Cody Lee Aulidge's Portfolio

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Contents
writing
research
nonprofit
campaigns
events
social media
designs
photography
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My Story: Duplicity
© Chris Ozer
Duplicity
“deceitfulness in speech or conduct, as by speaking or acting in two different ways
to different people concerning the same matter; double-dealing.”
We pick back up in my eighth grade year. As I mentioned in the last post, I had started a Monday &
Friday morning Bible Study class before school. I began teaching it hoping that it would bring me closer
to the Lord and stop the bullying. It did quiet the bullying some, but it actually just taught me how to put
on a mask more rather than bringing me closer to the Lord.
By ninth grade, I had moved to Creek Wood High School. I joined the choir and got involved in the theater.
Being constantly surrounded by the students in the fine arts department, I finally found my niche. My
new friends were finally accepting me for who I was and the way I acted. Suddenly, acting “feminine”
wasn’t that bad. I was surrounded by people who loved me for who I was and didn’t make fun of me.
I finally felt happy being able to be myself.
But I still felt guilty.
Guilty for not pursuing a life with Jesus. I knew what the bible said about the feelings I was having,
feelings that weren’t going away, feelings that kept getting stronger and stronger. In order to hide these
feelings, I had to lie about everything. I lied about how I had started cussing, the porn I was becoming
addicted to and my feelings. I lied about the life I began planning to live after I moved out. All of these
lies began piling up more and more, so I hid them in the deepest parts of my heart.
I was numb.
Writings

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By the end of my freshman year of high school, I had come out as gay to my fellow classmates. While
it felt amazing not to have to lie to the mass majority of the school, I still felt like a fraud. I knew this
wasn’t truly who I was. Who God created me to be… but I had given up.
How was God going to use someone like me? How could He use someone who lied to his parents about
everything? Someone who was unworthy of His blessings. Someone who could never be made clean.
Someone who literally had no hope.
My life continued to grow into webs of sin. I lied to my parents when they found out about my homosexual
lifestyle, convincing them it was a phase I had long since come out of. I had gotten into an unholy
relationship with a guy I fell in love with online. The things I said and did when I wasn’t at home or
church was the farthest thing from representing Christ, yet I still claimed to follow Him. I claimed to be
a gay Christian, believing that God would forgive me even though I felt otherwise deep down. I knew the
truth. His truth.
I was so desperate for love after the relationship with my ex-boyfriend that I claimed bisexuality just
because I found out a girl liked me. I jumped on the opportunity and began to like her back as she led
me back on the road towards Christ.
Then suddenly, the webs broke.
On June 27, 2011, I had the worst day of my entire life. My girlfriend had broken up with me.
At this point, I had two choices.
Go back to being gay or go back to being a true Christian and giving up the homosexual lifestyle.
I was so conflicted as to which path to choose. I had a demon on one shoulder and an angel on the
other, both screaming at me telling me which life to choose. And because I had grown so far away from
the Lord, I was clueless as to which voice belonged to the other. I had some people advising me that
the homosexual/Christian lifestyle was fine and others saying that I needed to turn from my sins, that
Christ was the way, the truth and the Life. That He could forgive my sins and change my life.
My head hurt from all the confusion. I cried harder that day than I ever had before. I had devised a plan
to end it all. All the hurt, depression, and confusion. Suicide was the only way answer. I had dug myself
into a whole I was convinced not even God could pull me out of.
I was ready to die.
To be continued...

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My Story: Give Me Jesus
On June 27, 2011, I wanted to die. After weeping
all day long, thinking long and hard about suicide
and having a migraine from the confusion of
which path to choose, I just slept. I slept through
the depression. I was in such a dark hole that I
finally just gave up and sat in my sorrow.
There was no way out.
But the funny thing is that God has and always
will be there for us, even when we can’t see him
through the darkness.
He was there, waiting for me to come back to
him. He was there when I was delving in my sinful
nature. He was there when I was confused. He
was there in my sorrow and pain. He was there
when I was contemplating suicide. He was always
there.
On June 28th, 2011, I put my mask back on. I’m
the type of person that just pushes my problems
to the back of my mind; so I did once again what
I had been doing for years and just got over it. I
was so tired of dealing with it that I completely
turned away from my problems and pretended
they weren’t even there. I pushed them so far
back that the numbness returned.
Even throughout the numbness, God started to
reveal Himself more and more in my life. He kept
speakingtomeinanywayHecould.Conversations
with friends and family. Commercials on TV. Every
sermon I heard at church. Even a billboard off the
interstate. All these were subtle messages telling
me that I needed to choose Him; that He was the
way, the truth and the life. Only He could take all
my sorrows and turn them into joy.
Finally, I was beginning to listen.
But while the confusion was being replaced
with God’s direction, I still desired more of the
homosexual lifestyle. There were things I had yet
to experience. I wasn’t done, even though I was
beginning to get a better sense of what was right.
So the battle between what God and I wanted
continued.
Part of God’s direction was leading me to a new
church, Crossroads Church of God of Prophecy. I
had been visiting there for about a month when
they asked me to help lead worship during their
monthly Youth Worship Night.
Little did I know that this would be the night that
changed my life forever.
I came into the service, putting on my mask as
I was so used to doing. I sang the same songs

