Area Advertising Firms Invest in PR Education and Research

Rochester Institute of Technology has partnered with four Rochester-area advertising firms to enhance educational and research facilities for students in the fields of advertising, public relations and journalism.

Partners + Napier, Catalyst Direct, Martino Flynn, and Mason Selkowitz McDermott provided funds to RIT’s College of Liberal Arts to assist with the creation of a new Mac Computer Lab. The facility includes enhanced video editing, publishing and design capabilities and will be used for classes and research work in the college’s advertising and public relations program and its newly created journalism degree.

“I’d like to thank all four firms for their assistance in the creation of this lab and in enhancing opportunities for RIT students,” notes Robert Ulin, dean of the College of Liberal Arts. “In the college we make use of both sides of the brain in that we have programs that range from the humanities to those that emphasize the research methods of the natural sciences. Therefore, we have a need for facilities that enable teaching and research in both the creative arts and science and technology.”

“The fields of advertising and journalism are increasingly tied to new digital technologies, and students studying in these fields need a comprehensive understanding of and access to these technologies to succeed,” adds Rudy Pugliese, professor and graduate coordinator in the Department of Communication.

The new Mac lab is available to additional RIT students in a host of majors, including printing, photography and graphic design, and it will be utilized to design and edit professional publications for RIT hosted conferences and symposia.

The Department of Communication and College of Liberal Arts also hope to increase cooperative education opportunities for students through the partnership as well as explore additional educational and research projects in the future.