Around Campus: Public Relations Student Society of America

PRSSA students gain PR savvy,
network with peers and pros

By Catherine Harper

Texas State PRSSA Students attend a Tri-Chapter meeting at UT this past April.

In the field of public relations, professionals agree with the adage, “the more experience, the better.” According to Charles Kaufman, internship coordinator and professor of public relations campaigns at Texas State, becoming involved in student organizations and internships is the best way to gather experience for a career.

“Student organizations and internships provide more experience and opportunities to sharpen your skills,” Kaufman says. “Anything you can do to enhance those skills is another step to your professional development.”

For public relations students, the Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA) helps members take a step beyond the classroom into the world of public relations. As a professional student organization in the School of Journalism and Mass Communications, PRSSA provides an opportunity for valuable networking and experience among peers and professionals.

Happenings: Pack It Up, Pass It On

‘Pass It On’ program connects
campus, city through free shopping

It’s almost shopping day for Texas State University’s annual Pack It Up and Pass It On, an annual program that allows students to leave behind items they no longer want to benefit San Marcos residents in need.

Last year, residence hall students filled five storage units with thousands of useful items, including clothes, shoes, toys, furniture, electronics, unopened toiletries, non-perishable food, computers, household items and books. More than 1,000 clients from United Way of Hays County agencies then shopped for free in the “store” set up in the LBJ Student Center Ballroom. Approximately seven tons of useful items went to new homes instead of area landfills.

Although on-campus collections ended in May, Texas State students, faculty and staff as well as community members can still donate items and volunteer time to the Pack It Up and Pass It On event. 

Around Campus: Student Organizations Council

Students rally students
to get involved on campus

Students pose with Boko at Cocoa Boko, one of the annual events sponsored by SOC.

By Catherine Harper

Texas State University values diversity on campus, and the more than 300 different student organizations reflect this diversity. According to Abel Valencia, president of the Student Organizations Council (SOC), campus diversity creates a more interactive list of activities.

“Diversity is what makes up a university and helps it grow,” Valencia says. “Texas State is a very diverse campus, and with such a broad list of student organizations, there’s a lot of different activities to get involved in.”

SOC is a student-run organization guiding student involvement on campus. With a tight-knit staff of students, the SOC oversees all of the organizations that are registered at Texas State, and encourages students to get involved.

Updates: E-bills

Texas State goes green with
e-bills, new direct deposit

From Student Business Services

Texas State is moving to a new student information system, and with the move come a few great changes to reduce the university’s environmental impact. Beginning in the fall 2011 semester, the university is going green by eliminating paper bills. E-bills are scheduled to be sent to students’ Texas State e-mail addresses the first week of August.

Sign up for direct deposit by Aug. 10 to win an iPad!

Direct deposit is another way students can go green (and receive refunds faster). Plus, students who sign up for direct deposit before Aug. 10 will be entered in a drawing to win an iPad.

Students who have had direct deposit through CatsWeb in previous semesters will need to sign up for direct deposit again in the new system.

To sign up, visit the Student Business Services website and access the new direct deposit link.

And remember, payment of tuition and fees is due for all fall students by 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 23, 2011.

For more information, visit the Student Business Services website or contact the office at 512.245.2544 or cashiers@txstate.edu.

Updates: Parking Services

Parking Services offers alternatives
for purchasing fall parking permits

Texas State University is implementing a new student information system for the fall 2011 semester. While converting to the new system, Parking Services may be temporarily unable to offer an online payment option for purchasing parking permits. (If this service is available, you will be able to login on the Parking Services website.)

In order to provide students with multiple ways to purchase parking permits while the system conversion is being completed, Parking Services is offering the following options:

Faculty: Audwin Anderson

Sociology professor featured in film
about African-Americans in surfing

Dr. Audwin Anderson

By Billi London-Gray

Dr. Audwin Anderson has spent his career exploring the complexities of human interactions. As a professor and graduate advisor at Texas State University specializing in the sociology of law, his research usually focuses on subjects like jury service, social justice and social power within the criminal justice system. But in a new documentary, he sails into another area of academic interest: sports history.

Whitewash is filmmaker Ted Woods’ examination of the history and contributions of African-Americans in the world of surfing. In the film, Anderson provides commentary on the history of African-Americans in sports.

Faculty: Jack Ransone

Ransone shares thoughts on work
with Spurs, balance in academics

Dr. Jack Ransone, a professor and alum of Texas State University, has had a broad career as an athletic trainer for athletes and teams worldwide. In addition to his university role, he is the medical coordinator for the San Antonio Spurs basketball team.

Ransone, the director of the athletic training program at Texas State since 2003, has worked with national teams at sporting events worldwide, including the U.S. National Wrestling Team’s Tour of Europe in 2002; the 2003 Pan American Games; the 2004 Olympics in Athens, Greece; the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, China, after which he earned the prestigious Most Distinguished Athletic Trainer Award from the National Trainers’ Association (NATA); the 2009 World Cross Country competition in Mombasa, Kenya; and the 2009 World Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Osaka, Japan.

In a recent interview with British sports news website The Leader, Ransone discusses the balance of his academic role with the hands-on analysis in his work with the Spurs. Here’s a few excerpts from the interview:

Alumni: Lauren McMurray

Helping with tsunami cleanup
strengthens resolve to serve

Lauren McMurray joined tsunami cleanup efforts in Ishinomaki, Japan.

By Lauren McMurray, ’07

I just arrived back from my work in Japan. I am exhausted. There is still so much work left to be done in Ishinomaki, and that was only one of the several coastal areas destroyed by the tsunami. I wanted to share a little bit of my experience. Thank you to everyone who supported me in my efforts. It was something I had to do and I hope to do again soon.

Every morning from 7:30 a.m. we began our work. Each team of six to seven people was assigned a house or area for the day. The foreign teams were mostly assigned the grunt cleaning work at the disaster sites. It was easy to point us in the direction we needed to go: the job was relatively self-explanatory, and little language was needed.

Alumni: Chase Katz

From bakery to bocce and brews,
San Marcos savors Katz’ service

Zelick's, co-owned by Texas State grad Chase Katz, is located on Hopkins St. in San Marcos.

By Catherine Harper

The jump from owning one successful small business to two is quite a feat, as any business owner will tell you. For Chase Katz — a Texas State University alum and co-owner, with his brother Seth, of both Zelick’s and Dos Gatos Kolache Bakery in San Marcos — business experience and family support has taken him leaps and bounds through his professional ambitions and beyond.

Katz graduated from Texas State in 2009 with a degree in general studies that focused on business administration, mass communication and construction. These three minors built upon his entrepreneurial foundation, Katz says, but not necessarily by design.

Rising Stars: Dawson Muñoz

Mentor helps Muñoz find
future as Fulbrighter

Dawson Muñoz, right, with his mentor, Pat Pattison

By David King

When Dawson Muñoz was taking classes at South Plains College, he dreamed of a career in international business.

“I said I wanted to be an international entrepreneur,” he recalls.

Six years later — thanks to both his own persistence and some sage guidance from his mentor, Texas State business professor Pat Pattison — he’s there.

Muñoz graduated from Texas State with bachelor of business administration in finance in May. In September, he will begin a 9½-month Fulbright fellowship in Spain, helping teach at a secondary school and working on a research project about small business development.