Check out our latest video on Youtube (@ClemsonCOMM) to see our Club of the Month for September 2021!
This month, the president of the Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA), Sara Ciplickas, gives us an outstanding explanation of what this club is all about. Ciplickas is a junior at Clemson University and aims to have a career in public relations after graduation. Learn more about PRSSA and the highlights Sara provides about the organization.
Sara Ciplickas, President of PRSSA-Clemson
The Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA)is a professional organization dedicated to training ethical public relations professionals of the future. PRSSA works with local businesses and nonprofits to create social media content, press releases, and other PR deliverables. Being an active member in the organization is a great way to build a portfolio, meet PR professionals, and make connections!
After looking into PRSSA’s calendar for Fall 2021, it is obvious that they have big things planned which you don’t want to miss!
For more information on PRSSA, follow them on Instagram and take a look at their website, listed below:
Intern Insights allows current departmental interns to share their perspective on topics relevant to their experience as an undergraduate student. Italicized terms will appear in glossary at the end of the post.
Bid Day 2021, Sophia Wilkins pictured with members of Chi Omega.
As one of the interns in the Communication Department, I would love to tell you all about my bid day experience! By now, you all would have seen my feature in the meet the interns section, but if not, my name is Sophia Wilkins and I am a sophomore at Clemson. Due to COVID regulations last year, this was actually my first time experiencing a bid day in person; and let me tell you- I was very impressed! (And jealous, of course.) This is now my second year being a member of the Psi Kappa Chapter of the Chi Omega Fraternity.
Last year, when everything was virtual, we did Panhellenic recruitment via zoom before we moved into Clemson. Our bid day was on zoom, and it was very difficult to meet our sisters. Throughout the entire semester, most of our events were virtual (chapter, initiation, new member meetings) and it was difficult to meet new people. Despite the difficulty connecting, I remained involved because the group of young women that I did meet were the most genuine people I have met. We stuck together throughout all of the tough times caused by COVID-19. Now that everything is in person, I am thrilled that I stayed! Since classes began, I have met so many new people and have had so much fun with them! This semester completely changed my perspective on sorority life and I realized how much time we really do spend with each other. I am so excited to continue everything in person, to meet more sisters, and most importantly, to find a little! Our Big-Little reveal is on October 23, and I am counting down the days!
We also will be having our philanthropy events in person this year! Chi Omega’s philanthropy is the Make-A-Wish Foundation. We have a major event called Wings for Wishes where we host a wing eating competition and raise money for the foundation. It occurs in the spring semester and I encourage everyone to look into it if you feel like eating yummy wings and also contributing to a great cause.
Now, back to Bid Day!
On August 29th, we had our bid day, where we welcomed 110 new sisters to Chi Omega! So, here’s how bid day went:
All of the sororities lined up on the intramural fields, all dressed in different themes and holding up signs to show which sorority we were. Chi Omega’s theme was “Love You Like XO” and we were all dressed in pink and red with heart accessories!
Every sophomore received a name, and this name was their bid-day buddy for the day. A bid-day buddy is one of the new members who you need to welcome into the sorority and take around with you for the day! We have sophomores doing this so that they can start looking for girls to be their sorority Littles!
All of the new sisters open up their bids, and then run to the sorority that they have just joined. When they run to the sorority, they need to look for the girl that is holding up their name. It is a very genuine and heart-warming moment when they find you; we run up to each other screaming and hugging, tears of joy and excitement going everywhere. It was truly my favorite moment so far being in Chi Omega.
After that, each sorority moves to their own separate location where they can meet each other, take pictures and just have fun for a little while!
Overall, sorority life builds a very close-knit community which I unfortunately did not experience until this year, but am so happy that I have now! Sororities are very different from what everyone would expect, and I hope that this post helped you all have a better understanding of what it’s like. If you’re looking for me, I’ll be eating wings with my sisters!
Glossary:
Recruitment: A process in which university undergraduate women join a sorority
Bid Day: The last day of recruitment, when potential new members receive bids to join chapters and become new members
CPA: College Panhellenic Association
Panhellenic: Used loosely to refer to the College Panhellenic Association.
Big-Little Reveal: A reveal, usually involving gifts being given by a senior member of the sorority who takes a newer member of the organization under their wing.
Three new interns are working under the guidance of Dr. Lori Pindar as media communication and engagement inters this summer. Their internships experience in the Department of Communication will include content creation for the departmental blog, YouTube Channel, and other social as well as alumni outreach and interviews, external communication management and upkeep of the departmental newsletter. Learn more about Eleonor, Sophia, and Jasmine below!
Eleonor Wright
Eleonor is a senior Marketing major and French minor from Nashville, TN. She is on the Clemson Women’s Rowing team and this is her first year as an intern for the Communication department. Eleonor is active on campus in CODA (Council on Diversity Affairs) and CODE (Commission on Diverse Empowerment) and is deeply involved in Clemson student government and leadership within athletics. Eleonor is looking forward to working as a media intern because she is interested in continuing this type of work after she graduates and hopes that this will add to her skills and portfolio. Reading pool side or on the beach is Eleonor’s favorite way to unwind when she has free time.
Fun Fact: Eleonor has been to 14 countries and is hoping to go to many more!!
Sophia Wilkins
Sophia is a sophomore Communication major and Brand Communications minor from Scotch Plains, NJ. She is an active member of Chi Omega on campus and this is Sophia’s first year as an intern for the Communication department. She is excited to be a UPIC intern because she believes this experience will help her figure out what she would like to do for her career. She is interested in this field and is looking forward to honing in on what interests her more. When she is not in tiger town she spends her summers at the beach and is most likely eating Jimmy Johns.
Fun Fact: She met the Jersey Shore cast!!
Jasmine Lewis
Jasmine is a senior Sports Communications major from Atlanta, GA. She is on the Women’s Rowing team at Clemson and this is her third semester interning with the Erwin Center for Brand Communications. Jasmine works with the Erwin Center social media account and she has had the opportunity to work with the Cadency, a student-led agency, within the Erwin Center. Most recently, Jasmine helped lead and coordinate the 2021 CMO Summit happening this Fall! In her free time Jasmine loves to read and play the piano.
Fun Fact: When Jasmine graduates she plans to join the United States Peace Corps and serve in South America!!
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