Final notes
Posted by iamacamara on July 16, 2008
We are days away from the end of classes in the Corporate Communications and Public Relations program that began in January of this year. There are eight weeks of placement in the field ahead, though not all of us will complete that course this September. There has been surprisingly little attrition, with 28 “survivors” out of the original 30, gasping toward the finish and about to reap our rewards.
In this second semester, we have been weaned away from classwork and constant group work, as well as from the cafeteria, the closest thing to a hearth at Centennial College’s Centre for Creative Communications. I think we have missed the noisy gatherings there – the joys of communal eating.
An experience like this – seven months of intensive learning in an environment that is as competitive as it is collegial – is going to stick. At this moment, I think most of us are happy to bid adieu to most of our fellow classmates. Yet, I do not doubt there will be a lot of fond feeling when we think back on this particular group of characters and the crazy things we did just to get through the program.
When I applied to the program, I thought that the emphasis would be on communications and not public relations. Not so. Whether because of the mix of instructors, imperitives in the market or student priorities and demands, PR is the reason for this program’s existence.
I have avoided PR. There, I said it. Here’s one reason: I have known a number of journalists in both my personal and professional life and I can honestly say that not one of them – good, kind, intelligent people all – ever had the time of day for my opinions. I cannot deal with lack of respect in the workplace.
I wished for a placement at Harbourfront Centre, a place where I might employ my knowledge of literature (the Interational Festival of Authors), theatre (the World Stage Festival; the Premiere Dance Theatre); contemporary visual art (the Power Plant) and even gardening (the Music Garden.) As a communications intern at Harbourfront I will be kept busy marketing and promoting any combination of the 4,000 events that are hosted and produced by this cultural hub each year.
I wish all of my fellow students well and will miss a handful of them very much. But where there is a will – or a networking opportunity – I am certain we will meet again.
