The Campus-Wide Presentation: An Experiential Approach To Increasing Student Learning, Growth And Marketability

Abstract

The purpose of this article is to describe and encourage an approach to a public relations course that can be applied to any discipline. Grounded in the experiential learning theory, students prepare for 16 weeks to present an issue-based campaign to a targeted, live audience at an on-campus venue. Using the course textbook and required readings as a guide, students are taught to “do” as the readings instruct, rather than be bound to merely memorizing the material. During the semester, the goal of the student evolves from earning a good grade, to attracting and enlightening an audience though public relations. While the project was assigned to public relations students, renditions of the described approach can be creatively applied to other disciplines interested in students acquiring real world experience outside of internships, within the safety net of their own campus.