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I had sung for years and raised my hands in
worship just as I had been taught. When the
youth pastor started preaching, he spoke of
redemption, love, and fulfillment. He talked
about how one’s wonder could be restored and
how no one is made perfect. How we all fall
short of God’s glory but God can make us clean
and whole. He told us that God could forgive us,
and we could be made completely new.
This was it. This was my chance to fix it all.
I went to the altar and immediately began
weeping. I began asking God for forgiveness,
promising Him I would fix it all. But what I didn’t
understand is that I didn’t have that power, only
God could truly fix me. There was so much
depression rooted deep in sin and rejection.
WAY too much for me to fix on my own. I had to
give it all to him.
This was foreign to me. How do I give something
to God? How do I spiritually give a feeling over
to Him? How?!?! I wanted to physically reach
in my body, pull out my sin, and hand it to him.
Do I cry harder? Do I scream? Do I pray out
loud? I was so desperate to give my struggles,
my depression, my rejection, my unworth, my
hatred, my EVERYTHING over to God that I just
wept harder and harder. I craved that childlike
wonder. I needed my sins forgiven, to forgive
myself, and to be truly loved. I was determined
to give it all up to God, regardless of what it took.
Then I heard the voice of God for the first time
in my life.
“Worship Me.”
“But how God?!”
“Worship Me.”
“Why can’t I just give it to you?!”
“Worship Me.”
“How is that going to fix my situation?!”
“Worship Me.”
“GOD!!! JUST FIX ME!!!”
“Worship Me.”
As I stood up at the center of the altar, I lifted
my hands as my Youth Pastor sang, “Give Me
Jesus” by Jeremy Camp, I worshipped God for
the first time in my life. Uninhibited. Unrestrained.
True genuine worship. As I lifted my hands, tears
streamed down my face. With every tear that was
shed, love was replaced. Joy was replaced. Anointing
was replaced. Wonder was replaced. As I wept in the
presence of God, He saved me. I cried out, “GIVE ME
JESUS! GIVE ME JESUS! YOU CAN HAVE ALL OF THIS
WORLD, JUST GIVE ME JESUS!”
On August 31, 2011, God saved my soul. I was finally
forgiven. I felt on top of the world again. The feelings
of wonder I had when I was 7 years old had finally
returned, and this time I was going to make sure they
never left.
He changed my life in every way possible. He’s turned
my mourning into dancing, and my sorrow into joy.
He’s picked me up and dusted me off when I’ve
fallen. He’s taught me to find my worth in Him and
not through this world. He’s showed me how to lead
by serving and how to love others. He’s filled me with
the love I had been searching for. He’s turned off an
attraction for men and replaced it with an attraction
for women that had never been there before. He’s
placed a passion and anointing for leading worship
through missions. He’s led me to Lee University and
placed me in a worship choir that travels the world.
He’s blessed me with Christian leadership positions
in church, high school, and at Lee. He’s given me
amazing Christian mentors who have helped me
make sense of His word.
If God can change me, a corrupt and hopeless child,
He can change anyone. He is my rock, my love, and my
life. I worship Him not because I want to but because
I live to. I went through it, so I know now I can help
others through it. He gave me a gift, and I will use it
to Praise His Holy name for as long as I live. I’m not
living this life for attention, I’m doing it because I love
Him!
I’m a new creation, in Christ.
“This world has nothing to offer. Nothing.
Jesus Christ fulfills everything. Don’t try to
search for things that fulfill your heart because
it’s not going to happen here on this earth. Only
through Christ. The things of this day will pass.
But Christ, His love and goodness remain
forever.”
— Jeremy Camp

