Letter to Cousin

Amanda Clyde
634 N 820 E
Logan, UT 84321

August 28, 2008

Ryan Johnson
1255 W 13450 S
South Jordan, UT 84095

Dear Mr. Johnson:

I am thrilled that you are now a student at Utah State University. The quality of education here is phenomenal. I know you are struggling to find a major that interests you.

I started my freshman year as a history major. A year later, I decided teaching history was going to require far too much structure. I also found that the course work for my major was becoming increasingly dull and boring. I wanted to find a career which would allow me to be creative.

Recent opportunities had given me a taste of event planning, and I found that I had ample skills in this regard. I began to desire a career that would allow me to plan large events, host luncheons, schedule guest speakers, send out press releases, and put together booklets and brochures. After talking to my academic advisor, he suggested that I major in journalism and communications with an emphasis in public relations.

A career in public relations could potentially mean putting together promotional videos for a skate shop or escorting the president of an investment agency to a variety of business functions and meetings. It might involve helping a restaurant with damage control after an out break of salmonella poisoning hits the news, or even dutifully cleaning up vomit in a bathroom and five minutes later handing out party favors to financial contributors at a large convention. After reviewing the possibilities, I knew I wanted to major in public relations because of the varieties of jobs it covers.

What appeals to me the most, however, is that public relations is more than just press releases, research, and interviews, it is the tool by which one organization can ultimately elevate itself above the rest. It is the icing on the cake, and I am thrilled to be a part of it!

Sincerely,

Amanda Clyde