Ukhta is a new point on the PR-map of Russia

On November 26-27, at the Higher School of Journalism of St. Petersburg State University there was the final event of the International competition of student communication projects "Mass Media Perspective", which was also attended by the students of USTU.

Hiring for works for the International competition of student communication projects "Mass Media Perspective" started in the spring. More than 50 projects from 4 countries were announced for the competition. According to the results of selection short-list included only 10 of them. The authors of these papers presented their ideas to strict jury.

In USTU the preparation to the competition was held from the beginning of the school year. Under the direction of V.A. Pulkina, assistant chair of "Public Relations" and deputy director of educational affair and leisure activities, future PR-specialists wrote three projects. Two of them were selected to the final - "We get out of network" (Ksenia Minko and Alexandra Dudkina) and «WorldWide Volunteers: a world without borders" (Ksenia Lanovenko and Anastasia Yakupova), which made it possible to Ukhta girls to go to the cultural capital and show themselves.

The first day of the competition was difficult. There were only 10 minutes to present the projects before the jury and the audience started to ask the questions. All works have been divided into two parts: realized and unrealized. Our girls were in the second. The subject of projects-finalist was different, but among them the works directing to the increasing civic engagement, the international mobility and promotion of volunteering were dominated. USTU students of "Public relations" specialty were last and stood the test worthy. The members of the jury noted the high level of our PR people and their creative approach to solving communication problems within the project.

The second day was no less interesting. It started with the master class of the representatives of the St. Petersburg Federation of debate, where the experienced speakers shared their secrets of effective public speaking. In their view, it is important not to try to get rid of the anxiety felt by every other person on the planet during the performance, but to know how to hide it.

Andrew Ryabykh took the relay "internet-bourgeois", who shared with the students his business experience and spoke about the stereotypes of Russians about the wealth and entrepreneurship. The guest said that we are told from childhood that money is evil and gave an example of fabulous characters, where the poor is always good and rich is villain or the thief. According to the listeners, Andrew really could allay their fears about their own business and offered hope that everyone can become a successful entrepreneur.

After the master-classes, the organizers formed a team from the audience to participate in the debate competition and gave the tasks. The students had to develop a crisis plan for the partner company of cellular operator "MegaFon" and simulate the situation of a major press conference, where the head of the organization should perform with a public statement. The participants had only one hour to solve the task and prepare the text for the public performance. Two teams came to the final of the debate as a result of the selection, they were: St. Petersburg State University and Ural State Technical University. At the second round the students had to spend a real debate on the legality of business of people with supernatural powers and to defend their position. St. Petersburg students were more convincing and our team won the 2nd place. Ukhta students were awarded for the oratory with an intensive course of training from the organizers of one of the most fashionable events in Russia - International Fashion Week Aurora Fashion Week Russia. The girls had the opportunity to visit the master classes of the best PR-specialists in this field and have an internship in the framework of the preparation for the global equities White Night Shopping in St. Petersburg.

On the same day the results of the projects contest were announced. The winner was Nikita Soloviev, the student of St. Petersburg State University, the author of implemented project in St. Petersburg "horizontal communication as a basis for civic activism." The second place was given to Ukhta students, Ksenia Minko, the 5th-year student of PR and graduate of 2012 and Alexandra Dudkina a staff member of the department of public events USTU. Their unrealized project on prevention from the dependence on the social networks was considered as the most "approach to life," and interesting in terms of the used technologies. Jurors even offered to put their signatures on the appeal to the head of the city administration in order to implement this project in Ukhta and geographic expansion opportunity for the whole country. And the third place had the guest from Belarus Anastasia Gromova with her project "+1." The winners were awarded with cash prizes and gifts. The other participants received the diplomas of the finalists and souvenirs from the sponsors.

The results of the contest were: two second places did not disappointed USTU students at all. According to the girls, such result is a big breakthrough for them and the entire university as a whole. Most importantly is the fact that, according to Dmitry Petrovich Gavra, the chairman of the jury Professor SPSU, now Ukhta is also featured on PR-map of Russia, which is a result of the growth of school public relations in USTU.