Social media and engagement, public relations, writing in the digital age.
Suzanne Lowery Mims is a communication professional with experience ranging from Capitol Hill to the boardroom. Her career includes positions as a US Senate press secretary, a federal agency public information officer, and as a senior executive in advertising and public relations agencies. The best job she has ever had, however, is the one she has now: helping to launch careers. To that end, she guides students through hands-on projects that help build industry knowledge, develop job-ready skills and provide interview-quality writing and work samples.
Why study public relations? Professor Mims says it opens the door to many career pathways: https://youtu.be/6E0xAa3wgIk
What is COMM 204, Intro to PR, all about? Here's Suzanne's answer: https://youtu.be/qD981tLAxq0
Hear what Suzanne has to say about COMM 384, PR and Social Media: https://youtu.be/nacr8R68jlc
Suzanne calls Writing for PR (Comm 391/308) a "life hack" toward developing skills you'll use your entire career: https://coursemedia.gmu.edu/media/Writing+for+PR+/1_htdk55ge
Since 2012, Suzanne has been a member of The Insight Committee of leading communication executives who advise the department and sponsor student-focused events and mentoring. She spent five years as the academic director for the Global Public Relations Study Abroad Program in London during winter break, an intensive two-week immersion in global PR, social media, and strategic communication through interaction with leading professionals in agencies, corporations, government, public affairs, and nonprofits.
Suzanne earned a Master's degree in strategic communication at Mason with a focus on how social media have altered public relations as it has been practiced for the past 100 years. You can find her on Twitter @mimsPR. Visit her website for course descriptions and program summaries: http://mimspr.weebly.com/
"Teaching audience analysis through worksheets: Approaching audience analysis as qualitative research,"
(2021) by Julia Hathaway, Elizabeth Duesterhoeft, Nicole Leavey, Karen Akerlof, Suzanne Mims & Katherine Rowan. The Journal of Public Relations Education, Vol. 7, Issue 2.
"PATHWAYS to Public Relations: Student Handbook" (2016) by Suzanne Mims, Katherine Rowan, and Daniel Walsch. https://publishing.gmu.edu/services/publications/pathways-to-public-relations/
"Principles of Public Relations: Communication 330 Student Handbook & Guide to PR Communication 330," 4th Edition by Katherine Rowan, Daniel Walsch, and Suzanne Lowery Mims https://www.kendallhunt.com/rowan/
COMM 391/308 Writing for Public Relations
COMM 384 PR and Social Media
COMM 331 Campaigns: Advanced Principles of Public Relations
COMM 204 Introduction to Public Relations
COMM 411 Public Relations Practicum
COMM 392 GlobalPublic Relations Study Abroad in London (#UKPR16)
COMM 303 Writing Across the Media
COMM 335 Organizational Communication
MA., George Mason University, 2012
B.S., Kent State University, 1976, magna cum laude
MasonCOMM Team Wins AEJMC Great Ideas for Teaching Award https://communication.gmu.edu/articles/16537
Amid COVID19, Mason PR Students Target Fake News, Social Isolation and Support for Front Line Workers in Social Media for Social Good campaigns https://communication.gmu.edu/articles/14435
Mason Students Use Social Media for Social Good http://communication.gmu.edu/articles/9031
Real Projects, Real Results. https://newsdesk.gmu.edu/2014/01/real-projects-real-results-communication-students-find-strategy-pays/
Public Relations in 140 Characters or Less? It's #Comm399. http://communication.gmu.edu/articles/7480
Veteran Post Reporter Shares Tips and Tales from Courts & Cops Beat http://communication.gmu.edu/articles/6517
Public Relations Students Feed the Hungry, Fight the Flu and Find Funds http://chss.gmu.edu/articles/6370
GMU Students Dive into PR and Come Up With Results http://communication.gmu.edu/articles/4014