Students Brandon Roman and Grace Riggert talk with their community client, Jason Hubbard, of the Math Prep Academy
Students in the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh Journalism 440: Application of New and Emerging Media class worked with four campus and community clients to evaluate their use of new media and produced projects for their clients this semester.
The course is designed to provide real-world learning experiences in the research, planning, execution and evaluation of the use of new and emerging media as applied to the practice of public relations, advertising and marketing.
Clients included the Math Prep Academy, Oshkosh Chamber of Commerce, Department of Journalism and Winnebago Countywide Crime Stoppers.
“Journalism 440 allows students to provide new media consulting to local non-profits. These senior journalism and interactive Web management students learn how to apply their writing, visual and digital skills to help non-profit organizations better reach audiences and interact with them online toward their goals,” said Sara Steffes Hansen, journalism and IWM professor.
Dave Reuter, a Winnebago Countywide Crime Stoppers board member, heard about the course through fellow board member Kaye Krueger, an outreach program manager at the University. For the Crime Stoppers, working with the students in the J440 course was an opportunity to get out in front of a younger audience and to improve an out-dated Web presence.
“It’s a good resource to have as a nonprofit,”Reuter said. “The young ladies we worked with are learning about us, and in turn helping get program out to others.”
“The clients we serve often are strapped for resources to create and use new media in the right way. They tend to be very pleased with the new website, social media strategy or other deliverables the students created,” Hansen said. “It’s a confidence-booster for the students who are ready to use their education in the real world, and now have another portfolio project and reference through this learning experience.”
For senior interactive Web management major Brandon Roman, the course allowed him to gain experience working with a client. Roman and his partner Grace Riggert worked with the Math Prep Academy.
“The class provided good, real-life experience that we can use in our future jobs,” Roman said. “I gained experience working side-by-side with a client, putting together materials to help them grow and it’s also a good portfolio piece and an awesome project to tell future employers about.”
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