On March 23rd the University of Ottawa Public Relations Association (uOPRA) will be hosting their second annual networking conference ‘Connect 2 Success.’ Tickets are 20 dollars or 2 for 30, and the conference will feature workshops and keynote speakers from the fashion, journalism and public affairs industries, and will give attending students the opportunity to learn from and network with professionals from these varying fields.
While it is obvious to see why every student at the University of Ottawa should want to get involved with this awesome conference, we have included the ‘Top 7 Reasons’ why you should ‘Connect 2 Success’ on March 23rd.
1) Great Workshops and Keynote Speakers
First things first, this is not your average conference. On March 23rd uOPRA will be bringing to you professionals from all spectrums of the communications industry. ‘Connect 2 Success’ will give you the unique opportunity to not only gather great insight from our keynotes, but to also ask your own questions during our interactive workshops and question and answer panels.
Speakers will include:
Renee Filiatraut: Professor at Algonquin College, Prev: Senior Political Communicator for Minister of Defence
Jenn Campbell: Editor at Diplomat Magazine, Columnist at Ottawa Citizen
Rob Mariani: Senior Vice President & National Practice Leader of Engagement Strategies at Hill + Knowlton Strategies.
Darcy Boucher: Founder, Bowda PR
Kristine D’Arbelles: Public Affairs at CAA, Co-Host at Young PR Pros
Natalie Boviar: Owner and Principal Consultant at Savoir Faire PR
Jennifer Gearey: Director of Communications – Department of Justice
David Rodier: Vice President, Corporate Communications at Hill + Knowlton Strategies
Christopher Massardo: Editor in Chief and Publisher at PRESS the Fashion Magazine
2) Networking, Networking, & More Networking!
Not only will the conference give students the chance to hear and learn from successful and knowledgeable professionals and entrepreneurs, but attending will also give attendees a great chance to network and make connections. You don’t even have to leave campus! Meet people who are involved in the fields you are interested in, learn about their personal journeys, and receive tips on your own potential academic and post-university opportunities.
3) Great (and convenient) Location
The conference will be held ON CAMPUS at Desmarais (DMS) Room 12102, just at the north-west corner of campus. Not only will you be getting a chance to hear from some great speakers, but you won’t even have to leave campus to do so! This also means you won’t have to miss your Monday classes to attend.
4) Lunch and Bridgehead Coffee
What pairs well with networking? Fairly traded and organic coffee from Ottawa’s own Bridgehead Coffee. Not only will your ticket give you admission for one to our conference, but it will also get you a great catered lunch (so much better than the usual Monday brown bag) and uOPRA will keep you well-caffeinated and energized with locally provided coffee and tea.
5) Last Year’s Success
Our 2014 event, ‘Lets Grow Together,’ was a huge success, and connected students with speakers from H&M, IABC Ottawa, and founder of Ottawa Bluesfest, Mark Monahan. The event had a great turn out, and got students connected with the fashion, public relations, entertainment and sports industry. This year’s conference should be just as great, if not better, featuring new speakers from a variety of fields!
6) To Support the Growing PR Community at the University of Ottawa
Did you know Public Relations is a fast-paced and quickly growing field in Canada? Did you know that the University of Ottawa has its very own joint-Honours program with Algonquin College in Public Relations? Well, it is, and we do! Even if you’re not interested in going directly into the PR field, public relations can be found within most industries, is fun, fast-paced, and important to understand.
7) Get Involved!
The University of Ottawa Public Relations Association (uOPRA) is a fairly new group on campus, and even though we are only in our second year, we have made some great strides and accomplishments in a short time. Equipped with a great blog featuring articles for both students and professionals, multiple events throughout the year, and multiple networking opportunities, uOPRA is a great group to join for any students looking to get involved on campus. With a fantastic executive council and a hard-working and dedicated team, uOPRA will give you the opportunity to establish yourself in the Ottawa communications network, both as a student and as a future professional. So get involved, expand your network, and see what communications has to offer outside of the classroom!
Interested in joining or finding out more? Check out our webpage: https://uopra.wordpress.com or our Facebook page.
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