Many people reflect on the year that just passed and say they're glad it's over. As I glance back at 2011, I can't do that. It was a very good year. That's not to say it was perfect, but there is much for which to be thankful. It's also my belief in positive thinking. I tell students that, even in bad times, if you believe in yourself and exude confidence (minus arrogance), success will follow you. That had to be reinforced with one of my former students who is still not working, seven months after graduating. She was obviously despondent, but I told her that can't be reflected in who she portrays herself to be.
If you internalize defeatism, it will be read on your face and ooze from your pores. I'm not a New Age type of guy, but I honestly believe in a person's aura, the vibes and sometimes even a color that surrounds a person. It's not a perfect system, but I'm pretty good at "reading" someone, as are HR people or others who interview prospective candidates for jobs.
In 1987, when I came back from two years of study abroad in Rome, it was very difficult to find a job. A position similar to the one I'm about to leave was open at Marist. I was told by the College's HR department I wasn't even qualified for an interview. After months of searching, I accepted a college PR job in Presque Isle, Maine, not my ideal location because my family and friends were in Poughkeepsie, but I needed a job. Two weeks before I was supposed to start, I saw a friend, John Mack, then president of Central Hudson Gas & Electric Corporation, who gave me a job at the utility -- in my home city and for more money than I would have earned in Maine. After constantly being told, "NO!" I finally had two who said, "YES!" It's difficult to remain positive in the face of rejection, but no one wants to hire a person with a negative attitude. Exude confidence with a dose of humility. You will succeed.
For Pete and me, 2011 was a year we will never forget. June 24, we watched, emotionally, as the New York State Senate passed a Marriage Equality bill 33-29, with our Senator, Steve Saland, casting the deciding yes vote. The State Assembly had passed the bill earlier and staunch advocate Governor Andrew Cuomo signed the bill into law immediately. We witnessed one of the most historic civil rights landmarks of our lives. We "proposed" to each other that night, announced it on twitter, and were heartened by the response from friends and those we know only through social media. We became the first same-sex couple in Dutchess County to get married the day the law went into effect -- Sunday, July 24. We will mark our "first anniversary" in 2012, but our 32nd as a couple on October 25.
There were several health issues for Pete's mom, necessitating visits to the hospital and nursing homes for rehab throughout the year. Yet, today, Marj is home with us, faring as well as can be expected, and will celebrate her 95th birthday, God willing, in March. My mom continues her incredible life journey at age 92, and with the exception of really bad knees, is in wonderful health.
I had knee surgery for a torn meniscus in mid-December, but thanks to a tremendous doctor, William Thompson, I'm mobile, pretty much pain-free, and looking forward to starting my new job very soon.
Ah yes, the new job. I wasn't looking to make a change, but this position fell into my lap, thanks to a friend of 34 years (we worked together as radio reporters), whose two sons were my students and studied abroad with me in Italy and Israel. Two of my friend's direct reports are also my former students, who remain very close to me. It was an offer I couldn't refuse and answered a question about what phase my career would take as I approach my 54th birthday next month. I am grateful for this new opportunity and for friends who made it happen.
I look back at my 17 years at Marist with much affection and a sense of accomplishment. However, the job was more than scoring media placements in regional and national newspapers and on radio and TV, or participating in some history-making events. Rather, it's the relationships developed with students and coworkers that were the highlight of my years at the college. I count a number of former students among my closest friends. Two of them became adopted sons and were the witnesses for our wedding. A third has recently entered that same category. I love them and an immensely proud of them, especially because they seize and excel at so many opportunities offered to them through internships and jobs, intellectual and athletic pursuits, and more than anything else, they are honorable, respectful and loving. What more could a dad ask for?
So, I'm grateful for 2011 and look forward to 2012. Here's to a New Year filled with health, happiness, peace and prosperity for all!
One last thing...thank you for the warm best wishes as I start the latest chapter of my life. More than 1,000 people read the blog post announcing the new job. For many bloggers, that's just a blip, but for me, it was an honor.
Monday, January 2, 2012
Wednesday, December 14, 2011
Farewell Marist! Hello Watson!
To everything there is a season…
After 17 years at Marist College, I start a new chapter in my life next month as director of corporate giving at Watson Pharmaceuticals. While it will be very difficult to say goodbye to friends, colleagues and students at Marist, this is a tremendous opportunity for me and I look forward to working for an incredible company and with people who are the best in the field.
I’ll let my boss, Marist President Dennis Murray, explain the particulars via his memo to the Marist community this morning:
MEMORANDUM TO THE MARIST COLLEGE COMMUNITY
FROM: DENNIS J. MURRAY
Tim Massie, who has served as Marist's Chief Public Affairs Officer for the past 17 years, has been offered and has accepted a senior position at Watson Pharmaceuticals, where he will oversee their global philanthropy program. Watson Pharmaceuticals is a leading integrated global pharmaceutical company with 6,000 employees engaged in the development, manufacturing, marketing, sale, and distribution of generic, brand, and biologic pharmaceutical products. It is among the top five pharmaceutical companies in the U.S., based on total prescriptions, and it generated $3.57 billion in net revenues in 2010. In his duties as Director of Corporate Giving, Tim will be responsible for developing and implementing Watson's Global Corporate Giving Program. He will establish corporate giving guidelines, promote corporate support of local charitable organizations, and promote employee involvement and volunteerism.
Tim's wealth of experience prepares him well for this role. In the time he has served as Chief Public Affairs Officer, Tim has been an invaluable link to both the media and the Dutchess County community. He has led the effort to raise the College's national profile and reputation through successful campaigns integrating media exposure, awards programs, community leadership, and close relationships with business and elected officials.
One of the great highlights of Tim's tenure at Marist was his work on the 1995 summit between Bill Clinton and Boris Yeltsin in Hyde Park, one of many high-profile political visits he has coordinated. Tim has also been a pioneer in the use of Facebook, Twitter, and other social media to heighten Marist's national exposure. In addition, his commitment to serving the community and others has been second to none. He serves or has served on nearly 50 nonprofit boards, including the Dyson Foundation, St. Francis Hospital, the Miles of Hope Breast Cancer Foundation, the City of Poughkeepsie Board of Education, and the St. Simeon Foundation.
