Guests at Wednesday night’s ‘Angels & Demons’ premiere event raised much-needed funds for local charity, Bloomhill Cancer Help.
The event which started at the Pig’N’Whistle with drinks and nibbles and finished with the premiere screening of ‘Angels & Demons’, attracted more than 130 Sunshine Coast movie goers and raised more than $2, 900 for the charity.
Mentored by Michelle Smytheman from Reflected Image PRoductions, four University of the Sunshine Coast PR students, Chloe Sollom, Eugiena Pratley, Jacinta Krause and James Caffery, started planning the event in early March as part of a ‘Production Workshop’ offered by the university which allows PR students to apply their skills in a real-life situation.
‘Previous USC PR students have been offered great jobs in the industry largely because of their Production Workshop and Internship experience’, said USC lecturer, Dr Amalia Matheson.
‘We actively involve industry professionals in our teaching to make sure the degree is relevant and integrated with both business and the broader community’.
‘This approach which underpins our new public relations degrees, has resulted in a 66 per cent increase in enrolments in the program’.
‘These industry elements set the Public Relations degree apart from others so our graduates have recent experience working on high-profile projects. It gives them an edge with employers.’
It is the first year that Bloomhill have partnered with USC students through the Production Workshop program.
Bloomhill president, Geoff Morton, is encouraged by the group’s progress and feels this mutually beneficial partnership for both Bloomhill and students is one that could continue into the future.
‘The students get to put their newly-found PR skills to practice while raising much needed funds for Bloomhill so it really is a win-win situation’, he said.
‘These students planned this event with no budget so to have raised $2, 900 for Bloomhill is a great achievement.’
One of the event organisers and USC PR student, Chloe Sollom has thoroughly enjoyed the experience.
‘It has definitely been an invaluable learning experience and I feel really fortunate to have been involved in planning an event that is going to benefit such a worthy cause’.
‘Helping to plan this event has made me feel more confidant about my PR capabilities and much more self-assured about entering the workforce.’
All funds raised from the event will go directly to Bloomhill Cancer Help so they can continue to provide their many invaluable care and support services to local people with cancer, their carers and family members.
