FSU’s Florida Center for Prevention Research Offers School of Communication Students Real-World Experiences

Posted by Michael Walsh on

Article written by Abby Cloud, School of Communication student.

As thousands of students are preparing to embark into the dynamic and ever-changing field of Communication, hands-on learning in the classroom is always encouraged. Experiential learning is crucial for any field, and especially in Communication, where real-world experience helps with internships and future employment.

Second-year Advertising major Madison Dodd and her team created this mock-up as part of their Advertising Strategy partnership with The Real Project.

Ever since Spring 2014, when Dr. Jaejin Lee first established a partnership with the Florida Center for Prevention Research (FCPR), students in Advertising Strategy courses have worked on real-world campaigns.

During the Fall 2021 term, the tradition continued.

In one section, students partnered with “The Real Project,” an on-going initiative sponsored by the National Social Norms Center at Michigan State University that acts as one of FSU’s alcohol abuse prevention programs.

For the second section, students worked with the Prevention Partnership Grant, which is sponsored by the Florida Department of Children and Families in collaboration with Chemical Addictions Recovery Effort, Inc (CARE). “The project focuses on two school districts in Calhoun and Liberty counties and aims to reduce underage drinking,” said Dr. Kelly Kelly, Teaching Faculty in charge of the course.

Students in each section collaborated in teams to develop an advertising strategy pitched to a representative from the FCPR.

The FCPR partnership is a rich opportunity for students according to Dr. Kelly. “They get to apply what they are reading about, studying and discussing each week to a real-world challenge—and one that’s deeply embedded in our society,” Kelly said.

Anaya Daniels shared some social media mock-ups that her team created. The goal was to rebrand and connect with students in Calhoun and Liberty Counties in order to reduce underage drinking.

Students like Anaya Daniels, a second year studying Advertising, enjoyed working with teams, engaging in hands-on learning, and having a product to add to her portfolios. “I feel like I am having the chance to test drive my potential career field with the guidance of my professor,” said Daniels.

The School of Communication values experiential learning opportunities for students with partners like FCPR.

“I think having opportunities like this are very important for my education as a student and I hope the School of Communication is able to keep having this for future students,” said Daniels.