IMC Hawks Blog

Author: imcclass

  • A new vision for IMC

    Confession… I am not graduating in May. I am instead one of those few students who graduate in December. Nevertheless, watching many of my friends and classmates prepare to enter the real world upon graduating in a matter of days, I cannot help but feel overwhelmed and excited. My input on senior week will be much different than many of the other students, because my feelings of these next week are more of a pre-senior week and pre-graduation emotion. My emotions are more filled with planning, weighing options, and finally deciding what I want to do when I graduate. So while it is exciting to see so many classmates graduate, I have the opportunity to determine how to bond my education with my future.

    I am a double major in Communications Studies and Political Science, which makes me one of those rare students with double majors or concentrations who are trying to figure out how to merge both areas of study. I plan on going to graduate school for Political Communication or Political Management, and focus on Campaign Strategies and/or Strategic Campaigning. In IMC, the most often type of student you will see are Marketing and Communications Studies students, so you might ask “What is a Political Science student going to do with IMC?” My response…A LOT. In any political campaign or election, you have many different goals which are elemental to the ultimate goal of having your constituents deciding to vote for your candidate. This is very parallel to the goals of companies who hire Marketing, PR, or IMC agencies to advocate for their product, service or organization. Their goals are also very similar in the fact that they want the consumer to choose to purchase their product. As an IMC student you are taught ways to implement the theories and ideas you’ve learned to brand your company in a way that the consumer will choose it. The two goals of campaigning and IMC are so similar that if campaign strategies collaborated with IMC strategies, it seems that both fields would open up a whole new world of development. With this understanding, I plan on taking what I’ve learned through IMC and applying it to what I’ve learned in Political Science in order to successfully brand and market the politicians, their ideas, their legislature and their hopes for the United States. I will call it…Integrated Marketing Communications and Campaigning. IMCC.

    -Shannon Meadows

  • Impossible is Nothing

    I’ll always remember how I felt when I was about to graduate from highschool – excited, elated. I knew I was only a summer away from moving to the beach where I would be at UNC Wilmington for the next four years.

    Once I was here Wilmington soon became my community, UNCW became my home, and the people became my family. But I never expected the past four years to go by so fast. So now, with only weeks until graduation, and as I look back over my experiences, and forward to what comes next, I don’t know how I feel. There is a crazy mix of emotions. I’m excited  for the next step in my life, but sad to close the door on this chapter. I’m confident in my abilities and skills, but terrified of no longer having a safety net to catch me if I fall.

    It didn’t take me long to fall in love with UNCW, and especially the Wilmington community. The idea of staying in Wilmington after graduation was always something that I dreamed about. At the same time, I was always warned to not get my hopes up about that because there just aren’t that many jobs in the communication field in this town. But, there is something to be said about working hard, not giving up and never settling for anything other than what you really want. I am happy to say that I will be staying in Wilmington after graduation with a job in public relations.

    -Nicole Doherty

  • A Framework for Our Future

    I never could imagine all facets of my Communication Studies career at UNCW would come to a close at the exact same time. I am in the cusp of finishing my departmental honors project, currently transitioning positions for the COM honors fraternity Lambda Pi Eta, and now the last day of classes is dawning. I am moderately overwhelmed; however, it is a familiar feeling. As a student entering the department three years ago, I was quite oblivious to what career I truly wanted to pursue come May, 2010. Unfortunately now a week shy of May, I am still just as oblivious. BUT before everyone reading recedes in shock, I DO possess one feeling in regards to my future I did not before, which is passion. Passion for my major, passion for my department, and passion for IMC (not a promo for the class, I promise). Having taken classes in integrated marketing communications truly has opened my eyes to a whole new way of pursuing communication studies.

     Hybridizing marketing and communications while outlying features such as social media, public relations, and advertising, creates a captivating discipline. It is truly unique in that IMC provides a surplus of prospective job opportunities, graduate school programs, and opportunities abroad for students interested in the field of study. IMC students have the advantage of being multifaceted within their major, gaining both client and corporate experience while utilizing new forms of social media to boost their own personal brand. It is such a rich subject that allows students the flexibility for growth and expertise.

    So as my time at UNCW and my participation with the IMC Hawk team comes to a close, more than overwhelmed, I now feel confident. I feel confident in the success of my peers, confident for myself, and confident for our future. No matter what career, school, or volunteer path we decide to take, IMC Hawks rest assured, our knowledge of IMC will be there offering support, and laying the groundwork for all the implausible feats we are surely to face.

    –Stephanie Saulsbury

  • Senior Week

    As the end of their last semester draws nearer, our seniors of The Advanced IMC Class are impatient, yet hesitant, to exchange the all familiar ‘Teal World’ for the foreign ‘Real World.’ We are confident in them and their abilities to succeed because of the knowledge and experience they have gained here at the University of North Carolina Wilmington. So this week on our blog, our seniors will reminisce over their experiences during the past four years at UNCW, discuss plans for the future, and of course, share how IMC has impacted their lives forever.