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I Can’t Wait to Meet You
Dear Future Wife,
I can’t wait to meet you. I can’t wait to feel those butterflies when I realize that we’d be really cute
together. I can’t wait to talk to my friends about how much I like you, but I’d probably be too nervous to
say it to your face. I can’t wait to blush at your texts, and have that puppy love everyone talks about. I
can’t wait to finally ask you to be mine, because it took me a while to get up the guts to ask you. I can’t
wait to meet you.
I can’t wait to know you, who you really are. I want to hold your hand, and let you lean your head on my
shoulder as we binge-watch Netflix. I can’t wait to hear your dreams, your worries, and your passions;
and even hear you rant at me about stupid things. We’ll have long talks that last into the early hours of
the morning, about every intricate part of our lives. I can’t wait to know you.
I can’t wait to see your beauty. Messy hair, sweatpants, and Cheeto stains. Or a Sunday dress, high
heels, and hair up, I know your beauty will never change. I can’t wait to discover your personality and
everything that makes you tick. I can’t wait to see your beauty.
I can’t wait to make memories with you. Screaming nineties hits with the windows down and a million
miles ahead of us. I can’t wait to have inside jokes with you where all I have to do is say one word and
we laugh so hard that our stomachs ache. I can’t wait to travel the world with you, cook dinner with
8 you, play hide and seek and have nerf gun wars in our pajamas. I can’t wait to create a family with you.
I can’t wait to lie on the floor of our first home and dream of what is yet to come. I can’t wait to make
memories with you.

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I can’t wait to love you. To look at you and know in my heart that you are the one that God has destined
me to be with. I can’t wait to watch you work, and be in utter awe of God’s creation. I can’t wait to have
a love that is centered in God’s principles. I can’t wait to look you in the eyes and feel that feeling that I
hear so much about, that true unconditional love. The love that makes me never want to leave you side.
I can’t wait to love you.
I can’t wait to marry you. I can’t wait to watch you walk down the isle towards me as I fight back tears. I
can’t wait to say our I Do’s & Don’ts. I can’t wait to kiss you and be pronounced Man & Wife. I can’t wait
to dance the night away with our friends and family by our side. I can’t wait to start a life with you. I can’t
wait to thank God every waking moment for the blessing that I did not deserve. I can’t wait to thank Him
for bringing me out of sin so I could be with you. I can’t wait to leave our wedding knowing that I just
had the best day of my entire life. I can’t wait to marry you.
I can’t wait to pray for you. Whether it be at the altar or in our kitchen, I can’t wait to be there for you. I
can’t wait to lead our home in the way God ordained it to be. When you’re weeping for a tough situation
life has thrown at us, I can’t wait to hold you in my arms and cry with you, praying for God’s peace over
the situation. I can’t wait to intercede for you during the good times and the bad. I can’t wait to pray for
you.
Dear Future Wife,
I can’t wait to meet you.

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Contact: Cody Lee Aulidge
Cell: 615-739-0101
Email: clementrailroadmuseum@gmail.com
Website: www.clementrailroadmuseum.org
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 29, 2017
Clement Railroad Hotel Museum
Appoints New Executive Director
Michele Anderson to take over as Director in the New Year.
[Dickson, TN] December 29, 2017 - The Board of Directors of the Clement Railroad Hotel Museum
(CRHM) are pleased to announce the current Program Director, Michele Anderson, as CRHM’s new full-
time Executive Director. Anderson will assume full responsibilities as the new Director on January 1,
2018.
Michele Anderson has served as the CRHM’s Program Director since 2016. She has been responsible
for leading successful events, fundraising projects and day to day activities for the CRHM in this
leadership role. Additionally, she has led marketing and community relations building efforts and
helped to implement educational programs in close collaboration with the professional team of staff
and board of directors at the CRHM.
“As a museum, our mission is to explore and celebrate the innovative leadership and values that have
shaped the community and to provide educational opportunities which connect the past to the present
and enhance the quality of life within our community.” Anderson said. “We added several new programs
and events in 2017, including our ECD Lectureship on the subject of Retail, our STEM Summer Camp
for girls, our 2nd Annual Wine Tasting, and our Legacy Event, which honored men and women in the
community who have made significant contributions not only to the Legacy of the CRHM but also to
Dickson County. I look forward to strengthening our relationship within the community of Dickson and
want to see the museum grow into a Center for that community, a place where people and families
come together to enjoy food and fun, while making memories that last a lifetime.”
Prior to her employment at the CRHM, Anderson was over membership services with the Barbershop
Harmony Society in Nashville, TN. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Elementary Education
from David Lipscomb University and has obtained her Masters in General Education K-12 from Capella
University.
Anderson resides in Dickson with her husband, Greg, and their three children, Hannah, Caleb and Ben.
Their oldest daughter is a freshman at Nashville State Community College.
The Museum is closed for the holidays but reopens January 3. We welcome you to stop by the Museum
for a tour, meet Michele and hear about all of the exciting events coming in 2018. Happy New Year!
About the Clement Railroad Hotel Museum
The Hotel Halbrook, home of the Clement Railroad Hotel Museum, was constructed in 1913 and is one

