The annual PRSSA Bateman Case Study Competition allows public relations students to create, implement and measure a full public relations campaign for a predetermined client. Students create a campaign brief to submit for evaluation. Anywhere from 50 to 100 submissions are received annually and judged by a panel of highly esteemed professionals. Each team is required to have a professional mentor to guide the students in their campaign.

I mentored UNR’s Bateman competition team three years in a row, and while certainly challenging at times, the rewards always far outweighed the challenges. As far as the time commitment goes, it’s not that much - about an hour a week from December through April, with more frequent phone calls, emails and reviewing during February and March as they prepare and implement their plan.

They say that growth happens outside of your comfort zone - I don’t know who “they” are, but the idiom certainly applies for students who participate in Bateman. The teams are small - only four or five are allowed - and they have about a month to research and plan their campaign. Then, they are allotted exactly four weeks to implement (and evaluate/adjust as needed) their real-world campaign - for a client which dozens of teams across the country are also implementing public relations campaigns in their respective communities.

Mentoring is within my comfort zone - but I think it’s one of those things that teaches and reminds us to get comfortable with discomfort. All of this is to say - I grew a lot during those three years serving as professional advisor for four different teams, and each year taught me something different.

My first year (2018-2019 school year), the client was the PRSA Foundation in their goal to increase diversity in the field of public relations. The students on that team and their work in our community are STILL being praised, and with good reason. Aside from raising the profile of our profession in diverse communities throughout Reno, this team became the ad-hoc experts on politely challenging blind spots regarding diversity and inclusion (friendly reminder that it’s never the marginalized person’s responsibility to educate you). I learned about a lot of my own blind spots - and how to identify them in the future - from this team.

My second year, two teams created and implemented campaigns to improve census participation - and for those keeping track, that year’s campaigns were entirely upended by the beginning of COVID-19 pandemic. I watched two teams (whose campaigns were built around the in-person outreach their research told them would be most effective) persevere and quickly adapt to alternatives in reaching their audiences despite a statewide shutdown.

This year, the team’s assignment was to increase civility, which they chose to narrow in on increasing communication, encouraging accountability instead of canceling. Tackling cancel culture was a bold move, and their approach was well-researched and based on the values of holding people accountable, kindness and communication. While a political and divisive topic, the team faced and adapted to their challenges head-on. 

One common thread for me as their professional advisor was watching students use and hone their skills on bold and real-world issues. I have also had the privilege to stay in touch with many of the students I mentored through Bateman, long past their graduation. Some even blossom into long term friendships, where - if I’m lucky - the tables turn, and they mentor me.  If you want to see what true adaptability and innovation looks like, spend more time with students. You won’t regret it.