    – The Juniors – Mandy Baker, Lacey Inman, and Alissa Lockwood

  • Marketing & Advertising

    Let’s go to a place where signs line the streets left to right, up and down, and where thousands of people walk; Times Square in New York City! What more could a business ask for to advertise their product? If you’ve been there, you know exactly what I mean, and if not let me paint you a picture.  Times Square is an area within the City where ads come in the forms of pictures, lit up signs, and even videos.  Marketing and advertising take place in all businesses and is needed everywhere, but Times Square for me resembles the latest trends and a competition of who can attract the most attention to their ad. What element will make people stop and stare at a specific company’s ad?

    These are only some elements and aspects that are studied using a communication studies degree. Within communications we are able to study these questions and find what trend may be the most effective in reaching a target audience. Using a communication studies major you can go into a variety a fields, and marketing and advertising is seen as a growing area.

    Certain characteristics are needed to work in marketing and advertising, such as patience, multi-tasking abilities, creativity, and the ability to work well in a team environment. Just as in any company or organization, to complete the work effectively and efficiently, working with others is essential. To be a successful marketer, it’s important that you are able to communicate well, be it talking to large crowds, other employees, or to clients in a meeting.

    As students, it is our responsibility to develop a strong foundation while we are in school, so that upon graduating we can be confident in our journey ahead into the professional world of business.

    – Alissa Lockwood

  • Navigating your career without fear: Tips from the professionals to help secure a job!

    This time of year is particularly hectic in the business world as resumes from soon-to-be college graduates flood HR departments across the country. On Wednesday, April 14th, Capstrat held their 4th Annual Networking Night in Raleigh, NC.  The theme of the night was “Networking GPS:  How to Navigate Your Career”.  There were three sessions of panel discussions, each with their own topic and tips.  Among the panelist were Jennifer Anderson, Social Media Strategist for Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina, Melody Hunter-Pillion, Media Relations Manager for Rex Healthcare, and Erin Lane, Director of Marketing Communications for Scandinavian Child.  In total, there were 13 panelists who shared their valuable insights.

    The first session focused on career development and the importance of networking.  All of the panelists agreed that networking is about building relationships. Keep in mind, one should never burn bridges because you never know how important that connection could become.  Also, while networking, the word “job” is taboo.  No one wants to be bombarded with a resume. You must first establish a connection.  In addition, go above and beyond the job description. Your first job will not be your last, so use it to propel your career.

    The second session focused on emerging job trends. Contrary to popular belief, according to these professionals, it is acceptable to stay at a company for one to two years and then move on. Businesses understand that the “millennials,” people born from 1980 onward, are in positions to learn skills, and gain experience. Another key insight during this session was to bring something extra to the table. Since many public relations firms are relatively small, a person with an expertise in addition to their PR knowledge will have a great advantage.  Develop skills that aren’t necessarily for your job but that are applicable, such as web page design, social media, etc.

    The final session was on building your personal brand and social media.  LinkedIn is a great tool to use, as well as Twitter.  Follow people on Twitter in your industry of interest.  You never know who is reading your tweets, so make them interesting, appropriate and something people want to read.  While looking for a job, maximize your potential. Create a Web site with your own domain name, post your e-portfolio and demonstrate your capabilities.  Personal branding and social media aid people in developing an online presence and help mold how they want to be viewed.

    Keep all of this in the back of your mind while exploring career options and make yourself standout among the rest!

    Danielle Murray, Writer

    Rachel Kaylor, Editor

  • Oh, if we could all be Meryl…

    There are many of us who aspire to be Meryl Streep (aka: Miranda Priestly) in The Devil Wears Prada.  A strong woman, in a power position, submerged in the world of fashion.  However, being the editor-in-chief of a leading fashion magazine is not all that Hollywood makes it out to be (and we should all know this by now).  The September Issue is a documentary film that brings a little piece of reality to what is really like to be the heart and soul of a major publication.

    Although, the publishing world may appear to be falling off of the radar, there is still a lot to be offered career wise by being employed by a major publication.  If you are a journalist, you can write.  If you are a salesperson, you can sell advertising space within the publication or advertise the publication itself.  If you are into graphic design, someone has to create, design and layout the publication.

    When looking for a career (especially one that incorporates IMC) looking for opportunities in the publishing world could really work to your advantage.  Advertising, PR, marketing, journalism, graphic design…they all can be found in-house. The networking opportunities are tremendous.  You are usually grounded in a metropolitan area and the best part is the publishing world is looking for young, fresh faces.  As new media and technology are growing, many who have been in the business for years are having trouble keeping up and making the transition from pen and paper to the dreaded keyboard.

    This is our selling point.

    A few good websites to search for careers in the publishing are MediaBistro and Publishers Marketplace.

    Laura Ann Klinedinst