Opportunities are everywhere. Career Education Review agreed with this statement and published an article I had written on such a subject.

1. © 2009 The Baxandall Co., Inc.
Published by
Workforce Communications
www.careereducationreview.net
Public Relations
Never Miss an
Opportunity
By Michele M. Wilson
You never know from where your opportunities that can catch you off
best public relations opportunities will guard.
come. Sometimes, they can seemingly As a career college, we spend a
appear from nowhere. The key to ef- significant amount of time educating
fectively capture those rare opportun- the community about our campus,
istic events is to believe that nothing is curriculum, faculty, and students. We
impossible and be ready for it when it are constantly searching for new ways
comes. Take for instance, a Grand to partner and share. An Open House
Opening or an Open House, the type of or a Grand Opening is the type of event
event that we have all attended; we give that gives us a story to tell. That is
them limited attention because they what we had this last September; the
seem to be an all too familiar story. opportunity to celebrate the opening
As an attendee at one of these of a new College Education Center on
events, you know what to expect. You one side of the state—Idaho Falls—
get invited, you make a showing, you and the opportunity to celebrate the
slap a paper label on your chest with expansion of a campus on the other
your name written somewhat legibly side of the state—Boise. Both were to
on it and you look for someone you occur within a week of each other. We
know. Hopefully, by the time you leave had our work cut out for us. The big
the event you have a conversational question was: “How do we get people
understanding of the organization that from both sides of Idaho to come and
invited you and you might have had see what we are about—what we have
some good finger food and a drink on to offer?”
a bonus night. But nothing leaves a For the Stevens-Henager College
lasting impression. Education Center, our emergence in
As a planner of that type of event, it the local economy seemed enough of a
is easy to fall into the trap of planning hook. It was a new educational offering
only for that limited exposure, to a in the community—somewhere we
partially interested party, particularly had never had a footprint before. For
if you are in charge of putting together our campus expansion on the home
two such events together within a campus of Boise, we needed something
one-week timeframe. You become so more. We opted to coordinate the event
focused on replicating what you have with the culmination of a charitable
seen as an attendee, while trying to book drive to benefit the pediatric
give some memorable information department of a major hospital system.
about who you are and what you do, We had given a reason to attend, an
that you fail to look for the special opportunity to satisfy curiosity, and

2. 17 Career Education Review • December 2009
an opportunity to have the makings needed him. We gave him a full scholar-
of what one would expect from such ship for his MBA; he gave us a story
an event. that drew not only local print media,
Had we been content and not but local and national television media
observant, we would not have taken as well. At each event, he told his story.
advantage of a rare opportunity that At each event, we told ours.
presented itself First, the story appeared in the local
almost at the last Boise and Idaho Falls papers and on
That rare opportunity walked minute. Recognizing the local television news shows in both
through our door in the form and acting on the places. Within a week it had gone
of a 90-year-old man looking opportunity turned national, appearing in large and small
to get his MBA degree. what would have newspapers across the country. It
been purely local spread to the Internet and landed in
events into a story that captured at least seven countries outside of the
national and international attention. United States. By the time we held our
That rare opportunity walked second event, five days later, we were
through our door in the form of a 90- able to draw local politicians (including
year-old man looking to get his MBA Boise Mayor Dave Bieter; Education
degree. Here was a walking, talking Liaison for the Idaho Governor’s of-
human interest story. A grandfather fice, Dustin Kuck; Idaho State Economist
who encouraged his grandchildren to Michael Ferguson; and Boise School
continue their education and to even District Superintendent Dr. Stan
pursue a master’s degree. When asked Olson)—“…a really wonderful event…
by them if he had a master’s degree, I am impressed,” stated Dr. Olson—
he had to admit he didn’t have one, and company leaders (including Boise
but said he was willing to look into it. Chamber of Commerce president & CEO
He was our opportunity and we were Bill Connors; Price and Associates
his. Our online master’s program and president & CEO Ron Price; and
our newly established College Educa- OCM Consulting vice president Becky
tion Center gave us a way for him Gates). This second event was covered
to reach his goal in his own time; he by several TV crews all seeking informa-
needed us. With our desire to highlight tion about the 90-year-old MBA student,
our institution and our offerings, we Clyde Wagnon, and more information
MICHELE WILSON In her current role as business development
came to private higher liaison for Stevens-Henager College, she uses her
education earlier this year, global perspective to create relationships, alliances
from 25 years working in and partnerships with businesses and organizations
the international business in both the local and regional environments.
community. With over 15
years experience operating Contact Information:
two companies, she has Michele M. Wilson
extensive experience work- Business Development Liaison
ing with firms both foreign Stevens-Henager College
and domestic. In 2008, she 1444 S. Entertainment Avenue
made presentations in Boise, ID 83709
Washington, D.C. to the U.S. State and Treasury Phone: 208-383-4557
Departments and was quoted and photographed in Fax: 208-345-6999
Inc. magazine in 2003. She is an active member and E-mail: michele.wilson@stevenshenager.edu
mentor for SCORE® (Counselors to America’s Small Web Site: www.stevenshenager.edu
Business) and an avid proponent of women in
business and education.

3. Career Education Review • December 2009 18
about who we are. At the height of its leaders. They want to know more
attention, the story had 13 Google about the career college that gave
pages of hits. them the opportunity to go back to
The success of the story was still school. Our community outreach and
dependent upon us pushing it beyond public relations will
local coverage, but that push was be an ongoing
The lesson to be learned is
relatively easy because of the “news process. In spite
this: watch for and recognize
worthiness” of the story itself. It’s not of our full agenda
every day you get an opportunity to in preparing two
opportunities as they walk
enroll a 90-year-old student. It was as major events, through your door. Our stu-
good as if it had been “Man bites dog!” we had the good dents walk through our doors
Dr. Shane Reeder, regional direc- fortune to spot a every day seeking new op-
tor–Idaho, Stevens-Henager College, rare opportunity, portunities; we should do
summed it up by noting, “It is always which resulted in the same.
a plus to be able to let more people the success that we
know of the quality that comes with enjoyed. The lesson to be learned is
our people, our students and our this: watch for and recognize opportu-
educational offerings. To be able to do nities as they walk through your door.
that in a standing room only crowd Our students walk through our doors
was amazing.” every day seeking new opportunities;
We have continued to use this we should do the same.
opportunity to further relationships
with local political and business