Risdall McKinney employees assist the next PR generation
By Brant Skogrand, APR, MBC
At Risdall McKinney Public Relations, it’s almost in the DNA of the firm to foster and develop the next generation of public relations practitioners. That’s why so many of the firm’s leaders are involved with the journalism or communications departments of Minnesota’s universities.
Take the firm’s president, Rose McKinney, for example. McKinney has taught three public relations courses at Metropolitan State University since 2005 and has served in the University of Minnesota School of Journalism and Mass Communication’s mentoring program since 2008.
“Teaching is energizing and addicting,” said McKinney. “It helps me reconnect with the principles I practice in my day job.”
Several of the firm’s employees – Joel Swanson, Eva Keiser and Jared Roy – have caught the teaching bug as well. Swanson and Keiser currently teach at St. Cloud State University and the University of Minnesota, respectively; Roy taught at the College of St. Scholastica and National American University.
“As a young professional, one of my first mentors repeatedly said that she was blessed with people who invested in her career and she was just paying it forward, which she said she expected I would do as well,” said Swanson. “I find it energizing to teach and mentor, helping future employees, clients and colleagues develop strategic communications minds and learn the trade. I find that I end up learning just as much in return.”
“Being a professor allows to me to engage in continuous learning, which is vital to those in the public relations field,” said Keiser. “In addition, we need to connect to the younger generations – a sort of ‘reverse mentoring’ takes place as a result.”
Beyond involvement with specific schools, Risdall McKinney employees also have volunteered for the student relations and accreditation committees of the Minnesota chapter of the Public Relations Society of America.
The deep involvement in college-level education has had an interesting result: several newer Risdall McKinney employees landed their first job at the firm thanks to connections made during their college years.
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