Chi State News ~ Spring, 2008
TALK THE WALK ~
PUBLIC RELATIONS 101
Every time you clip on your ΔΚΓ pin, carry a red folio imprinted with our shield
into a meeting, wear Society-related clothing, or attach ΔΚΓ tags to the luggage you
carry through the airport, you are a walking testimony to your support of Delta Kappa
Gamma Society International. This gives you a great opportunity to talk about who we
are and what we do when anyone asks you about what that wording or graphic
represents. This is a good thing; you are not bragging about an exclusive, secret
society to which you are privileged to belong, but rather a group of colleagues you have
chosen to join which supports the many needs we see in our educational communities.
Times - they are a’changing. Our founders were inspired by the desire to attract
and bring together outstanding educators to act as a force for personal and professional
growth; we still foster that dream, but in a far more inclusive way. Previously, there was
a body of internal communications built on fulfilling our purposes, but little effort
addressed to developing outreach to our other colleagues or to the organizations or
media in the larger community. Check out the recent issues of ΔΚΓ News and Chi State
News which touch on “A New Chapter Model”, “A Change Process: Moving from Apathy
to Advocacy”, “Communication Strategies, Networks to Make the Society More
Personal” and “A Membership Explosion” – they represent efforts to build a more open
organization.
The leadership of Chi State wants to participate proactively to build public
relations awareness and skills particularly when we meet and greet the public. Our
starting point is at the chapter level. You can, for instance, utilize the Society shield or
logo, copied from the International website, in the letterhead when you send a letter to
not only the successful scholarship or grant recipient, but her/his supervisor as well.
The Research Committee will disperse tallied results to Committee leaders to make
known the effects of various projects, such as the THAT program or Jared Boxes, not
only that our membership knows, but those in the larger community do also.
This is the first of future columns in the Chi State News focused on public
relations. We plan to post templates on the Chi State website for such items as press
releases and fact sheets which you can tailor to your needs. This public relations kit will
contain some tools you might find handy when asked about Delta Kappa Gamma, for
instance, while you are announcing, or posting, an invitation to Convention for other
staff members who work with you.
Jeanne Gelwicks
Public Relations Coordinator
Chi State Research Committee
Chi State News ~ Spring, 2008
TALK THE WALK ~
PUBLIC RELATIONS 101
Every time you clip on your ΔΚΓ pin, carry a red folio imprinted with our shield
into a meeting, wear Society-related clothing, or attach ΔΚΓ tags to the luggage you
carry through the airport, you are a walking testimony to your support of Delta Kappa
Gamma Society International. This gives you a great opportunity to talk about who we
are and what we do when anyone asks you about what that wording or graphic
represents. This is a good thing; you are not bragging about an exclusive, secret
society to which you are privileged to belong, but rather a group of colleagues you have
chosen to join which supports the many needs we see in our educational communities.
Times - they are a’changing. Our founders were inspired by the desire to attract
and bring together outstanding educators to act as a force for personal and professional
growth; we still foster that dream, but in a far more inclusive way. Previously, there was
a body of internal communications built on fulfilling our purposes, but little effort
addressed to developing outreach to our other colleagues or to the organizations or
media in the larger community. Check out the recent issues of ΔΚΓ News and Chi State
News which touch on “A New Chapter Model”, “A Change Process: Moving from Apathy
to Advocacy”, “Communication Strategies, Networks to Make the Society More
Personal” and “A Membership Explosion” – they represent efforts to build a more open
organization.
The leadership of Chi State wants to participate proactively to build public
relations awareness and skills particularly when we meet and greet the public. Our
starting point is at the chapter level. You can, for instance, utilize the Society shield or
logo, copied from the International website, in the letterhead when you send a letter to
not only the successful scholarship or grant recipient, but her/his supervisor as well.
The Research Committee will disperse tallied results to Committee leaders to make
known the effects of various projects, such as the THAT program or Jared Boxes, not
only that our membership knows, but those in the larger community do also.
This is the first of future columns in the Chi State News focused on public
relations. We plan to post templates on the Chi State website for such items as press
releases and fact sheets which you can tailor to your needs. This public relations kit will
contain some tools you might find handy when asked about Delta Kappa Gamma, for
instance, while you are announcing, or posting, an invitation to Convention for other
staff members who work with you.
Jeanne Gelwicks
Public Relations Coordinator
Chi State Research Committee
Public Relations Toolkit