Member Login
Search

Member Spotlight

MEET PRSA AUSTIN CHAPTER MEMBER: Bruce Smith

CURRENT LIVELIHOOD: Professor in the School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Texas State University. Former Director of the School until 2012, when I gave up the leadership role to teach full time. 

CHILDHOOD AMBITION: I knew from an early age I wanted to be involved with communication. I was a high school newspaper editor, yearbook photographer and member of the competitive forensics teams. I even did a bit of theatre. 

DRAW TO THE COMMUNICATIONS FIELD: I started college intending to be a journalist. Then I got involved in the student radio station and ended up becoming a broadcaster for 20 years. All along the way I did PR in every job I held.  

ALMA MATER: 

  • B.A.: University of Minnesota Duluth
  • M.S.:  Radio/TV/Film, Miami University of Ohio
  • MBA: Murray State University, Kentucky
  • Ed.D.: Boston University

HOMETOWN: I’m originally from Northern Minnesota. I’ve lived in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Ohio, Michigan, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Anchorage & Fairbanks, Alaska (13 years in Alaska); South Dakota, and now Texas (13 years here now).

MOST MEMORABLE EXPERIENCE AS A COMMUNICATIONS PROFESSIONAL: In Anchorage, I managed a public radio station that was delivered via retransmitters and satellite from Anchorage to Prudhoe Bay to the Aleutian Islands – a vast region. Even though I was the manager, I wrote all the news releases, wrote and did layout for a monthly published newsletter, handled our audience research, lobbied during the legislative session in Juneau and most years in Washington, D.C., and traveled extensively to promote our station. I wrote code for a computer database that managed our fundraising list, and it was adopted by some other stations for theirs. I also had the opportunity to work on fundraising and promotion for nonprofit organizations in the city, and assisted with a Congressional campaign.  Anchorage offered the opportunity to do a wide variety of things. 

RECOMMENDED READS: I am the co-author of a PR textbook titled, “Engaging Public Relations: A Creative Planning Approach.” The book is in its 3rd edition, with the 4th coming out in about a year. I also do a blog titled engagingPR.wordpress.com and am active on Twitter and LinkedIn, mostly sharing information about PR and trying to connect students to current discussions about the profession.

I follow a variety of other people reflecting on PR and communication generally on Twitter and LinkedIn.

FAVORITE THINGS ABOUT AUSTIN AND FAVORITE AUSTIN RESTAURANTS: I live in San Marcos and have a two-minute commute to campus.  My weekend trips to Austin often involve Whole Foods and Book People. I’m fond of Uchi, Z’Tejas and other ethnic restaurants. I’ve been a vegetarian for 40 years. I travel extensively and love international food.