Tim is a graduate of Fordham University and Dutchess Community College, where he was elected to the Alumni Hall of Fame in 2006. He has received numerous awards for his community leadership, most recently from the Community Foundations of the Hudson Valley. Tim has also been a dedicated teacher and mentor to countless students interested in public relations and media relations. He has always made it a point to involve Marist students in annual events like the FDR Library's Four Freedoms Awards and the Val-Kill Awards, as well as special occasions like the dedication of the Franklin D. Roosevelt Memorial in 1997, the canonization of St. Marcellin Champagnat in 1999, the Democratic Leadership Council's meeting at the College in 2000, and private tours of the Sistine Chapel and Vatican. Students have told us that these unique opportunities remain as fond memories long after graduation. Finally, Tim has led some of our most popular study-abroad trips to the Holy Land, Italy, Greece, Germany, and Turkey. He truly personifies the Marist Brothers' motto of doing good quietly.
Tim will start his duties at Watson in early January, and we'll look forward to recognizing his tremendous service to Marist after he gets settled. He has been an outstanding colleague and an excellent representative of both the College and our ideals. Tim's energy and talents will be sorely missed. Please join me in thanking him for all he has done for Marist and congratulating him on this exceptional professional opportunity.
Dennis J. Murray
President
Marist College
FROM: DENNIS J. MURRAY
Tim Massie, who has served as Marist's Chief Public Affairs Officer for the past 17 years, has been offered and has accepted a senior position at Watson Pharmaceuticals, where he will oversee their global philanthropy program. Watson Pharmaceuticals is a leading integrated global pharmaceutical company with 6,000 employees engaged in the development, manufacturing, marketing, sale, and distribution of generic, brand, and biologic pharmaceutical products. It is among the top five pharmaceutical companies in the U.S., based on total prescriptions, and it generated $3.57 billion in net revenues in 2010. In his duties as Director of Corporate Giving, Tim will be responsible for developing and implementing Watson's Global Corporate Giving Program. He will establish corporate giving guidelines, promote corporate support of local charitable organizations, and promote employee involvement and volunteerism.
Tim's wealth of experience prepares him well for this role. In the time he has served as Chief Public Affairs Officer, Tim has been an invaluable link to both the media and the Dutchess County community. He has led the effort to raise the College's national profile and reputation through successful campaigns integrating media exposure, awards programs, community leadership, and close relationships with business and elected officials.
One of the great highlights of Tim's tenure at Marist was his work on the 1995 summit between Bill Clinton and Boris Yeltsin in Hyde Park, one of many high-profile political visits he has coordinated. Tim has also been a pioneer in the use of Facebook, Twitter, and other social media to heighten Marist's national exposure. In addition, his commitment to serving the community and others has been second to none. He serves or has served on nearly 50 nonprofit boards, including the Dyson Foundation, St. Francis Hospital, the Miles of Hope Breast Cancer Foundation, the City of Poughkeepsie Board of Education, and the St. Simeon Foundation.
Tim is a graduate of Fordham University and Dutchess Community College, where he was elected to the Alumni Hall of Fame in 2006. He has received numerous awards for his community leadership, most recently from the Community Foundations of the Hudson Valley. Tim has also been a dedicated teacher and mentor to countless students interested in public relations and media relations. He has always made it a point to involve Marist students in annual events like the FDR Library's Four Freedoms Awards and the Val-Kill Awards, as well as special occasions like the dedication of the Franklin D. Roosevelt Memorial in 1997, the canonization of St. Marcellin Champagnat in 1999, the Democratic Leadership Council's meeting at the College in 2000, and private tours of the Sistine Chapel and Vatican. Students have told us that these unique opportunities remain as fond memories long after graduation. Finally, Tim has led some of our most popular study-abroad trips to the Holy Land, Italy, Greece, Germany, and Turkey. He truly personifies the Marist Brothers' motto of doing good quietly.
Tim will start his duties at Watson in early January, and we'll look forward to recognizing his tremendous service to Marist after he gets settled. He has been an outstanding colleague and an excellent representative of both the College and our ideals. Tim's energy and talents will be sorely missed. Please join me in thanking him for all he has done for Marist and congratulating him on this exceptional professional opportunity.
Dennis J. Murray
President
Marist College
Sunday, November 6, 2011
How (Not) to Communicate During a Crisis
Eight days ago, a snowstorm wreaked havoc on a wide swath of the Northeast. It reminded anyone in the Hudson Valley over age 35 of the infamous Snowleaf storm of October 4, 1987. During this recent storm, more than 1.5 million people lost power. More than 140,000 customers (that means billing accounts, so the people affected are more than double that number) in Connecticut still have no electricity. Heavy, wet snow on trees still leaf-laden led to the crack and snap of limbs falling, bringing power lines down with them.
It was because of Snowleaf that I got my job at Central Hudson Gas & Electric Corporation 24 years ago. But that's not the purpose of this post. Rather, I want to reflect on the changing communication landscape and how it impacts the ability to keep people informed during a time of crisis.
About ten days ago, Clear Channel, the mega-owner of many radio stations across the U.S., laid off its last newsperson in the 14-station cluster it controls in Poughkeepsie and the Hudson Valley. They also let go other on-air staff, some of whom had been at the stations for up to 20 years. Cumulus, which owns another 11 regional radio stations, had already decimated its news staff. That leaves four stations run by Pamal Broadcasting as having the only newsperson on air. There are a couple of independents, Poughkeepsie's WHVW on AM (which has fewer listeners than some college radio stations) and Woodstock's WDST on FM (whose Web site is down as I write this).
