Marist PR Students Selected for Innovative Crowd Sourcing Program

Gaining an edge in today's global marketplace is critical. Marist College public relations students are learning this lesson first-hand by participating in an innovative program from Ketchum that allows them to tackle real client challenges as part of a worldwide digital community.

Seventeen students in Professional Lecturer Jennie Donohue's Public Relations Case Studies class are among those from top communication schools around the globe selected to participate in Ketchum's Mindfire program, an open innovation crowd sourcing site for students. Ketchum, one of the world's leading communication firms, gives students the opportunity to work together to provide fresh creative ideas for clients in return for unique incentives and prizes.

Currently more than 300 graduate and undergraduate students representing more than 30 leading colleges and universities in North America, Europe, Asia and South America are collaborating on domestic and overseas business challenges facing Ketchum and its clients. More than 60 of the agency's clients including Hertz, Wendy's and Frito-Lay North America have used Mindfire for creative inspiration.

"We're excited that our students have been invited to work with Ketchum and its clients in such a unique way," said Steven Ralston, dean of the Marist College School of Communication and the Arts. "The Mindfire program allows our students to obtain hands-on, real-world experience that taps their creative, strategic thinking and digital skills in a student-centered, global learning environment – a hallmark of the Marist experience."

In addition to gaining valuable experience to add to their resumes, students participating on Mindfire may be eligible to receive career coaching, training and job alerts from Ketchum along with prizes provided by the clients that issue each challenge.

Courtesy of Marist College School of Communication and the Arts "In the News" (http://www.marist.edu/commarts/news.html)