A class of Fresno State Public Relation students hosted the MCJ Alumni Hall of Fame Induction to raise money and renovate the MCJ computer labs last night.
It was the MCJ 159 class, consisting of 11 PR students, which planned the first MCJ Alumni Hall of Fame Induction.
The event was organised to honor Ray Steele Jr, a 1968 graduate from Fresno State, for his successful journalism career, and to thank him for his generous donation of $50,000 to the MCJ department. With this donation 20 new i-mac computers were purchased.
"Being able to take part on an event with such great calibre was incredible," said Joann Mercado, a senior public relations major.
The students only had two months to organize and execute the event by themselves, which they hoped would raise enough money to make additional upgrades to the computer labs, so that facilities are up-to-date and the students can learn to the best of their abilities.
Jan Edwards, lecturer for MCJ 159 said: “The students have limited time to fulfil a task so they need to have equipment that is going to be reliable.
“Also we need to continually upgrade and have the programs to be able to do the job of mass communications that we are teaching.”
Before the night even began a total of $4200 had been received in donations. These proceedings will be used for new furniture, window coverings and carpeting, along with other necessary technologies.
The PR class is very excited about this and already sees the event as being a success, even before the donations received during the evening have been counted.
There was also a personal benefit for each student involved in the organization of the event.
With a small group of 11, each student had to take a key role in the planning
and execution of the event, meaning they were able to better themselves and learn new skills in a real life environment.
“You don’t really think that in a classroom you’re going to get this kind of practice,” said Rebecca Hellwig, one of the CEOs in class 159. “That’s one of the really cool things about it, fantastic experience.”
Edwards thinks that letting her students put on events such as this is the best way for them to learn. She said: “I think the best lesson is often through experience.”
She says that this way the students can not only learn from what they have done right, but also from their mistakes.
Overall the MCJ 159 class were just so appreciative of all the support they’d received, both from the school and the local community in Fresno.
“It’s a great opportunity to allow coverage for the MCJ department because we work so hard to do what we do,” said Mercado, “Fresno State has done so much for us so it’s our turn for the 159 class to give something back.”
Donations from the night are still being calculated but will be revealed soon.
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