UNCRITIQUED ESSAY 4

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MS Public Relations

Desire, Vision & Dreams
"Our doubts are traitors, And make us lose the good we oft may win By fearing to attempt." - William Shakespeare.

The future probably belongs to people who see possibilities before they become obvious. It belongs to those very travelers who pierce through the clouds of oblivion with the force of their determination.

I've always believed that the answer to my destiny lies in creating the results that I desire. To tread upon the hallowed grounds of a successful and fruitful career, I must determine the shape that my actions will take, and trust in their finality. This, I am confident will lead me on to the roads of my destiny.

By the time I was 10, I realized that the only thing I could do really well was write. When I recall my days at 'Haribhai', (my school till grade 10), I discover that the one subject I performed particularly well in was English. Excellent grades in English in school helped me gain admission to one of the best Liberal Arts colleges in my country; St. Joseph's. My love for the language also encouraged me to take up higher studies in British, American and Indian Literature and today, I am confident enough to express myself in a language, which (although not my mother tongue), is no longer alien to me.

Starting with summer training at high school at Red, an advertising multinational firm, I can trace my fascination for Advertising and Public Relations (PR) influence my interest in the same, which developed slowly and steadily into a career option.

During the latter half of my graduation years, I was introduced to the dynamic and metamorphic consumer market as well as the Advertising and PR scenario in India. I realized the need to adapt my career angle to suit its ever-changing needs. For the same reason, I took up a distance learning program in Marketing and Advertising Management from MCI University, Bangalore.

Fuelled by the desire to delve further into the field of media management, I took up post-graduate studies in 'Social Communications' at the Loren Polytechnic, New Delhi. I also attended many workshops, including a well-recognized and reputed 4-month workshop on Copy-writing conducted by the Advertising Agencies Association Of India (AAAI) to gain expertise in the field of creative copy writing.

Introspecting today, I believe that my study in the field of Literature, Copy-writing, Advertising Management and 'Social Communications Media' has provided me with a good base for further study in Public Relations.

A true picture of the corporate world and an exposure to the media environment in India push me into thinking about the interaction between business houses and professional advertising and public relations agencies for commercial success.

Today, since the need for corporate communication is inherent in the very nature of present day industry and the government, the many 'publics' with their conflicting interests need to be managed by professionals with result-oriented communication in different media.

The Indian PR scene is fast starting to resemble the PR scenario in the developed world. There is a growing recognition of the need to co-relate the traditional outlook towards public management with the systematic organization and execution of effective communication programs to keep in lieu with present trends.

Advertising agencies such as Enterprise, DY&R, MAA Bozell and Mudra have specialized PR divisions to offer diverse communication services to their clients. Over the years, several PR agencies have also been set up in India. Many PR agencies such as BM Roger Periera, CV Shandwick and Genesis PR have opted for tie-ups with foreign companies to globalize their operations, increasing the demand for a wholesome communication package other than just advertising.

To my mind, a real career in Public Relations cannot be made until one studies it, not purely for its academic appeal but in the hope that it will shed light on the best road ahead. Since the excellence of corporate communications lies in its effectiveness, there is certainly a need for academically trained professionals who are taught to be more strategic and technologically competent.

However, Public relations in India is only 25 years old and is still struggling with a growing demand for its transition into a more professional and desired discipline of business. Except for a few part-time study programs, offered by median private institutions, there is very little development of PR as a separate and specialized academic and practical field of study in India.

Since the United States of America is a country known for its schools and advanced media systems, I find the need to train myself in a specialized institute in the U.S.A- one that will consider my knowledge as a stepping-stone to higher education, and help me expand my horizon. An advanced skill in communication in close co-ordination with the roots of management is what I believe is essentially something I will gain, when I acquire a master's degree in Public Relations.

As I browsed through the list of schools, I narrowed down a few selected ones according to their course structures. Your university fulfils all my requirements of a well-designed course: adequate facilities, broad curricula, flexible course structures and practical training opportunities.

I am aware that intensive study in a specialized field is a difficult task to achieve and excel at. But I strongly believe that what we persist in doing becomes easier for us to do; not because the nature of the thing has changed, but because the power to do it has increased.

I know where to direct the force of my will, to ensure that my career doesn't lay within the ruins of indecisiveness. In this decision alone, I choose the only path that shall lead me to certain success in your program.