Public Relations Assistant Department Head Praises Grady ADPR Program

            Public relations professor and assistant department head Bryan Reber, who holds a doctorate in journalism from the University of Missouri, said that the University of Georgia’s Grady College graduates have a strong reputation because of the school’s separate public relations and advertising programs.

            Prof. Reber visited an Introduction to News Writing class at UGA this morning and took questions from public relations and journalism students.

            Whereas some schools offer an integrated degree such as strategic communications, Grady has a distinct public relations major and an advertising major.  

             UGA offers a unique graduate program, titled the 4+1 program, available exclusively for graduates of either the public relations or advertising departments at Grady. It allows students to obtain an advertising-public relations master’s degree in 1 additional year of study.

            Prof. Reber highlighted the difference between the two fields. “Advertising focuses on paid placement, where PR focuses on earned placement,” he said. He praised the 4+1 program because of the opportunity to receive a graduate degree in a short period of time, as well as its appeal in a corporate work environment.

A Taste of Oconee Returns For Its 8th Fundraiser

            The 8^th annual A Taste of Oconee event benefiting the Oconee County Middle School Fine Arts program will be held Sunday, Feb. 23, from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Oconee County Civic Center.

            Local restaurants are catering the event and the OCMS band and chorus programs are providing the entertainment. Each year, a Kid’s Choice Award and People’s Choice award are given to the most popular vendors. Local businesses and families have donated a variety of items for a raffle.

            Tickets are priced at $20 each and can be purchased from any OCMS band or chorus student, the OCMS front office, the Oconee County Chamber of Commence, or the Oconee County Civic Center. Tickets will be available at the event if it is not sold out. Two tickets for $20 are offered to military, fire personnel and Oconee County teachers and staff.

            For more information, visit the official A Taste of Oconee website at http://www.atasteofoconee.com/.