Radio conglomerates have shirked their responsibility to serve their local public. These mega-companies will reduce costs and cut staffs until, in Big Brother fashion, one location will feed programming throughout the country with nothing to differentiate Poughkeepsie from Portland from Paducah. We're pretty much already there, and a toothless FCC that has allowed ownership consolidation has forgotten broadcasters' responsibility to serve in the public's interest.
During one particular devastating storm about 20 years ago, I went on the air on WKIP for hours with Mary Kaye Dolan and Joe Ryan to take calls from customers who had trouble getting through to Central Hudson's overrun phone lines. It was an opportunity to communicate directly with customers to find out when their power may be restored. It's a format used now by the Poughkeepsie Journal, which is fine as long as you have an Internet connection and either electricity or some battery life left in your laptop. It is another sign of how newspapers have become multimedia news outlets, taking over from radio and in some cases TV, which may have local news, but it may be a recorded loop that runs the same broadcast for a few hours-in-a-row.
Many local officials still have not learned that during an emergency, you need to stop using Web sites for campaigning and use them for governing. Part of governing is communicating. No one does that better than Newark Mayor Cory Booker (@CoryBooker). He runs a city of more than 270,000 people, but makes the effort to speak directly to his constituents to learn where trees are down, streets that need to be plowed, or other problems. It's no wonder he has more than 1.1 million Twitter followers.
Compare that with our little city of Poughkeepsie, population 32,000. During the storm and an earlier emergency when the city's southside lost water because of a large main break, there was no real effort to let people know what was going on. No tweets from the city's account, and the latest news update on the city's Web site was a change in the meeting date of the city's zoning board of appeals. One update was finally placed online later in the day on October 30, to announce a warming center being set up at the Salvation Army.
When the water main broke in September, only one city official, Councilman Paul (Pee Wee) Herman, gave a timely update on the cause of the break via his Facebook page. Eventually, the city's Web page began providing substantive information.
As I mentioned in my post about Hurricane Irene, you have to use the social media available -- Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, your home page -- to keep people informed and to quash rumors. Cory Booker gets it. Other elected and appointed officials at all levels should follow his lead.
One last thing...for the first time in more than 34 years (with the exception of the two years I lived in Rome), I will not be providing election results and commentary on either radio or TV. The last several years I was a commentator (on a volunteer basis, not for pay) for Clear Channel, at the request of the news director (of a one-person news shop), who was among those laid off ten days ago. I'm such a newsaholic that I can recall election results dating back to the early 1970s, but this year, I'll be home. At least my husband will be happy about that.
It was because of Snowleaf that I got my job at Central Hudson Gas & Electric Corporation 24 years ago. But that's not the purpose of this post. Rather, I want to reflect on the changing communication landscape and how it impacts the ability to keep people informed during a time of crisis.
About ten days ago, Clear Channel, the mega-owner of many radio stations across the U.S., laid off its last newsperson in the 14-station cluster it controls in Poughkeepsie and the Hudson Valley. They also let go other on-air staff, some of whom had been at the stations for up to 20 years. Cumulus, which owns another 11 regional radio stations, had already decimated its news staff. That leaves four stations run by Pamal Broadcasting as having the only newsperson on air. There are a couple of independents, Poughkeepsie's WHVW on AM (which has fewer listeners than some college radio stations) and Woodstock's WDST on FM (whose Web site is down as I write this).
Radio conglomerates have shirked their responsibility to serve their local public. These mega-companies will reduce costs and cut staffs until, in Big Brother fashion, one location will feed programming throughout the country with nothing to differentiate Poughkeepsie from Portland from Paducah. We're pretty much already there, and a toothless FCC that has allowed ownership consolidation has forgotten broadcasters' responsibility to serve in the public's interest.
During one particular devastating storm about 20 years ago, I went on the air on WKIP for hours with Mary Kaye Dolan and Joe Ryan to take calls from customers who had trouble getting through to Central Hudson's overrun phone lines. It was an opportunity to communicate directly with customers to find out when their power may be restored. It's a format used now by the Poughkeepsie Journal, which is fine as long as you have an Internet connection and either electricity or some battery life left in your laptop. It is another sign of how newspapers have become multimedia news outlets, taking over from radio and in some cases TV, which may have local news, but it may be a recorded loop that runs the same broadcast for a few hours-in-a-row.
Many local officials still have not learned that during an emergency, you need to stop using Web sites for campaigning and use them for governing. Part of governing is communicating. No one does that better than Newark Mayor Cory Booker (@CoryBooker). He runs a city of more than 270,000 people, but makes the effort to speak directly to his constituents to learn where trees are down, streets that need to be plowed, or other problems. It's no wonder he has more than 1.1 million Twitter followers.
Compare that with our little city of Poughkeepsie, population 32,000. During the storm and an earlier emergency when the city's southside lost water because of a large main break, there was no real effort to let people know what was going on. No tweets from the city's account, and the latest news update on the city's Web site was a change in the meeting date of the city's zoning board of appeals. One update was finally placed online later in the day on October 30, to announce a warming center being set up at the Salvation Army.
When the water main broke in September, only one city official, Councilman Paul (Pee Wee) Herman, gave a timely update on the cause of the break via his Facebook page. Eventually, the city's Web page began providing substantive information.
As I mentioned in my post about Hurricane Irene, you have to use the social media available -- Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, your home page -- to keep people informed and to quash rumors. Cory Booker gets it. Other elected and appointed officials at all levels should follow his lead.
One last thing...for the first time in more than 34 years (with the exception of the two years I lived in Rome), I will not be providing election results and commentary on either radio or TV. The last several years I was a commentator (on a volunteer basis, not for pay) for Clear Channel, at the request of the news director (of a one-person news shop), who was among those laid off ten days ago. I'm such a newsaholic that I can recall election results dating back to the early 1970s, but this year, I'll be home. At least my husband will be happy about that.
Thursday, October 20, 2011
Listening to the Stars Will Get You a Job
Last night, two of the best sports communicators in the business gave a down-to-earth lesson in finding a job and enjoying what you do.
