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Grace Kindl  Most of us know the PR faculty at Kent is a tight-knit group, but you may not know that Associate Professor Dr. Cheryl Ann Lambert was approached by Professor Michele Ewing to teach at Kent State.
Lambert grew up in Springfield, IL and throughout her education and career has lived in Philadelphia, Knoxville, Chicago and Boston. Her biggest accomplishment is running a marathon in Chicago. Me: “Is there something you've dreamed about doing for a long time?” Lambert: “Yes, I would love to run a marathon but this is with the caveat. I ran the Chicago marathon back in 1998, but it's been so long that I would need to get back into running and training and consistency.” Outside of Franklin Hall, you can find Dr. Lambert watching movies on a multitude of streaming services. Her favorites are Marvel and horror movies. She’s currently watching The Last of Us, “in spite of herself.” “I have heard before that if you like scary movies that there are certain kinds of monsters that you do not like. I do not like zombies and yet, The Last of Us is about a sort of a zombie-like outbreak,” Lambert said. One thing you probably don’t know about Dr. Lambert is that it took her an extra year and a half to get her bachelor’s degree in English because she transferred schools. “I'm sure there's some cool saying about that, you know, just stick to it, stick to it or it doesn't matter how you start as long as you finish,” Lambert said. Me: “What is your best advice for students?” Lambert: “I would say to remember your reputation has ripples outward.” Dr. Lambert connected this back to her love of superheroes with the Spiderman quote “with great power comes great responsibility.” In PR we have great power, but we also have a responsibility to be ethical. Lambert: “You want to be somebody that is reliable and responsible. So just keep that in mind that you're shaping your reputation all the time. But the great thing is that you can also reshape it. You know, you can slip up, change, make a mistake and then change.”
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Katie Masko  Professor Moore’s dream day includes shopping. “I have a shopping problem,” she said. “I have a problem going into Costco.”
Realistically… don’t we all? If you have ever had Professor Moore in class, you know as well as I do she’s goofy, giggly and one of the most understanding people you’ll ever meet. If she weren’t a public relations professional teaching us about crisis communications and everything digital, she would be a pop star. “I want to be a Taylor Swift or something,” she said. “I remember when I was a little girl, I used to sing in the backyard hoping somebody would discover me.” I mean … who didn’t? When asked if she could choose anyone to host for dinner, she would choose Harry Styles. I am starting to sense a theme here (and yes, I interviewed Stefanie Moore, not her daughter). Her favorite thing to cook is anything her children would get seconds for, specifically chili mac. Do you think she would serve Harry Styles chili mac? I wonder how he would react. In true Professor Moore fashion, every question I asked got answered with something like “that is such a hard question.” But she knew her favorite ice cream flavor: mint chocolate chip. The most shocking thing of all: she loves to bike! She did “Pedal to the Point,” a biking fundraiser for multiple sclerosis starting in Middleburg Heights and ending at Cedar Point two years in a row. Except she did not bike back the second time; her husband picked her up. Talking to Professor Moore is always a fun time, and she will usually say something funny or squawk like a chicken (as she did on my first day of Digital Analytics in Advertising and PR). In all seriousness, ask her a silly question every once in a while and you may just get a really fun answer. By: Macy Rosen
Did you know Associate Professor Luke Armour is in a band? No, I’m not making this up, he plays the bass guitar! Aside from public relations, Armour is very passionate about music … and peanuts with shells? I know what you’re thinking: “Professor Armour tells horrible dad jokes, and all of his classes are lectures, how can he be interesting?” Walk into his office, and that is interesting enough (kidding). But seriously, someone needs to help him clean his office. Armour has an interesting story. He currently teaches Public Relations Tactics and Case Studies. “I can’t pick a favorite class to teach. In Case Studies, I like watching students go ‘oh I get this.’ In PR Tactics, I like watching students progress in their presentation skills. I have a favorite piece of each class,” Armour said. Similar to classes, Armour could not choose a favorite colleague (to be expected). Me: “Who is your favorite colleague? Who brightens your day every time you see them?” Armour: “All of PRKent. There are six of us, and I love all of us. It’s amazing. We all get along, and we all work together. We help each other. It’s amazing.” Me: “Do you feel like you would consider them your friends?” Armour: “Absolutely. Yeah.” Although he expressed his love for his students and colleagues, Armour said in another life, he would be a rockstar with long hair. (This was an interesting thought, considering his current situation, but I support it.) Speaking of being a rockstar, don’t forget he plays the guitar … in a band. With other teachers. What is this band called, you ask? Drum roll, please … Mental Faculties! Armour said he has always been into music and playing instruments, and he enjoys playing with fellow teachers. He claims he tells us these things on the first day of class, but all I can remember is hearing about Star Wars and superheroes. As students, we oftentimes forget our professors have lives outside of teaching. Next time you have a few minutes after class, consider asking your professor what they like to do in their free time, it may surprise you. New dad joke by Armour: “Do you know why I like jokes about elevators? Because they work on so many levels” (cue the dad laughter). By: William Dakin
