Valerie Gard JOUR 351B, 6:00 P.M. Darryl Ryan November 6, 2015 USC ANNENBERG SCHOOL

Segmented Audience: Marginal Communication and Journalism 3502 Watt Way, , CA 90007 (213)-821-1660

To Prospective Public Relations Students,

University of Southern ’s Annenberg School for Commu- nication and Journalism is an energetic institution of leadership, innovation and discussion. Conveniently located in Los Angeles, the epicenter of entertainment, media and technology; USC’s Annenberg School bridges classroom learning with professional application. Students are offered a foundation in public relations, then challenged to rethink and reestablish the public relations world so that graduates can emerge as leaders within the field.

As the PR program continues to grow at USC, the Annenberg School has expanded to two buildings and employs more than 80 full-time falculty members and 120 adjunct professors whom collectively teach and mentor over 2,000 undergraduate and graduate students. The Annenberg School also affords access to research and public interest projects and programs, including , Neon Tommy Newspaper, The Innovation Lab and the Knight Digital Media Center.

According to College Confidential and the December 2011 issue of NewsPro, USC Annenberg was also ranked as the #5 Best Journalism School in the Country, and #1 Journalism School in California. This is in part because of the School’s unparalleled leadership: Dean and Walter Annenberg Chair of Communication Ernest J Wilson III is a former consultant to the World Bank and United Nations, served on the White House National Security Counsel, and worked at the Corpora- tion for Public Broadcasting. School of Journalism Director and Professor of Professional Practice Willow Bay is a former Senior Editor of the Huffington Post, co-anchor for ABC’s “Good Morning America” and the first woman to ever co-anchor CNN’s financial news program “Moneyline.”

It’s not only faculty who receive awards and accolades. The Annenberg School takes pride in acknowledging its outstanding students with its very own awards program. Each year, a deserving student is awarded the Selden Ring Award for Investi- gative Reporting (which includes a $35,000 prize), the Walter Cronkite Award for Excellence in Television Political Jour- nalism and the Everett M. Rogers Award for Achievement in Entertainment Education. Additionally, during the 2015-2016 academic year alone, the School awarded $256 thousand in scholarship money for undergraduates and nearly $2 million for graduate students.

With a B.A. in public relations, students will have the upper hand when it comes to post-graduation employment. Last year, 99% of The Annenberg School’s Public Relations graduates were employed within a year of graduation. This is a testament not only to the curriculum, but also the incredible alumni network and mentorship program that guides students towards the right career path right from the start of their college career.

For more information about The Annenberg School, and specifically the public relations program, please visit its website at www.annenberg.usc.edu.

The Annenberg School is looking forward to welcoming the next generation of Trojans—!

Sincerely, Valerie Gard USC Annenberg Alumini