Kindness in the PR Program

Everyday, there are so many people in life to show kindness toward, including yourself, your partner, and your family. I pondered this list and realized another addition to add; who do students see every week and spend lots of time with? Professors and classmates. 

The public relations program is a small community of awesome supportive people, especially the professors. This inspired me to ask our professors how students have shown kindness to them, other professors, and the students. Below is a list of ways students have shown they care about the people in our program, and how we can contribute to this incredible nurturing environment.

Check In On Your Peers

The response from professors made it overwhelmingly clear how supportive public relations students are. It seems like in every class professors notice students supporting each other's projects, answering their questions, and fostering great teamwork skills. 

"Students seemed more relaxed in the sense that 'we are all in this together,'" says Sandra Braun, "and were more patient with their peers on group projects and generally more supportive of each other in terms of stepping up and helping each other with questions, sharing in online group discussions and being more open and honest with each other. This created an invitation to kindness and many accepted and reciprocated."

Jamie Anne Vaughan notes "today more than ever, students in the PR program are very aware of each other's mental wellbeing and are quick to check in with their peers to see how they're doing and to offer support or help if needed." 

Support Peers When They Share

Speaking up in a classroom can sometimes be daunting. One way to show kindness is to support your classmates when they share in class.

"I feel very fortunate to witness kindness every week in the classroom," says Paula Worthington and shares examples, "it's often a small gesture, such as sharing in applause when a student has the confidence to speak up and present in front of the class, or simply sharing words of gentle encouragement."

Kylie Robertson shared about the "countless times where students would support one another’s ideas to keep a discussion going or just vocalize their support for each other in general. An act of kindness doesn’t have to be a big sweeping gesture; I think we show each other kindness in a million little ways all the time." 

Online? Engage With The Class.

Although we have over three years of Google Meet experience, students are still adjusting to the online space, and that's okay! One way to build a classroom online is by engaging in the class.

Kris Hans lists how "actively participating in discussions, asking questions, and participating in group activities can also help to create a positive and supportive learning environment." Professors put a lot of work into making online classes engaging, and when students do their part the Google Meet URL becomes a classroom.

Also, Peter Ryan reminds students that there are multiple ways to engage in an online environment. Cameras are a great way to engage, but if that's not an option you can use your voice and unmute, but if that also isn't an option you can use the chat box. There is more than one way to participate. He adds that you can participate outside of online learning through in-person conversations about discussion posts or emailing your professors with any questions.

Showing This Kindness To the Professors

The kindness shared daily with peers also gets shared with professors. Professors teach because they are passionate about giving back what they know to students. Letting professors know that we care through simple gestures or something more is a great way to show you care. 

"Simple words of gratitude mean so much to me," says Paula Worthington, "when I hear from a student that they have learned something new or achieved a goal and feel that I have been part of that win, it means so much to me."

"The best kindness that a student can show to me is telling me that they either learned something new in the class or that the materials made them look at things in a different way," shares Kylie Robertson, "I love knowing that the work I do could help contribute to that growth!"

Kris Hans says "one experience that stands out to me is when a student in my online class mentioned how much attention and detail I put into developing the course for online delivery, so students could do it self-paced and with the support they need. It was a small gesture, but it meant a lot to me and reinforced why I enjoy teaching so much."

Coming To Class Early

As well, you can always arrive early and chat with your professors.

"I have always found the PR students to be very kind," says Jamie Anne Vaughan, "many of them come to class early to have conversations about our industry, prepping for entering the workforce, or just to chat about life." 

Also, after class is another opportunity to ask questions and have a quick chat with professors and classmates.

Thank You Letters

Cards are for more than birthdays and Valentine's Day. Many professors shared that throughout the semesters, students have been gifted thank you cards expressing their gratitude for the professor and the valuable knowledge they learned. 

Sandra Braun shares, "the most meaningful acts of kindness to me have been any thank you notes that I might receive from students at end of term or any time, really. They often contain very few words, but those words are sincere and carry great meaning. To think that a student took that kind of time to really reflect on what they got out of the class, or out of me, if even one thing, and then to put that into words and get it to me, is sometimes overwhelming. They give me focus, purpose, and they remind me about why I wanted to teach in the first place—and that was to make a positive difference in the lives of post-secondary students who are on the verge of their careers." 

Along with cards, some students have gifted little trinkets to their professors. Peter Ryan mentioned how students have given him some nifty gifts like a tin of mints or a stamp both with a funny joke engraved in them.

Conclusion

Overall, public relations is a program of kind and caring students who are really supportive of each other and appreciate their professors. I have always viewed the program as a community that supports everyone in it, and the professors seem to agree!

Hopefully, this article inspires you to continue sharing your kindness with students and professors, as well as try new ways to support students and show professors that you appreciate them.

As well, thank you to the professors for taking the time to share your experiences with me and the students.