The National Millenial & Generation Z trip to New York City in September of 2022 was an incredible opportunity to meet executives and other students from around the country and, sometimes, the world. The topics of every meeting were variable, but frequently, in or out of meetings, there were questions surrounding the “metaverse,” artificial intelligence (AI) and virtual reality (VR)/augmented reality (AR) technologies. As a rising topic, I was surprised by how little the general public was interested in or educated on the metaverse and had no idea of its applications in private and business environments. These technological developments could be the defining achievement of our lifetimes and changing interactions across the globe. A general understanding of the metaverse, its uses and tools used in development, is highly advantageous. A significant hurdle for discussing applications of the metaverse is many people don’t understand what all it entails, as there is no set vision or definition. Broadly speaking, the metaverse describes a virtual environment accessible through a computer or combined with AR or VR technologies. Many people and companies have visions for the metaverse, including a digital economy using cryptocurrencies and NFTs as digital assets. This is overly generalized but can be more easily understood through examples that people have experienced. Coming out of the global COVID-19 pandemic, where most social interactions ceased, there was an emergence of businesses using Zoom to meet virtually. Zoom is an example of the metaverse used by companies, connecting individuals through a virtual medium. Another instance of the metaverse, also popularized during the pandemic, is a game called Roblox. In Roblox, users can join different worlds to hang out with friends, explore or compete. Many businesses and brands, such as Vans, popularized their world within Roblox, where users can participate in challenges and customize virtual Vans and skateboards (Gibson 2021). Being accessed through a computer, cellphone or VR headset opened up new customers for new virtual products offered by Vans. A great quote that characterizes existing brands in the metaverse is from Nick Pringle, senior vice-president and executive creative director at R/GA London, “The successful brands will be ones that don’t simply replicate their current products and service in the metaverse, but instead think more creatively about what value they can offer.” Not only are new customers engaging with existing brands, but opportunities for brands to expand into new virtual product lines that appeal to new and existing customers. Creating items, photos and objects in the metaverse take time, but new technology is emerging to help decrease time commitments and make designing in the metaverse easier. While meeting with and touring the impressive office space of R/GA in New York, we had a brief overview and demonstration of a new AI technology in research for use in artificial design. The technology dubbed “Midjorney” is an Artificial Intelligence Bot on the popular communication platform, Discord. Midjorney will interpret a string of words or phrases to deliver four completely original images based on the user’s inputs. These images are all computed, generated and delivered within 60 seconds. This tool, currently in its beta stages, has the potential to completely revolutionize computer design, lightening the image design burden for advertising and marketing fields. It is especially useful for existing or developing brands in a completely virtual environment. While still drawing attention from skeptics, the metaverse is beginning to take shape and could define the upcoming generation of entrepreneurs and brands. Being informed and having a general understanding of the concepts will be beneficial very soon. When meeting with R/GA, it was emphasized that “innovation happens at intersections,” and this is a major intersection we see, the collision of a physical and virtual world. What technologies, innovation and knowledge will come from this is unknown, but highly anticipated. By: Maddie Goerl
Reporting is a rite of passage for all public relations majors. With tight deadlines and time sensitive stories, the course is designed to keep students on their toes. I remember my class buzzing with nervous whispers on the first day. My tablemates and I quietly discussed our limited knowledge of the course. Failed interviews, sleepless nights and the Kroll F (misspelling a name) were the main topics of conversation. Little did we know, Reporting would give us great writing skills and even better friendships. After a semester of interviews and editor meetings, I ended Reporting on top with a 98%. I worked hard for my grade, but I believe anyone can pass Reporting with flying colors with these tips. Most of all, I recommend choosing beats that you are passionate about. Beats are the different topics that student media covers. Mine was health and fitness, but there are dozens to choose from. If you don’t care about the story you are writing, it will show in the final product. The easiest stories to write are the ones you’d like to read. I also recommend doing your research. Explore the stories already on KentWired and avoid writing a story that was recently covered. Push yourself to explore new topics and current events. Make sure to use your resources! Depending on your beat, peer reviewed articles, journals and public records can supplement your primary research. Your AP Stylebook will be your best friend. Refer back to it often to avoid silly mistakes. If all else fails, reach out to some Reporting veterans for support. Many of the current PRSSA officers have completed the course and would be more than happy to offer advice. When you inevitably lose a point (or a few) on a story, keep track! Make a checklist of your commonly made mistakes so they don’t happen again. I think the key to Reporting is going in with the right mindset. This class gives students the opportunity to gain published writing for your portfolio. Treat this experience as a growing opportunity, a place to develop your personal style and voice. Go into this course with this mindset: you don’t have to take this course, you get to take this course. |
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