I Know that I have learned so much from the informational interviews that I have been on not to mention the amazing contacts people are willing to give you if you simply take the time to reach out and network. I absolutely know that pound per pound the job opportunities and internship opportunities I have found have come from networking.

I have learned so much college about how to be a great PR professional but know one really ever told me about the interview process or how awful it is talking about yourself. So I think along with campaigns, every senior should be required to take a class on how to enter the job market. Maybe they could name the class after me? Then again maybe not!

Between Cine, the film festival, campaigns and Peabody I have been going here there and everywhere. The funny thing about that though is that I have really loved all of the things I have been able to work on not mention all that I have learned from those experiences as well.

So I guess if I had it to do all over again I would be just as involved but I would have a few more dinners with my friends instead of a frozen dinner and an all night study session!

Me and the PR Peeps

Well Mr. Hamlisch had flown into Atlanta that day and was driven to Athens by one of the film festival’s board members, Gene Younts . My job was to meet him at the stage door and basically stay with him for the evening, well that turned into one amazing story…

After Robert introduced the film and Marvin as the special guest, we all went backstage, were I learned that my Dad(who I made come to the festival for one night) and I along with Gene were going to dinner with Marvin Hamlisch!! I thought my heart was going to beat out of my chest, I was going to go to dinner with a three time Academy Award winner not to mention a musical genius and well I’m just me.

So we went to The National and my Dad and I manged to make intelligent conversation. We talked about what we thought were the best movies over the past 5 years, we talked Broadway and we even shared a dessert.

After dinner we headed back to the Classic Center so that Mr. Hamlisch could speak after the movie. He and Robert talked about the process of writing the score for the theme song and of course about Barbara( I love her too!) then he went to the piano and began to play the Way We Were. I am not ashamed to admit that it moved me to tears, it is in my opinion one of the most beautiful songs of all time. I am not doing the story justice, I tell it better in person so if you see me ask about my dinner with Marvin Hamlisch, one of only 12 people to win all four major US performing awards, the Grammy, the Oscar, the Tony and the Emmy!

I was most looking forward to the screening of The Way We Were, and it did not disappoint (more to come on that amazing evening in another post) I also really loved Lawrence of Arabia. I had seen the movie before, but this was a flawless print on the big screen and my description would not to it justice. Anne Coates, who had edited the film was there to talk about the film and to hear her talk about Peter O’toole and Omar Sharif was a once in a lifetime experience. I actually ended up sitting next to her during the lunch that we had during the intermission of the film and she is a delight.

Overall it was one of the most amazing experiences of my life. The weekend reinforced my love for classic movies and how much I enjoy being able to work with an event or organization that promotes these great films. As I head off into the work world, I really do hope that I will be able to work on something that I am as passionate about as I am classic films.

I know I keep saying pictures are coming but I promise they are. Professional photographers seem to take awhile!

Here is some quick info about the panelists:

 Nelson Wells: Co-founder of Team Clermont, a music industry Public Relations firm

 Mike Dekle: Singer and songwriter whose songs have been recorded by some of country music’s greatest artists

 Matt Winston: Assistant to the President at the University of Georgia

 Matthew Grayson: Senior Reporter at the Red and Black

 Chris Utah: Director of Subscriber Acquisitions for Ruckus

 Dr. Bill Lee: Professor in the Henry W. Grady College of Journalism and Mass   Communication

 Imaad Rasheid: UGA student who faced repercussions for illegally downloading

 That’s me with the podcast Mic!

A

Do It Legally Campaign

•   The Do It Legally campaign is an effort sponsored by the UGA Committee on Digital Media Downloading.

• The committee formed in fall 2007 to review the different options for bringing legal alternatives to campus.

• Committee membership includes representatives from the Student Government Association, Campus Life, Office of the President, Enterprise Information Technology Services, Legal Affairs, and the Office of the Chief Information Officer.

• Its purpose is to explore and recommend legal solutions to music and movie downloading and to increase awareness of the issues and consequences of illegal downloading.

March 24
Look for us in your classrooms and at your chapter meetings! We will give away freebies, while helping you find the right downloading option for your needs.

March 25
Panel discussion in SLC room 248 at 7:30 p.m. Come hear leaders in the music industry talk about the changing atmosphere around digital downloading. BLUE CARD EVENT! FREE STUFF!

March 26
Stop by the Tate Lawn from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. for giveaways and prizes, and learn about downloading options.

March 27
We will be hanging outside the dining halls, so stop by and educate yourself about alternatives to illegal downloading.

March 28
Look for us at the following concerts:

Yung Joc @ Legion Field 8 p.m.

Black Lips @ 40 Watt 9:30 p.m.
Girl Talk @ Georgia Theatre 11 p.m.

So as I was greeting guests as they arrived, I looked up and there was Robert Osborne, much taller than I had expected. And oh my, he is the most charming affable gentleman I have ever had the pleasure of meeting. He mixed and mingled took pictures with guest, yes I had my picture taken with him and they are coming!

Then we moved into cinema 2 for the conversation portion. He talked about his early days as an actor when he was signed to Lucile Ball and the influence she had on him. He spoke about his job as the official greeter at the Oscars and his adventures celebrity watching from the 3rd row center during the show itself.

Then as the evening drew to a close and I thought it couldn’t get any better, I got the double kiss on check from Robert, and let me just say it made me a little weak in the knees.

Overall it was one of the most amazing nights of my life and I can’t wait until April 10-13 when he comes back for the festival. I would encourage everyone to come and hear him speak. I ‘m not doing the night justice in writing, when you see me ask about and I can tell you more. Pictures are coming!!