Lee public relations students work registration at the Care Net National Conference. From left, Grace Green, Julia Emerson, and Chloe Grabeman.
photo by Care Net
Lee University’s Mark Vermilion has returned from taking eight public relations students to the Care Net National Conference in Washington, D.C.
“This trip was a collaboration between my students and the directors of the Care Net conference that benefited both the students and the conference,” said Mr. Vermilion, assistant professor of public relations. “It gave my students a chance to use the communication skills they've been learning at Lee in a real-world context, and it gave Care Net much needed help in all areas of PR and social media.”
Care Net is a nonprofit organization that works with more than 1,100 pregnancy centers in North America to communicate that every human life begins at conception and is worthy of protection. It strives to offer help to anyone considering abortion by presenting them with “realistic alternatives and Christ-centered support” through its network of pregnancy centers, organizations, and individuals.
Professor Vermilion has spoken at the Care Net National Conference for the past three years, leading attendees in various workshops. This year his workshop was titled “Reaching Millennials,” which had over 100 attendees.
Libby Hennen spoke during Mr. Vermilion’s session and added a millennial’s perspective to the discussion. Julia Emerson also spoke independently in a different session.
“This was a chance for some of our pro-life students to combine their passion for pro-life ministry with their professional PR interests,” said Professor Vermilion. “Several of the students walked away from the conference with job offers for after graduation.”
The students—Sophie Bell, Jessica Bonner, Julia Emerson, Chloe Grabeman, Grace Green, Libby Hennen, Jessica Oliver, and Kiersten Powers—volunteered in various ways, including assisting with registration, speaking in a breakout session, and counseling pregnancy centers about social media and marketing to millennials.
“I was a little nervous going into the conference because I didn’t know what to expect,” said Ms. Green. “Just because I didn’t know what to expect, didn’t mean I couldn’t try, though. The first step to success is showing up and being willing to learn and help, and that’s what our group did. Overall, it was an incredible experience, and I would do it again.”