My long-time friend Mike Breen was gracious to accept an invitation to come to Marist to inaugurate the college's new Center for Sports Communication. Mike and I both went to Fordham, though I was three years ahead of him and did not meet Mike until he joined WEOK/WPDH as a news reporter after his graduation in 1983. I had gotten out of the radio news business and was the assistant to the chairman of the Dutchess County Legislature, which meant Mike and I had the "hack" and "flack" roles. I truly detest those terms, but use them here to show how false they are.
I saw in Mike a desire to learn, be the best, set goals, achieve them, and be helpful to others. We had incredible fun working together in our separate roles, and we spent a lot of time hanging out together outside of work, becoming very close friends.
What impresses me now about Mike is that he is, without a doubt, the most successful and best known sports broadcaster in America today, yet he remains truly humble, giving of his time and talent to young men and women who want to move into any area of the sports comm world, in front of the camera or in the studio. What was supposed to be a 90-minute seminar on Mike's career and tips for success turned into a Q & A session followed by a meet and greet with 200 Marist students that took us from 7 until 11 p.m.
Mike was introduced and joined by Marist alumnus Ian O'Connor, one of the best sports columnists and authors around. Between the two of them, they provided Marist students insight into leveraging their talents and connections to get them to where they want to be. They reiterated what I tell my class, but it had more meaning coming from two men who are stars (though they would both dislike being called that).
Here are some of their tips:
Be passionate about your work. "You have to love going to work every day; follow where your heart leads you." You can't value your success by salary alone. Discover your passion and pursue it.
Excel as a writer, because there aren't a lot of good ones out there. When Mike was asked by one student what classes he should take since he has some spots to fill in his schedule, Mike quickly responded, "English." Take as many English courses you can and write, write, write. the more often you do it, the better you get at it. The same is true for on-air delivery. The more you find yourself behind the microphone or in front of the camera, the more comfortable you will feel and the more conversational you will be in delivery. Ian added that you need to read great writing to know how to write well, so read, read, read.
Gain as much experience as possible through internships. As Mike said about Marist, "You guys have something really special here." Marist offers incredible internships, particularly in communication. If you don't take advantage of those opportunities, you will be behind the competition when it comes time to look for a job.
Network and take advantage of connections. Mike will give a closer look to a résumé from a graduate of Fordham because it's his alma mater, or Marist because of his close affiliation with the Home of the Red Foxes. He got his start in TV as an analyst alongside the great play-by-play man Dean Darling, broadcasting Marist men's basketball games in the mid-1980s during the Rik Smits era, and he holds a special place for Marist in his heart. Mike got his job at WEOK/WPDH because his then-girlfriend's mother was having lunch with the mother of the station's news director. It's not even six degrees of separation. It could be just one or two.
Be at your best every day on your job. Mike sometimes broadcasts games five nights in a row. He could be on MSG calling a Knicks-Celtics game one night, a Lakers-Heat game the next night on ABC, then be on ESPN for a Timberwolves-Raptors game the following night. He has to be "on" for each one because while it may be three in a row for him, a fan may only be watching one and deserves the best play-by-play and analysis.
Ian and Mike told some great behind-the-scenes stories, which I'll save for those who were in attendance. When you can keep students in their seats for two-hours past the scheduled time of an event, you know you've captured your audience, and judging by the tweets during and after their talks, both men hit it out of the park. (I know, it's a baseball metaphor, not basketball.)
I also appreciated Mike's comment to Ian that "Marist is one of the hottest schools in the country." It's nice to have that third-party affirmation, even if it is from a close friend with perhaps just a little bit of bias.
One last thing...apologies for not posting for more than a month. This has been my busiest semester in almost 17 years at Marist. There are many things I've wanted to "say," but trying to eke out some time when I'm not attending meetings and events on- and off-campus, talking with students, or writing news releases and pitches has been nearly impossible. Last night's seminar was so good and the messages so valid and valuable, I had to break the "cone of silence" and put them here. Congratulations to Dr. Keith Strudler, chair of the communication department at Marist, for putting together a great seminar for our students and for being the driving force behind the development of one of the top sports communications programs at any college or university in the country.
My long-time friend Mike Breen was gracious to accept an invitation to come to Marist to inaugurate the college's new Center for Sports Communication. Mike and I both went to Fordham, though I was three years ahead of him and did not meet Mike until he joined WEOK/WPDH as a news reporter after his graduation in 1983. I had gotten out of the radio news business and was the assistant to the chairman of the Dutchess County Legislature, which meant Mike and I had the "hack" and "flack" roles. I truly detest those terms, but use them here to show how false they are.
I saw in Mike a desire to learn, be the best, set goals, achieve them, and be helpful to others. We had incredible fun working together in our separate roles, and we spent a lot of time hanging out together outside of work, becoming very close friends.
What impresses me now about Mike is that he is, without a doubt, the most successful and best known sports broadcaster in America today, yet he remains truly humble, giving of his time and talent to young men and women who want to move into any area of the sports comm world, in front of the camera or in the studio. What was supposed to be a 90-minute seminar on Mike's career and tips for success turned into a Q & A session followed by a meet and greet with 200 Marist students that took us from 7 until 11 p.m.
Mike was introduced and joined by Marist alumnus Ian O'Connor, one of the best sports columnists and authors around. Between the two of them, they provided Marist students insight into leveraging their talents and connections to get them to where they want to be. They reiterated what I tell my class, but it had more meaning coming from two men who are stars (though they would both dislike being called that).
Here are some of their tips:
Be passionate about your work. "You have to love going to work every day; follow where your heart leads you." You can't value your success by salary alone. Discover your passion and pursue it.
Excel as a writer, because there aren't a lot of good ones out there. When Mike was asked by one student what classes he should take since he has some spots to fill in his schedule, Mike quickly responded, "English." Take as many English courses you can and write, write, write. the more often you do it, the better you get at it. The same is true for on-air delivery. The more you find yourself behind the microphone or in front of the camera, the more comfortable you will feel and the more conversational you will be in delivery. Ian added that you need to read great writing to know how to write well, so read, read, read.