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of the few remaining examples of a railroad hotel in a small Tennessee town. It functioned as a working
man’s hotel until 1954. On June 9, 2009, it opened to the public once again and became officially
known as the Clement Railroad Hotel Museum, the Tennessee Historical Commission’s second most
visited historic site. The Museum explores the history and heritage of Dickson County, the Western
Highland Rim, and the State of Tennessee through exhibits and collections relating to the railroad, iron
ore industry, commerce, the Civil War, settlement, and the accomplishments of Tennessee Governor
Frank G. Clement. The Museum is fortunate to have many artifacts and items that once belonged to
Governor Clement and his family. Museum visitors can see the rooms where the Clements lived while
managing the Hotel Halbrook and view exhibits featuring Governor Clement’s early years, campaigns,
and accomplishments.
Here at the Clement Railroad Hotel Museum, we educate and provide events for the community, give
tours throughout the museum, provide membership to visitors, offer venue rental and are a visitor center
right at the heart of Dickson.
Hours:
Tues - Fri: 9 A.M. - 5 P.M. Sat: 9 A.M. - 4 P.M.
Sun - Mon: Closed
Closed on major holidays.
Admission:
Adults: $6.00
Seniors: (60 & Above): $4.00
Children (6-12): $4.00
Military: $4.00
5 & Under: FREE
###

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Contact: Mark Vermilion
Telephone: 012-345-6789
Cell: 987-654-3210
Email: mvermilion@leeuniversity.edu
Website: www.davidakersministries.com/
April 25, 2014
Daivd Akers Retires from NFL
Akers to focus his time and energy on his ministry.
[Detroit, MI] April 25, 2014 - Six-time NFL Pro Bowl kicker David Akers announced today that he is retiring
after 17 seasons in the league. At 39 years old, he has optimistically decided to retire after contracting
a sports hernia half-way through the 2012 season and in his final year with the San Francisco 49s. He
plans to focus his energy on David Akers ministries.
In his 17 years with the NFL, he spent one year with the Atlanta Falcons and Carolina Panthers (1997),
one year with the Washington Redskins (1998), 12 years with the Philadelphia Eagles (1999-2010), two
years with the San Francisco 49s (2011-2012) and one year with the Detroit Lions (2013).
He’s chosen to retire because of the pain that is associated with his hernia caused by chronic exercise
related supra-inguinal groin pain which associated with an incipient direct bulge of the inguinal wall
whenever the abdominal muscles contract forcefully.
“I’m disappointed to have to end my career this way,” Akers said. “But the pain is just too intense while
working out and playing on the field. Although I’m sad to be leaving the NFL, I feel peace about a new
season opening in my life where I can spend more time focusing on my ministry.”
In his retirement, he plans to spend more time writing and speaking at ministry and corporate events.
To find out more information about his books and potential speaking opportunities, you can visit his
website at www.davidakersministries.com/.
He aims to retire to Franklin, TN with his wife Erika and 3 kids: Luke, Sawyer and Haley.
“I feel very blessed to have been able to play in the NFL, experience the things that I experienced, travel
to every NFL city and meet people/places that most people don’t get to experience. I’m very thankful
and will forever cherish the memories I’ve made. But with every door closes, another one opens, and I
plan to move onto a different career.”
David is currently working his first book, Winning In-Spite Of, which is set to be in stores this fall.
During his time in the NFL, he was probably most known for the stance he took after each kick, looking
up and pointing to the sky. Other than that iconic association, he was also a six-time all-star pro-bowl

