A Third World Nation in America

A New PR Initiative by RWU PR Students to inform faculty, students and staff, as well as the surrounding community of Bristol, RI of what we call "Third World America".  This third word is Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota. In doing this, the students hope to raise awareness and alter attitudes toward Pine Ridge and help people to understand what is going on in their own country. 

Pine Ridge Native American Reservation is home to over 30,00 Lakota Sioux Native Americans. The Reservation is larger than Delaware and Rhode Island combined (spread across 1.7 million acres), and lies within the two poories counties in the United States. The following are disturbing statistics about the Pine Ridge Reservation:

- Unemployment = 80%

- 49% are under Federal Poverty Level

- Adolescent suicide is four times the national average

- Life expectancy is 47 years for males, 52 for
  females

- Infant mortality is five times the national average

- 30% homelessness

- 60% live in substandard housing

- The Lakota Sioux have the poorest health of any minority 

   group in the United States

- Most housing facilities have no phone, electricity or running 

   water

- Housing can be as bad as 16 people in a 4 bedroom home

If you are interested in learning more, here is more information

You Have Two Choices. That's It.

Get ahead or get left behind. You really don't have any other choices. The PR world is filled with fast moving people who aren't willing to wait around for you to get your act together. Whether you're looking for an internship or an entry-level job after you graduate in May, it's time to step up your game and not let other competitors out there take the position that you deserve!

Here are some suggestions:

Use social media to sell yourself. Obviously, we've heard it before thousands of times that social networking is now HUGE in the world of public relations. Don't be stupid about it. Keep it on the professional side, and try searching for agencies that your interested in on the web. Most likely, they have a blog, Facebook, Twitter, etc. Follow them! Stay on top of what they're doing. Not only will you impress them when you bring up something they've been blogging about in an interview, but it will show them that you really are interested in their agency.

Also, social networking can help you stay in touch with other PR students you've met along the way. The students who went to the PRSSA National Conference in 2009 in San Diego, CA have stayed in touch with other PRSSA chapters via social networking. They're great contacts!

Get Involved: While it's quite impressive to have several internships on your resume, extracurricular activities can definitely give you a one-up on other students. It's great to get involved in activities when your studying PR (PRSSA, hello!), but its also great to try something that will develop some new skills on a different level. It's nice knowing you have interests outside of public relations. Being well-rounded is crucial!

Learn a language: Whether it's Italian, Spanish, Arabic, Chinese, French, or anything, being able to speak another language is HUGE! This will help set you apart from other candidates. If an employer is looking for someone who speaks French, for example, and you've got that skill down, it will move your resume to the top of the list!

Utilize the Career Center. You get tons of emails, see dozens of fliers, etc., etc., I know. However, they really can help. Set up a mock interview with them, have them look over your resume, cover letter, or just ask them any questions related to your field of interest. It's their job. We pay for it in our tuition. Use it.


"There are two primary choices in life: to accept conditions as they exist, or accept the responsibility for changing them." - Denis Waitley