Gain as much experience as possible through internships. As Mike said about Marist, "You guys have something really special here." Marist offers incredible internships, particularly in communication. If you don't take advantage of those opportunities, you will be behind the competition when it comes time to look for a job.
Network and take advantage of connections. Mike will give a closer look to a résumé from a graduate of Fordham because it's his alma mater, or Marist because of his close affiliation with the Home of the Red Foxes. He got his start in TV as an analyst alongside the great play-by-play man Dean Darling, broadcasting Marist men's basketball games in the mid-1980s during the Rik Smits era, and he holds a special place for Marist in his heart. Mike got his job at WEOK/WPDH because his then-girlfriend's mother was having lunch with the mother of the station's news director. It's not even six degrees of separation. It could be just one or two.
Be at your best every day on your job. Mike sometimes broadcasts games five nights in a row. He could be on MSG calling a Knicks-Celtics game one night, a Lakers-Heat game the next night on ABC, then be on ESPN for a Timberwolves-Raptors game the following night. He has to be "on" for each one because while it may be three in a row for him, a fan may only be watching one and deserves the best play-by-play and analysis.
Ian and Mike told some great behind-the-scenes stories, which I'll save for those who were in attendance. When you can keep students in their seats for two-hours past the scheduled time of an event, you know you've captured your audience, and judging by the tweets during and after their talks, both men hit it out of the park. (I know, it's a baseball metaphor, not basketball.)
I also appreciated Mike's comment to Ian that "Marist is one of the hottest schools in the country." It's nice to have that third-party affirmation, even if it is from a close friend with perhaps just a little bit of bias.
One last thing...apologies for not posting for more than a month. This has been my busiest semester in almost 17 years at Marist. There are many things I've wanted to "say," but trying to eke out some time when I'm not attending meetings and events on- and off-campus, talking with students, or writing news releases and pitches has been nearly impossible. Last night's seminar was so good and the messages so valid and valuable, I had to break the "cone of silence" and put them here. Congratulations to Dr. Keith Strudler, chair of the communication department at Marist, for putting together a great seminar for our students and for being the driving force behind the development of one of the top sports communications programs at any college or university in the country.
Monday, August 29, 2011
Communicating Irene's Wrath
Hurricane Irene roared through our beautiful Hudson Valley and Catskills and left a deluge of rain and a trail of destruction among the worst I have seen from any storm during my lifetime. Some news outlets and individuals thought the event was over-hyped by the media. Try telling that to my neighbors who spent hours pumping water out of their garage and basement, or the folks in downtown Poughkeepsie whose streets are still closed due to flooding. My heart also goes out to the people in beautiful little villages like Windham and Margaretville, nice Sunday drives from Poughkeepsie, that have been nearly destroyed by cascading rapids and the washing away of homes and bridges.
Marist College also got hit. We have one of the most scenic campuses in America, right along the eastern shore of the mighty Hudson. Today it is the muddy Hudson due to all the runoff from the Fallkill Creek and storm sewer systems from municipalities along its length. President Dennis Murray issued a wrap-up of the work done over the past couple of days in a memo to the college community today.
Over the past five days, I've posted more than 100 tweets, first about preparation plans for students moving back to Marist, then the storm's impact on our college and region, and finally, on its aftermath. I know I tweet a lot, and probably lose some followers because of it (mostly spammers and bots, I hope), but during a crisis, social media is invaluable in keeping people informed and squelching rumors.
What kind of rumors? Someone, whom I'm not even sure is currently a Marist student, tweeted that there was a partial collapse of Marist's Lowell Thomas Communications Center and put in other alarmist drama to make it sound like the campus was a disaster area. Because I am constantly online, I saw that erroneous tweet, and a retweeting of the false info by someone I know is a Marist student, and took them to task publicly over their misinformation. The student apologized. The person who started the rumor, probably just to get attention for herself, did not respond but knew I was watching and switched to another topic. Her tweets, btw, consist mostly of dropping the f-bomb.
Thanks to my friends and colleagues Melissa Egan and Cody Rotwein in Marist's Web Services department, we were able to place updates on the Marist homepage 10 times. There were more frequent updates on the Marist Facebook page, and of course, on twitter. Some of the updates were within minutes of each other, such as when there were changes in the estimate of when a repair of a Central Hudson Gas & Electric substation off-campus would restore power to Marist and the surrounding neighborhood. An original estimate of two hours was thought to be too soon because of complications with the repair, so I wrote that it could take another three hours. Excuse the pun, but I didn't want to leave students, parents and Marist staff in the dark. Fortunately, about five minutes after that Facebook posting and tweet, lights came back on. I'm still glad I sent out the other information because, as in any type of disaster preparedness, we plan for the worst and hope for the best.
Even I need some sleep and can't be online 24/7/365, though it seems like I am. Fortunately, I have been awake and on various social media sites when I've seen incorrect info posted about Marist. The strategy to address it is simple: confront it, nip it in the bud, correct it.
People want correct information and they want frequent updates. More than 15,000 people visited the Marist Web updates from last Thursday through today. More than 2,000 clicked on the bit.ly links from Facebook and twitter. BTW, half of the referrals came from Facebook, making Facebook, in my experience, still the predominant social medium. Twitter is rightfully credited for the rapid creation of content and serving as a great news aggregator (much better than a site I used years ago -- Newsgator).
One last thing...it's nice to get a pat on the back when you work hard and things go well. Too often, people complain more than they compliment. I am grateful for the comments made by students, faculty and staff at Marist, parents, alumni, people in the community, fellow PR practitioners and the media on Marist's communications efforts before, during and after the storm. Many people not directly related to a public relations function are needed to make a communications strategy successful. I work with incredible colleagues and deeply appreciate their cooperation and support.