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kicker in 2001-2002, 2004 and 2009-2011. In 2004, he played in the super bowl with the Philadelphia
Eagles against the winner, the New England Patriots. Akers was also named in the NFL’s “2000s All-
Decade Team” along with Payton Manning and Ray Lewis among others. He currently holds the NFL
season record for the most points by a kicker in a single season, 166 points in a season, and the record
for the most field goals in a single season, 44 field goals.
Originally from Tate’s Creek High School in Lexington, Ky, Akers started his career on the football field
of the University of Louisville. There, he kicked a school-record 36 field goals (with a long of 51 yards
against Texas A&M University), and ranks second in Louisville’s all-time scoring list, with 219 points.
He was originally cut from the draft four times before he was undrafted between 1997 and 1998 when
he spent time trying to make the team with the Atlanta Falcons and Carolina Panthers.
For more information on David Akers’ retirement from the NFL and plans for his future ministry, you can
contact his PR correspondent Mark Vermilion at 012-345-6789 or at 987-543-210.
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Contact: Mark Vermilion
Telephone: 012-345-6789
Cell: 987-654-3210
Email: mvermilion@leeuniversity.edu
Website: www.leeoperationhelpinghand.org
March 2, 2016
Lee University Launches A New Service Program
Students and employees are set to serve Bradley Co.
residents each Saturday beginning April 19.
[Cleveland, TN] March 2, 2016 - Lee University has announced that it will be starting new non-profit
organization on its campus. The club’s, called “Operation Helping Hand.” main focus is to provide
service opportunities for the Lee University students and faculty while partnering with community
organizations to help the residents of Bradley Co. The program will begin on Saturday, March 9, from
9:30-4:00 and will continue for six weeks through the end of April.
Six local organization have already partnered along the organization, including Habitat for Humanity,
Community Action Network, Main Street Cleveland, Catholic Charities, Mercy Corps and the Family
ResourceAgency,allofBradleyCo.Leeisopentoacceptingothernon-profitpartnerswhowouldliketobe
involvedinthefuture.Prospectiveorganizationscanapplyatourwebsite,www.leeoperationhelpinghand.
org. Lee will plan and manage all the work projects for volunteers by contacting other local organizations
and seeing what can be done to in the Bradley Co. area. Projects activities will include picking picking
up trash in parks and neighborhoods, repainting community service centers, feeding people who live
in impoverished neighborhoods, repairing the homes of elderly and disabled residents, creating and
orchestrating fundraisers to help the community residents and tutoring children.
Operation Helping Hand creator and director, Prof. Mark Vermilion, said that Lee University created this
organization to serve the Bradley Co. residents and to provide an opportunity for students and faculty
to build community and relationships.
“We want our students to come together for a greater cause,” Vermilion said. “The organization is
designed to break down the barriers between the faculty and students so they can serve alongside one
another. In the classroom, sometimes the perception is that students are lesser than their teachers.
While their instructors are, in fact, more experienced than those they are teaching, we are all human
and are called to serve one another. The faculty working with the students exemplifies humility. It also
relays two of Lee’s strongest values: service and community.”
Lee is looking forward to the opportunity for service with the students and faculty, but will limit the
number of volunteers the first Saturday to 150. The following service opportunities will be open for
more spots as organizations and projects are added to the team.

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All volunteers must register on our website: www.leeoperationhelpinghand.org. Sports are given on a
first-come, first-serve basis, so sign-ups must be done each week.
Lee will beta-test the organization in the spring 2016 semester. During the summer, they will evaluate
what did and did not work to improve the program for the following fall semester’s nine-week run. If the
organization works well in the 2016 spring and fall semesters, that it will continue every consecutive
semester if it proves to be more effective.
Vermilion has run similar organizations at two other universities: Indiana Wesleyan University and
Asbury University. â€œIn preparation for Lee’s Helping Hands instillation, I contacted both universities
to see what I could do for Lee. In the conversations, both locations reported that they were still in
operation and were growing. I hope to take some of the ideas they’ve instilled since my resignation and
apply them to Lee University’s newest organization. We hope that this can impact the Bradley Co. area
for the better and that it could be in existence for years to come.
The University is trying to exemplify God’s call for His followers to love Him and love people through
acts of service. Lee students are already required to have 80 hours of service in order to graduate,
with many clubs and organizations already helping achieve that goal. But this organization is different
than all the others because it takes the students and faculty out of the classroom and has them work
together for one goal, serving in our own backyard.
###

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Contact: Erik McNair
Cell Phone: 423-454-1706
Email: erik@mcnair.media
Website: www.mcnair.media
June 6, 2018
McNair Media Hosts Retail Google Partner Event
How to compete against retail giants as a small business.
[Cleveland, TN] June 66, 2018 - On Wednesday, June 20, McNair Media will be hosting a free Google
partner workshop to teach small businesses owners how to compete against retail giants as a small
business. Beginning at 7:45 AM through 8:45 AM at BonLife Coffee in Cleveland, TN, this free workshop
will cover material relevant to business owners or representatives of retail businesses.
The workshop will teach attendees how to capitalize on crucial marketing concepts such as local search,
Facebook advertising optimization, website development, inventory management and e-commerce.
We hope the guests will leave the workshop feeling more confident and better prepared to compete in
a culture where retail giants so prevalent.
Erik McNair, owner of McNair Media said, “We are so proud to be able to host this Google Partner
Event here in Cleveland. We have worked with many businesses that have been able to compete with a
national retail chain and we are excited to be able to share with local retailers some key things that they
can start doing today to compete.”
For more information, email us at erik@mcnair.media. Reserve your spot at www.mcnair.media/retail.
About McNair Media
McNair Media is a full-service marketing firm which offers everything you need to promote your business
or organization online including web design, SEO, digital advertising, and even corporate-style video
production.
###

