, and they are willing to pay you to do it.

So, escape the stress of the job market here in the U.S. for awhile and go have an adventure that pays off (in more ways than one!).

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Where Will Textbooks Take Us Next?

By Shelby Hudak, Account Executive
I can remember just three years ago when I was purchasing my textbooks for my first semester at college. And now, just three years later, it fascinates me how buying textbooks has changed.
Back in 2009, my freshman year,  I wasn’t even aware textbooks were available to rent online. I remember the A.S. bookstore being jam-packed with students and the “TextLink” pick-up line being extremely long. 
My second semester of freshman year I overheard people talking about a book rental site called Chegg, but I was not convinced enough to try it.
Now as a senior, I look back on my freshman year and tell myself how crazy I was for spending $100 on a textbook from the bookstore, when I could have rented it for $30 or $40 at an online book rental site such as bookrenter.com or half.com.
In my opinion, renting textbooks online is the most popular way students are getting their textbooks. I don’t think this will be the case forever, or even in the next five to 10 years. I believe there will be another huge shift in the textbook industry and students’ buying habits will shift to e-books. 
Forbes says students are in no hurry to follow the e-book trend. My prediction, however, is that textbook publishing companies will adapt and create e-books that students actually want to use, and the industry of e-books will flourish. 
We live in an exciting and evolving world that makes me eager about what technology will bring for future textbooks.