Marist College also got hit. We have one of the most scenic campuses in America, right along the eastern shore of the mighty Hudson. Today it is the muddy Hudson due to all the runoff from the Fallkill Creek and storm sewer systems from municipalities along its length. President Dennis Murray issued a wrap-up of the work done over the past couple of days in a memo to the college community today.
Over the past five days, I've posted more than 100 tweets, first about preparation plans for students moving back to Marist, then the storm's impact on our college and region, and finally, on its aftermath. I know I tweet a lot, and probably lose some followers because of it (mostly spammers and bots, I hope), but during a crisis, social media is invaluable in keeping people informed and squelching rumors.
What kind of rumors? Someone, whom I'm not even sure is currently a Marist student, tweeted that there was a partial collapse of Marist's Lowell Thomas Communications Center and put in other alarmist drama to make it sound like the campus was a disaster area. Because I am constantly online, I saw that erroneous tweet, and a retweeting of the false info by someone I know is a Marist student, and took them to task publicly over their misinformation. The student apologized. The person who started the rumor, probably just to get attention for herself, did not respond but knew I was watching and switched to another topic. Her tweets, btw, consist mostly of dropping the f-bomb.
Thanks to my friends and colleagues Melissa Egan and Cody Rotwein in Marist's Web Services department, we were able to place updates on the Marist homepage 10 times. There were more frequent updates on the Marist Facebook page, and of course, on twitter. Some of the updates were within minutes of each other, such as when there were changes in the estimate of when a repair of a Central Hudson Gas & Electric substation off-campus would restore power to Marist and the surrounding neighborhood. An original estimate of two hours was thought to be too soon because of complications with the repair, so I wrote that it could take another three hours. Excuse the pun, but I didn't want to leave students, parents and Marist staff in the dark. Fortunately, about five minutes after that Facebook posting and tweet, lights came back on. I'm still glad I sent out the other information because, as in any type of disaster preparedness, we plan for the worst and hope for the best.
Even I need some sleep and can't be online 24/7/365, though it seems like I am. Fortunately, I have been awake and on various social media sites when I've seen incorrect info posted about Marist. The strategy to address it is simple: confront it, nip it in the bud, correct it.
People want correct information and they want frequent updates. More than 15,000 people visited the Marist Web updates from last Thursday through today. More than 2,000 clicked on the bit.ly links from Facebook and twitter. BTW, half of the referrals came from Facebook, making Facebook, in my experience, still the predominant social medium. Twitter is rightfully credited for the rapid creation of content and serving as a great news aggregator (much better than a site I used years ago -- Newsgator).
One last thing...it's nice to get a pat on the back when you work hard and things go well. Too often, people complain more than they compliment. I am grateful for the comments made by students, faculty and staff at Marist, parents, alumni, people in the community, fellow PR practitioners and the media on Marist's communications efforts before, during and after the storm. Many people not directly related to a public relations function are needed to make a communications strategy successful. I work with incredible colleagues and deeply appreciate their cooperation and support.
Sunday, August 7, 2011
Getting Married: A Tale of Two Cities and One Village
At 1:25 p.m. on Sunday, July 24, 2011, my partner of nearly 31 years and I got married. It turned into a major production, not for the ceremony itself, but because of what Pete and I went through to get married on the first day the Marriage Equality law took effect in New York State.
We didn't want a big ceremony, which we thought to be anticlimactic after three decades together. We also wanted to commemorate the day that equality became the law of our state (but, unfortunately, not yet of our nation). To be married that day entailed a trip to Kingston, then back to Poughkeepsie, then back north to Red Hook. Kingston was one of the municipalities in Ulster County (along with Plattekill, Shandaken and Woodstock) that opened its clerk's office on Sunday to issue licenses to same-sex couples, many of whom, like us, have been together for many years. The City of Poughkeepsie, where I was born and raised and in which Pete and I live, chose to remain closed, a political statement for sure. The 32-year old mayor of Poughkeepsie was quoted in our local paper as saying that just because same-sex marriages are now lawful, does not mean he has to officiate at them. BTW, 2011 is a local election year, including mayor.
Arlene Rion and her staff in the Kingston City Clerk's office were warm, welcoming and wonderful. State Supreme Court Justice Christopher Cahill was on hand to issue waivers of the state's 24-hour waiting rule for marriages. Not knowing that would be the case, Pete and I made prior arrangements to go before State Supreme Court Justice Christine Sproat in Poughkeepsie to issue that waiver, hence the drive south to the Dutchess County Courthouse. Chris was also the duty judge for the Supreme Court that weekend and she told us we were the only couple seeking that waiver, which can only be granted by a justice of a "superior court" in New York State. Waiver granted, we headed north to the Village of Red Hook, where Village and Town Justice Jonah Triebwasser had offered to officiate. Jonah is also an adjunct professor at Marist College and an actor most known for playing President Franklin Delano Roosevelt (a true "local boy who made good") on stage and the History Channel.
We were joined by our two beloved "adopted sons," Luke and Stephen, who were the witnesses for our marriage, both having traveled great distances to be there, which meant the world to Pete and me. Steve timed the ceremony at 27.5 seconds. Pete and I already considered ourselves married, but we needed to go through the "I Dos" to make it legal. Our friend, Al Nowak of On Location Studios, took photos. After brunch at the Beekman Arms in Rhinebeck, it was off to Holy Cow, one of the best known ice cream shops in the Hudson Valley. Pete and I joked decades ago that if we ever could get married, our wedding reception would be at Holy Cow. If you've never been, you wouldn't understand. Great soft-serve with prices from a generation ago, they make their profit by volume.
As it turned out, Pete and I were the first same-sex couple to be married in Dutchess County. In some ways, nothing has changed, yet in other ways, the world has changed. Our relationship is now legally recognized. We are offered the protections and accept the responsibilities offered to opposite-sex couples. No one else's marriage was harmed by ours. The world has not come to an end. The support we have received from family and friends, including many of my colleagues and my current and former Marist students, has been overwhelming and deeply appreciated.