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Lights, Camera, Cure is this year’s Relay for Life theme as they gear up for big things to celebrate their
Silver 25th Anniversary event happening on Saturday, May 19 at Cleveland High School. Because a 25th
anniversary is typically a ‘silver’ celebration, this year’s team is a ‘Silver Screen’ theme. Teams have the
opportunity to base their group off of a specific movie or genre. Themes like Jurassic Park, Sandlot,
Star Wars and Wizard of Oz are already taken, but there are still so many possibilities for teams to
express themselves.
The event on Saturday will have free admission, yoga in the morning, Zumba in the afternoon, music in
the evening, rock climbing throughout the day, a ‘Hands on the Jeep’ PS4 giveaway, the very first Light
in the Night 5K run and the annual luminary ceremony. And at this silver screen-themed event, you’re
sure to see teams and guests dressed up in their favorite movie characters and genres, with the best
lookalike winning a prize!
Starting all the way back in 1993, Bradley County’s Relay for Life started as a 25-hour event, even
though it was required to have at least a 24-hour event. And although the event has now been shortened
to 12 hours, it’s still packed full of fun for the whole community, all while raising money for a great
cause. “Relay for Life is and has been a great opportunity for anyone who has been touched by any type
of cancer to come back and celebrate those who have survived, to remember those who aren’t with
us anymore and to raise money so people don’t have to hear the words, ‘You have cancer.’ It’s a great
family-friendly event for people to come out and participate,” says Chrissy Seal, Community Manager at
Relay for Life in Bradley County.
As the sky grows darker, the very first Light in the Night 5K run will begin. Immediately following the
5K, the annual luminary ceremony will start as white paper bags with candles inside, which can be
purchased at the event, will line the walkway as participants take one final silent lap around the track.
The goal this year is to have 60 teams. And with just a few spots away from the goal, they’re looking for
eager teams to sign up and be a part of changing lives. Bradley County’s Lights, Camera, Cure Relay for
Life is scheduled for Saturday, May 19 from 9 AM to 9 PM at Cleveland High School. For more information
or to sign up your team, you can visit their website at www.relayforlife.org/bradleytn. To register for the
Light in the Night 5K, you can visit https://register.chronotrack.com/r/38816. Registration for all the
events is open until the day of.
Bradley’s 25th Annivresary Relay for Life
Event This Saturday
May 15, 2018

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Research
Lee University Flames
Athletic Events Attendance
From January 2016 to May of the same year; I was a part of a group research project for the Lee
University Public Relations & Advertising class. The class taught us how to execute an entire research
project that included gathering secondary research, creating a survey, performing interviews and focus
groups, reviewing all of the data and creating an executive summary report to present to our client.
The question we were trying to answer was why attendance was declining at the University’s athletic
games. I designed the presentation and final report pieces, but each of our group members worked
equally as hard in executing all of the research that was done.
Here are some of the highlights from our research findings and presentation.

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NonProfit
unconstrained
In November of 2016, I created a nonprofit organization business proposal along with three other
students as an assignment for our Nonprofit PR class.
The assignment was to create an entire nonprofit organization from scratch and provide the following:
an organization name, mission statement, write out the core values, establish missional programs,
identify the target audience, find a location, create a business model, introduce the start-up staff, write
a launch communication plan and provide objectives, identify the key message and slogans, identify
the various communication tactics and establish a timeline.
I spent a lot of time on the design of the website and business proposal, but we all equally worked on
the content of the proposal.
Here are a few exerts from our business proposal.

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Campaigns
Five for All
The Bateman Case Study Competition
is PRSSA’s premier national case
study competition for public relations
students,andgivesyouanopportunity
to apply your classroom education
and internship experiences to create
and implement a full public relations
campaign.
PRSSA challenges participants of the
Bateman Case Study Competition to
develop a campaign on behalf of the
Campaign to Change Direction, to
change the culture of mental health
in America. This Competition is
sponsored by The Plank Center for Leadership in Public Relations and Edelman.
The goal of the 2017 Bateman Competition is to change the way we think and talk about mental health.
Participatingteamswillachievethisgoal,inpart,througheducationontheFiveSignsofmentalsuffering,
which are: change in personality, agitation, withdrawal, a decline in personal care and hopelessness.
While a part of this campaign case study competition, I helped implement the campaign we created,
run the events, photograph everything we did, and put together the campaign book and appendix to
send off to the PRSSA Headquarters in New York.

24
Events
Public Relations Student Society of America
As the Secretary from 2016 to 2017 and the President from 2017 to 2018 for the Public Relations Student
Society of America (PRSSA), I had plenty of opportunities to manage and co-plan events. Just to name
a few that I managed, there was Patty Silverman’s Surprise Retirement Party in April 2017, a Resume
Critique and a Rock City Field Trip in November 2017, an Etiquette Dinner Fundraiser in February 2018, a
Headshot Event Fundraiser and a Centennial T-shirt Fundraiser in April 2018, 11 Organization meetings
covering 10 topics and 15 board meetings in the 2017 to 2018 school year, and a Communication
Department Night of Worship in April 2018.
A few PRSSA sponsored events that I helped plan were a Bateman Team Mayoral Proclamation Signing
in February 2017, a field trip to Wacker in February 2017, a field trip to Waterhouse PR in March 2017
and 10 organization meetings throughout the 2016 to 2017 school year.
With every party, meeting, field trip, fundraiser and professional development event we sponsored, I
learned so much about event planning in professional atmospheres and working with professionals all
over the greater Chattanooga area. I learned about working with teams, how to handle last minute crisis
with caterers or change of plans or even location and doing everything with excellence.

