The Top Five Reasons Students Should Attend the Public Interest Communications Summer Institute

By Ryan Anderson 

Growing up, I was a huge fan of David Letterman’s nightly Top Ten lists. A lot has changed in the world since Letterman signed off from The Late Show for the last time nearly a decade ago. One thing that has not changed is my love of a good list. With that in mind, I present from the home office in Gainesville, Florida, the Top Five reasons that students should attend the Public Interest Communications Summer Institute.

Number Five: It is Affordable and is Money Well Spent 

The cost to attend the Public Interest Communications Summer Institute is set at $50 for graduate students. Additionally, the Institute employs a “pay what you can” approach and offers scholarships to ensure that students who may not have the funds can benefit from all that it has to offer. The Institute’s organizers feel strongly that the cost should never be a deterrent for any students who want to attend.

Number Four: There is Nothing Else Like it 

Hosted by the Public Interest Communications Educators Network, the Public Interest Communications Summer Institute is a unique event that brings together faculty, graduate students, researchers, and administrators from the field of Public Interest Communication who are interested in leveraging the power of communication for social good.

Over the course of a day and a half, attendees of the Public Interest Communications Summer Institute hear case studies from professionals in the field while also gaining valuable skills, networking, and meeting new collaborators. Each year, the Summer Institute features a central theme. Past themes have focused on Advocacy and Hope. 

Number Three: The Institute Provides Students a Chance to Travel  

Each year, the Public Interest Communications Summer Institute is held in a different region of the country. Host cities for the institute are located near a major airport to make it easier for students from around the country to attend. Past Summer Institutes were held at Howard University in Washington, D.C., in 2022, the University of Houston in 2023, and the Auraria campus in Denver, Colorado, which is home to Metropolitan State University of Denver, University of Colorado Denver, and Community College of Denver, in 2024. By hosting the Institute in a different city each year, students see how the tools of Public Interest Communication are used in various regions to build lasting social changes.

Number Two: The Sessions are Tailored to Equip Students with the Tools to Succeed 

Sessions at the Public Interest Communications Summer Institute are designed with students in mind. Past Summer Institutes have featured sessions that allowed graduate students to present their research and discuss their findings with academics and practitioners in Public Interest Communications who are able to provide real-time feedback. Other sessions focused on how students can get their research published in academic journals, like the Journal of Public Interest Communications, and finding a job in Public Interest Communications after graduation.

Through the multiple workshop tracts, students are able to select from a variety of sessions to tailor their Institute experience to meet their individual needs. By keeping attendance in each session low, students are able to interact one-on-one with the facilitators, ask questions, and receive beneficial feedback on their research. This is also an opportunity to ask any other questions they may have as they prepare to enter the field of Public Interest Communications. Presentation materials are sent to attendees after the Institute to ensure students do not miss anything and learning can continue.

Number One: It Connects Students with a Support Network  

The number one reason students should attend the Public Interest Communications Summer Institute is to build lasting connections with people actively engaged in Public Interest Communications work. Public Interest Communications is an emerging, interdisciplinary field that utilizes strategic communications strategies and scientific insights to foster meaningful and lasting change within communities. As a relatively new discipline, practitioners are spread throughout the world and can sometimes feel like they are working alone.

As the old saying goes, it takes a village to make a lasting change. Students who attend the Public Interest Communications Summer Institute can connect with fellow change-makers and current Public Interest Communications practitioners while forming lasting partnerships that will help them in their efforts to make lasting positive social changes in their communities and in the world as a whole.

Posted: August 12, 2024
Category: UF CJC Online Blog
Tagged as: public interest communication