Mutual Mentoring

Shocked? Yes. Surprised? No. Humbled? Absolutely. Grateful? Without a doubt. Such was my reaction when I learned from my friend and colleague Dave Thompson that I was to be recognized as the winner of the Olga M. Haley Mentorship Award from the Oregon Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America.

But I must deflect, or perhaps reorient, such an honor to those who contributed: my students, whom I hope benefitted from the relationship as much as I. Also, my mentors at the UO j-school, and my PRSA homies in various leadership and governance activities. Most of all my family, who tolerated my antics and schedule.

How did it all begin? After the Earth cooled and the dinosaurs died, I graduated from the UO j-school and went to work as a reporter. After two years of gigs at weeklies throughout the Northwest, I served as a public information officer and writer/editor for the United States Forest Service in Seattle, Washington.

Inspired by the potential opportunities waiting in PR, I returned to the j-school for more training. Hired as PR coordinator at a local hospital a few years later, I signed on for a similar role at Eugene Water & Electric Board, Soon after, I was hired as an adjunct instructor at UO SOJC. Worked both gigs simultaneously for 23 years.

As an instructor in the PR sequence, I taught strategic writing and planning, newsletter publication and PR campaigns. My students returned the favor; they were instructive with Facebook. When asked if I was on the social medium, I sheepishly replied, “no.” They all laughed and then friended me on FB, once I was established.

They also mentored me on the art and science of other social media, such as LinkedIn and blogging. I was all in. In 2008, I founded GonzoPR. My writing skills, including headline writing, and photography and graphic design skills, all came in quite handy. No Twitter for me. I get into enough trouble with just my mouth.

And what of my colleagues? My merry band of pirates at the EWEB Conservation Center, my PRSA co-conspirators at district meetings and national leadership assembly, and my j-school cohorts? We’re all more trouble than a delegation of Canadian utility communicators at a BPA marketing and advertising meeting.

I would introduce my PR peeps to my UO PRSSA students, connecting them with professionals from around the U.S. and the world, aligning both parties based on their mutual interests. I know it’s cliché, but public relations is about networking. But when all the fun is over, it was back to work grading papers and preparing lectures.

As a utility communicator, I participated in the Eugene-Springfield PR Roundtable, the precursor of the Greater Oregon Chapter of PRSA. Liz Cawood, APR, spearheaded the effort and I was a founding member, and next, a board member. Eventually, I served as chair in 2004. I had been patiently waiting my turn.

In the mid-90s, I became professional advisor for UO PRSSA. In 2005, I attended the PRSSA gig during Christmas week in Miami Beach. The original date coincided with Hurricane Katrina. The PRSA conference was never rescheduled. There, I met Jedi Masters like the incomparable Betsy Plank, PR pioneer.

As an instructor, I primarily taught PR writing. Trained as a journalist, I covered the basics first. I would query the class: "How many parts of speech in the English language can you name?" They would volunteer their responses, starting with nouns and verbs. The one that stumped everybody? Interjections.

“Which ones are my favorites?" Stumped again. “I hate pronouns. Not as descriptive or as varied as nouns, and I prefer active over passive verbs, so we know who’s doing what. Adjectives? Yes, but not excessively. Adverbs and conjunctions? Transition words. Prepositions? Can’t live without them. Interjections? Almost never.

And punctuation? Indispensable. A period denotes end of sentence. Commas? A pause. Semi-colon? Two full sentences, related subjects. Colons? Part full sentence, part half sentence. Question marks? Vital. Prepositions? Always. Exclamation points? Sparingly. What does five say that one doesn’t? More than one is way too many!!!!!

Finally, at the end of the term, I would share life lessons. You sometimes have to fail miserably before succeeding greatly. Never give up. Abraham Lincoln failed at every bid for office save for three. On the third one, he became President of the United States of America. Not a bad outcome.

In the planning and campaigns classes, I illustrated the key values of strategy and research to justify budgets. If you have no plan, you have no money for public relations, advertising and marketing initiatives. Curious managers, supervisors and accountants want to know if your communications plan is worthy.

At PRSA/PRSSA conferences, I’d be busier than a barefoot boy on a red ant hill. Meetings with leadership assembly, social gatherings, conference programming (keynote speakers and break out sessions), and when I could get away with it, concerts at local establishments and tours of landmarks and other points of interest.

What now? Plenty. First and foremost, I’ll be spending time with my family. I’ll also continue to pursue my passion for writing, and photography and design, as well as hike in the wilderness, and consult with friends, colleagues and former students. Mentor and be mentored with all my peeps. What’s not to like? Onward.