‘Theory Meets Practice’: UWG Cuts Ribbon on Reimagined bluestone Public Relations Firm Share this page
Since 2013, the University of West Georgia’s student-led public relations firm, bluestone, has equipped students for their careers before they graduate. Last week, UWG cut the ribbon on the newly transformed bluestone space in UWG’s School of Communication, Film and Media (SCFM).
The updated space was made possible through the generosity of UWG alumna Amanda Lucey ’06, CEO of The Partnership, trustee of the UWG Foundation Board, and member of UWG’s SCFM Professional Advisory Board.
“The core of marketing and public relations is storytelling,” said Lucey. “bluestone is not just a wonderful place to learn, but an opportunity to integrate storytelling into our regular practices. As professionals, we elevate and support the next generation, and I am proud to invest in these students to ensure they have the practical applications they need to be successful after graduation.”
The newly renovated space features easily accessible technology and collaborative work areas designed to simulate a professional agency environment, bridging the gap between academics and industry practice.
“I am excited to celebrate the power of the work that takes place in bluestone and the impact it has on the workforce needs of our state by providing our students with career-ready competencies in these in-demand fields,” said Dr. Ashwani Monga, UWG’s interim president. “The School of Communication, Film and Media is focused on not only what our students learn but how they learn it, and having a collaborative space, thanks to the generosity of The Partnership, makes experiential learning even more rewarding.”
bluestone was launched in Fall 2013 as an innovative experiential learning lab/practicum course. It was co-founded by public relations faculty members Dr. Hazel Cole, associate professor and PR program head, and Dr. T. Randahl Morris, former assistant professor. The initiative was a collaborative effort within the Department of Mass Communications (now the School of Communication, Film, and Media), with leadership support provided by Dr. N. Jane McCandless, then dean of the College of Social Sciences, and Dr. Camilla Gant, former chair of the Department of Mass Communications.
Gant also co-authored a successful $10,000 presidential grant with the PR faculty, including Drs. Cole, Morris and Amber Smallwood, with matching funds from McCandless. These funds were used to develop the experiential learning lab space in the Humanities Building, designed to simulate a professional PR agency environment.
In the past two years, bluestone has expanded its model, evolving into a fully operational experiential learning lab under the visionary leadership of Clinical Associate Professor Taylor Bryant. The lab focuses on providing high-quality public relations services to non-profit, private, and public clients. bluestone offers a wide range of communication services, including content production, primary research, public relations campaigns, social media counseling and strategic PR planning.
"bluestone's transformation into a fully functional experiential learning lab, currently led by Clinical Associate Professor Taylor Bryant, is the result of the solid foundation established by faculty and administrative leaders a decade ago," said Dean of the School of Communication, Film, and Media Dr. Bradford Yates. "In addition, Dr. Hazel Cole and Clinical Associate Professor Kelly Williams provide crucial curricular preparation through their public relations courses that equip students with the foundational skills needed for success in bluestone. These accomplished practitioners and educators deserve recognition for their exceptional work in developing and sustaining bluestone."
bluestone is positioned to continue its mission of empowering students by offering real-world experience in public relations. As the firm evolves, it remains a cornerstone for future leaders in the industry, ensuring UWG graduates are well-prepared to make an immediate impact in their careers.
“Amanda Lucey has been a champion of training emerging communications professionals,” Yates said. “Today, we celebrate not only the establishment of bluestone as an official experiential learning program, but also the ongoing success of our programs where theory meets practice.”
For more information about how you can impact UWG through an endowment, scholarship or annual giving, please visit UWG’s Give West page.
photography by Hailey Wilkinson