25
Lee University Campus Choir
During my time as a member of the Lee University Campus Choir, I was on the committees for the
winter formals of November 2014 and 2016 and the Spring Formals of April 2015 and 2016. I also
worked two Homecoming Alumni Banquets in November of 2014 and 2016.
While on the committees for the formals, I helped come up with ideas to go along with the themes the
coordinators had chosen, ran errands, helped with the budgets, coordinated catering, set up and clean
up of the events, photographed the events, in 2015 and 2016, and just did anything I could to make the
events a success.
During the 2014 Homecoming Alumni Banquet, I helped set up and clean up the event and I also served
food to guests. At the 2015 Homecoming Banquet, I helped set up and clean up the event, photographed
the service and set up a photo booth.

26
Public Relations Student
Aside from being a part of the Lee University PRSSA, I also had several opportunities to help plan
and work events as a normal public relations student. I helped plan approximately five focus groups
throughout the various projects I did as a student, helped plan Lee University’s Homecoming Tailgate
in November 2016 and helped plan the Social Innovation Conference in April 2018. I also got to work
the Cowpea Festival in September 2016 and Cleveland 175h Anniversary Concert with Voices of Lee.
In planning the focus groups, I helped my team invite people to participate in the events, reserving
rooms, coordinating food, setting up AV and presentations and facilitating and documenting the focus
groups.
On November 5, 2016, I put on an event along with 6 other students with my Event Management class.
We put on a “Homecoming Tailgate” for all visitors to the Lee University’s homecoming weekend.
This included a mini-parade, live music, a DJ, 40 club booths, giveaways, a remote radio broadcast, a
photo booth, food for 1,300 visitors, kids play area, competitions. It is a big part of the Lee University
homecoming weekend. My group worked with an academic advisor, the alumni relations office, and with
outside sponsorships to serve more than 3,000 visitors that day. We each had different jobs throughout
the planning and execution process. On the day of the event, I handled the giveaways, competitions, live
band, the radio station and DJ coordination.
On April 13, 2018. My Advanced Event Management class executed our semester long project, the
Social Innovation Conference. This class as more of a hands-on learning class rather than sitting in
lecture. From the very first day of class, we decided that we were going to plan the very first social
media conference the greater Chattanooga area had ever had. Our target audiences were local business
owners, nonprofits, ministries, college students. Social media is a powerful tool to grow businesses or
non-profit organizations. But only if you know how to use it well. Our goal was to teach our audiences
how to leverage the power of social media to develop their brands and engage key audiences. We
brought in professionals and sponsors from all over the area and one from Miami, FL to accomplish
this.
Our class planned every part of this event. From venue visits, consultations with vendors, getting
sponsorship, design of the events both online, through marketing materials and at the venue and social
media management, our class did it all.
My job was mostly branding. I created the brand stylebook, all of the marketing materials (banners,
flyers, PowerPoint templates and name tags) and the conference website. I was also in charge of all of
the day-of photography and designing graphics and pushing then before and during the conference. I
learned so much about social media, graphic design and just generally planning a conference!
At the Cowpea Festival, I helped load the trucks with supplies the day prior, help set up for the event the
morning of and run around doing whatever the directors asked of me. I also spent a portion of my day
working a cookoff booth. At the 175th Anniversary Concert of Cleveland, I helped set up for the dinner
prior to the concert and helped usher the concert.

28
McNair Media
As an intern with McNair Media, I helped plan two of our Google Partner events in May and June of
2018. These events involved creating flyers, sending out press releases to the media about our events,
advertising on social media, cold calling businesses to invite them to the events, photographing the
events, working with the venues to ensure AV was ready and working with caterers for the luncheon or
brunch portion of the meetings met expectations.

29
As an intern with the Clement Railroad Hotel Museum, I
helped plan the May, June and July 2017 Board of Director’s
Luncheon’s and helped facilitate all venue rentals at the
museum. I also managed the Reading Railroad in July 2017.
For each director’s luncheon, I helped work with caterers, set
up for each lunch, prepare the meeting minutes and binders
and help work the events. When helping facilitate the venue
rentals at the museum, I worked with clients in making sure
they had all their expectations met, gathered payments,
communicated with clients about the board of directors
about rental updates and often helped set up for events the
days of.
For the Reading Railroad, I crafted the idea to fo the event
and finished it through to the end. I designed flyers and
graphics, sent invitations, managed social media efforts,
decorated the event, coordinated costumes, worked with
the downtown community to promote the event, wrote press
releases, contacted local websites for community events,
worked with the local Chamber, coordinated snacks for the
children and facilitated and cleaned up the event.