Of course, tens of thousands of legally-married gay and lesbian couples will not be truly equal in the eyes of the law until the Defense of Marriage Act is repealed. Until then, America will continue to be the land of separate and unequal.
We do have something many married couples don't have -- two anniversaries: October 25, which this year will mark 31 years together for us, and July 24, a day we will celebrate with all New Yorkers.
One last thing...for same-sex couples who do tie the knot, check out the series, "The Cost of Being Gay: A look at the financial realities of same-sex partnerships," by Tara Siegel Bernard (@tarasbernard on twitter). Even the comments section, a part of contemporary newspapers I find extremely crude and distasteful, is good because other experts share their knowledge of the joys and pains of being legally-recognized spouses by your state but not by your federal government.
We didn't want a big ceremony, which we thought to be anticlimactic after three decades together. We also wanted to commemorate the day that equality became the law of our state (but, unfortunately, not yet of our nation). To be married that day entailed a trip to Kingston, then back to Poughkeepsie, then back north to Red Hook. Kingston was one of the municipalities in Ulster County (along with Plattekill, Shandaken and Woodstock) that opened its clerk's office on Sunday to issue licenses to same-sex couples, many of whom, like us, have been together for many years. The City of Poughkeepsie, where I was born and raised and in which Pete and I live, chose to remain closed, a political statement for sure. The 32-year old mayor of Poughkeepsie was quoted in our local paper as saying that just because same-sex marriages are now lawful, does not mean he has to officiate at them. BTW, 2011 is a local election year, including mayor.
Arlene Rion and her staff in the Kingston City Clerk's office were warm, welcoming and wonderful. State Supreme Court Justice Christopher Cahill was on hand to issue waivers of the state's 24-hour waiting rule for marriages. Not knowing that would be the case, Pete and I made prior arrangements to go before State Supreme Court Justice Christine Sproat in Poughkeepsie to issue that waiver, hence the drive south to the Dutchess County Courthouse. Chris was also the duty judge for the Supreme Court that weekend and she told us we were the only couple seeking that waiver, which can only be granted by a justice of a "superior court" in New York State. Waiver granted, we headed north to the Village of Red Hook, where Village and Town Justice Jonah Triebwasser had offered to officiate. Jonah is also an adjunct professor at Marist College and an actor most known for playing President Franklin Delano Roosevelt (a true "local boy who made good") on stage and the History Channel.
We were joined by our two beloved "adopted sons," Luke and Stephen, who were the witnesses for our marriage, both having traveled great distances to be there, which meant the world to Pete and me. Steve timed the ceremony at 27.5 seconds. Pete and I already considered ourselves married, but we needed to go through the "I Dos" to make it legal. Our friend, Al Nowak of On Location Studios, took photos. After brunch at the Beekman Arms in Rhinebeck, it was off to Holy Cow, one of the best known ice cream shops in the Hudson Valley. Pete and I joked decades ago that if we ever could get married, our wedding reception would be at Holy Cow. If you've never been, you wouldn't understand. Great soft-serve with prices from a generation ago, they make their profit by volume.
As it turned out, Pete and I were the first same-sex couple to be married in Dutchess County. In some ways, nothing has changed, yet in other ways, the world has changed. Our relationship is now legally recognized. We are offered the protections and accept the responsibilities offered to opposite-sex couples. No one else's marriage was harmed by ours. The world has not come to an end. The support we have received from family and friends, including many of my colleagues and my current and former Marist students, has been overwhelming and deeply appreciated.
Of course, tens of thousands of legally-married gay and lesbian couples will not be truly equal in the eyes of the law until the Defense of Marriage Act is repealed. Until then, America will continue to be the land of separate and unequal.
We do have something many married couples don't have -- two anniversaries: October 25, which this year will mark 31 years together for us, and July 24, a day we will celebrate with all New Yorkers.
One last thing...for same-sex couples who do tie the knot, check out the series, "The Cost of Being Gay: A look at the financial realities of same-sex partnerships," by Tara Siegel Bernard (@tarasbernard on twitter). Even the comments section, a part of contemporary newspapers I find extremely crude and distasteful, is good because other experts share their knowledge of the joys and pains of being legally-recognized spouses by your state but not by your federal government.
Friday, July 22, 2011
We Can "Be the Media"
When I went to my first TweetUp a couple of years ago in Westchester County, the speaker was David Mathison, who wrote Be the Media, which details how each of us has the opportunity to communicate directly with audiences known and unknown, without being filtered by traditional forms of radio, television, newspapers and magazines. I was intrigued by his talk, purchased the book, and have used the phrase "be the media" often in my classes.
When an item is posted on twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Google+, or other social media, we can directly reach our followers, friends, connections or circles. When a photo of the completed Route 9 pedestrian walkway was posted on Marist's Facebook page, it made 17,555 impressions and generated 155 likes and 37 comments, nearly all of them positive. The vast majority of the nearly 8,000 people who "like" the Marist page are current students, alumni, prospective students and their families, elected officials, and the college's faculty and staff. The page reaches those important constituencies directly to engage conversation, foster reminiscences, inform, and persuade. By now, I hope each person reading this blog understands this is how social media is supposed to function.
Let's see how one individual, a talented, young Marist alumnus, became his own "medium" to successfully raise money for a particular project. In turn, he gave back to his alma mater in a unique way.
Robert Vijay Gupta, graduated from Marist in 2005 at age 16 with a bachelor's degree in biology. He went on to get his master's degree in music from Yale in 2007. That year, he became the youngest violinist (at age 19) with the Los Angeles Philharmonic. Those in the music industry who do not want to be tied to a particular label fund their own projects through social media. I learned through a tweet from Robert that he was doing this for a CD of recordings, including one of his own compositions, that he will play on a 1716 Stradavarius violin:
guptaviolin87 so many thanks to everyone that's contributed to my @kickstarter album so far - only 5% to go! http://kck.st/jxkF0d
Kickstarter calls itself "the largest funding platform for creative projects in the world."
