Who can define Public Relations?

A few years ago, I was sitting in a lecture hall with about 100 or more other journalism students. As we all sat on our first day in Principals of Public Relations, ready and eager to learn about the profession that most of us wanted to enter; our professor asked us a troubling question: Who can define public relations? There was, of course, those few students who were sure they had the answers, "they work with the public and an organization," and... "they pitch stories," and... This went on for some time, but no one really had the full answer.

That's because it's all those things combined.

Today, I sit in my campaigns class, the last PR class requirement before graduation. When our class full of seniors was asked this question, it revealed the same response as a class full of underclassmen. Silence, blank stares, whispers and half-attempts to answer the question. This begged another puzzling question: Are we ready for the real world of public relations?

As graduation nears, I feel a sense of excitement and worry. The unknown world of public relations, the same world I have devoted my studies to, is rapidly approaching. Harold Burson, a respected PR practitioner and professor, has some wonderful advice for PR newbies. Reading over the vast amount of information about what PR really is makes me realize, we really do know the definition of PR. We also know that class would never end if we took the time to explain PR, so we just smile, knowing exactly what it is.

Although the fear inside me vibrates every time I think about finding a job, interviewing, fitting in, or anything related to the real world, I know that my education has prepared me.

The scary part is that the rest is now up to me.