30
Weddings & Showers
I have had the privilege of managing and planning several wedding and showers for four of my
best friends. I have I have managed the Zabala’s Wedding Rehearsal Dinner in November 2014, the
Newsom’s Wedding Shower in August 2016 and their Baby Shower in July 2017. I have worked closely
with the brides to help plan the Newsom Wedding in September 2016 and the Tatum Wedding in
November 2018. And lastly, I worked a second Newsom Wedding Shower (planned by the bride’s
family) in July 2016.
At the Zabala Wedding Rehearsal Dinner, I had $350 to plan an entire rehearsal dinner for two of my
friends to celebrate their wedding in the states before they got married in Ecuador. This included
buying decor and food to feed 80 people. After working with a lot of volunteers, we reserved,
decorated and set up, coordinated and cleaned up the event. For the two showers that I planned, I
researched themes, created a menu, made a list of decorations, a budget, recruited friends and family
to help with the events, designed invitations, came up with games and coordinated catering.
The weddings were huge tasks to accomplish, but had so much fun planning. For both weddings, I
helped with nearly every aspect of the wedding, especially designing all invitations, menus, programs,
etc. I worked closely with each bride to make sure their dreams came true.

32
Ministry
As a member of the Church of God, COG, and the Church of God of Prophecy, COGOP, I have had a
lot of opportunities to create, help manage and work ministry oriented events. I managed the Ignite
Worship Service in March 2015 and the Crossroads COGOP Harvest Festival in October 2018. I helped
plan the Crossroads COGOP Apple Butter Festival in October 2012, 2017 and 2018, their Vacation
Bible School, VBS, in July 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2017 and the Woodward Avenue COG’s College
and Career Ministry Barbecue Fundraising Dinner in June 2018. I also had the chance to work the
Tennessee COGOP’s State Convention in July 2015.
At the Ignite Worship Service, I helped gather volunteers, speakers, a worship team and a drama
team. I also coordinated the set list, order of service, audio, travel expenses, housing, meals and
green rooms for each person involved in the worship event. At the Crossroads COGOP harvest
festival, I came up with the idea to do the event, coordinated volunteers for the games, managed the
photo booth, helped with the hay ride and bonfire worship service, created the social media graphics,
managed photography of the event and made sure we had enough people to participate in the chili
pot luck!
At the Apple Butter Festivals, I did various things each year in addition to helping plan for the events.
In 2012, I helped manage the Youth booth and worked with the bands set to play. In 2017, I handled
photography. And in 2018, I not only helped make the Apple Butter from scratch but I also handled
photography and cinematography for the event and created an entire social media campaign
surrounding the event. At each Vacation Bible School, I helped my best friend plan the event from
start to finish. This included social media campaigns, media, acting, decorating, photography and
teaching classes. At the Barbecue Fundraising Dinner, I helped our Pastor plan for the event, create
the graphic for our various media outlets, and prepare all of the plates for the fundraiser.
At the Tennessee COGOP State Convention, I helped set up and clean up for the Pastor’s Banquet and
was a waiter for a row of five tables. I also was the media distribution director, so I gathered the audio
and video for each service and made CD and DVD copies and sold them to the convention goers.

34
Social Media
Lee Clarion
Since being hired as the Online Editor for the Lee Clarion in December of 2015 through May of 2018, I
increased the social media following and engagement by 50%. I came into the job with nothing but a
few usernames and passwords, and some of them I had to pull teeth just to have access to. In a years
time, we have gone completely digital so my job has become very important. I rebranded the entire
online presence of the Lee Clarion. Every day, I reviewed analytics, updated all social media accounts
and drafted new tactics to encourage engagement and a larger following online. I set up skype-ins
with social media professionals to learn more about social media with our team, used social media
in live events for the university, created an event for the university that was pushed heavily on social
media and tracked social media analytics to award writers for the best articles each week.
When being hired on as the intern for the CRHM, they had a virtually non-existent social media
presence. In addition to many PR Intern activities, my biggest task was to bring all of their social
media accounts out of the closet and into the light. Like I did with the Lee Clarion, I established a
social media plan for the museum, created a daily task list, and created months worth of posting
schedules to increase awareness of the museum and engagement with the clients and community. I
increased their following and engagement by 50%.
YouMatter.us
During my time working with Dean Sikes Ministries and YouMatter.us, I did very similar things as
with the Lee Clarion. I increased the social media following and engagement by 15%. I created
graphics to28 go out on social media daily, interacted with the followers and pushed the cause of the
organization.

41
Social Innovation Conference
View the website overview at: https://youtu.be/JDfze60uSSA
View the social media branding overview at: https://youtu.be/MbtX8-jOHNg

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