Public Relations at Cal (PR@Cal) is a student-run, non-profit organization with a mission to bring the dynamic world of PR to the UC Berkeley campus and surrounding community. We understand that good communication skills are necessary to succeed in almost any career field of choice, and hope that our members walk away having increased their knowledge of professional communications substantially. For those who have heard of public relations, but are fuzzy to its exact meaning, read the following for a brief synopsis of PR:

What is PR?

Public Relations is a form of marketing which involves promoting a business or specific product/event through word-of-mouth (WOM). With the recent segmentation of mass media, advertising a business in a newspaper or on television no longer targets the same number of consumers that it once used to. Therefore, more and more companies are turning to public relations as a main tool in their marketing mix in order to generate consumer knowledge and interest. PR firms typically take on clients (ie: businesses which are seeking mass public attention) and will attempt to get their clients’ names into appropriate media outlets. PR firms meet with journalists with the hopes of gaining a story for their client, which might include a reporter’s review, an industry analyst’s opinion, and even a satisfied consumer testimonial. The process is lengthy, but the reward is generous. PR@Cal operates much like an actual PR firm, in that we have teams for each client account, and project leaders and directors overseeing progress and providing direction. Our club is composed of both internal activities and external activities to give our members the most knowledge and experience possible: Internal activities include presentations on valuable PR concepts, along with workshops and internship forums for those interested in a career in public relations. External activities include daily work with non-profit clients in the Bay Area. After proper training, our members will have the opportunity to write press releases and advisories, create and assemble press kits, form a public relations action plan with their client, and network with relevant media outlets. If you would like to be put on our mailing list to receive upcoming announcements about membership and events, please e-mail PR.at.Cal@gmail.com.