I promoted this on twitter and Marist's Facebook page. Among those who read the Facebook posting was Marist President Dennis Murray, who later got an email from Robert detailing the project. President Murray sent a contribution. Robert went over his $20,000 goal more than a week before his deadline, raising nearly $22,000 from 216 backers. I am not claiming credit for that and it would be difficult for me to prove any donations came from Marist's social media efforts on Robert's behalf, but I do know that the Facebook posting alone made 6,709 impressions and 11 people "liked" it. As a community, Marist is very proud of Robert's accomplishments and I was happy to publicize his efforts. As a thank you to President Murray and Marist, Robert played a selection from the CD at a Marist Welcome Reception for incoming members of the Class of 2015 on July 20, in Santa Monica, California.
Robert had fun with his fundraising. His incentives to donors ranged from two hi-res mp3s for a $5 donation to this premium for a donation of $10,000 or more: "A live 90-minute recital in Los Angeles or New York, and...I'll cook you dinner! My Mom's recipe for the *best* lamb curry you've ever tasted" (plus all of the items mentioned for lower levels of donations). While Robert did not get a $10,000 backer, he got two people to donate $2,500. He is now providing updates on the strenuous recording process, keeping his supporters engaged throughout the process. Bravissimo, Robert!
THAT is the power of social media.
One last thing...While I would have enjoyed Robert's private concert for incoming Marist freshmen and their families, and alumni who attended the reception in California, I was at another social media event in Boston on July 21. It was the first Marist Boston TweetUp, organized by 2004 Marist alumna Liz Swenton (@lizswenton on twitter), who is one of three Marist alumnae working at March Communications in Boston. Fifteen alumni and a Marist senior, Marissa DeAngelis (@MSDe526), about whom I've written in the past, attended. Three drove up from Rhode Island one drove in from Connecticut. It was a mixer at Back Bay Social Club (@BackBaySocial), with dinner, the exchange of business cards, the renewal of long-standing friendships and the forming of new ones. These were public relations and journalism majors, most of whom were my students. It gave me a chance to talk about developments at Marist and get updates on their careers. One attendee found she was interviewing at the company of another attendee, an opportune contact. Remember my post on networking? It works. We all enjoyed ourselves and I left with a tremendous sense of pride in these Marist grads. I look forward to similar TweetUps in other cities in the weeks and months ahead.
When an item is posted on twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Google+, or other social media, we can directly reach our followers, friends, connections or circles. When a photo of the completed Route 9 pedestrian walkway was posted on Marist's Facebook page, it made 17,555 impressions and generated 155 likes and 37 comments, nearly all of them positive. The vast majority of the nearly 8,000 people who "like" the Marist page are current students, alumni, prospective students and their families, elected officials, and the college's faculty and staff. The page reaches those important constituencies directly to engage conversation, foster reminiscences, inform, and persuade. By now, I hope each person reading this blog understands this is how social media is supposed to function.
Let's see how one individual, a talented, young Marist alumnus, became his own "medium" to successfully raise money for a particular project. In turn, he gave back to his alma mater in a unique way.
Robert Vijay Gupta, graduated from Marist in 2005 at age 16 with a bachelor's degree in biology. He went on to get his master's degree in music from Yale in 2007. That year, he became the youngest violinist (at age 19) with the Los Angeles Philharmonic. Those in the music industry who do not want to be tied to a particular label fund their own projects through social media. I learned through a tweet from Robert that he was doing this for a CD of recordings, including one of his own compositions, that he will play on a 1716 Stradavarius violin:
guptaviolin87 so many thanks to everyone that's contributed to my @kickstarter album so far - only 5% to go! http://kck.st/jxkF0d
Kickstarter calls itself "the largest funding platform for creative projects in the world."
I promoted this on twitter and Marist's Facebook page. Among those who read the Facebook posting was Marist President Dennis Murray, who later got an email from Robert detailing the project. President Murray sent a contribution. Robert went over his $20,000 goal more than a week before his deadline, raising nearly $22,000 from 216 backers. I am not claiming credit for that and it would be difficult for me to prove any donations came from Marist's social media efforts on Robert's behalf, but I do know that the Facebook posting alone made 6,709 impressions and 11 people "liked" it. As a community, Marist is very proud of Robert's accomplishments and I was happy to publicize his efforts. As a thank you to President Murray and Marist, Robert played a selection from the CD at a Marist Welcome Reception for incoming members of the Class of 2015 on July 20, in Santa Monica, California.
Robert had fun with his fundraising. His incentives to donors ranged from two hi-res mp3s for a $5 donation to this premium for a donation of $10,000 or more: "A live 90-minute recital in Los Angeles or New York, and...I'll cook you dinner! My Mom's recipe for the *best* lamb curry you've ever tasted" (plus all of the items mentioned for lower levels of donations). While Robert did not get a $10,000 backer, he got two people to donate $2,500. He is now providing updates on the strenuous recording process, keeping his supporters engaged throughout the process. Bravissimo, Robert!
THAT is the power of social media.
One last thing...While I would have enjoyed Robert's private concert for incoming Marist freshmen and their families, and alumni who attended the reception in California, I was at another social media event in Boston on July 21. It was the first Marist Boston TweetUp, organized by 2004 Marist alumna Liz Swenton (@lizswenton on twitter), who is one of three Marist alumnae working at March Communications in Boston. Fifteen alumni and a Marist senior, Marissa DeAngelis (@MSDe526), about whom I've written in the past, attended. Three drove up from Rhode Island one drove in from Connecticut. It was a mixer at Back Bay Social Club (@BackBaySocial), with dinner, the exchange of business cards, the renewal of long-standing friendships and the forming of new ones. These were public relations and journalism majors, most of whom were my students. It gave me a chance to talk about developments at Marist and get updates on their careers. One attendee found she was interviewing at the company of another attendee, an opportune contact. Remember my post on networking? It works. We all enjoyed ourselves and I left with a tremendous sense of pride in these Marist grads. I look forward to similar TweetUps in other cities in the weeks and months ahead.
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