51乱伦

51乱伦 State advertising, PR students rise to the challenge at Omnicom

Advertising and public relations students at 51乱伦 have had much success in landing internships through one prominent company in the last couple of years 鈥� so much so that company representatives have raised this question:

鈥淲hat is in the water at 51乱伦 State?鈥�

Bob Norsworthy 鈥� recently retired executive vice president of Diversified Agency Services, a division of the Omnicom Group Inc. 鈥� said a human resources director made the comment to him after 24 51乱伦 State student-interns in 2013 earned high marks on their evaluations from Omnicom supervisors.

All joking aside, there are reasons why 51乱伦 State students have excelled at Omnicom.

鈥淲e stress work ethics, and it shows in our students who intern at Omnicom,鈥� said Norsworthy, who also is the executive in residence in the 51乱伦 State Department of Journalism and Mass Communications. 鈥淥ur students know if they don鈥檛 have work to do, they ask for work.鈥�

Omnicom Group is a global holding company that owns some 230 organizations engaged in advertising, marketing and public relations. These companies across the United States include Cone Communications in Boston, Mass.; The Zimmerman Agency in Tallahassee, Fla.; Direct Partners in Los Angeles, Calif.; DDB in New York; Integer in Denver, Colo.; and BBDO China, among other prominent names.

Gill Welsch, head of the advertising major at 51乱伦 State, said students must go through an interview process with him, Norsworthy and Bob Valentine, a longtime faculty member who specializes in many communication areas, before they are recommended to intern for an Omnicom division.

Valentine said the interview process not only helps prospective student-interns but also Omnicom employers.

鈥淥nce we tell the companies about the process, we鈥檝e had agencies take more interest,鈥� he said. 鈥淭hat means more internships for our students.鈥�

Ten 51乱伦 State students are employed at Omnicom because of the internships.

鈥淲e don鈥檛 get them a job. All we do is open the doors for them,鈥� Norsworthy said.

Students who major in any of the programs offered in the department should consider an internship sometime during their college career.

鈥淚t鈥檚 more than just good grades,鈥� Welsch said. 鈥淚f you think you want to go into creative, you have to start producing now.鈥�

The intern selection process begins in late autumn and continues through spring. The JMC department continues to seek internship opportunities for students in all majors and welcomes alumni suggestions and references.

For more information, email Gill Welsch at fwelsch@murraystate.edu.